Announcement

**Noor** · 11-18-2011, 01:25 PM

Triplog approved

**Nagesh Patankar** · 11-21-2011, 03:34 PM

Thanks a lot Noor for such a speedy approval.

Few pics from Day one - I have more. Will upload soon ...

**ridermax** · 11-21-2011, 03:45 PM

Hi Nagesh ! First of all let me congratulate you on your marriage. Wish both of you all the very best

. I'm glad that you recovered from your accident and are able to ride again !
Looking forward to the rest of your log.

Take Care & Ride Safe

**Nagesh Patankar** · 11-21-2011, 04:29 PM

Originally posted by ridermax View Post

Hi Nagesh ! First of all let me congratulate you on your marriage. Wish both of you all the very best

. I'm glad that you recovered from your accident and are able to ride again !
Looking forward to the rest of your log.

Take Care & Ride Safe

Thanks a lot Ridermax

. Glad that someone noticed my first ver trip log on xbhp :P.

**Nagesh Patankar** · 11-30-2011, 11:48 AM

DAY ONE :-

The route decided was :-
Bhiwandi junction –>> NH3 ->> Asangaon ->> Shahapur ->> Kasara Ghat ->> Igatpuri (Bypass) ->> Ghoti ->> Turn Right for Sinnar ->> Kopargaon Junction ->> Yeola ->> head straight to Vaijapur ->> AURANGABAD.

It was decided that the first batch will meet at Gharda Circle,MIDC – Dombivali East at 5.30 am and depart at 6.00am sharp. Since we had a few participants who wanted to accompany in a four wheeler we had arranged a Tempo Traveller. It also acted as a back up vehicle. We started at sharp 06.00am and reached the second meeting point near Kalyan-Bhiwandi junction. The time decided for the 2nd meeting point was 6.30am. Here we were suppose to meet up with the guys coming from Mumbai. 3 bikes – one from Thane, one from Khar and one from Dadar. So in all there were 9 bikes and a Tempo Traveller. It was a group of 28 individuals. A brief introduction session happened and after that we re-iterated a few points about safety, discipline, road manners etc which were already shared with everyone through the Tour Brochure.

We started our ride at sharp 7.30am and WHOA …. J The super smooth NH3 opened up in all its glory. It was one of best stretches of road that I have ridden on till date. The smooth 4 lane highway blessed with some wonderful and breathtaking landscapes was something that words can not express. As they say, one has to be there to experience the mesmerizing feeling. From the Bhiwandi junction onwards we cruised at decent speeds, say around 70-80 kmph. Initially it was a little difficult to control the group because the individuals were riding together for the first time with each other. So it takes time to adjust to each other’s riding styles / speeds. Everyone was given a number in the group and every individual was expected to follow the rules set for riding in a group. As we were cruising nicely our first pit stop was approaching. It was already decided to halt just before the Kasara Ghat. So accordingly we halted at a suitable place just opposite to the petrol pump (IOC, BP, HP ?? don’t remember the name ) at the start of the ghat at around 08.30am. We had packed UPMA for everyone. Everyone just hogged like anythingJ . I believe it was because everyone must have been up by at least 5.00am in order to ensure they reached their respective meeting points in time.

Anyway, after a tummy full breakfast and good cup of cutting chai we all were ready to roll. It was 09.15 am. My friend Sachin (one of the Organisers) was leading the group and I was at the end. The Tempo Traveler / back up vehicle driver was informed to stay behind the group no matter what. After all it was suppose to be our back up vehicle. As soon as we started to ride we were blessed by some nice twisties and the smooth tarmac was the icing on the cake. However, a truck driver who had parked his truck by the road side informed our lead rider that there was a Neeta Volvo which was stranded exactly in the middle of one of the ghat sections due to a tyre puncture. He advised us to go slow. Soon we came across this huge VOLVO bus stranded in the middle of the ghat due to a tire puncture. This lead to some slow moving traffic especially bacuse of the big trucks. To our joy it lasted only for a minute or two. Our group safely went through that section and we all started to enjoy the ride again.

I was given a special permission to keep changing my position in the group. This was to ensure that every rider was maintaining the group formation and was riding at an appropriate pace. Being positioned last in the group I thought this permission was really a blessing. So taking full advantage of my position (being one of the organizer :P) I decided to explore the twisties my way J. However, I could not really lean my bike as I had a pillion L. All I could do was take on the corners at a considerably high speed compared to the group with just a little lean. I was well aware that with a pillion it could be dangerous. Hence, did not experiment much. Still it was heavenly to ride on those smooth roads. Once the ghat was safely negotiated we kept riding the NH3. We came across this famous hill station – Igatpuri. My memories from a recent weekend drive ( not ride L) flashed my mind. I could remember how I cursed myself for not going there on my bike especially after looking at the super smooth NH3. Those memories made my ride on this patch of the NH3 more exhilarating.

