Yelläks /ˈyæl•eks/

Sometimes you can find strange squared black and white patterned images in the Internet these days like this one.

These images are called QR Codes (Quick Response) and they contain information such as an URL, binary data, or plain text. Nowadays an application (such as Barcode Scanner for Android) running on a cell phone makes use of the camera of the cell phone to read out its content. I started integrating the QR code to ease the download of the GPX, I collected during my cycles tours. If someone is interested in the same or similar tour, he can download the GPX traces easily by pointing the camera of his cell phone onto the code and the cell will start to download the file automatically. Ideally his cell phone has also a GPS receiver and a application such as TrekBuddy (with maps) installed so that the route can be followed easily. There is no complicated downloading the file to a PC, copying via e.g. Bluetooth etc. necessary anymore.

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Saturday we started for an exploration tour in the south of Bangalore in preparation for the planned Hogenakal tour. In the morning Sartaj and I started from the usual starting point near C-Mess and went once completely across the whole city. Although the city itself was quite and we saw just a few vehicles, it took quite some time to reach Bannerghatta Road. The traffic on this road is significantly heavier and probably comparable with Doddaballapur Road. Near AMC College Sartaj realigned his back tire and when we wanted to continue, I experienced my first flat ever on a tour. A huge thorn pierced into the tube. Fortunately I had a spare tube with me and the repair took just a few minutes. It is quite an exercise to fill the air with the tiny BTwin pump.

We decided that the traffic was to heavy on this road to continue and we headed back for around 1km to take a turn into the greenery (towards Tulip Farm). Initially the road was good with no traffic at all. But then after a crossing, the road became bad covered with cobblestones. Maybe it is advisable to try out one of the alternative ways leading to the same exit of that park. We cycled on SH 87 towards Anekal, took a shortcut (very muddy road) to continue on SH 35 leading to Talai. Somewhere on the way we wondered about the street and village signs written in Tamil suddenly, we must have crossed the state border to Tamil Nadu. In Talai we had nice breakfast in one of the street shacks (opposite of the Women’s Labour Welfare Association) with an excellent Idly and Chatni.

So far we had a good and comfortable pace, but this was about to change shortly: in Talai we headed straight to the west to reach NH 209 leading from Bangalore to Kanakapura. And here the real adventure began
The last sign of civilization was a village in which the children warned us from proceeding further. In the Hindi, Kannada, English and Tamil mix we got to know that recently some elephants attacked and killed people in the forest ahead. Anyway we continued on the same road, which ended after around 1km behind the village. According to Google Maps this road should have continued, but we stood in the middle of the forest literally. No sign of a road. It became a narrow dried river bed with big boulders instead and many times we had to carry the cycle which was a real test for Sartaj’s Hercules Nu-Age cycle. Maybe it is a nice trail for BBC folks. In fact we met some locals later telling us that a group of cyclists are also in the same area, although we never saw them.

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While we where struggling over the boulders, the kids from the village being interested in geared cycles and followed us continuously pointing out the danger coming from elephants and other places next to the path worth to see. Soon we left the kids behind and continued for several km on the trail with an amazing country side to see. Only after reaching Hanumanthanadoddi, the first sign of civilization (a village consisting of around 10 houses only), the path became a ground covered road again. Without any further struggle or bad road we continued till we hit NH 209 just 5km north of Kanakapura. We took this highway back to the institute, which was kind of boring due to the length, traffic and lack of changes.

Distance of the tour: 150km

GPX files

• Thalai2Kanakapura.gpx

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Another trip to Kanakapura. This time we took Pipeline Road to cut short the whole bad stretch of Magadi Road. Unfortunately we could cut further, since the Pipeline Road is not yet ready. After the NICE Road/Magadi Road intersection, Magadi Road becomes excellent, but suffers from heavy traffic. Then we turned left to go south towards the Big Banyan Tree. At this point in time, we had the opportunity to try out the alternative route suggested in the other tour to Kanakapura (third paragraph). But this stretch is bad from the intersection till the main road. So you might be better off with a short, but bad stretch instead of a longer, semi bad one.

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We had breakfast in Badadi or Bidadi with the biggest idlis, I have ever seen. Something like 12cm in diameter like a CD. Unfortunately we had to travel a short distance on Mysore Road (SH-17). As usual this road was quite crowded, but after maybe 1km we took a left turn (over a railway bridge) and again went on country roads. These roads had some lorry traffic and hence some patches were already missing. That is where Sreepathi got his snake bite. It took us and the repair shop guy something like 2.5 hours and 8 patches to repair the 26mm tube. In the end the tube got baked in the vulcanizor and was air tight again. After reaching Kanakapura we had food at one of the Dhabas at NH-209. A family restaurant which was better in serving alcoholics than solid food. Since we were very much behind the schedule, we decided to stay in NH-209 and to return to the institute. At this time traffic in Bangalore was as bad as usual.

Originally it was planned to take the route which leads into north-west direction from Harohalli and exists just behind Bidadi to Mysore Road. From there to Big Banyan Tree and back to the institute. However this will be a tour is a plan in the near future. Anyway what do we learn from this trip? Have always a spare tube ready that fits into the tire. Puncture kits are for emergencies only (in case the spare tube also gets punctured). Also ensure that the tire is inflated with enough air pressure, so that snake bites which are really difficult to repair, do not occur.

Distance: around 145km

GPX files

• BidadiKanakapura.gpx

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Last weekend the Bangalore Bikers Club organized another monthly race (BBCh9). It was a trail of around 5km in length behind Decathlon in Bangalore. It’s proximity to Decathlon gave us the opportunity to go shopping extensively and to buy stuff, we never intended to buy.

