Shoolagiri Ride

We did a small lazy Sunday morning ride to Shoolagiri hills with fellow nomads. The weather was fine, the roads smooth and the company, wonderful. Only spoiler was that, I got a sos from my office in between and had to rip back to reach office to get something done. But overall, a nice ride for three of us :-D


Some pictures from the recent Shoolagiri ride with BN.

A cool breezy and lazy sunday morning, getting ready to start teh ride



Breakfast stop @ A2B, near Krishnagiri



and here we are - Bikes at Shoolagiri



Bikes lined up



The nomads



Symmetry



Self Portrait



The place

Horsley Hills, a trip log.

Phew! it sure feels good to be back here. I know I have been neglecting this place so long that I can almost see cow webs hanging around.

Almost one month of a crazy schedule is over, and life is back to almost normal.
I was so looking forward for this weekend to take a break, and started making plans for a three day getaway. But all the initial plans came crashing down when I realized that I had to be around here coz I might be working on Friday, so we - me and my friend Sivaram, started re planning and scouting for possible routes.
The incessant rain made it sure that most of the plans I had will not be feasible, and then I saw a thread @ BN mailing list about a ride to Horsley hills. A quick call to Vasnath and I was all set for the ride.

The grouping point was hanging bridge near KR Puram, and I reached there by 5.25. Soon one by one, the nomads started arriving and after a set of quick hellos, we started the ride. The road was good, and early morning traffic was not heavy, but once we took the turn after Hoskote to Chintamni, the roads became smooth and inviting. Every one was in the rhythm, soaking up the sweet fresh early morning air and enjoying the smooth, traffic free roads.



After a small sutta break and some more miles behind, we stopped at a small village hotel for some delicious breakfast. Soon after Chintamani, the roads stated deteriorating, and the next few kilometers where pothole filled - the road was bumpy and almost resembled a caterpillar ride in an amusement park. Once we crossed the border and entered Andhra Pradesh, the roads became butter smooth, and soon our steeds started ripping the black ribbon.



A detour en-route took us to Rishi Valley School. I fell in love with the place the moment I saw it - If I can, I want my kids to study there. Click here and read more about the school. The place is calm and quiet, serene and green.





(This snap of white Lilly is for a blogger - I remember reading in a blog the author saying her favorite flower is white Lilly - I am sorry i forgot who it was, but this is for you, my drea blogmate.)





We met some of the students and saw the display of some of their talents. Some of us (I think it was professor, but I am not sure who it was) asked "what do the students generally choose as a career once they are out of the school" and Jitu, a 7th standard student gave a prompt reply - "Something like agriculture or other options." Imagine asking the same question to a student from most of the educational institutions, and I am sure you wont come across many who have the same answer.

After spending close to two hours exploring the campus, we traced our route back to the highway and then to Horsley hills. The road was better than when I visited last time, and we didn’t waste time but started devouring the twisties soon.





After a small on-the-rocks session and enjoying 'hot' chilli bajjis, we parked our bikes and started scouting the area.
After rounding it up by a nice buffet from the AP tourism hotel, we started our journey back by 2.30. This time, we took another route - around 50 kilometers extra - one of the best decisions we took that day. The tarmac was smooth, sprinkled with lot of nice curves (yeah, I love curves - cant get them enuf.. ;) ) We took fewer breaks on the way back, and before duck, we reached Hoskote. By 7.15, I reached home (Sorry Prof - lost you in traffic between Marathally and Sarjapur junction)

A nice ride, lot of enjoyable roads, nice scenery and cool weather - what more can I ask for to take a break from the daily work grind?

Click here for the Picasa album
PS: I have not startd visiting the blogs, but will start soon...

Nandi hills - Once again...

Its been long time since i have 'written' anything here - not that nothing is happening around me, but I was in a kind of lethargy... the moment I start to pen down my thoughts, my words will start drying up - and how ever I may try, I never get past first few sentences...

It was almost like this with my riding too. Itz been quiet some time since I was on road, and whenever some of my friends start planning, I somehow end up missing them...

This week, I was in a mood to rest, so Saturday I was almost home all the time. By evening, the ride bug started crawling under my skin, and after a few failed attempts to chalk out a plan, decided to hit roads early morning to see sun rise at Nandi hills.
Nandi hill is a place around less than 100 KM from my home, so it was more or less like a jog in the park than a proper ride. Woke up by 4, and set out from my home by 4.30, and went to pick up my friends Sivaram. We left from his home by 5, and when we passes Hebbal fly over, I knew my plan for a lazy ride was ready for a toss - Our plan was to reach Nandi hills to watch the sun rise, but the sky already started showing signs of rising sun... this coupled with a sparse traffic three lane highway (at many places, the highway was almost like a runway, properly lit and marked lanes, arrow straight road, and no traffic) was more than enough reason to wring the throttle and Anikutty (She is my cousins Bullet, and I ma her temporary custodian) surged past 100 kmph effortlessly.
Just before 6 am we reached Nandi hills, and what welcomed us there was -believe it or not - thick mist. We had a ball there - walking around and getting lost in the mist, enjoying the blowing winds and hot hot coffee...
A slight overlook from my part saw Moi running out of juice, and it was kind of damper coz we where quiet shutter happy and was planning ahead to take lot more pictures...
By 9, we said good bye to Nandi hills and started our journey back. On the way, we stopped at a wayside place and had hot yummy Appams, and reached Sivaram’s place and crashed... the only downside of the trip was, it gifted me a mild fever... hope I will be ok in two days time... :-D

Some pictures...













