#unnecessary ramblings of a fledgling cyclist

[banjaarnama]

July 26, 2015. Cymour Sunday Ride to Bopdev Ghat. Total Distance: 36kms.

Sunday morning was full of promise. After two missed weekends, I was eager to get back to cycling. Turned out, my body wasn’t. Being fed a lot of junk over the past couple of days, it would have rather stayed in bed watching American soaps. But I wouldn’t let it have its way, so...

Humpty Dumpty agreed to sit on a saddle. But Humpty Dumpty just couldn’t pedal.  The obstinate muscles and reluctant knees took a lot of coaxing before they grudgingly co-operated. 

The disappointment I had felt when my friend from work had called to say she could not join us for the ride was quickly replaced by relief. After all the bragging I had been doing in office over the past few weeks, I did not want her to see me at my lethargic best. A young boy in his first year of college gave me company as I languorously pedalled along the dull route. I learnt that he was getting back to cycling after a year’s break and today, he was determined to finish the ride. Some of the cycling regulars from the group had promised him a party if he climbed the ghat all the way to the top. I had no such ambitions. When I caught myself huffing and puffing at even basic flyovers, I had come to accept that today was not my day. 

So when we reached what looked like the base of Bopdev Ghat and people were discussing who all are going ahead, I gracefully declined. I sat on the road with my cycle, oscillating between admonishing myself and feeling sorry for myself as others, even some first timers went ahead. The self loathing session continued for a while until a switch flicked on in my head with the realisation that it was still possible to have a good time.

The weather was pleasant and the road ahead looked splendid and inviting, so I walked over to the old uncle from our group who had stayed back too and asked him if he would like to go for a stroll. 

We left our cycles with the backup van and walked towards the ghat. We exchanged stories about how we got interested in cycling, something that has now become a habit with every new cycling acquaintance, my mood steadily rising with each step forward.

We continued walking for a while till we began to see the ones who had gone ahead starting to return and then turned back down towards the breakfast point.

The poha and samosa we had there might have had something. Because after eating them, I began to finally get out of my state of languor.

Or maybe it was just the now good mood I was in, but I felt all sprightly and high powered on the ride back home. All in all, not a bad Sunday morning. What say?

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