Paus

Paus... rains...

I was cycling back... to house... tired.... rain pouring...

with, what all?- a geared bicycle, raincoat, head cap, helmet, goggles, speedometer (showing less than 9 km/hr speed), small bag specially taken for cycling and what not....

still, tired... dragging....

i approach one of the slum areas, i dislike to travel through it, not because of 'slumness' but the way people look, like I am some decorated moron, a clown huffing to reach home desperately.

I cross it, happily and then turn towards the main road. I have a stretch of about 1/2 a km, which is slight high road, something a dislike further.

suddenly, a skinny bicycle travels parallel with me, with two kids riding it, one on the wheel and the other sitting behind, driving by mouth.

"are chalaa, chalaa... woh paani ka khadda... usme se lele... chalaa"

Kids, wearing a dirty shirt and short, either of it must be of their school's, nothing for the rains, nothing for anything else for that matter. No raincoats, no speedometers, no nothing.

the 'Armstrong' looked at me, grinned, and stated working hard on the pedals. With a blink of an eye, they overtake me and lough out real loud.

"sahi re... mast mara cycle... piche giraya use.... ab aur jor se..."

Armstrong looked back at me, this time grin was replaced by smile... smile of victory...

Me, looking at him, smiling back at him... thinking about the victorious defeat...


I reach the main road... huffing... with a smile on my face.

Cycling- back

Cycling to office is not at all same as going back home.

I stay in a hilly place, hilly means at the top of a little elevated hill like area (that's what I said!). It is a nice place to stay, difficult to reach. There are 2 steep slopes on the way and overall climbing up. It takes the s@#t out of one if a beginner. Am i a beginner? Always... :(

While coming back from office, I have to cross the road twice. I mean there are 2 right turns I have to take. That is the first challenge to face. Wave hands, look behind, do whatever gestures you can, cars and bikes go by you as if they will die if they allow the bicycle to cross through. It takes lot of courage and stamina to cross the road and cruise to the desired direction.

Once done, there comes the steeps. Those kill me, kill my enthusiasm... I start doubting my ability as well as reason for riding the bicycle. 

There was a time, in school days, when bicycle was the only kind of vehicle allowed (and owned, or given!), climbing steep slopes was never an issue. It was easy, like any other road. There was one enemy road back then as well, but the rage never lasted after I climbed the road every day. While coming back I used to love the road, for letting me glide effortlessly. 

Now, the slopes don't excite me. They warn me, that too much speed can also be dangerous, that this speed can render me dead, or broken at least, that this speed, is a gift, not an achievement. 

There are days countable on fingertips, when I have reached home without getting off the seat, when I have successfully completed the travel- including road crossings and steep slopes- while peddling the wheels. Otherwise, always, I get down least twice. Less due to external obstacles, more because of the ones within!!

Cycling

Cycling

As mentioned in my earlier post, i like doing things... So, my recent attempt is taking bicycle to office. My office is about 4.5 KMs away from home, so it is a ride of about 9 KMs per day, which i feel is decent (though, one of my friends the other day said he rode for 23 Kms and it felt nothing. Common.... 23??).
So, i took out the bicycle yesterday, cleaned it (yes, had to wipe the dust off, clean the joints. Old unused goods need cleaning on first use, u see!), had to pump in some air and I was good to go. It took me 35 mins to travel the distance (which is extra-ordinarily too much... now i feel so!). But, when i reached office, drenched in sweat, little dizzy and powerless for a while. I regretted for a while to get to office on a bicycle but later, it felt good.I felt i have done something for myself, it is a rare feeling for me!

Traveling on a bicycle has few benefits, 3. it saves fuel 2. it helps you burn some fat 1. and the most important, it slows you down. On road, when you are travelling with a speed of 8-10 kms/hr, you can see all the other vehicles overtaking you, speeding ahead, rushing- almost always unnecessarily. Large 4WD ones honking and attempting to take you over. Largeness has issues, i feel. Larger you are, more problematic is the maneuvering. And it is true not only for vehicles!

I met some of my relatives yesterday. In laws to be precise. I told them, just out of fun, that "look, i think the bicycle has thinned down a little." They took some time to realize the joke, but when they did, their comment was... how do I say, hurting. 
"Please mark the calendar for days you use the bicycle"

Hmm... I know my track record is not trustworthy. I have proven to fail too many times, especially on the exercise front. But, I am yet to give up!. There are instances where I have given up, so I won't say 'I never give up' and all crap. Nobody is that way, I suppose. Everyone has to give up something sometime, it depends what you choose to give up!

As a result of the brief conversation, I got the bicycle today as well. Though I was a little late for office, still!

Such criticism can get one off track and make sure one never comes back. Sometimes, it helps one perform. Did it help me?

I reached office in 15 mins!!