Chintu Travels | Bir Billing Cycling | Day 3 | Mission Impossible

Mission Impossible?

3 years ago, when I was in Bir I had tried to ride to this mystical hot spring that a few locals told me about, it is supposed to be isolated and at a great altitude. I got lost and returned as it was getting late.

Today I wanted to ride there again. I started around 11, had a couple of paranthas, and a chai. And started riding, I remembered most of the route.

First, you ride to Sahel, and then take a right to the road going towards Deol, and then reach a new bridge, and take the road to Upper Deol. I had gone slightly further than this last time. My total ride distance was 44 kilometres then.

                                      

After reaching the point of last return in about 2.5 hours ( 23 Kilometres) I kept pursuing for tattvani, the good road had ended about 6 kilometres back, and it was all riding uphill on gravel, every kilometre I felt I should turn back, this tattvani doesn't exist. But I kept riding.

After 2 hours of a grueling climb I reach the end of the road, tattavani was another 1.5 hours of hike on a steep single trail, it was already 3:30, and I decided to turn back. I was hungry and I had 30 kilometres to go back, the first 15 downhill, then 8 kilometres of uphill, and then 7 kilometres of flats. But since I had already done 15 kilometres of uphill on extremely challenging terrain, the 7 kilometres climb felt neverending.

I reached back Bir in 2.5 hours, and it was dark, I had my lights on and I rode at a slow pace to make sure I don't skid or hit a pothole.

I had done 60 odd kilometres, on two paranthas and a chai. As soon as reached my preferred Dhaba, I ordered two paranthas, a bowl of Thukpa with half a plate of momos in it, and then rode up to the hostel, and took a hot shower, and then sat for a bonfire they have here every Saturday. I don't have a plan for tomorrow, maybe just some short trails.