We did not end the day till 8.30pm, the last hours worked using the JCB’s light. I drove back 100km and went to bed close to midnight, tired but relieved another milestone had been crossed.

The current season is known to be under the sway of the Fire Star or Agni Nakshatra. It lasts about 3 weeks ending when the monsoon hits the Kerala coast on the west. Till then Chennai’s wonted sea breeze is held back a few hours till 4pm. That lands the coast in a sweaty hot pot. Everyone is numb and in expectation of rains: a stray shower invariably comes in too cool things a bit. The same counsels that had advised me to use the road-rollers, now advised, [-perhaps in amelioration of the earlier mislead] not to bother compacting the road. “One shower will compact it for you.” they said and I was only too happy to leave it at that.

And as it always happens when you let go, what I had sought came roaring back. On the 12th I kept getting repeated calls, that a road roller was in the viscinity, this time there won’t be games and if i gave my go-ahead, the job would be done the next day.

And it was! In a trice too. The roller came [-only two hours late!] and the job was done in three hours. The road was pressed and evened out by 3pm. I could not resist a ride to commemorate the occasion. I rode out west and headed for pointReturn. I topped 25kmph and arrived with great excitement. And posed for a shot.

That was how the west was won.