Our next pit stop was at the diversion / exit for Sinnar. So we kept riding till GHOTI and there Sachin was waiting for all the bikes to gather. Soon all the riders arrived one by one. After a small instruction session we were off again. After riding for about half an hour we came across a few wind mills. To capture the windmills in your camera is something to crave for. Now the next halt was suppose to be Sinnar for lunch. After a good 1 to 1&1/2 hrs of ride we stopped at Hotel Mejwani (Sinnar) for lunch. The clock showed 12.00pm . The food was good so everyone had a nice tummy full meal followed by buttermilk. Some guys ordered for tea instead. After almost an hour’s break at Sinnar we sarted to ride again. Now the next stop was kopargaon Junction. Of course we did stop in between for nature’s call and our suttas :P .

The ride now was a bit tough. We were running a bit off the schedule as a lot of time was spent during lunch and the road was not that great. Hence, the speeds dropped considerably. Finally after a bum beating ride we reached Kopargaon at 2.15-2.30pm. This was needed because a couple of riders as well the back up vehicle were left behind. The 2 bikes that were left behind arrived quickly. However, we had to wait for 15 mins for the Tempo Traveler to arrive. So after a quick break of 10 mins we left Kopargaon junction to reach Yeola. Yeola was decided as our next pitstop/tea break.We reached Yeola in about half an hourat 3.00pm. We ordered for a much needed cup of tea for everyone. While others were enjoying biscuits with tea , we enjoyed our sutta with tea. Of course hiding from the 3 elderly people that we had with us :P.

After 20 mins we geared up again, paid the bill and started for the final leg of riding for day one. The time was 3.20pm. From here on I must say that the road was so good that it reminded the NH3 that we rode till Ghoti. However, this lasted only for about half an hour. This is the boundary where the administration of Nasik PWD ends and that of Aurangabad PWD starts. The road from this point onwards was the worst of the entire trip. After riding for another 45 mins we reached Vaijapur bus depot. Here again we took a 10 min halt as we wanted the entire group including the back up vehicle to be together. It’s a little confusing here. One should know exactly which road to follow. It was like a very crowded chowk with 4 roads coming from4 directions and one could easily get lost.So within 15 mins we started off again.It was 4.45pm already. I must say that the road condition did not improve. We expected some better roads but to our disappointment the roads now were just pathetic. Pot holes and what not. It seemed like people have started ploughing the road instead of their fields. There were vertical cracks (or whatever you call it) all the way. We were left with no option but to ride safely and slowly. Our bikes took a lot of beating along with us.

After 90 kms of tiring and frustrating ride we reached the out skirts of Aurangabad and finally to our lodge ‘Tourist’s Home’on the Railway Sation road. It’s 5-10 mins away from Aurangabad Railway Station. Thankfully the lodge was nice. Basic amenities but it was spacious and clean. They had 2 buildings – one was old and the other quite new. The old building had only non A/C rooms while the new one had both types - A/C rooms and non A/C rooms. However, we had booked our rooms in the old building which had a tinge of old style architecture with a lot of wood being used. The luggage was unloaded from the Tempo Traveller and soon everyone was busy making themselves cosy in their respective rooms. About half an hour later everyone started gathering near the dining area. All looked surprisingly fresh. Eventually after a good day’s ride we found ourselves engrossed in some nice veg/non-veg food.

After the dinner everyone seemed happy and relaxed. There was a small session arranged after dinner. Our invitee scholar Dr. Manjiri Bhalerao (PhD) was going to share some information about Ajanta and Ellora caves and discuss a few points about Heritage Conservation. The session lasted for about half an hour and soon we called it off for the day. Some guys wanted to stay back for some time. Especially the guys. That was good because it helped everyone to know more about fellow riders, while the others including the ladies decided to get the much needed sleep.

The climate was much better than we had expected. Even during the day except for an hour or so, we hardly suffered from the heat. It was surprisingly pleasant all the way. Regarding the ride for the day, I would say we had a few hiccups. I think it was because all the other riders (except a couple of us) were new to each other and hence, took some time to adjust. Also some time was lost while confirming the route. Yes, even after surveying properly we were lost around the Vaijapur – Aurangabad stretch.

We were aware that even though the the rules were set, it was our duty to see that every rider enjoys the ride. The rules should not be a reason for disappointment. Hence, they were given instructions at appropriate intervals about the road condition and what speed is to be maintained. So there were some stretches of road where the riders just ripped their bikes and enjoyed the ride like hell. Similarly there were some patches of road where everyone was informed to ride at an appropriate pace depending on the road condition. However, at any cost the discipline was to be observed srictly. Of course for safety reasons.

**Nagesh Patankar** · 11-30-2011, 11:59 AM

Pics for Day One to be uploaded soon.

**sachin.casba** · 12-05-2011, 11:18 AM

Its good to recollect all the fantastic memories of "TourIndicus'2011 ride". Hope you add more to it!!!

**Haroon** · 12-05-2011, 01:54 PM

Nagesh- I just caught up with your thread now. Sure seems like a very interesting ride organized there esp since you have combined a group ride with a family atmosphere and heritage conservation. And, what better destination than Ajantha-Ellora for couples

Ride safe and waiting for more.

