Changing of guard

I didn't have enough practice for a long fast ride but thought it would be a good idea. The turnout today was rather good which doesn't always have benefits. We started more than an hour and a half before sunrise and rode at a consistent pace. A few in the group are big fans of street fried food and sweet tea, so we spent a long break eating, about an hour into the ride when we really should have been riding. Took to some of the better roads in the city, lined with Embassies and considerable amount of mist. Me and another rider decided to take a few random roads because they were neat and devoid of traffic. The levels of enthusiasm in a large group are usually varied so I split us up in two, which to some is almost sacrilegious. Given that not everyday is a Sunday and I really wanted a longer ride, it was an easy choice.

We rode up to another cyclist's home and were famished when we reached. She had had her cooks prepare some absolutely delicious breakfast for us and we hogged upon it, which turned out to be good preparation for our return. The return was unpleasant with all the traffic (we were hardly inches away from vehicles on all sides and these roads are without a doubt dangerous for cyclists), the potholes, the dust and pollution. There were pedaled three-wheelers (mostly used by villagers who bring their wares to sell in the city) and motorbikes at one point, who were going in the wrong direction completely unapologetically and an accident occurring was only a matter of time. If their lapse was pointed out, there had the audacity to shout back! What's interesting is, all the stereotypes, even the funniest ones about traffic in India are true.

But in the end, 135 km is a journey and the hurdles are a part of it.

P.S. The shot above is the ceremonial "Changing of guard" event at the India gate.