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**kashok** · 07-23-2017, 05:13 PM

Re: Western Ghats - Weekends Love!!!

I did break-in for my bike, same route 3 times

Did you come back via Triambakeshwar ?

**saikarthik** · 07-25-2017, 11:16 PM

Re: Western Ghats - Weekends Love!!!

Uploading a GoPro vid of the little off path ride to Suryamal in my previous post.

Excuse me for not editing the vid, no time..

**Ajay Vishwanath** · 07-27-2017, 09:47 PM

Re: Western Ghats - Weekends Love!!!

woooowww makes me want to do that trip...

**saikarthik** · 07-29-2017, 10:38 PM

Re: Western Ghats - Weekends Love!!!

SEASON 2; WEEKEND 3: KALSUBAI

I wanted to go Malshej ghat, looking after the misty and foggy roads with tunnel like waterfalls we ride through. So, I decided to ride there this week afterall its just 120 odd kms from nashik. But as usual there is only 1 day to take rest and for personal work & rest of the days busy in office, I woke up late around 10 AM. But I badly wanted to ride to Malshej, so I geared up and skipped breakfast again to save time for the ride. I started around 11: 00 am after a long phone call from a friend, I was in a dilemma that will I be able to ride to & return before nightfall knowing that it's just 3 and half hour ride per side.

I did not stop anywhere after refuelling and withdrawing some cash. I rode fast wherever I could to save some time but something kept me pulling back from this ride. The road towards Bandardhara was under some repairs and I needed to take a detour which cost me time dearly. It was cutting through villages and those narrow roads were poorly maintained, traffic was building up too.
After a while roads were slushy and were full of potholes, had to crawl at an average of 10 kmph. In this all BS, I got lost a bit and had to rely on local guidance since network wasn't available, had to roam in countryside through roads where almost no one goes. But a good thing in all this was there was no vehicles other than me after I got lost. I had a lonely, insecure feel but felt good being disconnected from regular rush.

These are the better parts of the roads to stop & take a pic. Other places were like ankle deep of slush covered & no one could see what lies beneath, a pothole or a potwell. And out of nowhere there was a half hour traffic jam (the first time anyone in these villages would have experienced - no disrespect). I happened to see a Land rover Discovery Sport (It was in front of that S-Cross). I was so happy to see it to be used for at least a little offroading than regular highway mile muncher by rich buggers.

I had recorded all the actio in GoPro, but it sucked big time --> again faced the "File not supported" error. I had a lot of amazing vids recorded on GoPro and all bit dust, I wasn't worried about those but just one. Felt little bad. No matter, I had that on my mind, the moment. I now know the problem with my GoPro -- > Needs a UHS-1 microSD card,class 10.

It was raining now & then, leaving a good gap for me to dry up and get drenched again. I jumped up the traffic and took a wrong turn as I mentioned above, but turned out to be a good one even though it was additional 30 kms to Kalsubai.
I was able to ride through villages like these, as I was passing by school kids and elder people were seeing me like I was kind of an outer space alien with all my gear & GoPro on helmet. They were getting scared like in old days people run away from doctors who were forcefully administering vaccines in villages.

Damn I do look like an astronaut/alien with my small head in big helmet.

As you can see the roads are wet, It was drizzling throughout and I reached a small town on the way and stopped for lunch. Hotel sahyadri --> A small shop with 2 tables and the owner's wife was the cook. I had a homemade meal, spicy & hot chicken with Chapati in rain watching waterfalls. hmmmm!!!! Had kadak chai and geared up.

Reached Kalsubai and fell in love immediately. Reason was "The last Samurai" is one of my all time favourite movie. I remember every scene and dialogue. For one moment I felt like I was in a set of the movie --> Calm, green fields, raining (snowing in movie), people minding their daily chores, kids playing on empty rough roads, chickens clucking.

This guy is living such a beautiful life,

Then had to ride in this road (pic below) to go beneath the hill, had to cross streams, had a stare down with an OX coming in the opposite, stepped in poo. Damn the GoPro vid, had that all on it and wasted.

No Worries, recorded some on phone and leaving the vid below (wait till the end to see it),

Then started return ride through Bandardara (I covered this in season 1 last year), on the way got to see someone having a romantic time with his GF and got jealous a bit, but boy good thinking bro. U guys can see a couple on the top of a hill, don't stare and give 'em some privacy.

reached home and had a bad headache. So went to sleep without Dinner and now updating the log.

