Cycling in 4 states on single gear cycle 8: Kalaburgi- Mannaekhelli (96 kms)

✪ Slightly hilly terrain
✪ Wonderful support from the cycle and the nature
✪ Interactions with school students
✪ Enthusiastic school teachers
✪ Completed 633 kms in 7 days

Morning of 30th September, seventh day of the expedition! Yesterday night it rained in Kalaburgi. But as always the weather is clear in the morning. I was told that a few cyclists from Kalaburgi were going to meet me when I would leave. I waited for a few minutes for them. But they did not come. Instead one other cyclist passed by near me. I briefly interacted with him, asked him how to find proper road in the city and then left. Also I shared my live location on the coordination group for this expedition. Today I will have last stay in Karnataka, a small village in Mannaekheli.

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Sometimes in the morning, there is some pain in the legs, but as I start riding, it weathers off soon. Slowly crossed Kalaburgi town. The highway is excellent. Throughout my journey, roads have been great. After some distance, there was a very small ghat. But it reminded me of my ride in Spiti! This highway goes to Hyderabad via Humnabad. I crossed by one petrol pump named after Shri Basavraj Ji, whom I had met Yesterday. While pedaling, I sometimes am unable to believe that this is actually the seventh day! What a great support I have got so far from the nature and the cycle! And I have crossed near 650 kms till now. I am also finding it difficult to tell people from where I have traveled!

As today there is some elevation, so speed is little less. But there is no worry at all. As always took two breaks. Took the second break on the highway near Humnabad. Now I am nearing Karnataka border and also slowly leaving Kalyana Karnataka and going towards the erstwhile Hyderabad State. It is also evident from names of shops and also dialect of the people. Little influence of Maharashtra is also there. Reached Manaekhelli on time and met the school teacher- Shri. Prabhu Rao ji. Directly I went to the school and had a quick interaction with the students. I shared my journey, its idea and experiences with them. Also talked about mental and physical fitness. The school teachers also elaborated and helped the students to understand. The students also asked many questions. Then they also observed the cycle and then asked many questions.

After all this finished, I finally asked the teacher Shri. Prabhu Rao ji about my stay. Initially he told me to stay in a temple, I rode near that temple. But found that there was no toilet. Then I also checked about hotels, but there were mostly bars. Then finally Shri. Prabhu Rao told me that I can stay in the school itself and there are no classes for the day. and finally I again rode till the school. He assured me that he would also stay with me. In the afternoon, I took meal in one hotel near the road. It was interesting to find one meditation centre in such a small village!

In the evening, I had small interactions with the teachers. They told me that there was some festival in the village, so they could not arrange a sharing function for me. But they regretted it and said that in such a small village, such opportunities do not come often. It was an emotional moment for me. Such things make such expedition worth doing. In the night, I got awake at 2 am and then onward I could not sleep.

Next: Cycling in 4 states on single gear cycle 9: Mannaekhelli- Sangareddy (82 kms)

(Thanks for reading! You can enjoy the photos on the blog link given above. You can also read about my experiences of trekking, cycling, running, meditation, sky watching etc. there. If you wish to get updates of such activities, you can contact me. Niranjan Welankar 09422108376)