What our rider Mitul Shelat has written:
TFN 2012: BREATHE. SWEAT. CHERISH:
Juice Pivanu- Cycle Chalavani- Majani Life
I think it was somewhere in
the end of June or beginning of July, those who were interested in
participating in the Tour of Niligiris but were not selected in the first list
were asked to be at Gymkhana. I was to attend a party at Gymkhana and joined
the meeting, more out of curiosity then a desire to participate. Somewhere at
the end of the first 10 minutes, Gauravbhai in his expected clarity asked me “
Tare javu che, atyare nakki kar”. Can I do it? I asked him with equal
seriousness. You have enough time to train is all he said. I confirmed my
participation. In the coming weeks, I received a mail from Harshbhai setting
out the training schedule. For my 36 inch waste, and for the days that were to
come, I wished I had followed it to the core. As happens with me, I let the
weeks go by convincing myself that there was time and then there were three
months till the D date. I gradually shifted from the lower gears into the
higher gears and commenced the training schedule trying to follow the cycling
part and not much of the cross training (bad idea). Cycling is as much about
the arms, the neck, the back and the abs as it is about the legs. When I was
cribbing about my sore hands, elbows, neck and shoulder, Bjorn the lead cyclist
of the event would say” engage your core muscles”- I understood that part but
core lavu kyathi. If width added to speed there were not many to match my
class. As the months past into weeks and the weeks into days, my anxiety
increased. I had committed myself way beyond my abilities, I thought. In between
the diwali break (read vacation, heavy food, no cycling etc) and a continuous
bout with cough and cold left be a little diffident. But ek bar commit kar diya
to hum apne apki bhi nahi sunte.
I think, I had committed
myself more to the acquisition of the cycling accessories then to the cycling
part. Jerseys, shorts, gloves, break pads, extra tyres, extra tubes, brakes,
lube, you name it and it was there. I think between the 8 of us we had a fully
operational cycle shop with spares to last but only three good mechanics
(Gauravbhai, Vivek and Shravan). It was the 13th when we met
at Restore Clinic to pack our cycles in the cycle boxes. Then came the packing
bit. I had two bags. The biggest size and the smallest size. When we reached
the first destination- Mysore, one could make out the regulars from the first
timers just from looking at the baggage. Fortunately we did not have to carry
them till the last day.
We reached Bangalore
airport and with clock like precision loaded our bags and cycles on the trolleys
and marched out of the airport in a single file following our group leader. As
we were strolling out we received a call. We had taken someone else’s bag. All
eyes looked at Nishithkaka expecting that it had to be him but God has his
mischievous ways. It was our beloved Colonel Gauravbhai who had picked up a
deceptively similar bag. There were a lot of grins and a few jeers. The
exchange of bags happened fast and we were off. Having reached Bangalore we
spend almost 5 hours in the cars shuffling between the airport, our 7 Star
accommodations and the TFN meeting point. Paragbhai, Guaravbhais brother and
Sujatabhabi were our local guardians. I use the words “ local Guardians” with a
purpose. They spoilt us as children. If I would do the tour again, I would do
it as much for enjoying the hospitality of Paragbhai and
Sujatabhabhi as for the ride of the mountains. We were licking our fingers as
small children, as we devoured course after course, which was served with
affection and warmth. Jabardast! Excellent as Nishithkaka would say. Well good
times end soon and the day turned into the night. As 16th December
dawned on us, we geared up in our cycling outfit’s one after the other. After
being fed bananas and milk, we were escorted (literally) by Paragbhai and
Sujatabhabhi to the starting point; we were pedaling between their two cars.
We were amongst the first to reach the point and in pitch darkness, we
unloaded our bags and loaded them into the trucks, soon to realize that
nishithkaka and kumarilbhai were not there, apparently they had taken a wrong
turn. They found their way back and in fact were already in the ground as we
were getting worried about there whereabouts. Well then we regrouped and waited
and waited and waited and waited for the ride to commence. After a
grueling 2 hours, a few rounds of coffees, hot idlis, formal speeches, we were
off. The tour was on. Pedaling through the roads of Bangalore we reached the
express way, yes the express way. Somewhere in between we turned into the state
highway and lo behold, the straight roads had ended. I was distraught the next
140 k.m was a continuous rolling terrain. . It was a sea gull trying to
fly like an eagle. I was in a wrong terrain. I started feeling the challenge.
