The South Downs Way Randonnee Challenge 2008

This is a 100 mile off-road bike ride which is often said to be one of the toughest off road challenges in the UK. It is to be completed in a day and it covers 10,000 ft of hill climbs, which is 1/3 the size of Mount Everest.

The ride starts from Winchester flowing the South Downs way (Longest stretch of Bridleway) through the scenic Hampshire and Sussex countryside. The race finishes in Eastbourne offering the riders the ultimate challenge is off-road, cross-country riding.

It is not a race as such, the challenge, achievement is the completion. All riders are to carry their own water, food, refreshments and equipments they may need to recover in the event of a breakdown.

I don't know what made me sign up for the competition and days prior to the race I was thinking if I was way too naïve and unrealistically optimist. I did couple of rides (30, 40 odd miles) off road cycling, however not anything of that distance

On the day of the race, 3 of the other riders I met at the hotel were talking about the big ride ahead. One was veteran with 4 rides, the other 2 rides, another one and myself with no previous ride ;-). So you can imagine how was feeling before the start of the race.

Host of the B&B, John prepared a great breakfast at 5 in the morning. I don't remember waking up that early in the last few years.

The veteran took the lead to take us to the starting point, but after few miles he had no clue where we were going. It took me good half hour to find the starting point. So by the time I started, the riders doing the 65 miles were all on their way.

Fortunately I did not have any punctures and any mechanical problems. I fell off couple of times because I had not had much practice with my clip-less pedal. That too while climbing the uphill. Fortunately I survived without any broken bones.

I did the first 30 odd miles in a decent pace. Then after due to heat (Yes!!, I am now thinking of going somewhere cooler to avoid English summer), I was going a bit slower. The last 35 miles was the fastest as I and other fellow riders were trying to make it to the checkpoints before the cut-off time.

I was leading the way, and there 4 cyclist following me in the last 10 miles. I was bit skeptic making a turn at one point, however the 4 cyclist too agreed with me and damn we were in the wrong track.
However I managed to get into the track after few wrong turns ( don't ask me how) and eventually complete the race. I can tell you that last 8 odd miles is the hardest..

So far this has been the hardest, gruelling and toughest challenge that I have completed in a day and is also one of my favourite..

Now I don't plan to sit in that saddle for the next few weeks.

Race Overview
Distance covered: 162 kms
Average speed: 12.9 km/hr
Maximum speed: 162 kms

Total time 13 h 45 minutes
On the saddle: 11 h 38 minutes

Recharge (Food and Fluid)
3 Bananas
3 Protien bars
2 Plums
2 Ham, Spinach, cheese and tomato sandwich
3 Energy gel
5 Litres of fluid

Tips for completing the race:
Go in a steady pace and try to maintain that throughout...
Fluid, fluid and more fluid
regular breaks and try filling in your tummy with something every 10 miles. (fruits, sandwich etc)
Don't listen to those doing 65 miles, they can demotivate you ;-)
Enjoy.. the ride is spectacular..

Krakow, Poland

In a nutshell:
Kraków is the capital city of the Malopolskie in southern region of Poland. It is the third largest city in Poland with a population of less than a million. It covers both bank of the Wisla river, which has a beautiful cycle path, walk routes by the bank.

Stare Miasto (The old town) is the main tourist attraction and is the city centre. The city has a medieval look and feel with lots of church, old university and a castle. Like any old European city, it has a big town square, cafes and few stalls. They say it is one of the biggest town square in Europe with a closed market in the middle of the plaza.

There is a big hill, ( The Wawel Hill ) which has a castle and a cathedral. You can also get a good view of the city form the hill top.

Essentials:
You can pretty much walk around and cover all the main attractions. Bus, taxis and trains are cheap and well linked. There are lots of good hotels around the old town, however I personally prefer staying around the old Jewish area.

They eat lots of meat, sausages and not much of veggies. If you want to avoid eating in the cafes by the town square, there are plenty of options and you can get good value meals. Areas around the Jewish ghetto, have good cafes and restaurants and the price is reasonable as well.

