23/04/2023
Cycling in my hometown (Madanapalle) after almost 20years…
My first long ride through my hometown brought back waves of nostalgia as I rode 100kms today at my hometown. It was in this very place where I learned to ride a bike and pedaled almost every day during my school years. With friends by my side, we would roam aimlessly through the streets, simply enjoying the freedom of the open road. One particularly memorable trip was our ride to Kollbylu fort, where my tire went flat at the top of the hill, forcing me to walk my bike back down.
I'll never forget the day I went with my dad and sister to purchase my bicycle in 1998 - a stylish and unique “Hamilton Jumbo” that set me apart from my peers. Some even affectionately referred to me as "Jumbo" due to my bike's distinctive appearance. Little did I know that cycling would become a lifelong passion beyond my college years. As I rode through the familiar streets, my Spotify playlist with songs from 2000’s evoked fond memories of my school days and all the fun activities I shared with my childhood friends.
I am so happy for developing the habit of cycling… Thanks Stan S Phillips sir for introducing me to community & long rides during initial days of my cycling in 2015 and Murali Dhar for encouraging and helping me to explore the sport and also guiding me with the techniques and correcting my mistakes, which helped me to improve my avg cadence and avg speed of the rides..
