adrenaline rush approved.

Should have experienced wonderful weather during the ride.Bring up the log buddy asap.

1500kms

Which way did you choose...?
Itz just 650-680kms to calicut from Chennai...

Initial pics are tempting..

waiting for the full log..

bring that soon...

Phanikar, absoutely! No rains (except for the first 2 hours), no cold and a soothing sun meant it was just the perfect weather for riding. I would've thought twice to attempt this ride in any other time of the year.

ARN, the 1,500 includes some wandering in Mysore, Wayanad and Kozhikode

Prologue
It had been a long wish, that to ride and ride long. Rewind to September 2010 and that evening, when I had made all the preparations for myself and the bike, only to meet disappointment as I could not go ahead with the trip due to some personal reasons. For about 2 years now, every time I came across a ridalogue on xBhp or other forums, I would turn green. It would be infuriating on the inside. The urge to get on the saddle for hours together, passing through green fields, broad roads, misty mountains was haunting me. As the first line of this log goes, the ride had to happen now.

Day 0
It is Thursday evening, I still have not spoken to my manager about taking a leave on Saturday. (Friday was a holiday). 5 PM and I slowly walk up to my manager, spin a story about an all important family function and get a nod. I was not very excited even now for I didn’t know the destination yet. The valparai – Athirampally stretch has been in mind for a few months now but attempting it alone on a bike will test the limits of sanity. There’s only a thin line between being adventurous and stupid, and I didn’t want to find myself on the wrong side of the line. Ever since I had made a wayanad trip (on a car) last year, I wanted to ride on the gorgeous NH212 through the green forests. So option A was Valparai without doing the stretch to Athirampally and B was to ride to wayanad. But I still hadn’t chosen between the two. Now another question – Should I start after office and make it to Vellore for the night or start afresh tomorrow? The choice was tough as I was always for gaining time since this was my first long distance ride. Eventually I convinced myself that a fresh early morning ride would be much more productive than a risky night ride after a tired day at office.

Day 1
Trip meter - Start: 0 KM
Trip meter – End: 645 KM
Route covered: Chennai – Mysore - Kalpetta

It was 5 10 AM in the morning, still dark, very dark, a lame drizzle to worsen things and I set off on my maiden big ride on my black machine. A few minutes and it turned into a heavy drizzle and I was all wet even before I could cross the outskirts of Chennai. Little did I know that I had to endure this all the way until vellore. Started praying God for 2 things – daybreak and no rain. Wiping the visor every now and then was an ordeal. Wet roads meant low speeds of 60’s. I am basically a cautious rider and get even more circumspect with wet roads. At around 6 30, the first wish came true. Post a tank-up at vellore, the skies heard my call. It was cloudy and the weather was pleasant. The roads were dry and it was a breeze until Krishnagiri.







Krishnagiri had to come because that’s where I would make the decision of where to head to. And finally I approached the turn-off. It came down to a split second. Taking the right meant wayanad and left meant Valparai. On the back of the mind, I did not want to do Valparai without doing the famed 80 km forest stretch to Chalakudy. So the impulse was to take the right and I did. After a good breakfast, started out from Krishnagiri at 10 and headed towards Hosur. And ya, I got to see and was amazed by the different kinds of trailor trucks on the highways. First time experience and hence!

After Hosur, I was a little too conscious and kinda over-anticipating the diversion to the toll road (NICE road) towards Mysore; as a result, unnecessarily wandered into some diversions expecting the road and lost some time. But eventually took the road and woah, was it beautiful. It wasn’t as smooth as the NH4/HN46, but I did a constant 100 kph only here. The signboards were placed well at the Banneghatta road junction. And yes, paid the first and only toll here (twice) on this road. Having used to bypass every toll by the left, I was suddenly perplexed when the toll guy stopped me here! Finally reached SH17 and took a break. The time, to my amazement, was just 11 40. Now all I had in my mind as the day end target was Mysore, the farthest. I was never sure if I could do even those 500 kms at a stretch. But now I started thinking further. The thought of touching the west coast lured me. I decided to take it step by step. In fact that’s how I went about the whole trip. At start, I imagined my destination was vellore. At vellore, Krishnagiri. This way, it was the de facto fourth leg of my trip. I decided to get to Mysore and then decide if I should attempt the final leg till wayanad. SH17 was much traffic-less than how I had experienced it earlier. Bidadi, Ramnagara, Chennapatna – all the towns having their own share of speed-breakers – were done and dusted. I wanted to refresh and have a snack and remembered the McD in the BP bunk.



After some rest and ice-tea, the cruise resumed to hit Mysore by 2 15. Tanked up again and headed to the mysore palace entry for some pics.






