So I finally managed to convert an extended weekend into a successful attempt at Ooty, my previous two attempts being colossal fails: P The plan was modified slightly. I had a brainwave of cycling from Mysore, instead of hauling the cycles till Mudhumalai. This is how the trip panned out:
Day 1 (9 Aug 2013)
Route : Mysore – Nanjangud – Gundulpete – Bandipur – Mudhumalai – Gudalur
Distance : 125 Km
Time on the road : 12 Hrs
The previous evening, I loaded everything that I would be carrying, and did a dry run around home. Two bottles, one handlebar bag (carrying my dslr, tang, and brush), two seat post bags (carrying clothes/multi tool/spare tube/puncture kit/dry fruits), a pump and a raincoat attached to the frame were secured. Initial idea was not to have a backpack, but I ended up carrying a small one, just in case.
On Friday, I set out on ring road at 05:45 Hrs. Met Arun at the ring road – nanjangud road junction. and we were on our way. The weather was pleasant, but the traffic was quite heavy which meant we had to maintain a straight formation. Normal, as it was an extended weekend, and people wanted to head out in droves.
It is advisable to clear this section early in the day, as traffic gets very heavy, and the road is quite narrow. The roads till Nanjangud are flat. We reached Nanjangud at 07:00 Hrs and had a solid breakfast. Setting out at 07:45 Hrs, we hit the road to Gundulpete. The landscape changes from here, we find more open spaces and less trees dotting the landscape. The roads are excellent, and traffic is thin. Almost never flat, the roads take you for a ride with its gentle up’s and down’s.
After breaks for tender coconuts and watermelons, we reached gundulpete at 10:45 Hrs. The sun was just beginning to show up. After loading up on some food, we were on our way again.
One ultimate thing was, we paid a visit to all the petrol bunks till here, looking for a place which will fill up a tyre pressure of 55 Psi: P: P
The route began to get more and more scenic, with lush sunflower fields playing havoc with minds.
The countryside was very charming, a rustic picture of all things serene and calm. A perfect setting for cycling. Many kids in villages greeted the two cyclists. Thumbs-up signs, cheers and general support from motorists were on the rise. Soon, at 13:00 Hrs, Bandipur forest was here. At the gates, we took a break and mulled over the tactics to tackle the forest area, which mainly revolved around ways to avoid becoming food to the wildlife here :P
As lady luck had it, a lone, stray elephant meandered by the road, that too on a slope, just as we entered Bandipur! As some daring (?) motorists stopped for a photo opportunity, we pedaled away furiously!!
Clearing the danger area, we hit a series of hairpins. It was pure joy and adrenaline as we switched to low gears and tackled this section, to be rewarded by a freewheeling joyride downhill. It is just perfect and beautiful to cycle on this road, and you do not worry about braking on the speed breakers downhill because hey, we have MTB’s!! J
Crossing bandipur and Mudhumalai, we reached theppakaadu, the junction where the path bifurcates, one leading to masinagudi and the other, to Gudalur, out stop for the day. Reinforced with snacks and tea, we set out for the last 17 Km of the day (which would test one’s limits, unexpectedly). This last stretch is where energy ran out and the legs refused to pedal. Gorging on dry fruits and chocolates, we filed on. The last few Kilometers into town was a pilgrimage by foot. We got some suspicious stares by the locals: P
Day 2 (10 Aug 2013)
Route : Gudalur - Ooty
Distance : 46 Km
Time on the road : 8 Hrs 15 min
The day of the big climb was upon us. Immediately from gudalur, there is a 19 Km climb, with an altitude gain of ~1000m. This was the toughie that we had to clear, and the rest of the day would not be that challenging. The first 10 Km of this climb is a killer! Switching to the lowest gears, we tackled this section, pedal by pedal.
A few kilometers into this climb, one is blessed with the verdant environment of the tea estates. Cycling here is a great experience, as the nip in the air and the cool shade aids your climb.Further up, there is a dream – like section, full of eucalyptus trees. They reach for the sky and hardly any sunlight reaches the ground.
The aroma of this medicinal plant wafts through the air and lends a mystical quality to what you are doing, and you begin to answer some of the ‘why’s’. We took more than 3.5 Hrs to clear this section, with many breaks.
Past this climb, one is rewarded with a short but amazing downhill section, into the town of Naduvattam. A quaint lake sits by the village, and cows grazing by the lake makes for a picture-postcard setting.
Kilometers are devoured in this section, and average speed increases dramatically as one tackles the curves with tact and agility.