Krakow is getting big with the Hen nights and Stag weekend. If you are going there for a party, clubbing, then you maybe disappointed. Most people tend to sit around the plaza and drink beer. There are new and upcoming trendy bars or cocktail lounges but i would not go there for it. You can enjoy vodka in small café’s which often stock few varieties.

How Long?
2 days in Krakow or a weekend in Krakow is more than enough ;-)

Not to be missed:
Stare Miasto (The old city)
Famous for the big town square (one of the biggest in Europe), stalls and market place. There are lots of church and one of the oldest universities in the world.

The Wawel Hill:
The Wawel Hill is the big castle and a church, which is within the old city. You get a good view of Krakow and the Wisla River.

Kazimierz:
The Jewish quarter which has few Synagogue (prayer House) and town squares. There are also lots new and upcoming cafes and bars.

Auschwitz-Birkenau
Auschwitz is the first concentration camp, and is known for terror, genocide and the Holocaust in the global consciousness. Few Kilometers away from Auschwitz is another much bigger camp with few remaining shelters at Birkenau. There are few tours that run from Krakow to A Auschwitz-Birkenau and spare 6-7 hours for the trip.

Caveats:
Getting pissed drunk in Poland can land you up in a cell, as they have alcohol police who can lock you up for 24 hours.

In three words:
Back to the 30’s

Cycling in Cuba

Cuba is one of the greatest places to cycle. The roads are great (mostly concrete), very little traffic, friendly people and it’s as safe. They say the crime is almost non-existence. It’s not an expensive country and you can have a great time with less than CUC $ 40 a day, which equates to around UK £25 (March 2008)

I had 18 days off and I planned to do 1000 kilometers plus and also test my fitness level.

I wanted to cover the east, center and the west. I also wanted to do few dives and enjoy the sun, sand as you don’t get that much here in London.

I tend to avoid tourist areas especially big with package tours. I wasn’t keen on going to Veradero, which has great white sandy beach but gated resorts where most Cubans are not allowed (until March 2008).

Language:
Many Cubans don’t speak English, however they have great patience. They can wait and listen to you while you search your phrase book for words. I speak no Spanish but I had good conversation with most of them through the Phrasebook. Now I can flirt a bit in Spanish!!

Accommodation:
Casa Particulars (B&B) is really good, homely and worth a stay in Cuba. It’s run by Cuban families where they get an opportunity to earn CUC $. It usually cost around CUC $20- $25 for accommodation, with breakfast for $3, and dinner for $7/$8. Some Casa Particulars i stayed in are were good as any boutique hotel with a homely twist.

The food is heaps better than in restaurants. The serving is unbelievable and most of the time I could never finish it. For lunch you can go to a sandwich store and grab a sandwich, refresco, for less than a $1. I usually tip generously in developing countries as they are the ones who really need it and they really feel grateful.

Currency:
Its bit crazy in Cuba, that they have two currencies. One is a CUC (convertible peso) which lets you buy anything and is mainly for tourist. The other is CUP (national peso) which is mainly for Cubans. I usually carried CUC and few $$ worth of CUP.

What to pack:
Normal hybrid road bikes are good for Cuba. I took a hardtail with road tyres. Thin tyres might be a problem if you decide to take a detour, or visit some tobacco farms or the beach.

I took two side waterproof panniers with around 7kgs each. I am a light packer and my rule of thumb is: if you can carry all your stuff for two hours without much of a problem then your packing is good.

Take the essentials such as few extra tubes; puncture repair kid, all purpose toolkit (No bigger than a Swiss knife), pump, spokes, extra brake cable, chain repair kit, chain link, chain lubricants and a good saddle. Take a spanner as you will have to remove the paddles to get your cycle on the plane. Extra tyres, sleeping bags, water filter, Swiss knife are all look cool but useless gadgets.

For shorts, I am not big on Lycra, I like those boardies, so I can dip in the water if it gets too hot and they dry quickly. It’s a good idea to get few good sports (running, cycling, tennis) T-Shirts. In hot weather I tend to go with sandals than shoes.

Also Bicycling Cuba by Wally and Barbara Smith is a great book.

How to take a bicycle on a plane:
Most Airlines take your cycle for free. You will have to deflate the tyres and remove the paddles. Before you check-in remove the paddles, and put it in panniers. I also remove the saddle as it’s easier to steal one and you don’t want to cycle without one, do you? If you check in and remove the paddles, then you might have problems carrying those.