For all those who have done the thol route the stretch in between where we go
downhill and then uphill well that is what it was all the way to mysore. It was
too coincidental that the first destination was MY-SORE. As I crossed support
station after support station and finally cycled into the city and passed by
the Mysore palace and into the hotel, it struck me. I had completed my longest
ride till date- 167 k.m of rolling terrain. I longed for the shower, the bed
and yes the painkiller.
Day 1 was a curtain riser. Day 2 was ideally
called the First Blood. As we embarked for the 122 k.m ride to Coorg (
Madikeri) we encountered the rolling terrain and the up hills. Each rider found
his-her pace, which means the gang of 4 Gauravbhai, Kaushalbhai, Vivek and
Shravan were ahead followed by Kumarilbhai, myself and Nishithkaka and Renuji.
The set up of the tour was commendable. We had support stations at equal
intervals. We were provided water, cold drinks, cheeki, dried bananas, peanuts,
peanut butter, biscuits to eat and we also had physiotherapist to relieve us of
any over stretched muscles. All in all we were sufficiently supported. The
climb to Coorg was a step up from the day before. My cycle too started feeling
the pinch. All the upper gears were resting and the lower ones were upto the job.
The lovely coffee gardens and the pepper plantations were a treat to the eyes.
The last 3 k.m to the hotel were killing. There were no roads, the MTBs were
laughing as we roadies were banging our cycles and bodies against the unruly
tarmacs. I cursed the guys who had identified the hotel right upto the hotel
gate. But once I entered the end point, the pain vanished (temporarily) and I
was in a high. There has to be a science behind this, but I will leave that for
others to discover. Well once the ride is over us (ABC’ians) had a fixed eating
routine. Sandwiches, Juice, French Fries, Juice. As we ate our way through it
felt just out of the munnabhai movie, khavanu, juice pivanu, cycle chalavani,
Majjani Duniya.
Day 3 was a teaser. It was named Paris-Roubaix- for the bad, rock-laden
roads. It was announced in the morning that the roads for about 30 odd
kilometers from Madikeri were badly damaged and we would be taken by bus till
the 1st support station. The likes of me were relieved; the likes of
Gauravbhai were annoyed. As we sat in the bus and watched the landscape go by,
there were moments, brief moments, when I felt the desire to get off the bus
and cycle. It was an enchanting ride as the road crawled like a serpent through
the coffee gardens and the bubbling village markets. Off the bus and on
the road, the meet with the mountains began. Fortunately the ride had its ups
and downs. We passed through the amazing forest
sanctuary and had our bit of the famous Unniapams
and black tea at stall in the centre of the reserve. En-route, unfortunately I
had a puncture; learn to do a puncture or ride with people who know. I was
riding with three guys of the Bangalore cycling club and they helped me change
the tube. I promised to buy them beer- a promise I could not keep. There was no
beer at the hotel. Sultan Bathery ( Wayanad region) is in kerala. The last 30
k.m was where the daggers were drawn. As the ride is nearing the end, the mind
starts wandering from the roads to the hotel room. And this ride just never
ended. It went up, and up and up. As I pedaled right upto the top, at the last
support station the volunteer waived at me keep pedaling just 10 k.m left. I
was about to faint did she say 10 k.m –JUST 10 k.m. I had clocked the ride and
to me about 4 k.m were left; I had prepared myself for 4 but 6 more I was not
sure. As I reached the city, I had completed 3 k.m on the garmin. It was
getting dark and wearing light enhancing glasses did not help in the fight
against the beaming headlights. After 1 k.m, I stood on the road. I was tired
and the traffic was enormous, should I just wait for the support vehicle, take
a rickshaw, like devils the different ideas started wolfing down on me. I gave
the devils a push and decided to start pedaling and lo behold within a few
pedals I saw the turning for the hotel. I had mixed feelings joy of completing
and the anger of being misled. The joy engulfed the anger. After the routine
shower, change of clothes, sandwiches, French fries, Juice, I had a task to
complete; my front tyre needed a change. Shravan must have cursed most of us.
Being the youngest of the lot, it was always Shravan who was on everyones wish
list. Shravan ek kup extra coffee lai avne, Shravan Pani lavne it was never
ending. He managed most of the tasks with a smiling face. He must have been
christened with this Tour in mind.
