Some Roads Bring You Back to Where You Started… Just to Show You How Far You've Come.

"Some rides test your legs. Some test your lungs. But once in a while, a ride quietly tests your heart and your mind."

The Palace 400 BRM wasn't just another 400 km brevet for me.

It was a ride back to the roads that had changed me forever.

The 2024 edition of this very BRM taught me one of the biggest lessons of my cycling journey. It made me realize that every rider eventually has to depend on himself. It changed the way I looked at cycling, relationships, and even life. I came back from that ride not just with a medal, but with a stronger mindset.

So, when Bangalore Randonneurs announced the 2026 edition, I wasn't excited.

I was confused.

For days, I kept opening the registration page and closing it again.

"Should I ride it?"

"Should I leave those memories behind?"

"Or should I return and prove to myself how much I had grown?"

After a lot of thinking, I finally clicked Register.

This time I had only one target.

Finish the ride within 20 hours.

I even told my friends,

"Bhai... is baar mujhe solo ride karne do."

I am pretty sure the kamine must have abused me behind my back. (hahaha...love you guys) 

But cycling has a funny way of changing plans.

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A Message That Changed Everything

The evening before the BRM, I received a message from Melvin George.

A young rider.

He wanted to tag along with me.

Initially, my entire strategy revolved around achieving my own target time.

But after reading his message, something changed.

Helping him achieve his fastest-ever 400 km suddenly became more important than chasing my own timing.

That's the beauty of randonneuring.

Nobody remembers who reached first.

People remember who stayed beside them when the ride became difficult.

---

Ride Day – A New Beginning

The alarm rang long before sunrise.

At 4:30 AM, I left my house and started riding towards FKCCI, the starting point.

Bangalore was still asleep.

The streets were silent.

The cool morning breeze somehow calmed the nervousness inside me.

By 5:30 AM, I reached FKCCI.

Helmet... check.

Lights... check.

Brevet card... check.

The last thing remaining was uploading the GPX route into my new COROS DURA.

Thanks to Melvin, all the control points were marked correctly, and within a few minutes we were ready.

At exactly 6:00 AM, hundreds of cyclists clipped in.

Another BRM had begun.

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The First Push

I looked at Melvin and said,

"Let's push for the first 30 kilometres."

The roads were empty.

The legs felt fresh.

The excitement was high.

Without realizing it, I had increased the pace and opened a gap.

Around the 25 km mark, I looked behind.

No Melvin.

I called him three... maybe four times.

No response.

For a moment, I thought of stopping at the famous Harohalli Idli shop.

Instead, I slowed down. That's when Madhu Bhai joined me.

He suggested,

"Let's stop at Mayura Bakery after another 25 kilometres."

That sounded even better.

Hot Coffee.

Water refill.

A small break before the long day ahead.

Within ten minutes, Melvin arrived, and we got back on the road while Madhu Bhai waited for a few more riders.

---

The Wind Had Other Plans

Just a few kilometres after leaving Mayura Bakery, the ride changed completely.

A strong headwind welcomed us.

Then came the crosswinds.

And they refused to leave us.

Every pedal stroke demanded extra effort.

The speed slowly dropped, but our heart rates continued climbing.

There weren't many climbs on this stretch. Yet it felt like we were climbing all the time.

Finally, we reached CP2 – Boys School, Malavalli (103 km) around 10:25 AM.

Looking at the clock, I felt confident.

Maybe too confident.

Thinking we had plenty of time, we spent almost 45 minutes at the control point.

Looking back now...

That was Mistake Number One.

---

A Small Fall, A Big Lesson

Around 150 km, hunger finally caught up with us.

The continuous battle against the wind had drained most of our energy, so we decided to stop for lunch.

As Melvin stopped his bike, something unexpected happened.

He forgot to unclip one of his cycling shoes.

Within seconds...

He toppled over.

It wasn't a high-speed crash, but the fall left him bleeding from his hand and leg.

For a few moments, I could see the disappointment on his face.

When you're riding a 400 km brevet, even a small fall can make you question whether you should continue.

Before either of us could react, one of our fellow riders walked over carrying a first-aid kit.

Without hesitation, he cleaned the wounds carefully, applied medicine and made sure Melvin was comfortable. 

(Thank you, Sir.... apologies for not asking your name, I was amazed to see you)

That small act of kindness restored something much bigger than confidence.

It restored belief.

That's what makes BRMs different.

You may start as strangers.

But somewhere along the road...

Everyone becomes family.

We enjoyed our lunch, hydrated properly, laughed about the fall, and spent nearly 45 minutes recovering before getting back on our bikes.

Yes...

It cost us valuable time.

But some stops are worth every minute.

---

Battling the Invisible Enemy

The next stretch towards Tarakanambi became one of the hardest sections of the ride.

Not because of elevation.

Not because of distance.

Because of the wind.

It simply refused to let us move.

At one point, I even experienced something I had never felt before during a BRM.

Chest pain.

For a brief moment, it scared me.

We stopped, caught our breath, hydrated, and decided to continue carefully.

Sometimes courage isn't about riding faster.

It's about knowing when to slow down.

