Day 2: Pen - Murud

We woke up at 4:30 and broke camp at 6:30. We need to be up with the birds so that we can rest during the afternoon heat, and yet make good time. We had a great ride of 11km in the morning until breakfast. Experiments with combinations of bread, jam, cheese and grapes. After breakfast, slight climb, not so enjoyable. Reached a ghat some 8km from Alibaug and had to dismount. My carrimat got torn here when my parked cycle was toppled by the wake from a passing truck. No other damage (hopefully). Reached Alibaug before 10am after a great ride down the ghat. The Alibaug beach and Colaba fort off the beach were inaccessible due to high tide. We did the next best thing by having bondas (tender coconuts). The bondaman turned out to be a Malayalee. We were slightly concerned when Krishnan spoke in Malayalam with the him and got a blank look in return. Was this the person who we were relying on to guide us through Kerala?

Had a good lunch at SriPrasad, off the Jakat Naka(?) Then we went through the fishing village, populated by really helpful locals, and took a ferry to Aksi beach. Good fun loading and unloading the cycles from the boat. The boatman got entranced by our fluorescent “helmets” and kept begging us for one. Sadly, we had to refuse him. Told him his Panama hat was tapori enough. I put helmets in quotes above because they seem to be quite useless in the role of injury prevention, being simple strips of foam joined together by nylon straps (we've taken them along for lack of anything better). However, junta has become attached to the useless headwear. In a way, it gives a distinctive touch to the trek, I suppose.

A semi-trudge, semi-ride along the coast brought us to the road and the tourists. Had Kala Khattas here and relaxed beneath the grove of planted trees for the afternoon. This grove is beautiful, an ideal movie spot. In fact a movie was shot here last year according to K2wallah.

At 4:30, we set off for Murud. We had left the Bombay-Goa highway en route to Alibaug. This road was comparatively uncrowded and narrower and nicer. Very beautiful stretch. Revdanda (12km) , known for a bridge over a creek and an iron industry. Narrow, twisting road and helpful locals. An old lady gave us mangoes, while at Nandgaon we were refreshed by cold milk. A lot of rollercoaster stretches. Finally reached Murud (50km from Alibaug) at 8:30pm. Grub slightly expensive but palatable.

Murud is a town of smugglers and prostitutes. Everyone either tries to solicit you or looks at you with suspicion. Highly avoidable commercialized place. We ditched sleeping on the beach or a cliff for the same reason and took refuge in the local police station. PSI Patil gave us space to spread our Carrimats and park our cycles.

The last 10km of the ride to Murud was in darkness, although not pitch darkness. The sky slowly developed to a divine starriness. Comet Hale Bopp is still bright and visible.

I have my first bath of the trip at a roadside tap. Totally rejuvenated, I’m sleeping now at 11:45.

Estimate of distance covered today: 79km