They promise you new discoveries and an experience of a lifetime, and all you need to do is show up in your bicycle. The ‘No Roads November’ theme by We are Chennai Cycling Group takes you to all the hidden treasures around the city.
CHENNAI: Cycling in Chennai is often seen as a sport or a fitness activity, but with this cycling group’s ‘No Roads November’ theme, cycling in the city is actually about exploring off-beat trails and having a whole lot of fun in the process! ‘We are Chennai Cycling Group’ (WCCG) started the tradition two years ago, and when November arrived with a good monsoon this year, they got more excited.
“People are used to cycling on roads with fixed routes. But ‘No Roads November’ has been a totally different experience, and the rain adds more zest,” says Divagaran Thiyagarajan, founder, and admin, WCCG.
In this month, the group with around 50 active members (their Facebook page has 8,000+members) have taken their MTBs (Mountain Terrain Bikes) and hybrids at 4 am, and set off to explore some unknown parts of our city such as Kuthambakkam (the road to Sadras Fort), and the banks of the Adyar river in a place called Naduveerapattu (a few km from Chrompet), to name a few.
An interesting story is that of ‘Sunday’ village. “Yes! That’s what the village is called!” Divagaran laughs. Gnayuru gramam has around 3,000 residents and is located some 10 km beyond Puzhal. “The village elders say that the name and origins of the village can be traced to a few inscriptions on the rear side of the main deity of a 7th century AD Shiva temple in the village,” he explains, adding that the route to this small village is a natural paradise for cycling.
Their best exploration so far, they say, was a 40 km loop around the Sholavaram Lake. “We experienced all the terrains that one can ask for in an off-road trail-uphill, downhill, mud path and riding right inside the lake!” says Anil Jain, a core member of the group and an avid cyclist. They discovered narrow muddy stretches, bushy paths, marshy roads and canyon-like sand quarries.
“I went around the recce route around five times to get a hang of the actual route — it’s easy to get lost in this place,” laughs Robert, member of WCCG. They ended up cycling in one-foot-deep water on the banks of the lake, as the rains had filled the lake. “When we went along this route in April, we witnessed around a 100 cows crossing us on the path. It felt like a documentary form Discovery channel!” he laughs, musing on how places change according to the season.
Subramaniam, another rider, adds that they found a small shop that sells organic traditional food at really cheap rates. “Around 20 of us ate breakfast for just `250 — with two types of vadas and four idlis each,” remembers the 55-year-old chartered accountant.
Getting out of the comfort of good solid tar roads under your tyres and right into the throes of water, mud, and rocks may sound overwhelming, but it can be done easily, Anil advises. “There is no guarantee of what is around the next bend; there may water, rocks a sudden climb or bushes — you just have to keep riding no matter what! So good grip, balance, gear ratio and brakes are essential,” he quips.
He also adds that it’s better to leave your expensive cycling shoes at home. “We all regretted it after the ride — muddy and soggy shoes were the side-effect!” he laughs.
If off-road cycling and muddy shoes are really not your thing, WCCG organises self-supported rides regularly, operating through six different chapters — Anna Nagar, Marina, Tambaram, OMR/ECR, Porur and Ashok Pillar. They also occasionally organise longer rides across cities and hill-climbs too. Entirely self-supported and not-for-profit, WCCG welcomes both newbies and professionals.
“Compared to other cities, Chennai is safer to cycle in. On weekends, you’ll see hundreds of cyclists on OMR and ECR, some with rented cycles just to experience the joy of the two-wheels,” smiles Anil Jain.
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Follow WCCG on their FB group — WCCG Chennai Cyclists