They went on a cycling spree to make Christmas holidays memorable

BENGALURU: Unlike many Bengalureans who visited tourist destinations during Christmas holidays, some city cyclists sweated it out during the chilly season by pedalling to their heart's content.
Since 2018, rider-couple Siddalinga Swamy and Sushma Swamy, along with their cyclist-friends, have hit different trails in Karnataka, making the most of Christmas holidays.The Swamys decided to take their fifth year-end ride to the next level and curated a route comprising five steep hills.
Dhananjay S, a retired navy commander, joined the Swamys and the trio conquered five hills - one at a time - from December 23 to 27. After riding between 6am and 8pm, they stayed in hotels.
Speaking about the challenges, Sushma said Kolli Hills proved to be the toughest. "While rain reduced the visibility, the narrow roads and hairpin bends added to our ordeal," she said, adding that while they were descending Kolli Hills, two riders from Kerala were ascending it.
"The derailleur (key component in gear system) of one of them gave in, and the duo did not know what to do. Luckily, Swamy had a spare and he replaced the broken one with his, after which they continued their ride. At the end of the day, they messaged us that they too finished the ride successfully," recalls Sushma, emphasising how the on-road bonhomie worked wonders.