Another Beautiful Ride it was!

Every ride is memorable in its true sense. Time spent with the cycle is a learning experience in itself. What has changed, How it has changed, what has the cycle taught?
Maybe a series of blogs would be less. Difficult roads traveled with the cycle have led to most beautiful destinations. While on reaching destinations there has been a realization that it was the whole journey that was beautiful.

Every ride is test of mind and body. As soon as you see the elevation there would be 100’s of thoughts that come to mind. Right from finding the purpose behind coming for the ride, To trying and hoping if there is an alternate route. And in spite of everything that goes in the head that is enough for you to give up too soon. You still go for it. Make it through!

It is these same rides where I came across interesting people. Some inspire, some taught lessons, some ride along to make I do it right.
Enjoying the slow pace. Kept listening to the rider who rides along. For me, this is how rides have been. It is on these rides that I met Ankita, Sagar, Joywin, Stanley, Rohit. True Leaders. Who managed to change my perspective towards a profession.

Last time, in a write up titled Beyond Cycling. I shared how inspired I came back when I saw this girl Ankita. Cheerful, Smiling who puts every possible effort when it comes to level up with the cycle. Leaving behind what the
world says. While there was one who had a rod in his leg. But, still no matter what Cycles.

Last Saturday, I met Bharat. Randonneur he is.

Introductions like they are supposed to be. Followed by what one does on the job, journey’s cycling, with time how the things around are changing, about this beautiful city we live in, cultural differences, love for food. His experiences of doing rides as long as 100–200 km’s, leading the rides. It did not stop here we even discussed production bugs, deployment went wrong and many other such small yet meaningful things.

Intriguing discussion and Learnings on the way!

• What media houses are all about?
• Use of software in media companies?
• Who add’s the sub-titles to the video’s that we see and enjoy?
  Is it done by the brand name we see or there is someone else behind?
• Logistics cost? For shooting at the location.
• Deadlines. Yes, when even days seem less for some tasks at hand. There was someone narrating about deadlines as short as 30 minutes, 15 minutes. To be ready with everything before the show goes live.
• How do they manage to shoot the live shows? What happens in case there is some technical problem with the equipment itself?
• Sometimes, if one might have noticed. It happens that the new episode is on air for only 10–15 minutes. After sometime it is again the old episode that is streamed. One wonders why? What happens behind the scene is what we talked about.
• How has advancement in technology led to the loss of many jobs? No, we were not discussing AI/ML. When the transfer of data was not as easy as it is now. There were people hired to just take the hard disk from one country to another.
• Re-takes? The frequent review process that needs to go on. So, that the final video comes up as expected.
• Every shooting location is the required equipment's carried along or they can be rented as well?
• The merger of two companies. Two legacy code bases to be merged. Some fixes are done right, some things went wrong. Even for a company as long as 10 years old. How difficult is it to bring the process again in place?
• Laughed at Friday, no deployment.
• A person from south lived in Mumbai for about a year. Food which was not his taste, even taste of Dosa was different. How Misal Pav, Vada Pav never satisfied him. While contrary to him how satisfied I might be with the same Vada Pav.
• Lessons he learned living in the city? A city that never sleeps. Mumbai. Focused individuals. No matter how heavy it rains, or whatever happens. People always show up to work.
• More effort then what is expected from oneself. Once done with his tasks. Curiously, use to go on each floor to learn what every other team is working on.
• No, we did not discuss Virat Kohli instead it was Prakash Padukone we talked about.
• A book which made childhood beautiful? Malgudi Days. It was Malleshwaram and Basavangudi which lead to the name Malgudi.
• Observable change in the city after all the IT parks that have come up over the years.
• Other significant changes because of the IT parks. Pub, Cafe culture. How on all weekends you see these places to be over-crowded with the youth.
• In areas like Jayanagar. It is the elder generation which stands tall and together to save the City. They fight the system if someone tries to cut down trees and build something over.
• Greener, you see in places like Jayanagar, Malleshwaram. While less in Koramangala, Indiranagar. Do we even bother or take care about what’s happening around? Or are we too puzzled in our own life’s?
• Every weekend how people of all age groups come together, play the sport, and while heading back have Idli Sambhar breakfast. At some of the traditional restaurants. Vidyarthi Bhavan, Nagarjuna. You get more for less. And it feels old school.
• I have already forgotten the name. But, there is this one place. Which made it’s customer feel special. Years ago, the owner of one food joint used to remember all his customer’s by there name. It was unlike today’s domino’s where your name is on the bill and they call it out. He remembered the names. That was one of the reasons people used to come by often to his place.

Rides are beautiful. Conversations are indeed heart-warming.

Work behind the camera is not like fairy tale pictured in “Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani”. Ranbir Kapoor traveling places, living is life with a camera. You travel to countries and shoot. Enjoy having fun. There is a lot that goes behind. What we see is only the greener side of it.

Above all.

Thank you, Bharath. For making the ride special :)

I would have missed out on these, otherwise.

No pictures were taken. I hope memory does not fade away. :)