Announcement

**experimentalhead** · 07-16-2017, 04:16 PM

Re: Joy of Motorcycling: Blabbering by a motorcycle traveler

Originally posted by krishna77 View Post

Going great friend!

Thanks [MENTION=57323]krishna77[/MENTION]

**experimentalhead** · 07-16-2017, 11:57 PM

Re: Joy of Motorcycling- 2017 Rides

Coffee Day Ride 2 (Mulbagilu-Kolar)

Commitments vary from person to person. Not everybody gets to live their passion every single day. Some are lucky to live their passion, some do it every weekend, some once a month, and some once a year. What matters is, one utilizes every moment to the best of their abilities. Never compare what you do with what others are doing. Sorry for the gyan. This was what I was thinking when I started my ride today. Few days ago, I got an entire day for myself and was able to ride to Yercaud. I never let go an opportunity to ride, be it a short span of couple of hours or for a day or for few days. However, I ride only when I really feel like. It is not end of the world for me if I don't ride. My commitment to family comes first and above all. If I feel that I need to be with my family and friends instead of riding, then I cancel my riding plans. To put it in a simplest of ways: Do what is right at that moment. I am just blurting my thoughts out.

Sometimes you ride entire day but don't feel that great at the end of the ride. And there are days when you ride for just few hours and you feel the rejuvenation. Today was little different. It was a mixed feeling. I wanted to go for a long ride. But instead wanted to be part of another ride. Even that got cancelled due to some other commitments. Then, I really did not want to go for a ride as I thought of just relaxing. But, then I simply could not let go an opportunity of riding for around four hours and returning to spend rest of the evening with family. Due to this constant change of plans, I was not that excited to go for a ride.

Once I crossed the testing weekend traffic and was on highway, I relaxed and rode on. Weather was just awesome. Overcast conditions with bit of drizzle here and there, I enjoyed the breeze. Cross winds were quite strong at some places. However, I got quite few opportunities to twist the throttle to my content and push my beast beyond it's normal limits.

I crossed Kolar and rode towards Mulbagilu. Then I wanted to take a detour to Kuppam and wanted to return via Krishnagiri. But for some reason, I decided to return via same route. I was not all that excited and just wanted to return to home. While riding back, cross winds were even more strong reducing my pace to a great extent. After about 140 Km of ride, decided to stop for some good ice cream at Kolar coffee day. Enjoyed it thoroughly and then resumed my ride.

Returned home exactly in 4 hours, covering 212 km, to my wife's surprise. Few pictures of today's ride.

**akshay** · 07-20-2017, 08:50 AM

Re: Joy of Motorcycling- 2017 Rides

Well done. Keep up with your passion for riding

Sent from my MI PAD using xBhp.com mobile app

**experimentalhead** · 07-20-2017, 01:00 PM

Re: Joy of Motorcycling- 2017 Rides

Originally posted by akshay View Post

Well done. Keep up with your passion for riding

Sent from my MI PAD using xBhp.com mobile app

Thanks [MENTION=6008]akshay[/MENTION]

**experimentalhead** · 07-30-2017, 01:04 PM

Re: Joy of Motorcycling- 2017 Rides

Back To College

You just need a reason to ride. But when the reason gets you all excited, then the ride becomes even better.
It's been fifteen years since I finished my college. Many move on with their lives and some keep the memories alive through reunions with friends and batch mates from college days.

I have never been part of any reunions as I don't like much of crowd and always a maintained an extremely small circle of friends,not by choice, but that's how it turned out to be. I do not believe in manufacturing friendships by putting in effort as some say you need to invest time and effort to make friendships. But I have always believed that friendships should happen and not be made. And, whenever I listened to stories about reunions, they always invariably talked about what so and so is doing, what is his/ her life style, their money, their cars, how he/ she managed to get a better looking spouse etc. These stories could be entertaining but not worth the time. Nobody talked about how they recollected hostel days' episodes, college fest episodes, college crushes etc. To me these should be the reason for reunion; not to know who is doing what now. Anyways, sorry for digressing.

For many months, the itch of revisiting my college was growing and I did pass through this town many a time, but could never managed to fulfill this desire. Few months ago, one of my batch mates said she would plan a small trip to college with few of us. I carefully avoided as I surely knew how that trip would turn out to be.

I woke up pretty late. After finishing chores I was assigned by my wife, I started my ride. So, it was already 11 AM. It took me half an hour to escape from the maddening traffic and I cursed myself for not starting early morning. I was so excited that I did not stop anywhere except at toll plaza. One more toll came. The queue was so long, I decided to take service road and it was one of the worst decisions. I was slowed down completely because vehicles were coming from every direction. There was no sense of lane, Trucks and tractors followed by auto rickshaws, cars were coming in wrong direction with their headlights on. These great people think that by putting the headlight on, they can drive in any lane and in any direction. Not a single traffic cop was to be seen to stop this atrocity. But I have always believed that unless citizens comply to rules and laws voluntarily, there is noting much anyone can do. We live in the age where people wear helmets not for their safety, but to avoid hundred rupees bribe to cops.

Finally, I reached the NH and from here on there was no slowing down or stopping. I did not stop anywhere for anything. Just wanted to ride. Enjoyed every minute and meter. Also hummed some of my favorite songs which I loved during my college days. Covered 220 Km and reached college at 2.20 PM.

What a feeling! Nostalgia hit me so bad. Security folks were happy to know that an old student has come. They allowed me with my best friend, I mean Benelli. I ensured that I did not rev my motorcycle,, and maintained quite a low profile. It was half day as it was Saturday. I was told that next day was farewell day and I should have come one day later. I could see preparations in full swing. I went straight to my branch's block. Everything was same. Nothing had changed. Our strictest professor has become the HOD now and few have either retired or quit, and only four from our season still existed as associate professors. I was happy and blank at the same time.