A couple of more easy and short gradients later, it is just 15 Km to the finish point. This too is done easily, as they decided to intersperse the path with hardships and rewards. We reached Ooty at 16:45 Hrs, earlier than expected.
Please have a look at this and this for more data of this region.
Day 3 (11 Aug 2013)
Route : Ooty – Masinagudi – Bandipur – Gundulpete – Nanjangud – Mysore (Part cycled, part hauled on trucks)
Distance : 50 Km
Time on the road : 5 Hrs
The great hairpins beckon on this day! 36 loops of pure thrill, adventure and playing with gravity, with a little danger on the borders. We made extra sure that the quick releases and the brakes are perfect. The terrifying aspect of hurtling off cliffs due to failed brakes played on our minds K This descent demands discipline of a different kind. Your senses are heightened, so is the beauty around you. A fine balance between appreciation and control should be struck.
The gradient is at its steepest, and you should be on the lookout for everything – the stray pebble on the road, the extra sand on the corners, that truck swerving upward, to your end. Perched at the top, scanning the snaking roads carve through the trees, you feel like an eagle, briefly. Tackling these hairpins is a lot of fun, one must also keep in mind to make way to the traffic making its way up. Keep your ears open at all times, you don’t want to be in the path of any vehicle here. The smell of burnt rubber and discs is everywhere, and many vehicles get overheated on the way up too. There is one section with a straight road halfway down here, with speed breakers on one end, and clear tarmac on the other. I remember my friend describing his climb of this section-with the lowest gears, and folks walking faster than he could pedal!
After reaching the bottom, we ran into a bunch of folks from IISC Bangalore, who were scaling this path! After handing over lots of chocolates and dry fruits, we went on, into Masinagudi and Mudhumalai.
We crossed the forest and gorged on some more watermelons. It had become very sunny, and the prospect of ‘rest’ loomed. We decided to haul a passing truck, to haul the cycles and ourselves back home and get some rest. There was a sense of achievement and peace on returning home.
The joy of having completed Ooty on attempt 3 was pure and real!! It was a great experience filled with jolly company, great scenes for the eye, good food for thought and perspective. Cycling is the best way to experience a place – this belief is reinforced.
Day 1 (9 Aug 2013)
Route : Mysore – Nanjangud – Gundulpete – Bandipur – Mudhumalai – Gudalur
Distance : 125 Km
Time on the road : 12 Hrs
 |
| Day 1 map |
On Friday, I set out on ring road at 05:45 Hrs. Met Arun at the ring road – nanjangud road junction. and we were on our way. The weather was pleasant, but the traffic was quite heavy which meant we had to maintain a straight formation. Normal, as it was an extended weekend, and people wanted to head out in droves.
 |
| Tender Coconut break during cycling - one of the all time best things! |
It is advisable to clear this section early in the day, as traffic gets very heavy, and the road is quite narrow. The roads till Nanjangud are flat. We reached Nanjangud at 07:00 Hrs and had a solid breakfast. Setting out at 07:45 Hrs, we hit the road to Gundulpete. The landscape changes from here, we find more open spaces and less trees dotting the landscape. The roads are excellent, and traffic is thin. Almost never flat, the roads take you for a ride with its gentle up’s and down’s.
 |
| Open roads and vast skies, towards Gundulpete |
After breaks for tender coconuts and watermelons, we reached gundulpete at 10:45 Hrs. The sun was just beginning to show up. After loading up on some food, we were on our way again.
 |
| Arun's ride, the KHS 150 |
One ultimate thing was, we paid a visit to all the petrol bunks till here, looking for a place which will fill up a tyre pressure of 55 Psi: P: P
 |
| Awesome watermelons on the way. Perfect!! |
The route began to get more and more scenic, with lush sunflower fields playing havoc with minds.
 |
| Havoc |
 |
| Basking in the Sun :) |
 |
| Dreamcatching among children of the sun :D:D |
The countryside was very charming, a rustic picture of all things serene and calm. A perfect setting for cycling. Many kids in villages greeted the two cyclists. Thumbs-up signs, cheers and general support from motorists were on the rise. Soon, at 13:00 Hrs, Bandipur forest was here. At the gates, we took a break and mulled over the tactics to tackle the forest area, which mainly revolved around ways to avoid becoming food to the wildlife here :P
 |
| Moment of reckoning! |
As lady luck had it, a lone, stray elephant meandered by the road, that too on a slope, just as we entered Bandipur! As some daring (?) motorists stopped for a photo opportunity, we pedaled away furiously!!