**Nagesh Patankar** · 12-05-2011, 02:18 PM

Originally posted by Haroon View Post

Nagesh- I just caught up with your thread now. Sure seems like a very interesting ride organized there esp since you have combined a group ride with a family atmosphere and heritage conservation. And, what better destination than Ajantha-Ellora for couples

Ride safe and waiting for more.

Haroon, the rest of the log and the pics will be up soon. Thanks for taking time to go through my first trip log.

@Sachin - Sir, it will be done soon enough. Just a day or two more. Thanks !

**Nagesh Patankar** · 12-17-2011, 01:17 AM

**Nagesh Patankar** · 01-23-2012, 02:21 PM

Day Three :-

DAY THREE
The route taken was :-

Everyone was informed that the breakfast would be served at 7.30am. Accordingly everyone was up early and ready to roll by 08.00am. Today we were to visit the magnificent Ellora Caves. The distance to be covered was just 30 kms one way. We left around 8.10am and hit the Nasik Road. To our disappointment we were up against bad roads again. However, it lasted for just half an hour. Soon we took the 1st exit from this road towards Ellora. The roads were good now. (Later we realized that we had chosen the wrong exit

. It should have been the 2nd exit which goes via the majestic Daulatabad fort.) From this exit onwards we enjoyed our ride because the roads were good and were surrounded by beautiful landscapes. In just about half an hour we reached Ellora.
We did not rush through our ride as we had to cover only 30 kms (one way) today. So we decided to be a little laidback and enjoy the ride especially the second half an hour ride from the Nasik road exit till Ellora. Once everyone reached, Sachin went to get the tickets. He came back in like half an hour and the tickets were distributed to everyone. I would like to inform everyone here that it takes a lot of time to get the tickets especially if one is visiting on the weekend. We noticed a huge crowd that day including a considerable amount of foreigners. As was expected it was a little difficult to find a good place to park our bikes and the back up vehicle. However, we did manage to find a good shady place for the Tempo as well as the bikes. Soon we started to explore the caves.

Similarly even the Kailas Mandir has been carved out of one humungous rock. In fact, if you look at the pics you can notice that the carvers started from the top of the hill and its atleast at a height of 100 feet approx. Its difficult to believe that the entire monument was made by excavation and not by construction.
Everyone got their bikes out of the parking lot and soon we went to see another set of caves which were just 2 minutes away. The reason we took our bikes was that this last set of caves were at an elevation and had a lot of parking space available. To our benefit there were very few people around. After exploring the last caves and having some photoshoots we informed everyone that it was time to leave. The time was around 5.45pm. We decided to have tea at the same hotel we ordered our lunch from.

After a day well spent and a splendid short ride in the dark we all returned to our lodge extremely satisfied and happy. What else could we ask for J.
Pics will be uploaded soon.

**Nagesh Patankar** · 01-23-2012, 02:26 PM

Day four

DAY FOUR
J. Well, that brings the end of a fantabulous tour and we hope to continue our journey like this in future.

Last but not the atleast I cannot end this trip log without appreciating xbhp and my fellow xbhpians whom I have not even met till date

. Such is the aura of this forum that it instills the sense of belongingness and biking brotherhood. I could do this with the inspiration of xbhp and my fellow x-bhpians whose travelogues have ignited the touring spirit in me again. Thanks again ! Hope to meet you guys soon on a certain G2G.

**Nagesh Patankar** · 02-21-2012, 12:31 AM

Just before Kasara Ghat

What is that ? Well, the tank states "Triumph" but was it really a Triumph ? I don't think so but you never know ....

Malhar - the complete entertainment package for everyone

This was taken at our lodge - Tourist Home on the final day just before we started our return journey.

**Nagesh Patankar** · 02-21-2012, 12:39 AM

Pics added. More to come ..

People generally avail the bus service provided by the government to reach the base of Ajanta. However, If you take the other way to reach Ajanta Caves, that is from the top of the mountain exactly to the opposite of Ajanta caves, then this is the view that you get. This is the point from where these caves were originally found..

I do not remember exactly but this is the start (Ugam) of the "Vaghori" river which flows from the mountains where Ajanta caves were carved.

The bridge on top of the Vaghori river. The river flows between the 2 mountains.

The famous and a very well known photograph - termed as "Mahaparinirvana" awastha.

This is the famous "Kailas Mandir" at Ellora caves.

Another view of Kailas Mandir at Ellora.

The entire group photograph, just before the start of our return journey. That's me seated at the extreme left.

I must say that the roads were excellent except for a few kms between Kopargaon and Aurangabad.

Pics courtesy :- The pics added here have been clicked by various members of the group. It took me really long to collect these pics and sort them to upload here on xbhp.

Announcement

Ride to Ajanta-Ellora Caves ďż˝ 04th ďż˝ 07th Nov, 2011.

[Photo Feature]: Ride to Ajanta-Ellora Caves ďż˝ 04th ďż˝ 07th Nov, 2011.

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