With him and Vivek and of
course Gauravbhai, my tyre was changed. My cycle had new legs; I wish I had
spare legs. The next day was the day we had been told of when we joined the
Tour. The OOTY climb.
Day 4 and we were off to OOTY. Cycling up OOTY is not something which happens
everyday. The terrain is ABU just a higher gradient and thrice the distance.
The climb had a competitive section, where the cyclist would be timed for their
ride. We had amongst us professional cyclist, passionate cyclist, disciplined
cyclist and adventurous cyclist. The climb uphill was fun. Probably the back to
back centuries with substantial climbs kind of prepared me for the ride. In
between the competitive section, my chain jammed and I spent around 20 minutes
getting it fixed. Baki koi apdi agar jay e possible natu. Jokes apart the
professional cyclist zipped past the mountains, virtually ridiculing the
terrain maintaining speeds in dual digits. It seemed that they had a trick up
their sleeve. Binging on beer. But their feat was commendable and inspiring.
Which one? I will leave the guess to you. As I completed the competition
section, I went into relax mode. Stretching on the mat, having a coke, and hopping
across to the eating joint and devouring the sambar rice. Kumarilbhai had a
fall, a few stitches, many would have quit, but this iron man patel wished to
ride. It soon struck me that the ride was not complete. There were 32 km to go.
And these 32 k.m. my friends were daunting. There were a few down slopes
but the rest was all up hill. The sun was setting and the chilly winds were
blowing the cycle and the rider. I had no jacket but packed up a few newspapers
to stop the wind. It helped for some time but then the cold started creeping
in. The road to the hotel was through the maze of traffic and again uphill. The
last stretch of about 500 metres to the hotel was a completely broken uphill
road leaving me no option but to walk up with the cycle. As I entered the
porch, Gauravbhai was there already, he hugged me and I could see in his eyes
the delight of my accomplishment. I went into instant nostalgia as I remembered
how Harshbhai had welcomed me as I completed the Abu Climb. The pain and the
perspiration had already dried off. The next day was rest day and
remained uneventful except for the group photo session during which two of the
riders proposed to each other; love was in the air, with no pedaling to do and
an awesome landscape to behold, the desire to be with family was quite
overwhelming.
Day 6 was nicknamed Sufferance. The ride to Higher Bhavani was postulated as
the toughest ride ever in TFN history. In ABU terms it was 4 back to back Abu
rides. We all stood with our cycles on the starting point ready to pedal. As
the tour director shouted riders go, I found that I had a flat tyre. Sarvanam
our mechanic was having breakfast. It took about 20 minutes or so for the
puncture to be done, by which time majority of the riders had left. As I was pedaling
through three KYNKYNY riders (the professional cycling team from Bangalore)
joined me. For a brief moment we pedaled together and then like a bullet they
were gone. On route two cyclists were hurt on the downhills. I hate downhill, I
rode slower than usual. As I was pedaling through I noticed Nishithkaka on the
side road. He had a puncture. I joined him in his pursuit for replacement. We
toyed and played around with the wheel, the tube, the pump for about 20 minutes
to no avail. The tube would simply not accept the air. Nishithkaka called up
the tour director and we were told help was on the way; Nishithkaka asked me to
continue my ride and after a few more minutes I left. The journey thereafter
was mind-blowing as I countered the 67 hair pin bents one after the other; it
felt like the super Mario brothers, you kept discovering new landscapes. The
beauty of the tea estates simply magnified. It was the most serene landscape. I
wished I was a painter or better a poet. The road was relatively empty and the
weather blissful. The road from the last support station to the turn point had
a bad patch which was through a dense tree area and emerged into an open
valley. It was perfect for a picnic. That’s what I did. I sat there hoarding on
the biryani, curry and curd. Gayatri, I assume in her mid forties more by the
fact that she was a mother of three then anything else and I were amongst the
last who had reached the turn point. I had no hurry I felt like soaking in the
spot for a few more moments. As Ulhas Joshi said "The sufferance turned
into a Suhana Safar". But then there was the sweeper and you did not want
to be sweeped. On my return about 20 odd kilometers before the end, my cycle
had a mechanical problem. The chain jammed and just wouldn’t move. A few volunteers
tried but in vain. The mechanic was not coming he was at the next support
station. I completed the balance journey by car and that is when I realized
what we had done. The roads we had driven looked so daunting; the car could
barely climb in 1st or 2nd gear. I felt proud of myself
and the rest of the cyclist. The day ended somberly as I came out of the car
rather than the cycle.