I took Cubana Airlines: London-Holguin, Havana-London, as I wanted to start my journey from Holguin. Don’t expect much service, or in-flight entertainment. My flight was delayed by 12 hours and by the time they got to the end they ran out of food and wine ;-) .

Map of my journey: Total Distance of 1064 kms

Region: The Orient

Day 1
London – Holguin

Highlights:

• 12 hours delayed with Cubana
• They ran out of wine and non-veg by the time they got to the last rows.

Day 2
Holguin - Guradalavaca – 58 kms

Overview:
Easy

Highlights:

• Guradalava is a great beach and you will also be enjoying the beach with the locals
• Try Mojito at main stall in the beach ( one of the best i had in whole of Cuba)
• I stayed in Isazul hotel as there are no Casa Particulars.

Day 3
Gurdalavaca- Rio Cabonico - 128 kms

Overview:
Easy, Mostly Flat

Highlights:

• Great to see people waiting timelessly for the bus/ truck or a tractor in the cross roads
• Try the “guarapo” (sugarcane juice) it will give you enough energy to get you going
• There are no legal Casa Perticular here but Cubans are more than happy to let you stay at their house for some $$.
• If you can make it try reaching Sagua De Tanamo. Its another 20 KMS and there is a hotel. It will also help you a lot the next day.

Day 4
Rio Cabonico – Barocoa - 145 kms

Overview:
Fair few climbs and can really get tuff before Baracoa
Gets really tuff towards the end because of the climb
Fluid, fluid fluid to survive this route, Buy whenever you see one

Highlights:

• Sagua De Tanamo is a nice little town
• Big nickel factory in Moa and the whole area is a no photography zone (because of pollution)
• Baracoa is a beautiful city. It is bit of a run down for a city with such a historical significance (First city Columbus landed)
• Visit "Cafe Chocolate" and get a feel for a real Communist Cafe and the closed society
• Music in Baracoa is one of the best in Cuba
  

Day 5
Barocoa – San Antonio Del Sur - 96 kms then the same day took a bus to Santiago De Cuba

Overview:
30 kms of steep climb ( from sea level to almost 1400 meters)
Then another 20-30 kms of downhill
Flat after that

Highlights:

• La Farola is a very picturesque valley and it’s worth the climb
• "Cucurucho” - try those for an energy boost
• Local chocolates made of all cocoa tastes really good (no preservatives or chemical). Damn I should have brought few here ;-(
• While riding downhill try to see how fast you can go. Fastest I did was 58km/hr
• Go for a skin dip whenever you see a beach
• You can catch bus (Viazul) to Santiago de Cuba at 4 PM from San Antonia De Cuba to save time. It costs around $6 and will save you 2 days journey / ride which is similar to the one you covered in the last 40 kms. As I covered the best part of the ride, I just took the bus to save time

Day 6
Santiago De Cuba - Playa Sibano - 57 kms
Evening Bus from Santiago De Cuba to Trinidad

Highlights:

• Enjoy the afternoon at Playa Sibano where you can go for a scuba dive.
• Santiago as is the 2nd biggest city in Cuba. Its got the new and the old town. The old town has few cafe's that play great music.
• You can take an evening bus (Viazul) to which will arrive at Trinidad 6 in the morning. Try staying around Plaza Centrole in Trinidad.

Region Central (Trinidad)

Day 7
Trinidad – Playa Ancon – La Boca – Trinidad 65 kms

Overview:
Easy

Highlights:
Playa Ancon is a beautiful beach. You can also go snorkeling or Scuba and see black coral.