Finally, around 4:24 PM, we reached the Nayara Petrol Bunk at Tarakanambi.

After a short break, the route took a turn.

Almost instantly...

The wind became manageable.

It felt as if someone had finally switched off an invisible fan that had been pushing us backwards all afternoon.

---

The Roads That Made Me Smile Again

This section of the ride reminded me why I love long-distance cycling.

The suffering slowly disappeared.

Nature took over.

Beautiful sunflower fields stretched endlessly on either side.

Quiet village roads welcomed us.

The views near the Kabini backwaters were breathtaking.

Children standing outside their homes waved enthusiastically as we passed.

Goatherds guided their animals home while smiling at tired cyclists.

Moments like these don't appear on Strava.

But they stay with you forever.

The only challenge...

There were hardly any shops.

Water was running low.

Food was almost over.

Finally, around 244 km, we found a small roadside shop.

I immediately grabbed two egg puffs and two Sting energy drinks.

That wasn't a luxury meal.

It was survival.

Those few calories helped us reach one of the most memorable control points of the ride.

---

Dhanush's Farm – A Home Away From Home

Around 7:30 PM, we finally reached Dhanush's Farm.

Mohan Sir was Waiting there and what a welcome it was....

A proper meal.

Fresh juice.

Bananas.

Delicious Obbattu....etc.

After battling the wind for hours, that meal tasted better than anything I could have imagined. I even managed a quick 10-minute power nap before sitting down for dinner.

Nearly 45 minutes later, we were back on the road.

This time, Vijay Bhai joined us.

He had been riding solo until then.

Our next destination...The Mysore Palace.

Throughout the evening, I had only one thought in my mind.

"Please let us reach before 9 PM."

I wanted to see the Palace illuminated. We pushed hard.

The roads were kinder now. But time wasn't.

By the time we rolled into Mysore, it was around 9:25 PM.

The lights had already gone off.

For a second, I felt disappointed.

Then I looked up.

Even without the lights, Mysore Palace stood there in all its grandeur.

We clicked a quick photograph and rolled towards our next destination. Empire Hotel, Maddur.

---

The Longest Night

This was where the real ride began.

The body had stopped listening.

The mind had started negotiating.

Every blink lasted a little longer.

We had planned to ride directly to Empire Hotel.

Instead...

Sleep forced us to stop.

First, a 40-minute power nap.

Then another 10-minute break.

Vijay Bhai decided to continue riding while we recovered.

Finally, around 2:12 AM, we reached Empire Hotel, Maddur.

I walked straight inside hoping for a hot meal.

The kitchen had already closed.

My heart almost sank.

After requesting the staff several times, they finally agreed to prepare a parcel.

Ghee Rice & Chicken.

Trust me...That meal saved my ride.

---

The Final Battle

After dinner, I felt slightly better.

But sleep had become my biggest enemy.

The cold early morning breeze made it even worse.

Every few kilometres, I had to stop and wait for Melvin.

Only then did I realise how many times I had unknowingly left him behind earlier in the ride.

The last 35 kilometres brought another beautiful moment.

Melvin stopped to help another rider who was struggling badly with fatigue.

He called me in between and said.... 

"Bro... you please continue."

From here it was....

Just me.

My bicycle.

And the silence of the highway.

Every kilometre felt longer than the previous one.

The only goal now...

Stay awake.

Keep pedalling.

Reach the endpoint ASAP.

finally .... finally at 6:24 AM, I rolled back into FKCCI.

408 kilometres.

One brevet completed.

Target achieved.

But strangely...

The finish wasn't the happiest part of the ride.

The happiest part was realising that I had returned to the same roads that once changed me......and discovered that I wasn't the same person anymore.

---

What This Ride Taught Me

Every BRM ends with a medal.

But the real reward is always the lesson you bring home.

This ride reminded me that I still have a lot to improve.

• I need to train more consistently rather than relying only on weekend rides.
• My Zone 1 & Zone 2 endurance need significant work.
• Hydration planning has to be better.
• Nutrition should be planned before hunger arrives.
• Long breaks at control points quietly steal away valuable time.
• Sleep management is just as important as physical fitness.

Most importantly...

I was reminded that cycling has never been about riding the fastest.

It's about becoming a better version of yourself with every ride.

---

A Heartfelt Thank You

A huge thank you to Bangalore Randonneurs for organizing another memorable edition of the Palace 400 BRM. 

To Melvin George, thank you for trusting me and sharing this incredible journey. I hope this ride becomes one of the many milestones in your endurance cycling journey.

To Madhu Bhai, Vijay Bhai, & the rider who came forward with the first-aid kit.

To Mohan Sir for his unmatched hospitality, every volunteer at the control points, and every rider who shared a few kilometres, a smile, a conversation, or a word of encouragement. Thank you..

Long-distance cycling may seem like an individual sport, but rides like these remind us that no one truly finishes alone.

---

This was Palace 400 BRM.

It wasn't my fastest ride. It wasn't my easiest ride......

But it was one of my most meaningful.

Because sometimes, the road doesn't take you to a new destination.

Sometimes... It simply brings you back to yourself.

Ride details: https://www.strava.com/activities/19563589683