To Bangalore International Airport and back in Rs 5/-

Embarked on my longest bicycle ride today. I decided to go from my house in Brookefields to Bangalore International Airport and back. I had no clue of the actual distance, but knew it would take 4 hrs minimum. I thought that I would keep going till I hit 2 hrs on my clock and head back. With this in mind, I woke up early at around 5:45 and was on the road by about 6:15am. Had a back pack in which I took 2 bottles of water and carried some cash with me. Decided to take the Brookefield-KR-Puram – Hebbal – NH 7 to BIAL. Was at the Hebbal junction at about 7:05 am. Decided to take some snaps around, gulped down some H20 and continued forward. The highway markers mentioned the BIAL was still 27 kms to go. The weather was nice and not very cold, visibility was clear, essentially perfect weather conditions for cycling (atleast in my mind). My mind was clear and fresh, decided to put on my radio. 91.9 Radio Indigo is an amazing aid with it belting out really nice numbers. From now on, my partner in crime was Radio Indigo. At 8:15 am, 2 hrs from start, I was about 4 kms away from the airport. As per the original plan, should have turned back, but the fact that the airport was just 4 kms away, I decided to go ahead (btw; this was my first visit to the International Airport). Reached the BIAL at about 8:30 am, to be welcomed by Army commandos at the airport. Chatted with them and asked if I could take a round of the airport, and they mentioned, I would have to ride along without stopping. My first impressions of the airport, atleast from the outside, it’s allright, nothing great though. Funnily the BIAL airport doesn’t even have a large billboard that states such (or did I miss it). Saw some Cafe’s on the sidewalks near the entrance, rode through, raising lot of heads, what in the world is a biker doing here ?

Stopped for another round of H20 and headed back. Journey back home was uneventful, V(R)ani Ganapati at Radio Indigo, giving me company. Heard numerous amazing numbers from the 70s,80s through the 90s. It was great. Rode nonstop till Hebbal junction (road is not that easy though, there all lot of climbs and downhills. It was fun. My legs felt fine and in general was feeling pretty good. The sun was not that harsh still, had a decent cloud cover so that made things a bit easier. Had another round of H20 and continued onwards on ORR. As I crossed the KR Puram bridge, stopped and had an ice-cream candy (orange flavour – 5 Rs) and reached home at 10:45. So overall time spent about 4:30 hrs for a distance of 86 kms (approx according to mapmyride). Here’s the map below…

For photos (none exceptional really) go on to http://picasaweb.google.com/yranade/RideToBIAL#

Reached home and gorged on some watermelon slices and had a nice round of khichri, hit the sack for about an hour. Overall am feeling a bit tired now, but should be ok by tomorrow, I think.

Cheers,
YVR