Day 8
Trinidad – Rest

Highlights:

• Enjoy the stone cobbled streets of Trinidad
• There are numerous galleries that sell painting, sculptures which would easily make it to the Tate Modern and the prices are still in the 70’s.
• Try enjoying local meal at a Peso Shop. You don’t get much choice but the rice with beans, salads, fired chicken or pork and a "cherveza" is a steal.
• Evening at plaza central for music, salsa under the stars

Day 9
Trinidad – Havana

Overview:
If you catch a morning bus to Havana, you can enjoy the afternoon wandering around

Highlights:

• Havana Vieja is a nice area to stay as it has few plaza’s, old colonial architecture, restaurants and cafes
  
  

Havana , Pinar Del Rio Region

Day 10
Havana - Playa Altura 141 kms

Overview:
Flat till you reach around Les Terres
Few climbs, roller-coaster around Les Terres and heat can be a problem
Flat after crossing Les Terres and as you are riding west sun can be in your face

Highlights:

• Take the northern route and enjoy Miramar Suburb (where all the rich lived and still is a beautiful area)
• The northern route has less traffic and more scenic than the Autopista or CC. you can go via les terres valley which has fair few climbs and is bit of a roller coaster.
• Most people stop over at Bahia Honda, however just after 20 kms there is a Casa Particular near the beach. It is a farm house and the hosts are really friendly.

Day 11
Playa Altura- Cayo Lavisa – Vinales 101 kms

Overview:
Few small hills but its fairly easy

Highlights:

• You can stop over at Cayo Lavisa for lunch andsnorkel but for that you might want to start early
• The route is more scenic as you are closer the Vinales valley it’s beautiful
• Enjoy fresh fruit juice, fruits from the local vendors

Day 12
Vinales Valley 51 Kms

Overvie:
Easy / Medium

Highlights:

• You can take a horse or go off road and visit the farm and a tobacco house
• St Thomas cave is beautiful and have left it to its natural state. For some reason most tourists avoid this, maybe because it takes longer to explore the cave.
• Enjoy a swim and the sunset from one of the hotels ( Hotel Los Jazmines is niceand its only CUC $2 )
  

Day 13 Vinales - Rest

Day 14
Vinales – San Diago De los Banos – Saroa 121 kms

Overview:
Moderate climb around San Diago Los Banos then mostly flat
Big climb before reaching Saroa

Highlights:

• This route is one of the best and really scenic if you take one through “Parque Nacional La Guira”
• Stop over at San Diagolos Banos for Lunch
• Saroa is a beautiful place to end your journey after the last climb ;-)
• Visit "Orquideario" (Orchid Garden) in Saroa

Day 15
Saroa – Les Terres – Havana 103 kms

Overview:
Bit of a roller coaster to reach Les Terres, then its mostly flat

Highlights:

• Go through Les Terres and enjoy the dip in the natural hole. They say its therapeutic but I am not so sure about that ;-)
• Take the northern route, so you can enjoy the “Playa Santa Fe” just before reaching Havana

Day 16
Havana - Vedado, Miramar and Tropicana

Highlights:

• Tropicana is a must see. It is around CUC $ 70 for a good seat but worth the price. It is Heralded as a "Paradise Under the Stars," the Tropicana became known for its showgirls, conga sounds, domino tournaments and flashy, spectacular productions
• “Copollo” - People stand in line for almost an hour just for an ice-cream. There are not many flavors and after such a long wait, even Vanilla flavored ice-cream tasted so good. (Havana)
• Cementerio Cristobal Colon: One of the beautiful cemetery I have been to. Amazing sculpture, graves and tombs.
  

Day 17
Havana Veija

Highlights:

• Parque Centrale
• Plaza Cathedral, Plaza Viaja
  
• Capitol
  
• Malecon
• Cigar factory
• For others you can follow a guidebook

Eat and Drink:

• l– Daiquiri at a Floridita
• Mojito at Habana Libre
• Ice Cream at “Copollo”
• Cajitas around Vedado
• Cubano pizza from a Peso store
• Dinner at La Terraza de Cojímar

Day 18 Havana- London

Highlights:

• Its better buying a cigar, rums in the airport before you enter the immigration. Duty free is expensive than the stores for cigars
• Carry your own food and drink for the plane ;-)

Total kilometers of 1064 and it has been one of my favorite holiday.

What to pack

This is something I have to go through with Mrs Adhikari (to be in few years time), every time we plan a trip.

Sometimes I wonder if it is a girly thing, that they love asking questions or they are anything but a good packer. Recently in an all lads outing I realised there are some guys who are hopeless with packing as well. So I think it is a universal problem.

