Gravel Weekend at Kalpavalli: Off-Road Cycling Near Hyderabad
"Why Gravel?" Recently, a fellow rider quizzed me about my sudden love affair with this cycling discipline. I guess, it's the sheer delight of cycling amidst nature sans traffic that pulls me towards gravel. Plus, there's that thrill of hurtling down single or double tracks.
We've known G R (G Rajasekar) for ages, and his passion for nature and uncharted routes made me reach out to him to join our weekend gravel escapades around Tellapur, Kollur and Mokilla. He led us to a hidden gem near Anantapur – Bush Camp @ Kalpavalli (past the Kia factory and close to the windmills on the right, en route from Hyderabad to Bangalore). This spot boasted myriad double tracks weaving through tasty gravel, instantly capturing our interest.
Off we went — Krishna Kunam, GR, and yours truly — loading our bikes onto the car from The Bike Affair, setting off around 2 PM on Friday, eventually reaching the camp by 9 PM.
Getting ready
The three musketeers
GR had plotted three routes — west, east, and north. Our maiden ride kicked off towards the west. Kalpavalli, a conservation zone, cradled the bush camp, nestled amidst a landscape where the nearest village was a good 5km away. A stationary windmill near the camp became our guiding north star. The trail, predominantly double track, was far chunkier than anticipated. Our first pit stop? Deflating our tyres slightly for better traction.
Endless windmills and gravel
As luck would have it, Krishna's pedal decided to come off — not the entire pedal but just the pedal body. We found the missing part along the trail and managed to reattach it, but it wasn't locking and could slide out easily.
Man, that windmill is BIG
Initially downhill, the trail gradually led us upward until we hit the road. A quaint chilli farm greeted us, the vibrant reds of drying chillies painting a picturesque scene.
Mirchi!
The eastern trail took us past the windmills' edge, offering panoramic views — a habitat boasting cobras, Russell's vipers, Indian pythons, leopards, black bucks, and sloth bears. Thankfully, our encounters were limited to admiring these creatures on information boards!
During a 3 km climb, we encountered a pair of shepherds with goats, including an enthusiastic 12-year-old lad, Prashant, eyeing my bike. He settled for some photos with the bike and its grumpy owner.
Shepherd boy Prashant
The morning's final ride led us down to Gollapally reservoir, demanding a strenuous climb back up. Negotiating sandy patches near the reservoir and tackling steep sections proved to be a lung-busting challenge.
Surly Cross Check
Where eagles dare
Gear Notes
Our trio of different metal-framed gravel/cross bikes kept us elated: Surly Crosscheck with 700x30C tyres (Steel, GR's ride), Van Nicholas Rowtag with 700x36c tyres (Titanium, Krishna's ride), and Fuji Jari with 700x36C tubeless tyres (Aluminium, my trusty steed). Ideal for this terrain? A gravel bike with tubeless wheels around 40C tyres or a hardtail MTB setup tubeless with 2.25" wide tyres.
Strava links: West ride | East ride | North ride
