This is Part 3 of the four-part series covering my Bangalore to Delhi cycling tour. Check out Part 1, Part 2, and Part 4. In this part, I cover the Khajuraho to Delhi stretch. This stretch is flat and has good roads, mostly on highways, so the going was fast.
Day 26 - 20-Feb-2023 - Khajuraho to Mauranipur, UP
A good day of riding and meeting people. Started hearing from people that they had seen my Shahdol video.
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| With toll officials |
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| Sunrise @ 06:53 am |
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| UP Forest Service aspirant on his morning endurance walk |
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| A brief conversation with these fun girls going to school (video coming soon) |
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| With Dharamjeet Rajput and a few college students |
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| With Dharamjeet, my parents and brother |
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| Dhasan River on UP / MP border |
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| Hotel Bellevue, Mauranipur |
Day 27 - 21-Feb-2023 - Mauranipur to Datia, MP
Another day of riding on good / flat roads. Passed through Jhansi and saw the fort from outside. Met a few folks who had seen my Shahdol video. I tried my luck by requesting for stay at the government rest house in Datia, and since it wasn't occupied, I was given a room. It turned out that I was the only person staying on the whole campus. In the evening visited Datia's famous Sri Pitambara Peth temple. It is politicians' favorite temple, as a visit to this temple is supposed to help them win elections - I wonder what happens if opponents in an election pray at this temple. I had dinner at a small place recently started by a couple. The food was good, but a small handwritten service guarantee was even better.
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| Sunrise @ 06:49 am |
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| Uple (dung cakes) drying on roof |
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| Betwa River UP/MP border |
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| Folks who had seen my Shahdol video |
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| Government Museum, Jhansi |
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| Jhansi Fort |
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| Jhansi Fort |
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| Jhansi Fort |
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| Jhansi Fort |
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| Government Rest House, Datia |
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| I was the sole resident that night |
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| Shri Pitambara Peeth |
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| Old court house |
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| Couple running a restaurant started the same day(26-Jan-2023) I left on my tour |
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| Their service level agreement - loved it |
English translation of their restaurant's service level agreement:
- All our staff is happy that you are here
- We are grateful that you have come here, although you have many other options in this market. Similar to the announcement made on Indigo flights.
- The food you eat here will not only satisfy your hunger, it will satisfy your soul too.
- All cooking ingredients we use are of high quality, and you are free to see them.
- And yes... our puris are always fried in Desi Ghee (Clarified Butter).
- After your meal, please give us your valuable feedback so that we can improve to serve you better.
Day 28 - 22-Feb-2023 - Datia to Dholpur, Rajasthan
Covered 140 Km in less than 10.5 hours today. Around 6:30 am saw a lot of smoke from multiple places ahead. On reaching closer to the first one, I realized it was a Jaggery-making facility. Stopped by, took some pictures and videos, and tasted some fresh jaggery. Passed through Gwalior city and later crossed the Chambal river to enter Rajasthan.
Day 29 - 23-Feb-2023 - Dholpur to Vrindavan, UP
The thought of reaching the Taj Mahal by cycle powered my morning ride, and reached there by around 09:30 am. It was clear that I could not take the cycle in, but the police folks at the gate were very nice, and they shared that I could get a very good view from Dasara Ghat on the banks of the Yamuna River. Reached Dasara ghat and spent some time talking to people and taking pictures.
Later, passed through Mathura and reached Vrindavan by early evening. The hotel where I stayed had a wedding at night and I had a really hard time sleeping due to the loud music and random folks knocking on my door. But that was a small price to pay as, for a cyclist, just having a place to stay is more important.
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| Utangan River (dirtiest river so far) |
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| Sunrise @ 07:04 am |
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| Taj Mahal from Dasara Ghat on Yamuna River |
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| Vlogger who had seen my Shahdol video and he made a video too |
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| Sri Krishna Janma Bhumi, Mathura |
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| Vrindavan area |
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| Oyo Prem Resort, Vrindavan |
Day 30 - 24-Feb-2023 - Vrindavan to Faridabad, Haryana
Left Vrindavan early and for some reason did not capture too many pictures today. Early in the morning met a person on the road who was walking to work. Spoke with him for some time to understand his family and work situation. For some reason, he was very touched by my tour, got emotional, and reached out to touch my feet to get my blessings. Reached my cousin's home in Faridabad by early afternoon and spent some good time with her and my nieces.
The next two days would be shorter rides and I was looking forward to meeting my daughter and close friends.