It started to drizzle a bit. Our college campus is one of the best mainly because of it's huge spread in terms of acres of land but also because of the greenery which is still well maintained. Actually it has become better and I felt very happy. Then went to machine shop where our practical sessions would take place. My third semester memories gushed in.

Then went to hostel. Again I went blank looking at the blocks where I stayed each year. I walked around a bit. Did not enter the hostel though.

Came to my second favorite spot. Canteen! It was that time of the year when final year students would be busy with their final project submission and I could see few groups busy with project work. We spent most of our time in cyber cafes as we did not have access to computers. In our entire hostel we had only two computers which were extensively used to play need for speed, Brian Lara cricket, half alpha and to watch few movies. Don't ask me what kind of movies. I am sure you too would have watched the same

Here many had laptops and were busy chit-chatting more than working on project. But good to see them having last bit of fun. Canteen manager asked me if I were an old student. I said yes and I could see his face glow when he heard that. I asked for my favorite 'Goli Bajji'. He said it was over. Then changed my choice to Benne Masale dose followed by cup of tea. Prices are still very cheap. 15 years later, prices had increased only by 5 rupees or 10 rupees, maximum. I sat here for quite some time. Everybody were looking at me. I thought, time for me to move on. I rode my bike around the campus for one last time, came to main block and bid adieu. While exiting, security guy asked me from where I had come and said he felt very happy to see me here.

Finally, reached bakery right outside campus where few good friends and I would hang around every evening to see our college time crushes. It would wrench our hearts when they would walk in with some other boys. I also one served some snacks to one of the crushes with permission of the manager of the bakery who had become our buddy. Now the bakery was closed and it's condition only suggested that it was closed permanently. Felt sad. One last glance at my college campus and resumed my return leg.

While riding out of the town, came across theaters where I watched many movies in those 4 years. Town has become more cluttered with some good facilities like city buses etc.

During the return journey, I stopped only once to cover my back pack with rain cover as it started to rain. I rode in the rain. It was quite a heavy downpour for about twenty five minutes. I tested my new alpinestar water proof jacket and mototech waterproof boots. Yeah, also with Aspida waterproof gloves. They did their job perfectly.

Reached home in about three hour fifteen minutes. Shared the pics with my family over whatsapp. My mom was very happy. My wife felt happy as I was beaming with joy while I was telling her about my college days and how everything remains intact. Later in the night, called my mom and we recollected few memories.

Total distance covered: 445 Km

**experimentalhead** · 08-17-2017, 12:03 AM

Re: Joy of Motorcycling- 2017 Rides

Temple Run - Ghati Subrahmanya

I rarely postpone my plans, especially riding plans. But for some reason, sorry not some reason, main reason is my laziness, not getting up early in the morning, kept postponing this plan of riding to a famous pilgrim center near Bangalore, Ghati Subrahmanya.

I made my mind up and decided not to cancel the plan this time around, come what may. Zeroed in on 15th August, Independence day holiday. Idea was to start around 6 AM and return by lunch time. But when I woke up around 6 AM, first thing I noticed was there was no electricity, and it was very cold. Outside it was raining. Went back to bed and got up around 8.30 AM. Finally started my ride at 10.30 AM.

Rode slowly through the city, increased the pace as I rode on the international air port road. Followed Google maps' directions which instructed me to take a short cut which cut through country side. Roads were narrow and it was extremely difficult for two cars to pass with ease. Weather was very pleasant. Narrow roads with good amount of traffic ensured that I rode at moderate speed. Crossed the town of Doddaballapur, after which next 10 km was a pretty good stretch. Last three km was a small ghat section. But roads were in poor condition. Good views at certain points. Finally, reached at 12.30 PM

Thanks to holiday, the pilgrim center was filled with pilgrims, chalk o block. Cars and motorcycles were parked everywhere. Parked my motorcycle in the custody of a local vendor and told him that though I would not buy any pooja material from him, I would still pay him the same amount, if he can take acre of motorcycle and riding shoes. He readily agreed. With bit of discomfort, I left my motorcycle.

I reached the temple entrance and found a long queue. I thought the queue was only outside temple. I estimated that it may take an hour's time to have Lord's darshan. I stood in the queue at 12.45 PM and waited for my turn. Temperature was rising and queue was slowly moving. At 1.45, I entered temple and got into special darshan queue. But it was again a long serpentine queue, looking at which, I thought, one more hour. But it took two more hours. Now, what stressed me out was I had booked movie tickets, at 7 PM, with my family. Now at 3.30 PM, I was yet to have Darshan and the queue was moving slowly and some were so tried that they sat every two steps. I was becoming impatient, but told myself that, I should not become so impatient and stress myself as I am at lord's abode. Finally, had my Darshan at 3.45 PM. Paid my obeisance to Lord Subrahmanya Swamy and Lord Narasimha Swamy.

Started my return journey at 4.05 PM and this time took another route which put me on highway in about 45 minutes time. But, I ensured that I would not ride at high speeds and definitely not rush. What will happen in worst case scenario, I would miss about 20 to 30 minutes of movie. I was fine. My wife also had messaged to not to hurry when I informed her about delay due to huge crowd at temple. As I entered Bangalore, heavy rains greeted me and accompanied till I reached home at 6.15 PM. I had not even had anything for lunch and was famished. Quickly had supper, took bath, had prasadam and took family to movie. My good luck, movie had commenced about 15 minutes late. So, I missed only the titles. Time for few pictures.

I have become lazy of late and do not pay much attention to photography and number of pictures I capture; also downgrade of my phone is also not helping me. Apologies for poor pictures.

Total distance covered: 185 Km
On Odo: 28751 Km

Announcement

Joy of Motorcycling- 2017 Rides

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment