One awesome Ride! Best part, Lost about 1.5kilos during this ride(though we ate a LOT of food), feel proud that i helped someone. Worst part: Had to do some Mud Fighting(read below, its long!).
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12 of us started at 5AM(Saturday) from Hyderabad(IMAX) to Nagarjuna Sagar, only 7 people plan to stay overnight and return on Sunday, the rest planned to return the same day mostly doing 100-200kms. Except for crazy Sam who did 320 by evening same day on his MTB. Should bow down to this guy. For me, the ride from Hyderabad to Nagarjuna Sagar was easy, except the last 10kms where the hill begins, added to the heat and sultriness. Reached hotel by 2 pm or so and rushed for Lunch, had a heavy lunch and took rest for some time. We went down to Ettipotala waterfalls for some sight seeing in the evening. It became dark quickly and we returned back for dinner. Heavy dinner again and the much needed sleep.
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On Sunday, started late at 6am only to realize the return was full of headwinds(yesterday might be tail winds that made it easy ride) and heat came in very quick. That means too slow riding, tiring and too many stops. A lot of time got wasted resting on the way back. The two Seniors who came with us (one 74yrs and one 71yrs) were of great inspiration. The 74yrs rider did a 200kms(150+50) and the 71yrs rider did 100kms(50+50) both days put together. Both of them are champions in the State masters runners association. I wondered, by 70, forget running and cycling, would we be alive? Given our food habits and physical activities? We want to bring these two Seniors to all the 100kms HCC rides in future, they will be a great inspiration for everyone in the club.
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The Telengana Bundh part:
with the Bundh and Vanta Varpu(cooking on the roads), there were blockades at 2 places while going and 3-4 places while coming back. With no buses and lorries, the roads were deserted mostly. Vehicles were stopped at few places and diverted at few. Luckly cycles are not in their agenda. At many places we answered that we were training for the Hyderabad team and its not a race. At one place, people want us to put Telangana flags on the bikes and ride for telengana. We said why don’t you put not one but two flags and do the riding yourself. The Fat buggers couldn’t answer that.(No offence pls)
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The Mob part:
On the way to Nagarjuna Sagar(Saturday, Day1), somewhere just after the sai baba temple which is at 110kms or so, I was riding alone, Prasad and the new guy Raju were 1-2kms behind me. Sreekanth was 200mts or so ahead of me. There was a big crash sound behind me(some 400mts) - made by a motorcycle, it got dragged for some distance. I looked back and noticed a motorbike. I thought there was only 1 guy. Got down and started running with my bike towards him, heard a woman Shouting/calling Ayyo, Ayyo, Ayyo, Yemandi, Yemandi, Yemandi,(meaning husband in Telugu)….. Heart skipped a few beats, I feared the worst and said to myself, oh please not again. It was somewhere on the same road we witnessed an accident a couple of years back. An enfield guy hit a car from behind and fell very badly. It happened right infront of us. I normally don’t have the guts to see human blood. But that day I did help him, i felt it was not me. the accident was brutal and blood was pumping from his ears and nose. I am not sure he lived another day but the way people (some 100 odd) stood numb and watched him as if it was some funny show, irritated me the most.

Ok, coming back, I heard the woman shouting for her Husband, her calls will crush the weak hearted. I saw one lady picking up a small goat and running away from the scene. I realized the motorbike fell because of the goat. I reached the spot, so did Prasad and Raju. The couple were all bruised up and blood is all over the place. They must be in their 40's. The lady is also badly hurt, amongst other wounds, her upper lip had a big hole and bleeding badly but she only cared for her husband, Was one hell of an emotional scene. Remembers you your partner's love for you. The Husband was looking real bad and needed immediate treatment. She was pleading for help, they were in shock and the man wanted to ride and go home, we gave some water, made them stand in some shade and asked to relax for a minute… one car guy picked up their scattered stuff(they bought some Guavas for kids may be, they were allover the place), we tried to call 108 ambulances services, Prasad called and gave all details only to be told that they(108) were on strike? What the FUCK? Emergency on strike? Why take all details and say "Sorry we are not strike". Fuckers!! Soooo pissed off. I spotted a private ambulance, hoping they can do some first aid and tried to stop it. But that asshole increased his speed and didn’t care to stop. It was not carrying anybody, except one guy sitting in the front, I could see it. Meanwhile the Husband started saying he is ok and will ride home. We told we have a vehicle(the 2 seniors riding with us brought a Tata mobile pickup with them) and offered them a ride till their place which is hardly 20-30kms away. He didn’t want to leave his motorbike, we told we can bring it to his place. Poor guy is worried about his new bike and in the shock he doesn’t know how badly he is hurt. The couple got onto the bike and from nowhere there were 2 people started who shouting that they need compensation for the goat. They came running after seeing that the couple could walk again. That bitch started shouting and abusing the couple, we simply got on top of her voice and said "Get Lost". It worked I thought, and the couple started on their motorbike. Feeling relieved we got back on our saddles. Prasad then mentioned that someones' following the couple on a motorbike, probably to stop them.