Day 7 was uphill for 10 km and then all down hill for 50 km. I hate
downhill’s and had planned that I would take it easy all the way through. My
uphill ended with a chocolate tea at one of the tea shops, followed by lunch
with nishithkaka and other cyclist at a parota and kurma place. There were a
lot of photo stops. The route downhill was tough for me as it engineered a lot
of pain in the hands, neck and lower back but the good part was that it ended
soon. As the day ended and we sat for our sandwiches, we realized that we were
nearing the end of the tour. Tomorrow was the last ride.
Day 8 was a mix of the south Indian flat, rolling terrain and an 11 k.m.
uphill ride. Flat has a different meaning for people down south. Vivek and
Shravan had planned to make a killing. It was declared as a flat ride and we
were the flat kings. I think given the surface both of them did a fantastic job
with Vivek clocking just around 5 minutes more than the guy who topped the
competitive section on that day. The ride thereafter was uphill and followed by
a rolling terrain. All of us completed the ride comfortably. We packed our
cycles and then followed the formal closing ceremony and the ride back home.
The icing on the cake was the ride from the drop point to our home, Gaurav bhai
please pardon me but the love and affection bestowed upon us has never left us
and we have given to our self the right of calling paragbhais house our
home.
As we landed and were
getting on our individual rides back home, I thanked Gauravbhai for the day in
July when he prompted me into committing for the tour, but for that push, 817
k.m rides on the hill would have not been history. IT is now.
The Journey is as important
as the destination and what a journey it was. To know and to be with the likes
of Gauravbhai, Kaushalbhai and Nishithkaka was providential. Be it the
meticulous discipline of Gauravbhai, the ardent perfection of Kaushalbhai, the
peaceful and untailored pursuit of Nishithkaka the conscientious pursuit of
Renuji, the valour of kumarilbhai and the unending energy of Vivek and Shravan;
there was a spark from each one of them which kindled the flame and kept it
burning. I assume TFN 2009 engineered the foundations for ABC. TFN 2012 left us
with a dream, a dream to start a cycling team for Gujarat. I am sure by now a
master plan has been drawn and in the coming years we will achieve this
threshold as we have with our bicycling club. KYNKYNY beware, the Gujjus are
just around the corner.
What our other rider Kaushal Mehta has written:
Mind over matter…
Eight of us from the Ahmedabad Bicycling Club
just returned from a 7 day grueling 800 km (500 miles) bicycle ride in the
Nilgiri Mountains through the southern Indian states of Karnataka, Kerala and
Tamil Nadu gaining a total ascent of 17,000 meters (equivalent to climbing Mt.
Abu more than 19.4 times)!
Preparations
The Ahmedabad Bicycling Club had arranged for
several preparatory rides along the SP ring road and the slopes of ISRO. In one
10 day stretch around Diwali, I completed 5 century rides and 700 km. The total
practice was around 1200 to 1500 km in the last several months. I would say
though that none of the flat road preparation came close to the rugged mountain
terrain we experienced in the Nilgiris…
The Daily Drill
There was a specific route every day and one
had to complete the intermediate milestones during a specified time period,
else risk being ‘swept’ by the transport car so the organizers could ensure all
riders were in by dark. There were 3 to 4 support stations en route where one
would have to stop to sign, get a stretch and eat/drink if required.
The Challenge
After completing 7 full marathons and 3 half
marathons world-wide, I’ve to admit, this was by far the toughest physical
challenge I’ve ever undertaken. An average of 110+ kms of cycling per day over
rolling hills or steep mountain terrain (average of about 3 Mt. Abu climbs per
day) pretty much drained out every bit of energy towards the end of the day.
