I have a new bike now! Merida 500 – Endurance geometry road bike with Ultegra components. After testing this on Old Madras Road (104kms) and Nandi (126 kms) over the last two weekends, I was eagerly looking forward to this brevet this Saturday. The route – BLR(BTM)- Krishnagiri-Kuppam-Berigai-Bagalur-Sarjapur-BLR(HSR). A perfect weather made the Sat glorious. 

The first half (100km) was zippy done in 3h:11min thanks to downhill & tail winds, my century PB. The second half made up for the zippy first half. 200 mark came after another 5h:40min. Scenic route cutting across hills/forest with ample to look around due to uphill & headwinds!

 A kaleidoscope of butterflies (yes, that is what a collection butterflies are called) flitting away across the road in the hot sun with possibly no care in life. I was like that too with them for those few moments, the legs pedalling away in glory. Anup with whom I was riding with was surging on the climbs, a pleasure to ride with some one who loves climbs and rides casually over them. 

And the last 10 odd kms in BLR took nearly 30 mins. Anup and me completed the ride in 9h:39min my fastest 200 (210km really). Enjoyed the maiden brevet on the new road bike. Recovery on Sun was a relaxed 15km around Sankey at 5:53 pace. 

Thanks to Parag and Karthik for a lovely route, Mohammad Rafi for the happy click with Chirag at the start and Anup for great company. Thank you Venkatesh for suggesting the bike, Kiran for making it a reality and N Kiran Kumar for giving me the first taste of road bike by loaning me your Cannondale. Sat night is an 200km all-nighter brevet to Mulbagal&back on the OMR, a good test for roadie night ride! Next week is the 1000km ride to Belgaum and back where I will get to test my back and bottom on the new bike. It promises to be good training month for PBP.