Republic day ride with Old friends

I think this ride with avenger and blue fish was being planned since the 19th century or something, really. Am just so glad that things fell in place and we set out!! A big thanks for the boys not in the game for making this ride!! :) To add to the anticipation, I could not wait to load those new cramster colts and roll :)


Day 1          : Mysore – Nanjangud – Gundlupet – Kalpetta - Pookote lake - Kalpetta
Distance      : 168 Km

I hardly slept the previous night! Mulling over loading the saddle bags, did a dry loading, to check out the way to secure the harnesses and stuff. Republic day began early, at 06:00 Hrs, and me and blue fish headed to the junction near avengers's home. It was cold, but Rakshith's full hand Pro rider gloves saved the day for me. Thanks man!!

So the classic 350, the avenger and my 150 Dts i headed out on the ring road. Somewhere near betta we felt that we must stop for a bike photoshoot, here are the results:

Fish's ride

Fish and his classic bask

I am out of words!

One picture is reviewed

 Avenging the sun

I think we spent an hour here, and clicked bucket loads of pictures!! As it was the golden hour, it was a great time :)

Traffic was sparse. By the lake in Nanjangud, we longed for another stop and more pictures :) hey, we were in no hurry

Fish does a bane :D

Spot 7 differences :P

After a few more clicks, we headed to Nanjangud for a good breakfast, and set out to Gundulpet. I had done this route two weeks ago, and it was a true pleasure to ride on this stretch :) Open stretches, sparse traffic, enchanting surroundings.

We stopped past Gundulpet for a butt break. And headed out towards Bandipur! This stretch is wonderful too! With glimpses of the hills around us, we zip through the  long winding roads. It does not seem like we are heading to a forest - there are many open spaces, and the mind and eye wander.

Bandipur was calm, beautiful, and surprisingly brown! Was a little surprised. Summer must be coming close soon?

Bandipur roads - please do not over speed!

Three musketeers

At one place, there was a long queue of vehicles waiting ... for a herd of elephants to cross the road. I was very happy that people actually heed to the signs 'Elephant crossing', and 'wildlife has the right of way' :) Complete and utter respect for the pachyderms, and very rightly so!!

Mean biker boys!!

Framed!

Once we enter Kerala, the roads get a little bumpy. Here we are somewhere along the way:

Status update ;)

While I fiddled with tungsten balance:

Does this compo work?

Once we enter Kerala, we go on the NH 212 road to Calicut. The landscape changes again from forests to greenery tamed by man. We get some pretty farms and fields on the way. Quite a scenic ride. Roads are pretty nice, too. We reached Sultan Bathery, and headed to Kalpetta, our luggage dump point. We reached Kalpetta at noon, and checked into Hotel Affas. Decent place with no frills attached. The plus point being, it is a complex a little away from the highway, with a secure parking area. Very important point! Oh, and for all you veggies, fear not. We have an Udupi hotel right next door!

We dumped our luggage in the room, freshened up, and went to hotel PPS to satiate our growling stomachs. Food was excellent! There was a strong possibility of overeating and crashing back in the room later :) Somehow will power lured us beyond. We set out with an aim to visit at least one tourist place now that we were in Wayanad!

 The beautiful tea estates begin to appear as we ride past Kalpetta. The rainy season is the best time for this area, when green would be in abundance and the beauty, alluring. We could not control not taking a detour to this estate. Beautiful place.

The estate and the dream

Detour

Pookote Lake
              Beyond Kalpetta, Pookote lake is a picturesque lake, with hills surrounding it, and with a pathway to walk around the lake. Being a long weekend, it was really crowded! And I mean, really crowded! Fish had a heart - in- gill moment, when a chap in a zen scraped his Bullet, while the zen guy decided to take an abrupt reverse! We gave him a not-so-zen earful.

Pookote lake is pretty

 We walked around the lake and exercised photographic limits and boundaries to the extreme. Fish also learnt a lot from the photowalk. Results:

Gravity?

Me clicking the above pic :P

Tea time lapse

Post pookote , it was time for another tea break at a roadside stall. After all that's the real deal, is it not?

The machines

There is someone on avenger's shoulder!!

And just a few turns after tea:

I love my helmet,bike and this pic a lot :D Thanks to  blue fish for clicking!

After this, we got back, listened to some good music, spoke about life, and called it a day in high spirits ;)


Day 2          : Kalpetta - Gundlupet - Nanjangud - Mysore
Distance      : 139 Km

Got up, and there was a lot of mist outside, which was nice! Cleaned the bikes, gobbled good breakfast at the Udupi hotel in the complex and set out to Mysore! Just out of Kalpetta, a beautiful coffee and pepper farm tempted us, so we did some off-roading and went into the farm :)

The farm, the path and the holy Trinity

Ze peppers

Just trying to get some good light

Throughout the trip, fish had shown us this Black and white picture of a biker, helmet on, next to his bike. Looked like it was clicked somewhere in Leh. And it was beautiful! We went crazy drooling over it. We decided that to recreate the picture would be the ultimate tribute. Just before Bandipur, we found a spot which would do justice to this noble purpose. Avenger rode through the woods and we happily devoted the next hour perfecting this art. Results are good, i'll say :

A befitting tribute

In the woods

Add caption

After this we headed towards Mysore. It was a great trip to catch up with old friends. It is really surprising that this is the first two-day trip with these fellows! Road trips, especially with friends whom you have known for ages, are truly liberating. We really should do more of such stuff, people! Don't grow old so soon :)

One life to ride - Ajit Harisinghani

Image courtesy enfieldmotorcycles.in 

'One life to ride, and 'Hot tea across India' were impulse buys in an otherwise impulse- starved time. Travel-  crazy as I am, I sought inspiration to spur myself towards more trips. I also wanted these travel books to influence and shape my own writing.