I hope this blog on what to pack will help you, your girlfriend, boyfriend, husband wife, parents to be a professional packer.

City breaks and short trips (less than a week)

Fill a bag (backpack, sling bag) with all the stuff that you can carry and walk for at least 3 kilometres (2 miles) without any difficulties. If you think it will be hard for you to carry that distance then you are packing too much. Things like 2 pairs of shoes, and 3 tops all depends on your personal needs and fitness level.

Also don’t have too many things that are dangling down your neck, shoulder, hand etc. eg: like your handbag, camera, ipods yada yada. If you need all of those make sure you can fit them in your hand-carry. It will save a lot of time going through the check-in and you look less clumsy.

If you look at all the great explorers, you see them carrying maybe a telescope, or a map or .. but no more than a thing.. Time might have changed but its still the same principle.

My carry items for 3/4 day trip

• 3-4 underwear ( 1 per day)
• 3-4 T-shirts / Shirts
• Small pack of toiletries (tooth brush, paste, all purpose cream, aftershave and all less than 50 ml etc)
• 1 Short and a Swimming trunk
  
  To wear
• 1 pair of jean (Wear it to save space – you can also replace it with a cotton trouser if you might be going to a nice place for food /drink)
• Top ( All weather)
• Shoes (Wear it to save space – something you can wear to a disco /or decent restaurant and also comfortable)
  
  Gadgets and gizmos:
• Power cables (I use the universal power-plug with USB that can charge most of my gadgets)
• Mobile
• Ipod
• Camera
  
  For cold locations:
• Jacket / Coat (wear it to save space)
• Inner layers
• Scarf
• Gloves

My carry items for few weeks off: ( 1- 3 months)
I usually follow the same principle but with a bigger bag. I usually carry enough for 10 days. So if I am going there for a month I will only have to visit the laundry twice.

Things not to take:

• Hair dryer (If you are staying in a hostel then the traveler surfy look is the in thing, if you are staying in a hotel then they will have one)

• More than 2 pairs of shoes: You don’t want to give the impression of that sex and the city girl, who has never been out of NY.
  
  
• Extra jacket / Coat: If you are worried that you might have the same coat in all your photos then maybe you want to remove the coat when you pose for a photo.
  

These days with the globalisation you can pretty much buy anything, anywhere in the world. You may not get the brand you want but there are always alternatives.

The rationale I have come up with is to carry as less as possible.. but then again I am a minimalist.

Snorkelling Sites Around Sydney

Scuba diving is the ultimate underwater sports (recreation), to get close with the sharks and the underwater world. However with all the gears required and the cost involved, it is not practical on day-to-day basis.

Snorkelling is an alternative where you can also plunge deep, “equalise” the eardrums to the water pressure, get inside the cave and swim with the sharks ;-). Trust me; you can swim with sharks in the coastal areas of Sydney.

Basics of Snorkelling or Skin Diving:
As long as you know how to swim your first hurdle is over. (Even if you are not confident, you can still enjoy snorkelling with a life-vest). The Mantra is “Relax”. The chances of you getting a shark attack are rear and even if you are attacked, you will make it to the National Prime-Time News. So there is no need to panic.

What to take:
A decent silicon mask, snorkel, rash-vest and fins are the basics you need. You might want to take a one-time use underwater camera to capture the moment and make your friends and family jealous. All this should come under $100. Things like sunscreens, towel goes on without saying.

There are few places where I have enjoyed snorkelling in Sydney. I have snorkelled in more than a dozen places in Sydney and here are my top few based on the proximity to the city, getting there, visibility and marine life.

Clovelly Beach:
This is a great starting point for beginners. It is modified and largely protected from the ocean swell. It usually gets busy during summer with people practicing swimming; however you will manage to see the local Bluey (blue groper) and other marine life. It is not as exotic as other places but a nice place for an hour of snorkelling. For more experienced ones, you might want to head to nearby Gordons Bay or the rocky shore at southern end of Coogee around to Lurline Bay

Sydney Harbour:
After opening of the Middle head area (previously restricted military zone), this is one of the new attractions in the centre of Sydney harbour. There are some isolated small beaches and with a great view of Sydney skyline, harbour bridge and the Opera house. It is also an ideal picnic spot where you can also enjoy the marine life. Areas around Middle Head, Camp Cove are my favourites where you see schools of sea-horses and other colourful reef fishes.

