The route starts with a fairly wide off-road trail that gradually becomes tougher,stepper and narrower. I had read that falling while climbing is something that happens to all, and I was carrying spare levers exactly for this. After a brief up and down, the uphill climb started. And it was exactly as I had seen the pics and was as tough as I had imagined it to be. The route was carved in the rain by the 4WD jeeps that are the only other vehicles that have probably seen the top of Kodachadri except ofcourse our fellow bikers who have braved to climb this hill. Since it was summers the mud was loose and prime reason for one to fall would be to lock one's wheels and skid. I was careful not let that happen. Somehow for me, I find it easier to climb in both on/off road than descend.

Took a hair-pin and I was to see a shiny white Scorpio standing ahead under a tree. The roads weren't so bad, a Scorpio could have managed. As I took the next hairpin, the terrain that lay ahead of me told why the scorpio was sitting there and not going ahead. The route ahead looked like a waterfall rocky surface. The view was as breathtaking from here as the route was tough. I had decided not to stop and that was precisely what I was doing, not stopping. A few U-turns ahead I saw a group of bike stopped under the shade. Was happy to see that I was not the lone biker climbing Kodachadri. They waved at me, I did the thumbs-up sign and kept moving on. One of them shouted 'Way to go dude!!' . A little further ahead the road eased up a little and I could see that I was nearly at the top. Soon passed by a tea stall. I could see that I was at the top but ahead of me the trail still went on into even higher mountains. So naturally I went ahead, a little later into the route I had a gut feeling that I was going wrong. So turned back and went to the tea stall asking for directions.

I first asked where did the route go, the man said things about some waterfalls, an inspection bunglow, some temple...but nothing about Kodachadri. Had a sinking feeling that I had come to the wrong place! Then I asked where is Kodachadri, he goes and says This is Kodachadri! Relief!! The tea stall is at the base from where there are 2 smaller peaks to get to which one has to take a small straight route.

And finally I was there, 4400 feet above sealevel and I had conqured Kodachadri. No great feat, considering the company of bikers that I am on this forum, still it felt amazing! I glanced at my watch. It was 12.05. I had taken a little less than half hour to climb up to the top if you exclude the time spent in the going in the wrong direction and time spent conversing with the trekkers at the tea stall.