Ajit is a speech therapist from Pune. This book is about his love for his trusted Enfield, and his trips on it. Most notably, his 4,300 Km expedition from Pune to Jammu & Kashmir.What is laudable is that Ajit is not someone who would be expected to undertake such a crazy and arduous challenge. He is not a 20-something hipster. He has seen a better part of life, speaking of years. The very fact that this middle aged man with a family and commitments has done this - and most of it, riding solo, makes the book that much more special. This alone speaks tomes about his passion for riding, exploring and zest for life.

In the first part of the book, Ajit describes his road trip from Pune to Goa, and back - totalling around 1000Km. The tone of the book is set, and we know that this book will be an enjoyable read.

Using just the right number of words, Ajit takes us with him, painting very vividly the landscape, his thoughts and his interactions with people. The writing is very crisp and easy - no demanding words are used. This works optimally, as mere words cannot really do justice to nature's creations. We feel that we are riding along with Ajit, savouring the sights and contemplating his experiences while building on our own. Ajit has the gift of narration, is a wanderer by heart, and would make for jolly company, should one bump into him.

The tone is feel-good for most of the ride, except at Kashmir, the troubled paradise. Although stunningly beautiful, the atmosphere described is a tense one - life is lived from minute to minute. This experience alters Ajit's  perception to life.

If this book will not inspire you to pack up and go riding, I do not know what will :) This book is the nudge, the influence which will quell any doubts lingering about the 'if', and make you act on the 'when' :) Explore, discover, learn.

*I do not own any of these images. All pictures courtesy their respective owners*

The Timbaktu collective

I was flipping through some old outlook issues yesterday. Happened to read about this place in Andhra - Timbaktu. A barren land till a few decades ago, this entire region has been rejuvenated now, thanks to the relentless efforts of some awesome people. about two decades ago, they arrived, purchased 32 acres of land, and have worked on converting it into fertile land. They have transformed the whole places by initiating and sustaining a lot of eco friendly measures and encouraging farmers to take up organic farming. The more I read, the more I was amazed. The transformation is beautifulJ

Links for further reading here and here .

Very awesome, I felt!

Mysore - Ooty - Coonoor solo ride

“Wandering re-establishes the original harmony which once existed between man and the universe. ” – Anatole France

A restoration of harmony was on the cards. Desperately. So was a ride to the hills. When the call becomes irresistible , and restlessness rules the roost, one must wander to quell the anarchy and meditate on the calming effect that riding brings. So I packed up and set out.

Day 1: Mysore – Nanjangud – Gundlupet – Gudalur - Ooty
Distance            : 155 Km
Time                  : 06:00 Hrs - 12:30
Pit stops            : Many!!!
Road condition  : God Level

Set out from home at 06:00 Hrs, it was still dark, and quite cold too. The ring road is still under construction in some patches and I was not in a hurry. Wanted to break for food in Nanjangud which is 23Km away. Shadow was changing to light, and it was brilliant to observe the changing colours in the morning sky. Close to Nanjangud road – Ring road intersection, Betta presented a nice outline with an orange sky filled with promise:

Came across a huge bunch of birds hanging out on a tree, by a lake, just outside town:

Roosting

It was sunrise just before I made it to Nanjangud. After a quick breakfast, I was on my way. The road from Nanjangud – Gundlupet (37Km) were awesome, with minimal speed breakers where necessary. For some reason, they decided to pave the road again, which made riding here a joy:

My wonderful and trusted ride, at a break. Beautiful :)

The good roads continue into Bandipur forest reserve too. Inside the reserve, one is expected to ride understanding that this is an ecological hotspot. No honking, over speeding, littering please!

Inside Bandipur

One can spot a variety of wild birds and animals in Bandipur. This is a tiger and elephant hotspot.

A peacock struts:

The peacocks are brought to shame. Your strut is not in vain.

And a Vervet monkey gazes:

Vervet

It is a pleasant ride, and one can listen to un interrupted sounds of nature, provided there are no vehicles to spoil this! Good place , soothing.

Soon we enter Mudhumalai forest reserve, the name given to the forest on the Tamil Nadu side of the border. I wanted to get to ooty via Gudalur. The Gudalur route is longer than the normal route. But, it is less steeper. Did not want to put my bike through the rigours of a steep climb, hence this decision :) 

After Theppakadu, we get a diversion. The road to the left goes to Masinagudi and then Ooty. The one to the right takes us to Ooty Via Gudalur. Just past this junction is a river which runs along the road, and I saw some elephants being bathed :

Say hello to the 7000th click from the 500!