**krishna77** · 07-29-2017, 10:49 PM

Re: Western Ghats - Weekends Love!!!

Great going!
Please make the videos a little longer. They are soothing for the eyes!

**saikarthik** · 07-30-2017, 03:02 PM

Re: Western Ghats - Weekends Love!!!

Originally posted by krishna77 View Post

Great going!
Please make the videos a little longer. They are soothing for the eyes!

Sorry.

Updated the Vid now, somewhat longer than before. As I as saying in the log, My GoPro vids are not usable. I ordered a UHS microSD yesterday. Let me check if it solves the issue.

Guys, Updated the log above instead of a fresh reply, if you wish to read.

**saikarthik** · 08-05-2017, 11:48 PM

Re: Western Ghats - Weekends Love!!!

Season 2 - Weekend 4: Dhamagiri

Got 2 days off this weekend, planned out a short ride nearby. It was supposed to be a brunch ride but turned out to be a late lunch ride. Place is called Dhamagiri, never heard of it before, I planned for Igatpuri ride and thought I will go to some place from there, thats how I got to Dhamagiri on a friend's recommendation. The road till Igatpuri is just a highway (NH3), so its just high speed burst ride. In between, took few detours to remove the bored feeling of riding in a highway. So ended up traveling through these roads,

Running parallel to the tracks.

Went through these roads and rejoined the highway and stopped for the late lunch, Hmmm.. I was craving for stuffed paranthas since I moved from the north to west. So went to an old dhaba famous for their masala parantha and had taste of fried aloo, gobi & pyaz parantha, which gave me a recollection of warm memory of having paranthas in old delhi (parantha wala galli).

I resumed the ride and took a detour which will lead me to a lake. The road was like a hill station road with narrow streets, cottage like buildings and the whole damn place was so humid, damp that every wall, roof was covered with grass or green sprouts of some plant.

Had to cross slippery places and places where it was just grass and by merely few vehicles going in the same path there was a patch which looks like a road.

Got that on GoPro this time, will upload tomorrow. Till that time, some more pics to soothe your eyes.

Blasted the highway for return in the urge to watch Q2 of MotoGP, but couldn't make it on time. So chilled out the evening.

Now thinking like,

Lemme try something like in a meme,

Me: I should rest tomorrow!

Inner me: Ride to somewhere..

**saikarthik** · 08-06-2017, 08:00 PM

Re: Western Ghats - Weekends Love!!!

Adding the video as promised, [MENTION=57323]krishna77[/MENTION] my 1st 4 min video.
Please bare with the sloppy editing. am trying to learn.

**Ajay Vishwanath** · 08-07-2017, 07:26 PM

Re: Western Ghats - Weekends Love!!!

Originally posted by saikarthik View Post

Me: I should rest tomorrow!

Inner me: Ride to somewhere..

me, every weekend ever!!!! I can relate

**krishna77** · 08-10-2017, 12:57 PM

Re: Western Ghats - Weekends Love!!!

You surely have great skills in not only taking the pictures but also editing them!
Thumb up!

**saikarthik** · 10-23-2017, 03:31 AM

Re: Western Ghats - Weekends Love!!!

SEASON 2 - WEEKEND 5:DIWALI SPECIAL RIDE TO LONAVALA & LAVASA

Its been a while since I rode, was travelling officially and also was too busy in project completion phase. Luckily I was in my hometown for Dusshera, so I got a little me time in Diwali.

Was planning to ride to GOA or a bit longer rides since I had 4 days off + may be 2 more I cld have taken. But I had promised my gear to a colleague who was riding to Ladakh, So with decision to make whether to be selfish or to make sure of his safety in more harsh terrain/environment. I dropped my plan for long rides and planned a shorter one - Lavasa and Lonavala. A decent overall trip of 600 kms as I had only my helmet and elbow guards.

As lazy I am, started out to Pune in mid of the day and had to ride hard on boring highway for 200 kms. Also it was festive weekend and nobody was on road.. Roads were mostly empty as below, only myself, few nomads, sheep were on the road. But the road was full of blossoms and clean for most part, so was doing decent speed and covered some distance, but had to suffer crawling traffic on narrower roads near few villages on the highway.

Had brunch and blasted to pune to a friend's place for nice evening meet after 2 years with him.