When the feet were getting as solid as a rock, lungs were gasping for oxygen
and the slopes ahead never seem to end, it was more of a mental game that I was
playing with my own self. Constant conversation with the inner self reminding
how hard I hard prepared for the event and how with a few more pedals (during
which I would have to give it all - inhaling by nose, exhaling by mouth
sometimes with a loud grunt), I could reach the curve ahead. So, I would push
myself till the next hair pin bend on the road (one route had 68 such hair pin bends
to be covered in one day)! The other experience was not to get carried away in
the downhill slopes (reached a peak speed of 60 to 65km one day on the downhill
and did not realize it until a tracker car pointed it out) and then pedaling
hard on the subsequent ascents (about 35km/hr. some times). Doing that over
120+kms one day, I developed a severe cramp and had to stop suddenly for a few
minutes to stretch. Approached a small hut on the outskirts of a village
limping and somehow conveyed to them I needed salt and water to help relieve
the cramp. Experienced the diversity of India first hand where with all our
500+ languages and dialects, someone from one part of the country cannot
communicate with another except for sign language… The common thread though
is the keen desire to help.
What was also helpful was my constant
communication about my ride status with my wife, Parul, who was able to track
my progress on google earth via a satellite tracking device attached to my
bicycle… In events that require your singular focus and attention, sharing the
smaller incremental successes with someone who cares and the inspiration and
encouragement (in form of text messages) from someone you trust act as a big
morale booster, especially when it is all about the mind…
The Highs…
Constant cheering along the way by village
children wanting a high five, the outstanding beauty of the Nilgiris,
especially the ride amongst the tea gardens near Ooty passing through the low hanging
clouds and the pure serenity of the terrain were amongst the memorable highs of
the trip. And of course there was the great company of extremely diverse fellow
riders – men and women from several different countries and parts of India each
experiencing nature in their own ways, some trying to conquer it, while most
embracing it with respect.
Someone from the US Marine Corps I met
recently mentioned how, not only for the brain, but even for our body, we use
less than 5% of its true potential… Suggesting we can always do more than what
we can ever imagine. I am not sure of what a 100% is in either case, but
one thing is very certain, in most of our physical excursions the mind gives in
before the body! So, when the physical body seems completely drained out, it is
the mind over matter dialog and interaction that helps one overcome the
unthinkable…
The following chart shows the cities and
distances covered along with the daily ascents:
Departure City
|
Arrival City
|
Distance(km)
|
Elevation Gain (m)
|
Times Abu
|
Bangaluru
|
Mysore
|
168
|
1377
|
1.53
|
Mysore
|
Madikeri
|
122
|
1791
|
1.99
|
Madikeri
|
Sultan
Bathery
|
142
|
2238
|
2.49
|
Sultan
Bathery
|
Ooty
|
96
|
3704
|
4.12
|
Ooty
|
Ooty
|
129
|
4675
|
5.19
|
Ooty
|
Mettupalayam
|
51
|
1853
|
2.06
|
Mettupalayam
|
Chamarajanagara
|
109
|
1796
|
2.00
|
Total
|
817
|
17434
|
19.37
|
What our other rider Kumaril Patel has written:
“ The greatest accomplishment is not
in never falling, but in rising again after you fall “
“Tour of Nilgiris” stands for
excitement, adventure and a test to test one’s physical and mental strength. I
alongwith my friends ( Gaurav, Kaushal, Vivek, Mitul, Shravan, Nishitbhai
& Renu ) had a memorable experience of the same. In fact went through
rigorous training for this exceptional tour for 4 months. During the sessions
of training I was down with high fever/viral infection for 10 days followed by
Diwali Vacation. It means I missed the training sessions for approximately one
month. After Diwali Vacation it was a short period of 20 days only to get
trained and gear up in order to participate in the scheduled Tour.
So far as the entire story of this
tour is concerned, it is very well narrated and reported by both Mitul and
Gaurav. Here I would like to express my experience about what exactly happened
on the fourth day of the tour which resulted into an accident leaving me in
blood.
Actually we were to cover a distance
of 100 km on this day from sultan Bathery to Ooty. Moreover 24 km strech from
Gudlur till the end of Competitive Segment (CS) was very demanding due to
continuous steep slope. We had passed through this strech as well without much
of hurdles but the god has a different plan for me. I was hardly 4 km from CS
End when Shriram ( the other rider ) and I got busy chatting while enjoying our
ride. We were very excited as we had finished with the toughest strech for the
day without much of difficulty but unknowingely the brake for the front wheel
of my cycle was applied and I lost the control of the cycle and fell on the
road which resulted in injuries on the right side of my face. I was so lost
enjoying the ride that I could not even feel much of pain, stood up and was
ready to ride again. When Shriram interrupted me and asked me to see my face in
the mirror to realize that everything was not ok. Shriram thought differently
as he was very concerned about me and advised me to get medical assistance then
and there only. He immediately informed the concerned persons to provide the
medical assistance. Soon after the medical personnel rushed to the said spot
and did there job well. As a result my face was left with four stiches and half
of the face was covered with bandage giving me the look like that of an injured
soldier.
