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It is often said that too much planning would spoil the trip!
I had experienced such a thing quite many times. This time it happened on two wheels
Imagine a situation wherein you've put in almost a month long effort in planning a BIG solo ride completely packed for 4 days & finally the day of the ride arrives. You see your saddle bags packed, bike serviced & totally prepped up for the big ride ahead & you are as prepared as your bike is to go on a solo ride to the southern coast of India until you are hit by a surprise that is as big as the ride itself which would change everything!
I woke up in the morning, checked my saddle bags - all fine. Mounted on the bike, turn the ignition on & pushed the start button. I could hear only click-click sound! Bike refused to start! After few basic inspections I found that my battery didn't have enough juice to crank the engine. Wondered how this was missed during the service 2 days back. Only option I had was to wait till shops opened. Finally, it was almost noon by the time I got my bike back to normal. It was then I started thinking. Can I do 620km before I reach the first destination, Rameshwaram? & can I do it before sun down? It was impossible & then I started thinking about plan-B. Sitting at home, I couldn't think of anything so I mounted the saddle bag & rode to my hometown, Mysore. Throughout the 150km ride, I was constantly thinking, "what next?"
On reaching home, lunch was ready. Yaay! Explained my Dad & Mom what happened & how I canceled the trip. Then I opened up Google Maps & started figuring out what are the possible options. I lost one precious day & I was left with 3 more days to ride. After an hour of searching, I still couldn't figure out "what next?" I started my bike, roamed around the city, went to chamundi hills, sat at my usual adda, went to KRS backwaters & still thinking "what next?". While returning home it hit me. Malnad it is! Western ghats never failed to amaze any biker so it was then I decided to hit the forest & conquer the corners!
It was 19th April 2014 when I started the ride with absolutely no plans for the next 3 days! Absolutely no idea about the road conditions & absolutely no idea if I could pull this out! I was craving for a good long ride & I wasn't disappointed. Roads from Mysore to Hassan were undivided throughout yet beautiful to ride on. Some parts of the roads were wet as it rained couple of hours back & the cool breeze swept away all the sweat. Thanks to my Dad who advised me to take that road
I reached Hassan comfortably & the ride was just getting better & better
After crossing Hassan, I saw the wide & open highway. I twisted the throttle & started riding at good speeds. I stopped for a pee break. When I was about to get on the bike, a curious gentleman stopped there, looked at my bike, then stared at me like he was seeing an astronaut in his suit! Asked me where I'm from & where I was heading. I said I'm going to Chikmagalur & from there I'll be riding to Sringeri. He laughed & said "Why did you come this way? Chikmagalur by-pass is around 40 kms behind!" It was then I realized I was riding towards Mangalore I then took a U turn & reached the by-pass. Asked a rickshaw guy the way to Chikmagalur. He paused, started at me & the bike top to bottom & showed the way. I still wonder what was he thinking 
Road towards Chikmagalur from Hassan was again undivided & was so much fun to ride on! I could see few guys on bullets & R15's heading back. I waved them Hi & nobody acknowledged!
It was nice to see other bikes on the way.
I took another pee break at Chikmagalur, made couple of calls & moved on. I was again confused with the route & asked a fellow on bike the way to Sringeri. He said with style like the police inspector who orders his constables, "FOLLOW ME". I rode behind him for about 5-6 km at 20 kmph
He showed the road & said take a left turn here. I could see the board & it was clearly written "<-- Sringeri". I said thanks & moved on. I still had over 100 km to cover & then I entered the Malnad forest! I was so excited to ride through the lush green trees & the narrow roads snaking through the woods! I started attacking corner after corner. It was "shift down -> lean -> get on the gas" routine for the rest of the journey & I loved it! It was total bliss flying past the villages & towns & the attention that my bike received was just out of the world feeling!
