February 12, 2016
To Guhagar: hills and fishing boats
"The thing about those 12-15% grade hills...makes these 6% hills seem easy," we both are thinking as we are climbing the last of six hills into Guhagar just after noontime.
We left the guesthouse around 730am after our cornflakes and banana breakfast. The first 10 kms stayed relatively flat following the coastline. Then the climb begins up and over a hill and around past the power plant to Jaigad. The road to the ferry is a steep badly paved descent. We have a minute to spare in catching the ferry to Tavsal. Patrick pays the 52rp for us both and the bikes at the ticket window and we roll onto the ferry.
The crossing is quick and we are ready for a break. There is a food stall as we get off the ferry. We order two potato vadas and tea. The sandwiches come pretty quickly, we order a second, and wait for the tea. After it's finally delivered in very small plastic cups, we are ready to tackle the next three hills that will be in quick succession. We knew what to expect, not just from the map profile, but reading other journals. Three steep, very steep hills with occasional view of the sea.
On the fifth hill, we stop again at a food stall that is opposite an Engineering College, out is the middle of nowhere, for another potato vada. This hill is longer and stairsteps up. At Palshet, we planned on taking a coastal road away from MSH4, but the locals told us "road to sea" means it dead ends into the sea. So we continue on MSH4 for the final hill into Guhagar.
In the center of town is the Vyadeshwar Temple and we go left to find the Annapurna Hotel with an in house restaurant. After Patrick takes a look at the room, check in is easy, and an elderly staff member helps shuttle the gear to the room. No hot water for shower, but today the sun was hot, a cool shower feels good. A walk to the beach and around the main street shows there is not much to the town.
We are happy with an excellent dinner in the hotel restaurant, an Annapurna Special Veg Rice Plate--Chapati, rice, dal, bhaji, usal, papad and shrikhand for dessert, a strained yogurt like custard.
Looking forward to less hills tomorrow.
Today's ride: 53 km (33 miles)
Total: 12,693 km (7,882 miles)
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