The next day was meant for rest to
all of us. But the sixth day was the most challenging day of the entire tour as
it was full of many steep slopes including 34 hairpin bends oneway
to Upper Bhawani. Everyone advised me to take rest rather than
participating in the tour as they found me not in the pink of my physical
condition. But I thought differently. I was not ready at all to waste this
opportunity, just as a soldier doesn’t quit the battle field until he has won
the war, I was also not ready to give up. I took it as a challenge and wanted
to fight back.
I was fortunate enough to take this
decision and prove it right. I would honestly accept the fact that without the
blessings of the God and support and good wishes from my co-riders from
Ahmedabad, this task shouldn’t have been accomplished. Gaurav had offered his
cordial support by riding alongside me for the whole day and was even ready to
stay with me in the case I was not able to ride further. I had heard it often,
“ Where there is a will, there is a way “ And this was the very time when I
experienced it myself when I could move more because of will power than the
physical strength. Finally it was a very successful journey on this day when I
finally reached the last destination – Upper Bhawani and back to the
hotel which is approximately 115 km ( overshoot by 10 km ).
Then came the unforgettable moment of
my life when at dinner time Kaushal made an announcement about my achievement.
As he said that the toughest part of the tour which was even tougher for me due
to my injures were successfully concluded and this success was credited by him
to my spirit, strong will power, perseverance and positive attituded. He
congratulated me to set an example of courage, dedication and determination.
His remarks and comments were supported by all other riders, support staff and
organisers with a big round of applause. I was overwhelmed with emotions and
forgot all the pains and sufferings that I had to undergo to make this
achievement possible when I was given the honour to cut the cake – “ Tour of
Nilgiris “.
There couldn’t have been more
splendid end than this. What a tour it turned out for me. This tour will always
serve as an inspiration to me whenever I am confronted to such challenges in
any walks of life. Here I would like to conclude recollecting the golden words
by Swami Vivekanand, “ Arise, awake, stop not untill your goal is achieved.”
What
one of our other rider Gaurav Shah has written:
The Riders – Renu Mittal, Nishith Shah, Gaurav Shah, Kaushal Mehta, Kumaril
Patel, Mitul Shelat, Vivek Shah, Shravan Shah
The training for the Tour of Nilgiris started about 3 months back and
all the Riders did their best to train for the Tour of Nilgiris. It was only
after the ride started on Day 1 from Bangalore to Mysore, that all of us
realized the difference between Flat Roads in Gujarat and the Flat Roads (
so-called ) on the Tour. In reality, after you have cycled around Ahmedabad,
there are no Flat Roads on the Tour of Nilgiris. The entire stretch of over 800
Kms is only ups & downs and we cycled the entire distance, which is
equivalent to doing almost 21 Abu Climbs in 7 days. On an average we must have
done 3 Abu Climbs, almost non-stop, every day and did equivalent of 5 Abu
Climbs on the day we cycled from Ooty to Upper Bhavani and back to Ooty
including 68 hair-pin bends.
The entire Tour was just wonderful, with Vivek & Shravan doing
extremely well and it was fun to see them so full of energy on all the days of
cycling. Kaushal’s constant chit-chat, Mitul’s worried face, Kumaril’s
care-free riding, Renu’s constant intermingling and little worries &
Nishith’s erratic ways provided constant entertainment over the entire 8 days
of the Tour. All of them called me the Tour Leader Colonel and so I stuck to my
image and ensured that everything happened on-time and ensured that the Tour
went through with as little tensions as possible, for all our Team Members.
Kumaril, did give us some tense moments, but I would like him to write about
it…
All in all, it has been a wonderful cycling year, and the Tour was the
icing on the cake. I personally have cycled over 6500 Kms in the year 2012 and
this has been a great cycling year for me, more so because it has been with
some wonderful cycling friends who form ABC…
To end - Cycling, and most other endurance sports, not only improves
physical fitness and gives a high to that person, but Tours such as the TOUR
OF NILGIRIS are a battle between the physical strength and the mental
strength. The body was drained of energy at the end of 7 days, but the mind
never gave up.