(Ps: now reading a book by Kazuo Ishiguro - Never let me go... Man, it is a beautiful book, one which I will recommend even before I finish reading it)

trail rats...

Itz been long time since I have actually done some dirt/slush bashing, and was itching for a trail ride for long time.
Tarmac will never satisfy the nomad in me all the time - i love tarmac - the straights and the twisties, but trails have a beauty which haunts me all the time.

This weekend was a relatively free one, so I and Vicks decided to make most of it. We met by 8.30 pm Saturday night, and it was pouring. We rode out from the town and Jeevs made most of his new twin spotlights to make way through heavy rain. It was pure fun filled water splashing ride and by the time we reached Vicks home, we where dripping like anything. This ride also rain baptized my new leather jacket, and it didn’t allow a single drop of water inside. LJ, the jack is really good:-D I clearly got more than I paid for.

Sunday morning we sat through the F1 race - not exactly a good race for us Ferrari fans, but the fight Kimi showed was great.

After race, we decided to hit trails, but Vicks Yammy has developed a leaking oil tank, so we decided to take only Jeevs.
I am not at all new to trails, but it is the first time I did a trail with a pillion, and I am sure if the pillion was some one other than Vicks, he/she would have called it quits before half way.

We forked off the main road and entered a field through a tractor trail and hit a jeep trail soon. After a couple of miles through the jeep trail, we saw a walkway, and decided to go ahead - and we hit pay dirt. It was a dream come true - there was no road - a trail of mud, slush, sand and loose gravel. Just to make it a complete package, the trail threw in a couple of swaps and water crossings - man, it was FUN. Once Jeevs got stuck in mud while I was trying to steer an almost 40 degree incline, and I had to get down and push him with the help of Vicks.

After a long ride, we took a breather in the middle of nowhere, and decided to practice some target shooting (I was carrying my .22 along). After an hour of fun hitting tree trunks, we started riding back, but more dirt beckoned us, and soon we started more and more trail instead of coming back. this time, we went over rocky patches, bushes and more and more swamp and sands. We hit an almost dried water trail and followed it till we came across a marshy swap which can swallow us :-D

After all the riding, we where thirsty and hungry, so we head to Sports bar @ cosmos mall for a very late lunch. Caught up with a couple of other friends, and sat there chillaxing till the sky started opening up. Came home, took a bath and fixed a dinner of rotis and aloo methi, and spend rest of the evening with Hitchhikers guide to galaxy, listening to Avial.
The weekend was pure Bliss....

Bylekuppe - Madikeri - Thlakveri trip - Pick of teh clicks...

These ar emy favourite clicks... feel free to pour in your thoughts...

Happy life (took at a random place between mysore and periyapatana)


Golden silence (inside the tibetan monsatry - Bylakuppe)

All Smiles

at the end of the tunnel...

me too...

silver light (view from top of the house we stayed at madikeri)

city lights (view from top of the house we stayed at madikeri)

play of colors (view from top of the house we stayed at madikeri)

morning glory (a random place between bhagamandala and thalakaveri)

beauty f blue ( my friend balu - taken @ thalkaveri)

Bylakuppe - Madikeri - Thalakaveri ride

itz been long time since we - me and Jeevs tasted some serious tarmac. When Balu asked me about planning a trip to Coorg, i didn't think twice. After some planning, we five guys - Me, Jubish, Balu, Arun and Abey and three bikes - Jeevs, Shadowfax (Arun's bullet) and Balu’s Unicorn set out to Coorg on Saturday early morning.

Our plan was to ride leisurely and see places. But it was just a 'plan'. Balu was on lead, and the moment he reached Bangalore Mysore highway, he opened up his throttle and set a blistering pace. Arun was not behind, and Shadowfax started devouring the almost deserted road with aplomb. I was the tail; I kept up with them, enjoying the cool breeze and wide, smooth roads. We passed Mysore by 7.15 and stopped for breakfast by 7.30.


After a filling breakfast of dosas and pathal (don’t ask me what pathal is - itz first time i see that, but it tasted good) we set out towards Kusalnagara. Me and Arun exchanged our steeds, and by 11 we reached kusalnagara, after taking some photo session stops.


We visited the golden temple and had authentic Tibetan food from kusalnagara.




After taking ample rest, we set out to madikeri. This time I took the lead and took an alternate route - the route which goes to dubare elephant camp - and we got rewarded with lot of twisties. After lot of side stand / foot pedal / break pedal scraping, we reached madikkeri by 3 and took a home to stay. We spend evening loitering around, and watched the musical fountain at Raja seat.



Sunday early morning we started from madikeri to thalakaveri, and this time also I was leading the pack. Jeevs was performing at his best, but was not really at the pink of his health, and his alternator decided to pack off. So i had to lead without headlight ( my pass beam was working, but in thick fog, too bright a beam is seldom useless) and by 8 we reached thalakaveri, after stopping at two places for photo sessions.





While riding back, I took Shadowfax and was in the mood for total ghat banging - did the whole stretch in just one hour; and both unicorns almost kept the pace but where panting. But tell you what - ghat banging on a bullet is simply a level apart. After a marathon session of ride, we stopped for lunch by 2, and reached outskirts of Bangalore by 4.30.
From there, I took BMIC corridor till bannerghatta road - arrow straight road with no traffic - it is like a race track, and Jeevs enjoyed his home stretch. To top it off, the approach road from BMIC to bannerghatta road is kind of small off-road with lot of sand pits. I really enjoyed taking Jeevs through sand and gravel. All in all, a nice ride - 2 days, five guys, 3 bikes, and 700 odd km.
click here to see the pics. (I am teh guy wearing Green nd Black T shirts)