Milestone

It turned out that those elephants were getting out of the river, and into the road. My bike was parked right on that path, and it was a tense few seconds when I was faced off with the pachyderm :D

From Gudalur, the landscape changes to bamboo groves. Nice, cool, with lots of shade:

Further on, out of nowhere, there is this eucalyptus plantation. It is like entering some sort of dream land, as the scent of eucalyptus wafts through the air. These trees reach for the sky, very tall! A beautiful and serene place to be in:

Just loved this stretch

Eucalyptus trees everywhere

Scented breeze

Great roads and very pleasing environment

 

:)

Post this point there were some pretty unbelievable views of from the higher altitudes. I was too stunned to stop and click!

Reached ooty by noon, roamed around looking for a suitable place to stay. Finally stuck a deal to place my bike in a secure parking area in one hotel, and stay in another hotel!

 Checked in, freshened up. It was pretty sunny, and for some reason , did not want to roam around town in my bike. So went around town walking. Think I ended up walking some 10Km that day! Was good, though. Visited Rose garden and Botanical garden. Have blogged the pictures for these places over here.

Day 2: Ooy - Coonoor- Ooty - Gudalur- Mysore:

Distance            : 165 Km
Time                  : 06:00 Hrs - 12:30
Pit stops            : Many!!!
Road condition  : God Level

Decided to begin day 2 early, checked out at 07:00 Hrs and man, it was cold! I did not have those full palm gloves, and soon my fingers were aching in the cold! More reason to indulge in the coveted Alpinestars. Worse, nothing was open in town, so no piping hot tea to begin the day.

There are some pretty epic scenes on the way from Ooty to Coonoor. Coonoor is at a lower altitude than Ooty is, so it is a downhill ride. Along the way, one gets to see the whole expanse of the lower regions of the nilgiri range, and it is one of the most beautiful sights that I have seen in my life. Jaw dropping beautiful. Tip = If you are in ooty, get off your butt and visit this view point, just a couple of km towards Coonoor. You will not regret. The sun rises beyond the hills, and the lower plains are covered in a blanket of mist. Highly recommended ride!

Over the hills and far away

On the way to Coonoor

Very enjoyable ride to Coonoor. After reaching town, I scouted the town. Plan was to stay in Coonoor for the day and check out a few places. Coonoor is much smaller than Ooty, with very few options for stay. Think that people do Coonoor only from Ooty and stay back there for the night. Had piping hot tea in town. Life is restored to those veins! Had breakfast at a hotel near the centre of town. Made an alternate plan of getting back to Mysore today, as I found out that places of interest close by are mostly view points.

So I was on the way back to Ooty now! It was not that cold, and I was in Ooty by 08:30 Hrs. Took the Gudalur route to Mysore again. Did not stop many times, except for breaks to get the blood circulation back on track, and some tea breaks. Riding downhill needed another set of skills. Honk at all corners, judge the apex, expect the unexpected, be patient while overtaking the trucks and buses.

A few images from the return journey:

Reached Gudalur quite soon, as there were not many photo breaks on the way. Gundulpet came pretty soon too. Past this point, it was pretty effortless to reach triple digit speeds. Stopped for tea in Nanjangud past noon, and was home for lunch!

Do the Mysore - Ooty-Coonoor at least once, and do it on your bike. You get to stop where your heart pleases, and click to your content. In a car it becomes that much more difficult to park on those winding roads :) Highly recommended ride!

Slacker

Image courtesy wikipedia

Does a movie always have to be about 'something', 'someone', or about having a message? Do we always have to categorise movie's, music, books into  'genres'? What if we want a vignette of a time and place, by meeting myriad locals, getting a glimpse, and moving on without having to be judgemental about anyone? This is exactly what Richard Linklater does in 'Slacker', his 1991 movie which he wrote, directed and produced. His other movie's are 'Dazed and Confused' and 'School of Rock'.

Slacker defies conventional film making. There is no one 'storyline'. The glimpses of life of one or two people are presented as realistically as possible. Someone else comes into the frame, and we follow the routine. This continues till the end of the movie. The camera might well be me and you walking around randomly in town, with no particular destination in mind. The people are as real as they get. We meet the youth, mostly unemployed and with a lot of free time to spare - slackers.

There is a lot of food for thought. Linklater makes a cameo appearance when the movie begins, and tells us about how each and every choice which we did not make spawns its own reality, and speaks really profoundly and at length about this! Then we move on, presented with the quirks of a host of others. It is basically a slice of life from a town in Texas. There are conspiracy theories abound, there is lounging (a lot of it!), there are anarchists, assassination theories, there is the bizzare talk. Most of the talk is anti establishment, from the fringes of society, from people who may be neglected by authority and from people who have their own take on things. Some of the ideas make us think, as they might not be 'the norm' or 'acceptable'.

Linklater is a director from another mould. This is his third movie which I have watched and I am thoroughly thrilled at all the three!

*I do not own any of these images. All pictures courtesy their respective owners*