And now its time for the road to Nanjangud – the most pathetic stretch of the entire journey (though thamarassery ghat road gave a stiff fight). Narrow 2-lane road, broke road all the way till nanjangud, heavy traffic meant nothing but lots of time and energy wasted. Fortunately though, after nanjangud, it was the opposite - Less traffic and a smooth road. After crossing Gundulpet, the adrenaline got going as I knew the very purpose of taking this route was going to be fulfilled – the drive through the sanctuary. The Karnataka checkpost for Moolehole WLS was passed and I could smell the forests. Quite literally. I am here, finally. And on two wheels.















The traffic was sparse and that certainly added to the eeriness. The trees seemed to be trying to convey something to me. The twisty roads with the jungle setting were as elegant as a VVS Laxman flick. It’s any nature lover’s delight to ride in such a setting. Poetic to say the least. Traveling alone on a motorcycle through a forest road (never mind that it’s a NH) is an experience in itself. I have had it before when I rode a rented bike through Mudumalai/Bandipur and Masinagudi. It was dry season then and hence even more scary. The speeds were down to the 40’s and the evening was setting in. Every bend seemed to hold a surprise, which wasn’t to be. But when alone, you would want and still do not want it. The roads were good and I was glad they were. After all, I did not want a flat tyre at the end of the day in such a place. Stopped somewhere in the middle for a few snaps. Spotted a couple of deer inside the woods. Soon I was into Kerala.




After a while, the woods gave way to plantations and fields. I was in Wayanad district. A good reminder that you are in Kerala is when you are on the road. I have no clue why drivers in this part of the country drive the way they do, with absolutely no mercy for other vehicles. Whatever be the reason, I decided to head to Kalpetta than stay at Bathery as I wanted to put up at the hotel we stayed earlier over there. Unfortunately, the rooms were full and had to settle for another hotel. Had some snacks at Walnut Cakes, a popular bakery in the town and settled in the room for some movie on the television, accompanied by room served dinner.

I was thrilled that I had done 650 kms in a day on my first big trip. The previous max kms per day was 320 km – the ride to pondy a few weeks earlier. Soon, the movie I was watching slowly faded from vision, so did the room, in a bliss I was and when I was out of it, it was 7 AM.

Day 2 and 3 coming up soon.

Nice writeup. Thanks to your manager., we could able to witness your experience..

How the locality after mysore?? can a non south indian fellow manage with the language problem??

How much you paid to the hotel??

Will wait for the full log..

Most people understand basic Hindi/English and you can easily manage with it. I managed with the same as people in this part of Kerala do not really understand tamil.
There are adequate budget/mid-range hotels in Kalpetta and Bathery. With prior research, you should be able to easily identify them

Great going bro.. Waiting for more.

Good writeup mahn!!!
Waiting for more....

nice pics. waiting for the remainder of the log

The log (contd..)

Day 2
Trip start: 644 KM
Trip end: 987 KM

Route covered:











The moment in detail







Found a group of travelers stop their bus in the middle and picnic (having lunch) by the side of the road inside the WLS. Another type of mindless morons! After exiting the forests, the fields started appearing. Stopped for a break and plugged the music onto my ears. The elephant sighting was still sinking in.





Started cruising again and stopped at Nanjangud for some pics. Ah, the bad roads are back. Reached Mysore close to 6 PM and hunted for an affordable hotel with secure parking for almost an hour. Finally found one on Irwin road, settled, had the dinner, and hit the bed. Early start tomorrow. Today was great except for bad roads. I have done what I had been dreaming for long, with my own share of adventures too. Good night.

Day 3

Start trip: 987 KM
End trip: 1,514 KM

Route covered








It was still cold and there was virtually no traffic in this direction, while on the other side, it was already heavy.



Also came across some convoys of superbikes on the other side but the relative speed was just too much for me to identify them. Breakfast was planned at Kamat but I somehow seemed to have missed it. So stopped at Hosur for some breakfast. After hosur, it was plain cruising all the way until the outskirts of Chennai. 6 15 AM at mysore and 1 15 PM at Poonamalle meant I had made good time. This also meant I had some part of the Sunday left to take some well deserved rest.

I was home with a never-felt-before satisfaction all over me. It was perhaps foolish for a first-timer to do this all alone, but never mind I thought, I had after all completed it and had no complaints. The black machine scored brownie points for offering a glitchless ride and some great company. Hope it continues to do so in the future. Bye for now, to the highways and the riding gear. See you soon. I am already smelling Pongal. And some tea!

It would have been a great ride....
You are tempting me to start again....
Ride high and keep up the spirit.

Thanks ARN. Yes, it was!