I came across beautiful tea plantation on the way. How could I miss taking few pics
Finally I reached my destination. A beautiful place by name Guddethota. A peaceful house atop a hill with rich flora & fauna around it. It was indeed the Malnad style of settlement. You see at least 2-3 hills around each house & every house is at least a mile away from each other. Every house there has rich vegetation around with lush green trees & chirping birds. It was a great experience being there
After savouring on the authentic Malnad style food, it was time to digest the heavy lunch by exploring the places around started the "shift down -> lean -> get on the gas" routine 
What is adventure for us is routine for the locals there
I then went to a place called "Kallu Gopura" meaning "stone gateway". Kallu = stone, Gopura = gateway. It was a very less known place for tourists but a very common to the locals there & I must admit, that was the best sunset view I've ever seen till date! How could I miss taking pics
As the sun disappeared into the void, it was time to head back home. Had a heavy Malnad style food for dinner & it was time for some night photography. I had lots of time to experiment with light & a beautiful subject to light paint on.
After all the fun I had riding around the dense Malnad forests, tasty Malnad food & beautiful landscapes, it was finally time to head back home. I packed up all the stuff & mounted the saddle bags on the bike & started riding back home.
En route, I was surprised to see the mist surrounding the place reducing the visibility almost to zero during peak summer! I was fortunate enough to experience it.
As the mist descended, I could see sun breaking out leaving interesting patterns through the trees.
Even though this was fairly a small trip to a vast place like Malnad forest, there is this most fascinating thing that I wish I could take back from there & the people around. There is always a perfect harmony between nature & people there. The simplest way of living your life can be learnt from them. There was one instance while I was crossing a small village, I was looking around for a good place to frame the pic, I didn't notice this guy crossing the road. I was fortunately riding slow & I could brake before I ran over him. It was completely my fault & said sorry but that guy smiled & said "it was my mistake, I'm sorry". How many of us see people like this in cities? If I did this mistake here in Bangalore, I would have gone back home with swollen eyes! This was something that I really want to take back from the people out there. They're friendly, forgiving & very simple.
Overall, it wasn't just an awesome ride I came back home with but also learnt few good things from the people around there with only minimal time spent with them.
As always, a speed run back home made the ride complete...
Malnad forests never failed to amaze any biker or a traveller. I would go back a thousand times & still not be bored!
I had experienced such a thing quite many times. This time it happened on two wheels
Imagine a situation wherein you've put in almost a month long effort in planning a BIG solo ride completely packed for 4 days & finally the day of the ride arrives. You see your saddle bags packed, bike serviced & totally prepped up for the big ride ahead & you are as prepared as your bike is to go on a solo ride to the southern coast of India until you are hit by a surprise that is as big as the ride itself which would change everything!
I woke up in the morning, checked my saddle bags - all fine. Mounted on the bike, turn the ignition on & pushed the start button. I could hear only click-click sound! Bike refused to start! After few basic inspections I found that my battery didn't have enough juice to crank the engine. Wondered how this was missed during the service 2 days back. Only option I had was to wait till shops opened. Finally, it was almost noon by the time I got my bike back to normal. It was then I started thinking. Can I do 620km before I reach the first destination, Rameshwaram? & can I do it before sun down? It was impossible & then I started thinking about plan-B. Sitting at home, I couldn't think of anything so I mounted the saddle bag & rode to my hometown, Mysore. Throughout the 150km ride, I was constantly thinking, "what next?"
On reaching home, lunch was ready. Yaay! Explained my Dad & Mom what happened & how I canceled the trip. Then I opened up Google Maps & started figuring out what are the possible options. I lost one precious day & I was left with 3 more days to ride. After an hour of searching, I still couldn't figure out "what next?" I started my bike, roamed around the city, went to chamundi hills, sat at my usual adda, went to KRS backwaters & still thinking "what next?". While returning home it hit me. Malnad it is! Western ghats never failed to amaze any biker so it was then I decided to hit the forest & conquer the corners!
