Last Friday LEL was a ride to Chennai and back (+local commutes of 52kms) at 721KM. Hmmm, that is kinda one-way LEL! Started 5:30PM Friday, rode via Krishnagiri and reached Chennai at 10:15AM, covering 344kms with a ride time of 13:39 (25.2kmph ride avg, 16:47hours total time).
A puncture little after midnight provided a natural recovery break. Love the over enthusiastic bored dogs who love to chase you in the night especially on those empty and quiet highway stretches. Well, one of them was smart to sprint quietly and bark only very close! Love these fellas, I stop and talk to them, after all they need some love too! This route is busy throughout the night, you never feel very alone.
Sprinting in the cool morning daybreak is real fun especially when you have a truck load of people cheering at you! Local commutes in Chennai visiting uncles/aunts, traversing the city bumped my odometer by 52kms. The legs were feeling so good, I was itching to run a FM!
Rested Sat night and started the return ride at 9:30AM after two early morning visits. Exited Chennai via less trafficky (scenic really) Tambaram-Mudichur road meeting the BLR highway at Sriperumbadur. Enjoyed the high Vitamin D ride until Ranipet turnoff. It is amazing to ride in searing heat, the constant air flow keeps you warm(or hot!), you feel the heat intensity only when you stop. As soon as I turned into the Wallajapet road to Ranipet/Chittoor, the searing temperature was gone, and that is when you realise the cooling power of trees. Just amazing! This is a pleasant stretch with tree cover, though it is an undivided two-lane road. Riding through a short burst of rain was very welcome!
The goats after a day of grazing were all lined up on one side of the road ready to cross the highway and go home, a lovely sight. Guess LEL will have the lovely sheep at Yorkshire. Ghat section came and finished so quickly, a shame! After a 130km of undivided roads past the turnoff, the toll road commenced and it was a peaceful ride, reached home at 3:15AM (Monday). Ride time of 14:22 covering 325KM (22.6kmph ride avg, 17:47 hours total time).The legs feel great! Back on saddle to commute to work today after a day’s rest to catch up on sleep. My first ride from Chennai to BLR guess 4 years ago took me 22 hours in total on my hybrid, guess I have improved after all, both the man and machine! Wth this Friday jaunt, I have worked my muscles 3120kms from mid-Feb as LEL training that included a couple of brevets. The legs feel great now , I hope they stay that way, and do me good during LEL.