Biking to Home : Onam 2007
"Dad, I'm coming home for onam, on bike"
Dad replied with a SOLID "NO. YOU ARE NOT"
This is very much characteristic of dad. He always says 'NO' to anything and everything..
A few weeks later, dad called up.
"I have booked return tickets for your bro and bhabhi. You dont need, right.."
That was a "YES" from dad, in his own typical style ;-)
Plannings were done in 6-sigma style. Route maps were obtained and by-hearted. The bike (pulsar black) was thoroughly serviced with the requirement spec "long ride". First Aid Kit was prepared and kept ready.
In the mean time, Bin also get the 'go ahead' (thought not full green) from his house.
I too got 'semi-go-aheads' from office...along with a lot of 'do this, go slow, dont over-speed...'
Friday, Aug 24 night was spent packing and preparing mentally for the big trip. After all last minute hungamas, slept at 11 in the night. Have to get up at 4 in the morning! And start by 4.30, given its not raining...
Got up at 4.15, thanks to the multiple alarm clocks. As per Sowji's advice, special costume style was adopted. T-shirt, Shirt, and then Jacket - a 3-layer scheme. This is highly required, coz the wind would be very heavy at high speeds, and your chest needs ample protection. Helmet, sports shoes, goggles etc come by default. Gloves would help keep the palm warm.
Started by 4.45 in the morning. Rency had got up to see us off. He waved the green flag and off we started, even while it was slightly drizzling.
Got the directions to catch Mysore road, from an auto driver.
Touched Mysore road by 5.15AM.
Quit Mysore road at Srirangapatna, after a 140km ride, at 6.45AM.
The route was then:
Mysore Road - Hunsur - Coorg - Virajpet - Maakkoottam - Koottupuzha
Almost the full stretch of Mysore road, it was drizzling. And riding was a little uncomfortable. But we opted to ride along, rather than to stop and wait for the rain to subside. It was after 199km that we had the first pit stop. 7.52AM. From there, Kannur is just 139Km
199km was done in just 3 hrs and 7 minutes :-)
Avg speed 64km/hr.
Top speed 115km/hr.
From there, Bin occupied the front seat. And I started clicking :-P
The route from Srirangapatna to Hunsur was highly picteresque.
So was the route after that, through Coorg.
We spotted this fellow on the way!
A few more km's down the line was this pond-point.
I remember stopping at this point on our previous Coorg Trip from native.
But still dont know the name of the place.
Such a nice spot !
The roads were magical till this point (except that we missed a few spead-breakers..) But what was coming ahead of us was not so interesting.. The roads (if any) were totally devastated. And that 20km stretch was covered, racing with a fellow biker, in neutral gear. We switched off the bike in this stretch, to save some petrol, and to give some time for the bike to cool off.
Maakkoottam was our breakfast point. Border is just a few tens of kms from here.
This is the border!
The famous(?) Koottupuzha bridge. The river, which is bypassed by this bridge, separates the two states from each other.
Once into Kerala, the roads were looking good, but was very much bumpy. Evidently, it used to be full of pot-holes, and was patched up recently. This stretch was a little tiring, coz the body was put into constant up and down motion! Also the sun would have had its impact too..
By 12.15 we were home !
Scared an unexpecting granny.. She wasnt aware of my bike trip to home. She was in front of the house when we got into the compound. But she took herself into the safety of the grill of the house. In her own words "two persons, with mask on" had broke into the compound :-D
Only when we removed the "mask" and called out 'granny, its me..' , she came out with a smile
:-))
Onam was celebrated in style, with pookkalams and umpteen number of sadyas..
One week at house, made me grow sideways, further !
And the return trip was scheduled to be on the followin Sunday, early morning at 5.
An eventful trip it was, for different reasons ....
Tail:
1. For Bangalore - Kannur trip, the shortest route is Bangalore-Mysore Road-Srirangapatna-Hunsur-Coorg-Virajpet-Maakkootam-Koottpuzha. In the Virajpet-Maakkootam stretch, you will find a 10 odd km bad stretch, where you wont find any road. You drive on whatever is left on the road. And its gonna be a 3-dimensional motion.
2. If you are going on a bike expedition similar to this one, make sure the bike is in excellent condition. Because, once you leave Mysore Road, almost 90% of the stretch till border is un-inhabited
3. If you are going in a car along the route mentioned in point 1, make sure the car is not owned by you. Coz you really dont wanna drive through that 10 odd km stretch road !!
4. If you dont have a car or a bike, and still wanna traverse through this route, pay 310 rupees (fare as on Sep26, 2007) to P K Travels, Ashoka Travels, Sagar Travels, Golden Travels or Kalpaka Travels. They will take you through this route. And it will be a 'memorable' trip for all wrong reasons :-D
Update(Jan19, 2008): Check this video out!
(contd..)
Dad replied with a SOLID "NO. YOU ARE NOT"
This is very much characteristic of dad. He always says 'NO' to anything and everything..
A few weeks later, dad called up.
"I have booked return tickets for your bro and bhabhi. You dont need, right.."
