I really love unplanned trips :). We planned of just meeting at MG Road on saturday morning and decide then and there where to go. Good old Ladha was pillion with me. We on my avenger and Hathee on his reached MG Road on time. We called Saswata to find out he was getting ready.
Waiting for Saswata at HP Petrol Bunk, MG Road
We moved on till Mysore Road Shell Petrol bunk and asked him to join us there. He arrived after some time with a surprise package of Sagarneel. So four bikes with 5 riders headed towards Mysore Road. Early morning ride with Ladha as pillion to talk during ride-it was good :). Soon we reached CCD and settled for breakfast at the restaurant nearby.
Now the million dollar question popped up - Where to go ? After some discussions we shortlisted Malai Mahadeshwara Betta better known as MM Hills and Himavad Gopalaswamy Betta also known as HGS Betta. I called vasanth and sachin to enquire about distance, road conditions and all but they were also not very clear. After consulting a waiter from the restaurant we zeroed upon MM Hills as according to the waiter it was just 70 km from there and looked good for single day ride. So zoom we went towards Mandya and then towards Malavalli.
Somewhere near Malavalli
Near Malavalli, we saw the first signboard showing MM Hills. It was still 121 km from there and we had already come close to 100 km already! Few people were not ready for such a long ride and we had to return back the same day. But now there was no turning back and we moved ahead. We stopped at few places to click pics. After Kollegal the roads became bumpy and narrow but the surroundings were just beautiful and weather amazing! We crossed few small villages where people were staring at us as if we landed straight from Mars.
90 degree isshtyle pose :)
Soon after some more beautiful rural roads, we reached the foothills. We clicked some snaps there but did not keep the fabulous twisties in front of us waiting for too long.
It is so amazing, I guess a different kind of high riding through forests, negotiating curves, approaching a hair-pin bend. The feeling cannot be described in words. Enjoying the surroundings, we soon crossed the hills and reached a valley. It was a bit disappointment when we reached the destination as there was just a temple and it was real hot at that time of day! But as someone said that it's not the destination but the journey which matters, we had our lunch and started climbing the hill again carefully leaning on those pretty curvy roads :). On the way we took a detour which looked a very promising road and boy what a road it was ! Thick forest and roller coaster kind of ups and downs :). After around 5-6 km of ride, we reached a village and sadly that was the dead end so we had to turn back.
On return, we stopped near shivanasamudram to chill at the banks of Cauvery.
The great ride was complemented by showers and we thoroughly enjoyed the ride in rains. By 5 PM, we touched the Bangalore-Mysore Road. Had a refreshing cuppa chai and chilli bajji and hit the couch in CCD :). After relaxing for more than a hour, we started moving leisurely towards Bangalore only to stop at the good old Chandigarh Punjabi Dhaba near Ramanagram :).
Garama-garam chai, mast chicken and kishore kumar songs. What else for a perfect evening :). Filled our bellies as it was already dinner time. From Ramanagram to Bangalore is just a formality and we quickly did the run. At our apartment parking, final reading was 480 km. I guess maximum for Ladha in a day :). I hope he did not hurt his back much after pillion riding for 480 km in a day :).
Summary:
-------------
Date:
4th Aug' 2007
Riders:
1. Ashish with Ladha as pillion On Bajaj Avenger
2. Sumit Chatterjee aka Haathee on Bajaj Avenger
3. Saswata on Honda Unicorn
4. Sagarneel on Hero Honda Achiever
Route: Bangalore - Mandya - Malavalli - Kollegal - MM Hills - Shivanasamudram - Bangalore
Total Distance covered: about 480 km
More pics can be seen here.
Waiting for Saswata at HP Petrol Bunk, MG RoadNow the million dollar question popped up - Where to go ? After some discussions we shortlisted Malai Mahadeshwara Betta better known as MM Hills and Himavad Gopalaswamy Betta also known as HGS Betta. I called vasanth and sachin to enquire about distance, road conditions and all but they were also not very clear. After consulting a waiter from the restaurant we zeroed upon MM Hills as according to the waiter it was just 70 km from there and looked good for single day ride. So zoom we went towards Mandya and then towards Malavalli.
Somewhere near MalavalliNear Malavalli, we saw the first signboard showing MM Hills. It was still 121 km from there and we had already come close to 100 km already! Few people were not ready for such a long ride and we had to return back the same day. But now there was no turning back and we moved ahead. We stopped at few places to click pics. After Kollegal the roads became bumpy and narrow but the surroundings were just beautiful and weather amazing! We crossed few small villages where people were staring at us as if we landed straight from Mars.
90 degree isshtyle pose :)Soon after some more beautiful rural roads, we reached the foothills. We clicked some snaps there but did not keep the fabulous twisties in front of us waiting for too long.
It is so amazing, I guess a different kind of high riding through forests, negotiating curves, approaching a hair-pin bend. The feeling cannot be described in words. Enjoying the surroundings, we soon crossed the hills and reached a valley. It was a bit disappointment when we reached the destination as there was just a temple and it was real hot at that time of day! But as someone said that it's not the destination but the journey which matters, we had our lunch and started climbing the hill again carefully leaning on those pretty curvy roads :). On the way we took a detour which looked a very promising road and boy what a road it was ! Thick forest and roller coaster kind of ups and downs :). After around 5-6 km of ride, we reached a village and sadly that was the dead end so we had to turn back.
On return, we stopped near shivanasamudram to chill at the banks of Cauvery.
The great ride was complemented by showers and we thoroughly enjoyed the ride in rains. By 5 PM, we touched the Bangalore-Mysore Road. Had a refreshing cuppa chai and chilli bajji and hit the couch in CCD :). After relaxing for more than a hour, we started moving leisurely towards Bangalore only to stop at the good old Chandigarh Punjabi Dhaba near Ramanagram :).
Garama-garam chai, mast chicken and kishore kumar songs. What else for a perfect evening :). Filled our bellies as it was already dinner time. From Ramanagram to Bangalore is just a formality and we quickly did the run. At our apartment parking, final reading was 480 km. I guess maximum for Ladha in a day :). I hope he did not hurt his back much after pillion riding for 480 km in a day :).
Summary:
-------------
Date:
4th Aug' 2007
Riders:
1. Ashish with Ladha as pillion On Bajaj Avenger
2. Sumit Chatterjee aka Haathee on Bajaj Avenger
3. Saswata on Honda Unicorn
4. Sagarneel on Hero Honda Achiever
Route: Bangalore - Mandya - Malavalli - Kollegal - MM Hills - Shivanasamudram - Bangalore
Total Distance covered: about 480 km
More pics can be seen here.
