Cycle tourers go round and round and Ants attack

Karwar to Pune via Margo, Pajim, Ratnagiri, Mahad and Bhor – 560km

Wednesday 25th February to Tuesday 10th March 2009

state line

We cycled into Karwar and had breakfast at an Udpi South Indian restaurant. There we met two cyclists Shrikrishna and his friend whose name we didn’t get embarking on a trip to the south. They pulled up chairs and got chatting about gear and all things cycle touring. They wanted to know why we weren’t travelling on mountain bikes as the Indian roads are not good. During the course of the conversation Shrikrishna said,”my horoscope read I’d meet new friends today.” I think we also inspired them to travel a little farther than originally planned. After breakfast we went shopping for an additional pot and two metal plates. We also tried to find kerosene but no one was selling. Less than 5km outside of Karwar we met another group of cycle tourers also heading south on there way from Goa. The group comprised of three Americans, two Swedish, one English and one dual citizen stood at the side of the road for at least an hour exchanging notes and lamenting the fact that we were travelling in the opposite direction. On Thursday evening we camped in yet another field and Adrian got another puncture. There is a marked change in the environment as we head further north, lots of thorn bushes, grey dust and sand permeate the hot air.

cycle convention just outside of Karwar

cycle convention

http://veganbetweenyourlegs.com/

On Jamey’s recommendation, one of the group of tourers we met outside of Karwar, we contacted Ravi (a CSer) who agreed to host us. We spent two days in Dona Paula checking out the markets in Pajim and visiting Old Goa. We opted out of the usual party scene and instead spent time cooking with our host and watching a classic Tamil movie with English subtitles.

Gandiji remembered

St. Augustine Tower - Old Goa

The next day we rode the 18km to Old Goa and killed some time checking out the World Heritage Sites. On Sunday we left Dona Paula very early in the morning and got to Savantvadi by 5:30pm, but found that the beach was still another 35km away so we continued on NH17 and camped 10 to 15km outside of Savantavadi.

The next day after being on the road for 2 hours we were flagged down by a guy with a full beard, dark glasses, long sleeve shirt and a head scarf. Turns out that hIrSch is a well seasoned cycle tourer and has been on the road for 4 years and started his tour from Vanatu.

tea and coffee with hIrSch

http://www.makesomedaytoday.blogspot.com

He was resting from the heat in a unfinished structure so we joined him and spent several hours making teas and coffees, munching on snacks and trading stories. But finally we had to part ways and head in opposite directions. At high noon we pedalled in the heat of the day which turned out to be 44 degrees celsius. At one point it felt like we were breathing in air that was hotter than what we were breathing out.

Later that evening we found what we thought was a good camp spot. A place off the main road behind a disused building with no people around. After cooking our evening meal we pitched the tent and noticed a few flying ants which I flicked off. At around 10 o’clock after I felt something bite my hand Adrian turned on the light to find we had been invaded by ants that came through a hole in the mesh we had neglected to fix.

laundry day

buffalo

Two days to Pune we passed through Mahad to take a minor road from NH17 to NH4 this was the most uphill part of our India tour so far as this is the northern end of the Western Ghats. The information we had or had been able to get from the locals was misleading. Frequently when we have tried to confirm our direction we will be questioned with disbelief that we plan to get to a certain destination on bicycle even as we are standing right in front of them with the said bicycles.

Local: ‘You take the bus’

Us: ‘No’, pointing to the bicycles, ‘we are on bicycles’

Local: Looks at us quizically, ‘you go by cycle’

US: ‘YES’

Picture Gallery – for those of you who asked for more pics

cooking Bindi Masala with Basmati Rice

cashew nut factory

now breathe

monkey business

mahad to bhor - up and up and up

mahad to bhor

are we there yet?

more oxen

highway 17

empty road?

oxen at work

living ruin

no tension