That was a "YES" from dad, in his own typical style ;-)
Plannings were done in 6-sigma style. Route maps were obtained and by-hearted. The bike (pulsar black) was thoroughly serviced with the requirement spec "long ride". First Aid Kit was prepared and kept ready.
In the mean time, Bin also get the 'go ahead' (thought not full green) from his house.
I too got 'semi-go-aheads' from office...along with a lot of 'do this, go slow, dont over-speed...'
Friday, Aug 24 night was spent packing and preparing mentally for the big trip. After all last minute hungamas, slept at 11 in the night. Have to get up at 4 in the morning! And start by 4.30, given its not raining...
Got up at 4.15, thanks to the multiple alarm clocks. As per Sowji's advice, special costume style was adopted. T-shirt, Shirt, and then Jacket - a 3-layer scheme. This is highly required, coz the wind would be very heavy at high speeds, and your chest needs ample protection. Helmet, sports shoes, goggles etc come by default. Gloves would help keep the palm warm.
Started by 4.45 in the morning. Rency had got up to see us off. He waved the green flag and off we started, even while it was slightly drizzling.
Got the directions to catch Mysore road, from an auto driver.
Touched Mysore road by 5.15AM.
Quit Mysore road at Srirangapatna, after a 140km ride, at 6.45AM.
The route was then:
Mysore Road - Hunsur - Coorg - Virajpet - Maakkoottam - Koottupuzha
Almost the full stretch of Mysore road, it was drizzling. And riding was a little uncomfortable. But we opted to ride along, rather than to stop and wait for the rain to subside. It was after 199km that we had the first pit stop. 7.52AM. From there, Kannur is just 139Km
199km was done in just 3 hrs and 7 minutes :-)
Avg speed 64km/hr.
Top speed 115km/hr.
From there, Bin occupied the front seat. And I started clicking :-P
The route from Srirangapatna to Hunsur was highly picteresque.
So was the route after that, through Coorg.
We spotted this fellow on the way!
A few more km's down the line was this pond-point.
I remember stopping at this point on our previous Coorg Trip from native.
But still dont know the name of the place.
Such a nice spot !
The roads were magical till this point (except that we missed a few spead-breakers..) But what was coming ahead of us was not so interesting.. The roads (if any) were totally devastated. And that 20km stretch was covered, racing with a fellow biker, in neutral gear. We switched off the bike in this stretch, to save some petrol, and to give some time for the bike to cool off.
Maakkoottam was our breakfast point. Border is just a few tens of kms from here.
This is the border!
The famous(?) Koottupuzha bridge. The river, which is bypassed by this bridge, separates the two states from each other.
Once into Kerala, the roads were looking good, but was very much bumpy. Evidently, it used to be full of pot-holes, and was patched up recently. This stretch was a little tiring, coz the body was put into constant up and down motion! Also the sun would have had its impact too..
By 12.15 we were home !
Scared an unexpecting granny.. She wasnt aware of my bike trip to home. She was in front of the house when we got into the compound. But she took herself into the safety of the grill of the house. In her own words "two persons, with mask on" had broke into the compound :-D
Only when we removed the "mask" and called out 'granny, its me..' , she came out with a smile
:-))
Onam was celebrated in style, with pookkalams and umpteen number of sadyas..
One week at house, made me grow sideways, further !
And the return trip was scheduled to be on the followin Sunday, early morning at 5.
An eventful trip it was, for different reasons ....
Tail:
1. For Bangalore - Kannur trip, the shortest route is Bangalore-Mysore Road-Srirangapatna-Hunsur-Coorg-Virajpet-Maakkootam-Koottpuzha. In the Virajpet-Maakkootam stretch, you will find a 10 odd km bad stretch, where you wont find any road. You drive on whatever is left on the road. And its gonna be a 3-dimensional motion.
2. If you are going on a bike expedition similar to this one, make sure the bike is in excellent condition. Because, once you leave Mysore Road, almost 90% of the stretch till border is un-inhabited
3. If you are going in a car along the route mentioned in point 1, make sure the car is not owned by you. Coz you really dont wanna drive through that 10 odd km stretch road !!
4. If you dont have a car or a bike, and still wanna traverse through this route, pay 310 rupees (fare as on Sep26, 2007) to P K Travels, Ashoka Travels, Sagar Travels, Golden Travels or Kalpaka Travels. They will take you through this route. And it will be a 'memorable' trip for all wrong reasons :-D
Update(Jan19, 2008): Check this video out!
(contd..)
Labels: trips
posted by Rat at 12:24 PM
5 Comments:
WOW!!!!! i cant imagine ever going for such a trip! and you met a family elephant! wow!!!!!!
This was one wonderful travelogue you put up RAT. Gr8 going man. Awesome.. :)
Yeah. So far, the best trip of the year :-)
(contd.) ennu paranjittu baki evide.. Good that u r back in one piece. Vazhiyil otta aana onnum kandille..
:-)
next part will be released soon.
Even if its a photo slide show, it will definitely be published..
Met an elephant on the way, but that guy was a friendly chap ;-)
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