Konkan Coastal Cycling trip
Konkan Coastal cycling – Mumbai to Goa cycling expedition completed on 19th to 26th Feb 2021.
Riders: Prateek Deo Gupta and Ms Sonal Agarwal
They completed their 600kms + journey from Mumbai to Goa in 9 days by the Konkan coastal cycling route starting from Mandwa in the Raigad district and ended at Vengurla in the Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra they also crossed the Maharashtra – Goa state border by the Aronda bridge over Terekhol river.
Konkan Coastal cycling : Technical data for the hungry
Total Kms : 600 plus
Strava data: nopes, we didnt bother
Support vehicle : never, we carried our own luggage
Elevation gain: who cares , what we gained was experience
No of days : 9 days – mostly off the coastal highway on beach roads.
Konkan Coastal cycling : cycles used :
Sonal was using a Schnell 24 inch, with 3 x 7 Shimano, pannier bags , frame bag, shoulder bag : total weight 15kgs
Prateek used a BSA Slr hybrid 26 inch: No gears, V brake system, custom made pannier bags and handle bar bag. Total weight 15kgs.
Stay : we stayed with locals most of the time and ate at their homes
most imp : not purchased a single bottle of water throughout the journey.
“Friends indeed…”
During this 600km Konkan Coastal cycling journey , we mingled with the locals, we made friends, we made efforts to talk to them and understand them. It was fun and heart warming at times.
We were overwhelmed by their hospitality and their kindness towards us. That’s what these Konkan people are made up of … full of love & kindness..
I am glad we stopped to meet them and not just zoomed away trying to just make some record for ourselves.
As the famous words goes , its not the destination, but the journey which is everything.
“The Konkani food…”
The amazing Konkani food made our journey a pleasant and interesting one.
We tried our best to eat at locales homes and at Khanaval’s (local eateries).
The local drinks like Kokam Juice , Soul kadi really cooled us down in the blasting heat …Fantastic drinks one must surely have., to keep ur cool
“And the wonderful places..”
We were lucky to see some awesome places as we cycled.
The Konkan coast of Maharashtra has some really beautiful places that one can experience only if they cycle, if u go in a car or a motorbike u tend to miss few of them….
cycle – to be there at the moment, to feel the moment
“The humble cycle…”
Once again our ride from Mumbai to Goa over 600kms through the Konkan coastal cycling route, with the single fixed gear BSA Slr , carrying our own luggage in panniers, has proved that we dont need flashy equipment to do beautiful and tough rides…
this post is for those who believe cycling is a humble vehicle and as you ride , you become humble.
I never lifted my cycle or jumped as we crossed the Maharashtra-Goa border …i just smiled and thanked my humble cycle, my friend for this journey, whom i trusted to take me smoothly till the end.
a 600km plus journey could be easily done with a basic, no gear hybrid cycle.. Yes the BSA Slr by TI cycles … it was a beaut on the tough roads and off roading also.
Most importantly it costed me just Rs 5000/- for the BSA Slr photon with included accessories like stand, bell, pannier, mud guards and a lock … lifetime warranty for the frame too.
We went through some very tough terrains; off roading at times and boat transfers and it never complained 🙂
Also not a single puncture … i might be lucky on this tho’.
So morale of the story is , to full fill dreams , u do not need expensive, flashy equipment… all you need is ur will and a simple humble cycle…
so go for it guys .. dont fall in the trap of marketing gimmicks, and “achievement” game , dont ride with ur strava on,shut down the google maps – dont analyse your ride rather just ride – listen to the birds , the waves , look at the morning rising sun, feel the aroma of the food cooked on wood fire.
When you cycle pass a village capture the smile of the villagers and bring it back to the city, take a bath in the river, stand on the bridges and watch the boats, sit beneath the banyan tree, take a break in a temple…
Ride just for the joy of riding and enjoying the wonderment nature has to offer… on ur humble cycle…
Prateek runs an adventure travel company and Sonal is a school teacher.
Both of them ride with the Chembur Cycling Group in Mumbai.
They can be contacted on lifeawayfromlife2020@gmail.com