That Day with Her.

After weeks of intense hard work at office, we decided to unwind, one Saturday at a bicycle trail in the forests of Savanadurga. After all, a good way to escape the corporate jungles, filled with chilling Air-conditioning systems and monstrous computer gadgetry, is to find refuge in the terrains of the gorgeous Lady Nature! Very often have I experienced such trysts with this magical Lady being extremely enriching and calming.
It was close to noon when we 23 corporate escapees, each crowned with crash helmets and loaded with bottles of water, mounted our bicycles. Our guide announced that the path consisted of 80% of downhill terrain, and that worked well on our sensitive motivation circuitry. The Lance Armstrong in each of us was ready to be unleashed. It started with a bang! We zoomed past each other with a vengeance, each overtaking maneuver convincing our ego about the presence of a genius in us. We were on our way.
And lo! There came out the Sun, and with Him, out came perspiration, out came our fatigue, out came our thirst, out came our cameras, and out came our comradeship! We found ourselves looking over our shoulders for our companions, often stopping to help and motivate. The Sun began to get merciless, and so was the terrain. Legs began to complain and throats began to cry hoarse. Every water source on the trail attracted attention and respect (we had to bow down to drink water from the borewells, u see!). Our guide was rather nonchalantly cheerful at our antics. Rightly so, for we were just another herd doing the rounds.
Slowly, we settled down to enjoy the beauty around us…and listen, what an amazing presentation of greenery. The banks of the trail were lush green as far as the eye could see. The moving path below and the caressing breeze working on our hair and skin added to the intoxication. And can anything beat the joy of drinking from the borewells and feasting on fruits from the jungle trees!
I am persuaded to repeat, this Lady truly captivates! And just to ensure we uncover and celebrate our resilience, She gives us an uphill stretch, with an inclination of close to 40 deg, and with absolutely no shelter on an early Indian summer noon! We pulled ourselves through the ordeal. And just as we got there, She presents us with the panorama that made every drop of sweat worth the spill! Lake Manchinabelle, with its non-circular periphery looks amazing from the hilltop. Something, that rivets even Cast Iron hearts. Well, the Lady not only captivates and challenges, but also coaxes after the challenge.
In all, we had bicycled 18 km, stopped half a dozen times, drank litres of water, shed close to 500 calories of fat and clicked hundreds of pictures. We were a rejuvenated lot; after all we were with this mesmerizing Lady called Nature!