It was 19th April 2014 when I started the ride with absolutely no plans for the next 3 days! Absolutely no idea about the road conditions & absolutely no idea if I could pull this out! I was craving for a good long ride & I wasn't disappointed. Roads from Mysore to Hassan were undivided throughout yet beautiful to ride on. Some parts of the roads were wet as it rained couple of hours back & the cool breeze swept away all the sweat. Thanks to my Dad who advised me to take that road
I reached Hassan comfortably & the ride was just getting better & betterAfter crossing Hassan, I saw the wide & open highway. I twisted the throttle & started riding at good speeds. I stopped for a pee break. When I was about to get on the bike, a curious gentleman stopped there, looked at my bike, then stared at me like he was seeing an astronaut in his suit! Asked me where I'm from & where I was heading. I said I'm going to Chikmagalur & from there I'll be riding to Sringeri. He laughed & said "Why did you come this way? Chikmagalur by-pass is around 40 kms behind!" It was then I realized I was riding towards Mangalore
I then took a U turn & reached the by-pass. Asked a rickshaw guy the way to Chikmagalur. He paused, started at me & the bike top to bottom & showed the way. I still wonder what was he thinking Road towards Chikmagalur from Hassan was again undivided & was so much fun to ride on! I could see few guys on bullets & R15's heading back. I waved them Hi & nobody acknowledged!
It was nice to see other bikes on the way.I took another pee break at Chikmagalur, made couple of calls & moved on. I was again confused with the route & asked a fellow on bike the way to Sringeri. He said with style like the police inspector who orders his constables, "FOLLOW ME". I rode behind him for about 5-6 km at 20 kmph
He showed the road & said take a left turn here. I could see the board & it was clearly written "<-- Sringeri". I said thanks & moved on. I still had over 100 km to cover & then I entered the Malnad forest! I was so excited to ride through the lush green trees & the narrow roads snaking through the woods! I started attacking corner after corner. It was "shift down -> lean -> get on the gas" routine for the rest of the journey & I loved it! It was total bliss flying past the villages & towns & the attention that my bike received was just out of the world feeling!I came across beautiful tea plantation on the way. How could I miss taking few pics
Finally I reached my destination. A beautiful place by name Guddethota. A peaceful house atop a hill with rich flora & fauna around it. It was indeed the Malnad style of settlement. You see at least 2-3 hills around each house & every house is at least a mile away from each other. Every house there has rich vegetation around with lush green trees & chirping birds. It was a great experience being there
After savouring on the authentic Malnad style food, it was time to digest the heavy lunch by exploring the places around
started the "shift down -> lean -> get on the gas" routine What is adventure for us is routine for the locals there
I then went to a place called "Kallu Gopura" meaning "stone gateway". Kallu = stone, Gopura = gateway. It was a very less known place for tourists but a very common to the locals there & I must admit, that was the best sunset view I've ever seen till date! How could I miss taking pics
As the sun disappeared into the void, it was time to head back home. Had a heavy Malnad style food for dinner & it was time for some night photography. I had lots of time to experiment with light & a beautiful subject to light paint on.
After all the fun I had riding around the dense Malnad forests, tasty Malnad food & beautiful landscapes, it was finally time to head back home. I packed up all the stuff & mounted the saddle bags on the bike & started riding back home.
En route, I was surprised to see the mist surrounding the place reducing the visibility almost to zero during peak summer! I was fortunate enough to experience it.
As the mist descended, I could see sun breaking out leaving interesting patterns through the trees.
Even though this was fairly a small trip to a vast place like Malnad forest, there is this most fascinating thing that I wish I could take back from there & the people around. There is always a perfect harmony between nature & people there. The simplest way of living your life can be learnt from them. There was one instance while I was crossing a small village, I was looking around for a good place to frame the pic, I didn't notice this guy crossing the road. I was fortunately riding slow & I could brake before I ran over him. It was completely my fault & said sorry but that guy smiled & said "it was my mistake, I'm sorry". How many of us see people like this in cities? If I did this mistake here in Bangalore, I would have gone back home with swollen eyes! This was something that I really want to take back from the people out there. They're friendly, forgiving & very simple.
Overall, it wasn't just an awesome ride I came back home with but also learnt few good things from the people around there with only minimal time spent with them.
As always, a speed run back home made the ride complete...
Malnad forests never failed to amaze any biker or a traveller. I would go back a thousand times & still not be bored!
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