Next day decided to go to Lavasa owing to all the hypes on the net and was riding with pillion, & less gear, so was not pushing even if few turns were really taunting me to push. Had awesome breakfast in a local handcart which was tremendously satisfying and cheaper, ride was good once we entered the ghat sections, breeze was cool and road was good. Saw a dam and a beautiful reservoir behind it, continued further to Lavasa. Paid 200 bucks for parking and the place was seriously over hyped. I mean its good, planned, activities to do but its not for the bikers I would say.

All we did was walk the streets and had over priced continental food and return. So for the dinner we had again a cheaper yet tasty, good food on the road side. I was happy to see all the handcarts/mobile food services were offering good food for so cheap and people (not only poor, but middle class and families) were having it for what it is even tough the place was smelly and not so clean. This is not available in Nashik, if it is then I would save a lot of frustration and money on dinner.

Next day, my plan was to ride to Lonavala and get back to Nashik, but we started late and with just masala dosa in our bellies, rode to lonavala non stop. And again the festive weekend this time hitting hard but with too much traffic in lonavala city. I was utterly disappointed due to the crowd. There was no peace or anything to enjoy nice view or ride. So we left the city and rode up towards Amby valley, the ride was damn good, the breeze was cool, dense forest on one side, plains and valleys on the other.

----consecutive posts auto-merged-----

That was my best pic with my phone in this trip!

Oil was leaking from the forks - Reason unknown.

Scoured the plains and took the bike little off-road, the road was full of either tall grass or yellow purple flowers. I guess in right time, it wld have looked like a mini valley of flowers.

I found a DROGONfly (If you follow GOT, you wld know), all blackish blue dragonfly and it was patient with me till I took a snap.

Saw an Industrial fire just out of the Pimpri area.

Rode back from lonavala and had late lunch at Toni da dhaba, --> food was good but not the attitude of the waiters, they faked price and suggested portions we couldn't finish..

Then I had my solo run back to Nashik and it was getting dark, I crossed all the bad village roads when light was there, but was finding it difficult to ride the highway after dark due to all those high beams and my scratch full visor. Was doing triple digits wherever I safely could to minimize road time and got back by 9 : 30 with a burn in my bum & beer in the bag.

**apacherider** · 10-23-2017, 04:07 PM

Re: Western Ghats - Weekends Love!!!

So much green

.. love the pic. Love the place.. Well done bro..

**saikarthik** · 10-24-2017, 10:49 AM

Re: Western Ghats - Weekends Love!!!

Originally posted by apacherider View Post

So much green

.. love the pic. Love the place.. Well done bro..

Thanks..

It rained last week in this area and when I went sun was shining upon it.. so Luckily got good shots on my Lumia 730.. I have very less skill for photography..

Plan was to go to mahabaleshwar/matheran also, but no gear.. so missed it.

**rusty_mechs** · 10-26-2017, 08:29 PM

Re: Western Ghats - Weekends Love!!!

Great log man. Awesome pictures and good details given. Man, you have made me add quite a bit of places to y travel list. Thank you for that.

One unique thing that stood out was your taking notice of 'phoney' tourists, rich 'buggers', selfie 'mongers'. There isn't a 'proper' way according to which people should spend their own leisure and money, but whatever floats your boat, it stood out to me and I couldn't help pointing it out.

Apart from that, you have seriously made me consider Nashik as a place to settle down, damn it is beautiful..

**saikarthik** · 10-27-2017, 11:03 AM

Re: Western Ghats - Weekends Love!!!

Originally posted by rusty_mechs View Post

Man, you have made me add quite a bit of places to y travel list. Thank you for that.

One unique thing that stood out was your taking notice of 'phoney' tourists, rich 'buggers', selfie 'mongers'. There isn't a 'proper' way according to which people should spend their own leisure and money, but whatever floats your boat, it stood out to me and I couldn't help pointing it out.

Thank you buddy..

U should share your travel list for me to add in mine too.. haha..

And regarding the phony ppl n stuff, Ya Its up to them how to lead their life, just mentioned cos sometimes they end up disturbing other people so I keep distance from them but didn't mention disrespect. Just mentioned my preference of staying away from them.

Cheers..

2007 - 2010	Kinetic Nova
2010 - 2015	Honda Unicorn
2014 - 2019	KTM RC 200
2017 - Today	KTM Duke 390

2007 - 2010	Kinetic Nova
2010 - 2015	Honda Unicorn
2014 - 2019	KTM RC 200
2017 - Today	KTM Duke 390

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Western Ghats - Weekends Love!!!

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