12th day to Kudala Sangama 125 km

I put on knee pads today morning and found that they are very much useful. Anil suggested this and lent me the pair. So there was less pain due to knee muscles today. So I got out of the lodge fresh after hot refreshing bath around 730 AM. There are three lodges under Pai management in the same road and this was best lodge so far I found on my journey. Everyday many people gather around me when am packing my things in the morning and photography is last thing in my mind. I simply want to pack & leave. We can see Tungabhadra dam in background in above photo.

One person among gathered told me that having seen my interview in Samaya TV. Actually it happened because Dinakar gave clue of my home visit to a TV reporter and many press people had come to my home together. It was bit awkward talking about cycling advantages sitting on petrol hungry ATV

The road after Hospet town was very bad & my progress was very slow. There were plenty of large car carrying trucks but they are far more responsible than the mining lorries. I sometimes compelled to take the unpaved parts on the sides of road but edges are sometimes too high to get back. One triple hump had me in grip. Almost thought had get down from the trike to get it out. I had thought of having breakfast on the way but there was no suitable hotels, only dhabhas of various kind. Moreover I wanted to cover some distance before breakfast. There are some paddy cultivation after Hospet maybe because in downstream of Tungabhadra river.

Some boys were holding a long rope across the road and stopping trucks. Looked like Ganesh Chaturti collection but I did not stop as I wanted to get ahead. I was both hungry and keen on covering some distance.

At about 1030 I saw a primary school and Kushtagi next town seemed unreachable with power in hand. So went in and asked the teacher if I can have some power. He agreed and my trike was kept in school corridor. Later I got bisibisi oota also in the school. Since today was Saturday they had meals earlier and for me it was late breakfast too. There was rice plus sambar and sure tasted good.

After 45 km from Hospet the road was very much better and this best part continued for another 35 km. Last 45 km was tolerable but had some potholes here and there. I had uswde up 40 Ah today which is double my battery capacity.

A motorcycle overtook me around 2.15 and forced me stop. He introduced himself as reporter for local Kushtagi town newspaper and spent ten minutes talking to me. It was first interview by a newspaperman with me sitting in trike. Then I explained my time limitation and asking him to email me if any more clarifications required.

The roads are very strait here reminding me of American roads. Once you are at the top of one hill, you see a long strait line to another. The surface is tolerably good. Some potholes create headache as you are sitting very close to ground and difficult to imagine its depth.

I passed by Ilkal town around 345 and took some more charge. There was not enough charge to comfortably reach next town. I noticed the one of the shoe cleat screw was loose and tightened it. There seems like lot of stone block mining and all around the highways we see waste pieces. It is not very pleasant sight and looks sort of graveyard.

There was heavy rain once I left Ilkal and I continued for ten minutes and stopped under tree for another ten. It looks like stopping under tree is better practice than wrapping up all my stuff and rainfall is never too long.

I did not like the look of lodge in Hungund and decided to continue another 22 km to reach Kudala Sangama. Actually this place, sacred to Lingayaths is 7 km off NH 13 and that means 14 km have been added to traveling distance. There are two places to stay here run by Jains and Lingayaths. The jain establishment is more expensive & opted more modest Lingayath Ashram. About 60 boys stay here and so today both Lunch and dinner was with the kids.

When I was about to get off the trike, I found that one of the screws that holds the cleats have fallen off. I had tightened it in llkal, about 40 kms from here. I have screw of the same thread but that have protruding head and this one has to have recessed head. So this may mean forced rest today and being Sunday some workshops may not be open in the town. This is too serious matter to be overlooked.