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| Lovely morning colors |
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| Sunrise at 07:04 am |
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| Entire stretch from Mathura to Faridabad is an industrial area |
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| Early morning encounter with a person walking to work |
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| Haryana Sanskrit, Vidyapeeth, Baghola, Palwal district |
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| With my cousin, Sheela |
Day 31 - 25-Feb-2023 - Faridabad to Greater Noida, UP
Great day of riding and meeting people. Saw a lot of cyclists on the Noida-Greater Noida Expressway and spoke to a few of them. Spent a few hours with my school classmates, Himanshu and Hema at their home. From there rode towards my daughter, Ananya's college, Shiv Nadar University in Greater Noida and enjoyed riding through farms and villages. Spent good time with Ananya and her college friends, and enjoyed the university environment.
Stayed in a 1-BR guest accommodation at the university and parked the cycle in the stairwell. In the morning found that someone had stolen my multi-tool kit that was in the bike saddle pack. It's sad that I lost something at a place that was probably the safest places I stayed during the whole tour. Came to know later from Ananya that students regularly lose small things and even cash at the university - I just can't understand why these young adults would behave this way.
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| Sunrise @ 07:04 am |
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| Noida-Greater Noida Expressway - beautiful and well maintained road |
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| With weekend cyclist |
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| More weekend cyclists |
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| Bathrooms for males & females at regular intervals |
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| Clean and well maintained bathroom |
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| Person responsible for the clean bathroom - thanks |
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| With my school classmates, Himanshu, Hema, and their mom |
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| With railway line workers |
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| Mustard & Wheat |
Arriving at Shiv Nadar University, Greater Noida
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| With daughter, Ananya, brother, and parents |
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| With family and Ananya's college friends @ Shiv Nadar University, Greater Noida |
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| Guest accommodation at Shiv Nadar University, Greater Noida |
Day 32 - 26-Feb-2023 - Greater Noida to Delhi
The final day of my tour. Started the day early and rode towards Rajendernagar, Sahibabad, the place where I spent my early childhood and did all my schooling. Passed by two of the schools where I had studied and it felt good to ride on the same streets 30+ years later.
Visited my school friend, Sanjay, who still stays in the same locality. His father was my Physics tuition teacher and he first thought that I had rented the cycle somewhere nearby. When he realized that I had cycled all the way from Bangalore, he was just amazed and I could see the pride in his eyes that I had accomplished this. Like the true teacher he is, he encouraged me to write a book about my tour. We need more teachers like him who encourage, motivate, and push their students to achieve their full potential. A teacher may not earn a lot of money but I am sure that great teachers earn lifelong love of the students whose life they positively influence. Thank you sir.
From Rajendernagar, rode to Mayur Vihar to meet my college friend, Sanjeev. Spent some good time with him and his family, and then rode towards India Gate. At India Gate, spent some time thinking about the whole tour, took some pictures, and then rode towards ISKCON. At ISKCON, met my school friend, Alka and we caught up while waiting for my family to join us for lunch.
32 days on the road from 26-Jan-2023 to 26-Feb-2023 with 26 days of riding culminated with a short ride to my college friend, Deepak's home in Kailash Hills where we stayed the night.
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| Sunrise @ 07:10 am |
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| With my school friend Sanjay and his dad (also my Physics teacher) |
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| With my college friend, Sanjeev and his son |
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| Akshardham |
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| Qutub Minar miniature on road median close to Akshardham |
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| Wrapping up the tour at India Gate, New Delhi |
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| With family and my school friend, Alka @ ISKCON Govinda's Restaurant, New Delhi |
Delhi to Bangalore - 27-Feb-2023 to 01-Mar-2023
On the previous evening, Sridhar and I dismantled the cycle racks and front light, folded it up, and packed the car for an early departure. In the morning, we first left our parents at the Delhi airport for their Bangalore flight and then we got on our way. Before Datia, we saw a cyclist who appeared to be on a tour and we stopped to talk to him. Roopesh Rai is on a mission to cover 12,000 Km in one year and spread the message of green living. On the first day we covered around 650 Km to reach Sagar, MP.
On the second day, we covered around 920 Km to reach Hyderabad where we stayed with my college friend, Gautam. It's amazing how even with little touch with each other in around 30 years, we could still connect and talk about things old and new.
On the third day, we covered the remaining 650 Km to reach home around 02:30 pm. And that marks the end of my largest adventure yet.
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| With Akhil at Deepak's home |
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| Leaving our parents at the Delhi airport for their flight to Bangalore |
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| Cycle folded and ready to head out on our return trip |
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| With Roopesh Rai around 20 Km north of Datia |
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| Venus & Jupiter in the early evening (06:59 pm) on 27-Feb-2023 (Shubham Dhaba) |
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| Sunset on Hyderabad Nehru ORR (28-Feb-2023) |
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| With Gautam (28-Feb-2023) |
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| Finishing our respective adventures and back at home (01-Mar-2023) |
Wait, there's more. I still need to share about life on the road, the food, and more - check out Part 4.
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