An impromptu trek to Sinhagad - photoblog
When you wake up at 5am on a weekend - you have 2 choices.
- Go back to sleep
- Go for a trek.
On most days, I would go back to sleep. But not today.
Today I was determined to make the most of this awakening…So I went for a trek.
And who likes to be woken up at 5am without a prior notice…Not me :D
So I decided to go solo this time…How was it?? Read on…
I was out on streets by 5:45am.
It was freezing...hands had gone numb even with the gloves on..
No matter how cold it was, riding on empty streets was amazing !!!
I'm a passionate bike rider...
Felt like batman.. ;)
I've wanted to catch the sunrise from the top of Sinhagad...Missed it :(
But there's always next time... :)
Going solo means I could test myself. I had to time this one. Let's see how fast can I climb.
Started off really well !
Kept going at rapid pace for 10 mins and reached quite far!!
The first direct sunrays were about to come out of hiding behind those mountains. This is what I love to see !! I took a pit stop to consume this moment.
And it's here...The first light falls on my face and fills me with warmth and energy. It was a beautiful sight :)
Within a matter of mins, I started feeling hot!
The sun seemed to be in hurry to come out...
I was already feeling tired now, being on empty stomach and climbing for over 20 mins.
I felt re-charged with solar energy and kept going. I was on a clock here..
Half way through the trek, while I was focused on going fast...
I happen to turn around and catch a glimpse of this...It was soooooo awesome !!!
The horizon looked amazing...I could see clouds down there!!
The warmth of the early sun gave these mountains a nice touch...
The colors felt pleasing and warm to my eyes.
I was tired !!! Head was aching !! But the beautiful background gave me promise...I knew it'll be more beautiful once I reach at the top...
Finally reached in about 50 mins...took the toughest path but still hoped to cover it under 45 mins...
Lessons learnt:
- Don't climb on empty stomache. You'll lose all your energy soon and get headaches and stuff.
- Don't rush too fast. Build a rythm first and use your stamina well.
- (Random thought: Sometime even in life you need someone to slow you down so that you don't burn out.)
This coconut tree seemed very beautiful with that background and the sunlight.
So clicked it :)
Water is the most precious resource on a trek.
Over the past experiences, I've learnt how to manage water. It felt good that I could manage my entire journey with just one bottle of water.
This is what I was talking about !!!
It was totally worth it...the view from the top was mesmerizing...peaceful and relaxing...
(Until the crowd showed up in big numbers ;) )
I just wanted to stand at the edge of the mountain, feel the cold breeze, re-energizing me!
Whilst I looked at the beautiful scenery all around me!
There's something about those clouds and the horizon which I loved and din't want to move...
Just wanted to feel the beauty in front of me!
On the other side, it was more clouds between the mountain range...
What you can't see in the pic are the buildings showing up through those clouds far away between the mountains...
Seemed magical :)
Right there, beyond those stones is the edge where I went to find piece... :)
It was 9:30am and on a weekend...
Before the crowd came in crazy numbers, I wanted to start climbing down...
To make up for the extra time I took to climb up, I set an ambitious target for reaching the bottom. 30 mins!!
Turned around after 5 mins into the climb down only to realize I've come a long way already...
Couldn't even see the starting point..Felt goooood!! :)
15 min mark and I was Still going strong. The destination is not to far away...matter of few mins..Time to push myself!!
Was surprised to complete climb down in just 22 mins !!
You've got to experience the feeling.
Felt accomplished!! :)
Finally !!! Was craving for food !!
It wasn't easy to complete the trek on empty stomach.
It was dark and intimidating while going towards sinhagad...But now with the sunrise, it was a pleasant site... #KhadakwaslaDam
The journey ended after I reached home and fell on my bed... grin emoticon
To end with, I'd just like to say, that trekking gives me hope, gives me energy, makes me more at peace.
It's one adventure I'd suggest you go and try out, if you haven't already.
You'll love it!!
##Thank you..
Vishnu Narang,
I love trekking …