 |
| Deer will never be afraid of cyclists cos hey, we are for peace too! |
 |
| Arun looking out for wildlife |
Clearing the danger area, we hit a series of hairpins. It was pure joy and adrenaline as we switched to low gears and tackled this section, to be rewarded by a freewheeling joyride downhill. It is just perfect and beautiful to cycle on this road, and you do not worry about braking on the speed breakers downhill because hey, we have MTB’s!! J
 |
| Freewheeling |
 |
| Happiness and Joy |
Crossing bandipur and Mudhumalai, we reached theppakaadu, the junction where the path bifurcates, one leading to masinagudi and the other, to Gudalur, out stop for the day. Reinforced with snacks and tea, we set out for the last 17 Km of the day (which would test one’s limits, unexpectedly). This last stretch is where energy ran out and the legs refused to pedal. Gorging on dry fruits and chocolates, we filed on. The last few Kilometers into town was a pilgrimage by foot. We got some suspicious stares by the locals: P
Day 2 (10 Aug 2013)
Route : Gudalur - Ooty
Distance : 46 Km
Time on the road : 8 Hrs 15 min
 |
| Day 2 map |
The day of the big climb was upon us. Immediately from gudalur, there is a 19 Km climb, with an altitude gain of ~1000m. This was the toughie that we had to clear, and the rest of the day would not be that challenging. The first 10 Km of this climb is a killer! Switching to the lowest gears, we tackled this section, pedal by pedal.
 |
| Lush, plentiful, verdant |
A few kilometers into this climb, one is blessed with the verdant environment of the tea estates. Cycling here is a great experience, as the nip in the air and the cool shade aids your climb.Further up, there is a dream – like section, full of eucalyptus trees. They reach for the sky and hardly any sunlight reaches the ground.
 |
| Hour for magic. Where the cycling Gods dwell. |
The aroma of this medicinal plant wafts through the air and lends a mystical quality to what you are doing, and you begin to answer some of the ‘why’s’. We took more than 3.5 Hrs to clear this section, with many breaks.
 |
| Lets reach for the sky |
 |
| Arun catching a moment after the climb |
Past this climb, one is rewarded with a short but amazing downhill section, into the town of Naduvattam. A quaint lake sits by the village, and cows grazing by the lake makes for a picture-postcard setting.
 |
| Feast for the soul |
Kilometers are devoured in this section, and average speed increases dramatically as one tackles the curves with tact and agility.
 |
| Naduvattam. Beautiful section to reach this town. Feels like Le Tour!!! |
A couple of more easy and short gradients later, it is just 15 Km to the finish point. This too is done easily, as they decided to intersperse the path with hardships and rewards. We reached Ooty at 16:45 Hrs, earlier than expected.
 |
| The machines rest for the day |
Please have a look at this and this for more data of this region.
 |
| Weird and awesome root formation |
Day 3 (11 Aug 2013)
Route : Ooty – Masinagudi – Bandipur – Gundulpete – Nanjangud – Mysore (Part cycled, part hauled on trucks)
Distance : 50 Km
Time on the road : 5 Hrs
 |
| Day 3 map |
The gradient is at its steepest, and you should be on the lookout for everything – the stray pebble on the road, the extra sand on the corners, that truck swerving upward, to your end. Perched at the top, scanning the snaking roads carve through the trees, you feel like an eagle, briefly. Tackling these hairpins is a lot of fun, one must also keep in mind to make way to the traffic making its way up. Keep your ears open at all times, you don’t want to be in the path of any vehicle here. The smell of burnt rubber and discs is everywhere, and many vehicles get overheated on the way up too. There is one section with a straight road halfway down here, with speed breakers on one end, and clear tarmac on the other. I remember my friend describing his climb of this section-with the lowest gears, and folks walking faster than he could pedal!
 |
| Kalhatti hairpins downhill. I had tears in my eyes after down this stretch, so much thrill!! |
After reaching the bottom, we ran into a bunch of folks from IISC Bangalore, who were scaling this path! After handing over lots of chocolates and dry fruits, we went on, into Masinagudi and Mudhumalai.
 |
| Fellow cyclists we met after the hairpins. True heroes, these people are. They were going up to Ooty from the Kalhatti hairpins side. Grit, determination, mind over matter. |
The joy of having completed Ooty on attempt 3 was pure and real!! It was a great experience filled with jolly company, great scenes for the eye, good food for thought and perspective. Cycling is the best way to experience a place – this belief is reinforced.