He was right, 1km ahead, they were stopped by the locals, probably by the other shepherds/assholes in the area. I couldn’t let it go. These guys were shouting/abusing the couple and demanded 5000 rupees. They didn't bring the goat along with them, intelligent assholes... Prasad said he has seen the goat walking away after the incident. The Husband said he don’t have money. One thick skin guy wanted them to pay then-and-there and was trying to pull his bike keys off. It was very hot and even we couldn't stand there. I knew this won't be over soon and I had to shout on top of him. He looked like a fat bastard and can easily take me down. 1-2 other local guys were supporting the couple but that wasn't enough. The Fat bastard took his phonebook out and says lets go to the police station. I told the guy, lets take these 2 people to hospital first and then you can settle it in police station, first lets get them some help. Knowing we were ready to go to police station, he switched to his next level of intelligence. Started shouting, did the goat hit the bike or the bike hit the goat, we went on top of his voice and said the goat did and we have seen it. After doing this several times. He started saying why will the goat hit the bike wantedly?… Fuck, I was loosing it already. There was too much heat and its not something that the couple could enjoy when they are loosing blood. I started shouting what he was doing was not right and said fuck off in the way he understands. By this time, some 50 people gathered, some were locals. The situation is heating up... Now, his next level of intelligence,,, came on to me and shouted; you come to my place and shouting on me and started abusing me…. Somewhere at this point I lost it completely. I had no choice. I shouted WTF if its your place…. Threw my bike away and went for his neck. Gave one tight crush. 3 other guys joined and started hitting/pulling me. One guy wanted to check how elastic was my new HCC Tshirt was. He ripped it off. Another guy wanted to see what brand shoes I was wearing and lifted me off balance, that resulted a bruise on my right elbow. Another guy took a stick and started hitting me. Later I came to know there is one other guy who started throwing stones. These 2 assholes were stopped by fellow riders and couple of onlookers. The couple also tried to stop the mob and they were pushed off. One group of 4 men came in and pushed the assholes away and took me away from the mob and put me in a car. In the end, I went on top of everyones voice and told the thick skin bastard that he too will fall one day and that there would be no one to give him water when he needed it the most and he was a blood sucking animal.

I was driven away from the spot for about 1km and one of those 4 men rode my bike just to get away from there. These men were also locals just from nearby place. They knew what was happening, they knew the locals wont let a Mob opportunity go away. They appreciated my intention and told it was too dangerous to get physical with the locals. But I didn't have any options. I am not justifying my madness. The couple needed help. Nothing else was working at the heat of the moment and they were losing time. I came to know that these guys also pulled the couple away from there and let them go away. Hearing that, I was so relieved and proud of what I did. I resisted to madness, I tried to be human. I tried to help. Ha... I was pissed off because people tried to hit me with sticks and stones but that didn't matter considering i did what i wanted to.

I thanked these men very very much and told people like them must be there for people like me and that couple.

Today, my legs are much stronger but my Heart is a lot stronger now.

Many might feel, I was stupid, some might feel its none of our business. But what is it that differentiates us as humans from scavengers/opportunists like Vultures? What would you do being in my/our shoes at that moment?

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How would you feel when you had a bad accident and no one comes to your help and if people start pulling your stuff and run away? Can you imagine that? Even the nastiest of animals wont do that among themselves. We humans are heading that way. Let us hope those days will never come and there is someone to help you when you badly need it. Likewise, helping someone in a real bad situation will only leave you good memories and will make you less evil. It will only make you a better person. Thats my personal feeling.