The trail was excellent and was lots of fun. It did not go extremely up nor down (like Turalli). But the plants tiny and very thorny resulting that even volunteers who did not participate in the race, had some punctures to repair. The racers had to do 5 laps. Some did more, since they concentrated so hard on the track that they forgot the counting.

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Distance: around 25km (5 * 5km)

GPX files

• BBCh9.gpx

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This Saturday we went on one of the most amazing round trip. Starting from IISc we crossed Bangalore very fast. Even Sultanpet was almost empty (unlike last time). Then we took NH-209 till Kanakapura. The road is excellent, the traffic ok. In Kanakapura instead of going straight like in the trip to Muthathi, we took a right to into SH-3 to follow it into northern direction. The intersection is a little bit hard to see. It is a gap between the houses on the right side shortly after entering Kanakapura (after the sand covered [always under construction] S-curve at the entrance).

We followed the road till Ramanagara. The road is excellent, traffic almost non-existent and the scenery simply awesome. We had some opportunities to try our newly acquired Kannada expertise on the way. After having breakfast in some village somewhere in between, we set off to Ramanaga again. On the way we discussed the time-space continuum and alternative realities, since according to the street signs we sometimes flew at high velocity or while traveling forward the distance to the destination increased even further. Finally we reached Ramanagara and took at slight left at the traffic signal. Shortly we left SH-3 and turned towards Manchanabele. This road is also in an excellent condition and easily manageable by road bike enthusiasts. Do not forget to enjoy the hills and bolders.

After Manchalabele and after the radio telescope we did not take a right turn towards the Big Banyan Tree (that location is covered in this trip). Instead we took a left and explored a route to Madagi Road. After looking promising the road became bumpy and was covered by cobblestones. However after 2km the road ended in an intersection and became very good again. It is maybe advisable to take the right turn towards Big Banyan Tree anyway and the second left to hit the same road that we explored. In Thavarekere we touched Magadi Road for the first time. But we left it shortly after that to explore another way to the Magadi Road/NICE intersection. We had to leave Doddaaladharmara Road and went first through tracks and trails (roads are boring on a hybrid ) and shortly after through villages to the intersection mentioned before.

So far the tour was very good. However Magadi Road is worst! There is so much pollution, fumes, oil and dust in the air that the sun is covered. In addition this part of the road is not recommended to be covered by road bikes. After some km of suffering, we took the Outer Ring Road into northern direction to return to the institute.

Distance: around 150km

GPX files

• Kanakapura.gpx

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Yet another tour around the new airport of Bangalore. Starting from IISc towards NH-7 till Yelahanka Airfield. Just after the airfield turn right and follow the road till Ganganahalli. After the smooth surface of the highway, this road is going to test your suspension and butt-shock-absorption. In Ganganahalli you have to turn left, but it a little bit difficult to see. Entering the center of the village (with a pole in the center) and look right and a little bit behind you, you will find the road.

Follow the road north towards the Nandi Hills. The quality of this road is gradually decreasing and nothing for road bikes (though it looks like that at first, wider and better than NH-7) till you reach NH-207. After passing Devanahalli, turn right towards Yeliyur and continue towards Channarayapatna. These are typical village roads: almost no traffic, outside of the village in a very good condition, inside the village they become a mud track.

Go south till you turn into Rampura Main Road. This road is in a very bad shape and I assume under construction (although I could not see any street construction vehicles). The road is covered with loose stones and a absolute no-go for road bikes. 5km only shaking… no fun.

Distance: around 105km
Remark: Although it starts promising, road bikes for this route are not recommended.

GPX files

• NewAirportCircle.gpx

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The Saturday we went to Turalli which is a forest in South of Bangalore. In addition some time back the Bangalore Bicycle Championships (BBCh) organized a MTB race over there. They said, the trails used for the race was technically difficult. So we went there to figure out, what “technically difficult” means. I have to say: Interesting! And the ground is quite hard.

The tour started very bad. We went through Chikpet and Sultanpet. Although it was early in the morning (something like 6:30AM and holiday) the roads were packed and nothing was moving. After reaching SH-17 the situation improved and the ride became enjoyable again. The trails and paths of Turalli forest are covered with stones. But the scenery with the boulders is very beautiful. After taking a short rest on top of the hill next to the temple, we did proper research of the grade of difficulty of the BBCh race. Others did research of the trail, I did research of the ground. I brought back some samples of it on my pants and t-shirt. After that, we went to some cycle shops to inspect the newest developments. That’s why we did not head straight back to the institute.

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Distance of the tour: around 45km

GPX files

• Turalli.gpx (red)
• Turalli_Race.gpx (blue)

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Varadenahalli is located in the north east of the new airport of Bangalore and around 50km from the Indian Institute of Science. NH-7 leads you directly to Devanahalli. I suggest to take the highway in the morning to avoid the traffic on that highway. From there you take a right and go east. In Google Maps does not show the road, but OpenStreetMap is a little bit more accurate in that region. Till Devanahalli the road is excellent. Unfortunately it becomes very bad as soon as you enter Devanahalli. However after passing through that town the quality of the roads increases significantly, so that even road bikes will not have any problem (apart from some places with potholes).

After reaching Varadenahalli turn right and head south. Here the roads are really good without any traffic. As you can see in the map, I took a small shortcut shortly after leaving Varadenahalli. This shortcut is a trail and not recommended for road bikes. The photo shows the better part of the trail, so do not draw conclusions from that (apart from the scenery). To avoid the trail go further south till you hit NH207. Turn right there to join with the original route.

I rejoined with NH7 near Yelahanka. I should have gone through the country side a little bit more south to avoid the traffic. However it got dark and most side roads are without street light.

Distance of the tour: around 100km

GPX files

• Varadenahalli.gpx

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