Beast and its rides Trip 5

Beast and its rides Trip 5 70 hair pin bend Kolli Hill, Aagaya Gangai Falls 22^nd june 2014.

Started off with 4 bikes from Forum mall Bangalore with 8 people to Kolli Hills (Eastern Ghats) at 5am, our first stop was in MCD HP gas station Hosur to fuel the bikes, we reached by 6am pretty good speed maintained, surprised RX135 maintained the pace of Enfield’s without  breaking down the entire trip, well maintained by Vishwas.

Breakfast stop was in Salem by 7.40am, we left Salem by 8.30am next stop was Kolli Hill base but in midway got to know that the TB350 fuel tank key was lost on the way, we were close to Rasipuram Town being a Sunday it wasn’t that difficult to find an duplicate key maker it took one hour to fix it, the weather was getting hot, little further after the town we stopped for fuelling took the first group photo and continued the journey the SH was well maintained with the trees on either side of the road, gave it an look of Bangalore 15yrs back the cool breeze and shade made our trip in the stretch very comfortable.

70hair pin bend

 Just 20km before the Kolli Hill we stopped to fix the camera on the helmet the GO PRO way, which again was a flop in a different way, once touched the base the forest guard stopped us and told us ride slow, we obliged and continued the 70 hair pin bend in one hill was an amazing experience (this was the one which made other two bikes join us) the beast as usual cruised through it easily and RX too made it without any trouble but TB350 silencer touching the ground on right bends made the bike come up slow,  as we were 1000meters above the sea level the breeze was cool, all our mileage and speed maintained came down in this stretch, We reached Aagaya Gangai Falls by 12pm all excited to jump in water as we parked the bikes near the famous Shiva temple near the falls.

Aagaya Gangai Falls

The ticket issuer said there is not much water in this and the surrounding water falls have gone dry, Aagaya Gangai falls is the biggest in this hill, we trekked downhill for 1km as we reached the falls there was hardly water there and the water from the top was like a wet cloth put up for drying (the drops from the cloth), spent less time there now the tough task started the climb everybody had drained out, had to scale 1086 steps to get to the top, once reached the top got in  an shop finished 4ltrs of Maaza 8 omelets and 2ltrs of water. We were on top by 2.30pm and started our return journey, stopped on hairpin 70/70 for group photo, put all the bikes in neutral we were touching 50kmph the best comedy part was over taking Sumo and other two wheelers in neutral (for the people reading this don’t do this neutral riding it’s not safe), again on the base 1/70 for a group photo, and we stopped in just before rasipuram for a different route and one bike had gone way ahead of us and waited for the return.

The return (unexperienced team)

Next planned stop was in Dharmapuri, as we were nearing Salem there was a heavy downpour we continued our ride, stopped my bike in Salem for 10min to meet my dad’s friend, others continued caught up with them in no time just before Dharmapuri two bikes had stopped for refreshments, mine was the last one coming, the other bike had crossed us without noticing, just 10mts after the start the TB350 broke down (chain cut). Informed other two bike to continue the journey and reach home, it was in uphill hard time to push the bike, somehow managed for 4km and found an local mechanic shop around 5.30pm the mechanic didn’t have a Enfield chain lock, we had to visit Dharamapuri to get it 30km one way, got the chain lock the mechanic fixed 9.30pm, and we took it to the Enfield garage in Dharamapuri, he was specialized with Enfield bikes for our luck he said he his open till 1 midnight, reached him by 10.15pm he fixed the bike by 2.30am, in the mean time we had to do an Dharmapuri midnight sightseeing to find oil for the bike. We continued our journey without any further trouble from the bike, but the sleep was a biggest challenge we took 2 short stops to get fresh and get on the wheels, and horrible driving private Volvo operators, and TNTC bus changing lane from 3^rd to 1st without any signal and another immediate 1^st to 3^rd lane. Reached home by 4.30am.

Advice

Please carry essential spare parts of the bike in long rides when you not connecting remote towns

Destinations

1 Kolli hills

2 Aagaya Gangai Falls

Bikes

1 Thunderbird 500

2 Classic Chrome 500

3 Thunderbird 350

4 RX135

Riders

1 Venkataram

2 Gajapathy P

3 Avinash R

4 Santhosh V

5 Sharath C

6 Vishwas V

7 Madhu T

8 Manjunath M

Beast and its rides Trip 4 Kerala

Beast and its rides 965km trip 4 

The trip destinations were Payyolli beach, Athirapalli water falls, munnar and silent valley national park and home.