Cabbage Tree Bay (Shelly Beach):
Cabbage Tree Bay is a Mecca for snorkelling in the heart of Sydney. You will find almost everything that you have imagined for including sharks, squid, groper, bream. garfish luderick, leatherjackets and whiting to name a few. The beach is spectacular with a view of Manly, café’s nearby and if you fancy a walk afterwards,, there is Northhead.

Ship Rock:
Though boat traffic is a problem here, it is great sanctuary with more that 100 fish species. It is one of Sydney’s oldest aquatic reserves at the entrance to Burraneer Point in Port Hacking. The line-up includes tropical pineapple fish, numbfish or electric ray, surgeonfish and red-indian fish. It is also good in bad weather.

Royal National Park:
Though it can be difficult getting here, it has around 40 kms of secluded coastal areas for snorkelling. The areas around Wattamolla Bay and Curracurang have great marine life and you can also try spearfishing. Expect to see everything from seahorses and sea urchins to big blue groper and striped luderick. This place is ideal for an overnight camping as well.

And for those of you who are bit skirmish with sand, here are the top swimming pools in Sydney:
1. North Sydney Olympic swimming pool
2. Lady Macquarie Chair swimming pool
3. Sydney Aquatic centre - Olympic Park swiming pool

Richmond to Windsor Castle

I took part in the charity event to cycle from Richmond Park to Windsor Castle and back (return not part of the event). I thought it would be a good endurance and fitness test to do 50 odd kilometers one-way. I set myself a challenge of doing the return 100 Km’s in 4 hours on my fixie. That is at 25 kph.

I left home at 8 to reach the starting point in Richmond by 8.30. As usual with the last minute preparation and rush get there on time, I forgot to carry the basic tool sets ( pump, puncture repair kit.

I could not find the starting point, however I managed to catch up with other fellow riders who too were lost. Eventually we got on track and things were going all good. The only worry I had in my mind was a flat tyre. Especially when going off road, I got cautious. The chances of getting a flat tyre is no difference on both the surface, I could not help myself not thinking about it.

After ten minutes or so I started my N95 with the sports tracker, so I could log my ride and geo-tag all my photos. I love Nokia’s N95 but the GPS has not impressed me at all. It takes ages to get the satellite signal and the battery doesn’t last more than 3 hrs.

The ride was beautiful, by river Thames, countryside, farmland, beautiful mansions. I think England is a beautiful country especially when its sunny and the day is beautiful.

I reached Windsor castle in just above 2 hours averaging 22kph. The only problem I had was the GPS failed couple of times, that was about it.

After a break and enjoying Sunday roast with a pint of beer, I thought I would head back. To my disbelief I had flat tyre…

Fixie - Fixed Gear Cycles

Fixie, Single-speed, Fixed gear, Fixed wheel is all the same thing. Its a bicycle with a single gear and without a free wheel. Its a bike where you cannot coast, day dream or not paddle to be in motion.

It takes bit of a time to get used to but once you start getting into the groove, you will love it. Sometimes I think its similar living in London. "Either you love it or you hate it."

I have just converted a 80's Raleigh racer to a fixed gear.. I know, it was not easy, but was worth the wait. I could have just got a fixed gear from the store but i wanted to ride something thats bit old, classic and has character.

So after winning the bid from from ebay(it was a bargain), i got the bike posted to me within couple of days. I rode the racer without any modifications for few days and was fun. It was heaps lighter than my other road bike and the best bit was easier carrying it up the stairs.

So i started looking for all the bits i needed to convert it into the fixed gear. I went to the local Evans Cycle to get it converted but the wait was way too long..So i decided to order the wheel sets myself.

With a lot of help from Sheldon Browns website i managed turn it into a fixed gear. There are still little bit and pieces i need to put together but its almost there.

Its taken me more than 3 months, 6 holidays in as many countries. Its getting there. Now this weekend I plan to do Richmond to Windsor (38 Mi ) on my single speed.

Lets see how it goes.