It was Independence day holiday and like any other traveler I was too lazy to sit in the house and enjoy the Parade. So me and few friends of mine decided to go on a bike trip but as usual were not sure of the location where to go. Our plan changed from Imagica to lonavla to lohagad to Mahabaleshwar. This included scrutinizing all the aspects of how much tired we would get to questions like how much should we ideally ride on our bikes in a day. The difficulty of the climb was also an aspect that was considered and I will tell you the reason of it later. After spending the day before in office searching and scrutinizing all the options for the ride. We zeroed up on this Fort as our challenge on a Saturday. The difficulty level was mentioned as moderate which we amateurs thought was doable, since our confidence was more than what we could carry. LOL moment !
Nevertheless the journey started from Pune and soon we reached the foothills of the fort stopping two three times to click photographs on the way or have some poha and chai-sutta. Yes. how can anything be complete without chai-sutta. The fort is at a distance of 75kms approax and still we managed to get lost while on the way.
There was parking for the bikes but no other shops were open near the foothill. So we began our climb. Now is the time to tell about my friends who were to climb and why we considered the difficulty of the climb as a factor. So one was heavily fit with regular gym and sorts, the other used to gym but not regular, other one fit but not climbing fit, so remained two others me and Danks, the laziest, unfit, fattest of all.
The climb began and the started the views. Soon we were above the clouds and the little drizzle that was keeping up with us left us to pour on the teams that were behind us.
After reaching the top came the most difficult step to climb the fort itself was nothing like an 'amateur'. Somehow managed to reach the top. Took out our bottles and quenched our thirst ! Took out the snacks-ka-bag and started , but first photos.
One of the reasons I Iove about Maharashtra as a state and Pune as a city is because Nature is not far away ! You get to see people collaborating with Nature and vice-versa. Although not so much time later, the descent began and as always ended faster than it started. Stooped on the way for do-pahar-ka-khana(Lunch) and with a promise of few more like these !
Dil Dil Jaan Jaan (Alright! Alright! Alright!) !