HYDERABAD: Driving through the picturesque coffee plantations of Araku Valley, taking a break from hectic daily life and renting a cottage for a couple of days at Ananthagiri hills, is a dream for most. An opportunity of this kind, even if it’s a bit challenging, is something that one could grab without a second thought. And so did a 25-member team from different regions, including Hyderabad.They took part in the two-day Southern Cycling Challenge, a 180-km ride on bicycles from Vizag to Ananthagiri and back organised by the Hyderabad Bicycling Club (HBC) along with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC).The team set out from Vizag on Sunday morning, cycling through highways and hills with small breaks after every 25-odd km. “Eight cars with families of the riders, an ambulance and a mini-truck with a cycle mechanic accompanied the enthusiasts,” said 57-year-old DV Manohar, president, HBC, who was the oldest in the group. 10-year-old Sidharth was the youngest and covered around 25 km on the way to Ananthagiri. “I believe as I grow up I would be able to take on the entire 180 km,” said the sprightly child.Such was the energy and enthusiasm that 47-year-old Krishna Mandava, a senior executive with the Agriculture Insurance Company of India Limited, decided to cycle all the way from Hyderabad to Ananthagiri! It took him 3 days to reach Vizag from Hyderabad where he joined the group for a ride to Ananthagiri the next morning. Similarly, Raman Garimella, a 25-year-old student cycled from Vijayawada to Ananthagiri and back. The seasoned rider is a passionate cycle enthusiast and helped some of the riders who were riding after a long gap.Climatic variations and geographic features are always factors that cause a hitch in the plans, especially for a number of amateur riders. According to Manohar, the peak temperature while they were climbing was 42 degrees celsius. Organizers had arranged for water bottles, coconut water, snacks, energy drinks and first-aid. “The last 25-odd km from Tyda to Ananthagiri is a steep hill and was quite challenging for all of us because it was dark by then, and as a matter of fact, there were no mishaps, injuries and damages,” said the president.“Riders peddled at an average speed of 15-20 miles per hour to complete the journey in 8 hours, where the last 25 km alone took 4 hours,” said Sreenivas Simhadri, general secretary of HBC and general manager, Microsoft. APTDC, which is also a partner in the event, arranged food and accommodation for the riders at its Ananthagiri resort. “20 rooms were allotted, and since it was weekend, we could witness the tribal dance performance,” said M Ramakrishna, one of the organizers.
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