Started of our journey on Saturday early morning by 1am after crossing Mysore stopped the bike for fuelling in Nanjangud, just as we left bunk the silencer of thunderbird 350 came off, it took some time to fix it, just hooked it up with small iron wire piece, around 6am we were entered Bandipur national park the greenery there refreshing the mind, too many lorries in this route, as we were passing we spotted a group of deer's grazing near by the road, as we exited the Bandipur we got in Muthanga the roads were so clean and washed by the rain the dry bamboos on either sides of the road gave a different look, Waynad region full of green and curves from top of the hill gave a different look and my beast was cruising through it in 60kmph smoothly swallowing the curves as there was nothing like that on the way, stopped for some photos KERALA TRULLY AN GODS OWN COUNTRY. An small accident in Thamaraserry where in the bike brushed past a car and had to take it to garage there he wiped it with terpentoil and it got cleaned thanks to Srinidhi for causing this we continued our journey, we were late to our first destination by 4hours Payyolli beach.

Payolli beach so empty, for the first time seeing an beach empty with nobody around took both the bikes close to waters had photo session there and TB350 rode on the wet sand of the beach it was like the beach belonged to us, spent an hour there just looking at the sea, since we were late we had to change our travel plans we then went to back waters, there the big boat ride per hour was 3000 rupees just took some photos and stopped for lunch where we were invited by hail storm, continued our journey in it to Thusharagiri water falls, reached there by 4.30pm as we entered in the rain got heavy, we were the only ones to visit an water fall in rain we did trek the dense forest uphill in heavy rain crazy experience, it was too good, around 5pm we started to descend down as it was getting dark, the water fall water was too cold didn’t get in as we were late, then took the room in Adivaram had our dinner by 8pm and slept off. None off the gps worked as there was no proper network depended on sign boards, auto fellows for route, It was quiet surprising on Sunday morning as all the heads turned towards the sound of the bike thanks to TB350, to get everybody’s attention.

Pholkat lake we were early by an hour there it was an small one we didn’t stop and continued our journey to Edkkal caves one the way we saw sign boards showing three waterfalls and an peak we took the route reached Chembra peak spent time till noon there ventured into tea plantation the road to the peak was narrow steep and no side barricades while ascending we saw mongoose, and we got to know that there is no water in the 3 waterfalls and its closed so we straight away hit to Edkkal caves, the climb was tiring for others and their luggage was on me, reached the cave with t shirt dripping water like as it was soaked in water and removed, it was 3.30pm while we reached down had our lunch in Sultanbathery and straight to Bangalore through Muthanga and Bandipur, we stopped for tasting watermelons but the guy said you can take a sack of 30kg for 120rs got one sack tied it to the bike, didn’t realize it was mistake till I reached Mysore where the sack came down, and had to shift it to other sack, while returning on Kankapura road saw an lorry carrying granite was lying sideways blocking the entire road, and we met an biker gang who were in an good speed on the stretch maintained the speed with them for some stretch as the luggage on my bike slowed down, and stopped in coffee day for couple of minutes and reached home by 1am Monday covering 965km.

Distance travelled 965km

Places visited

1 Payyolli beach
2 Korapuzha back waters
3 Thusharagiri hill and waterfalls
4 Chembra peak
5 Edkkal caves
6 Muthanga forest
7 Wayanad

Riders

1 Gokul
2 Gajapathy V
3 Santhosh V
4 Srindhi G

Bikes

1 Thunderbird500
2 Thunderbird 350.

— in Kerala, India.

 

Beast and its rides Trip 3

Beast and its rides 3

695km 26hrs

For the first time in this trip even when there were heavy thunder storm and lightning on our trip, surprisingly we didn’t get wet, as it had just stopped for us making the roads look neat and clean, like the nature was inviting us for the ride. The first stretch of 140 km can also be called as 80 hump ride, the road from Bangalore to Mysore was filled with speed breakers, and some places no sign boards to indicate their presence.
The actual trip plan was to reach Irpu falls first then visit Abby falls, Chamundi hills, balmuri falls and Nimishamba. We left Blore at 10.30pm on Saturday night thought we would get drenched in the rain, but for our surprise the nature didn’t wanted us to get wet, the roads were wet the rain just stopped for us to make our ride comfortable and cool. Our first 5 min break was taken in KRS road, little further at a check point the police stopped us for document verification, wasted 15min there and as we were telling them about trip route, the cop informed us that we cannot enter Iruppu falls in night as it lies in the forest belt and no vehicles allowed in the stretch during night and they informed us we can visit Abby falls first and come down to Irpu falls, we changed our route to

Abbi falls

Abby falls, the roads were so good smooth and well maintained state highways guess it was redone due to elections, this made our ride pleasant, we stopped in between the forest to capture the lightning which was a failed attempt, during that time we turned off the beast engine and light, the place was pitch dark as the thick clouds had covered the sky and silent apart from some insect noise. First time in my life doing it, was scared a little. Then continued our ride during 3am while entering a hill there were fog coming up from the road like clouds just being formed in some patches for about a km, first experience of this with nature. The last 20km for our destination it was drizzling, reached Abby falls around 5am took shelter in bus stand waited for the sun light to continue our ride,

As the sun was out around 6am as we went a little further down searching for hotel to freshen up we came across Madekiri Fort, it was still drizzling, we visited the fort 1 hour was consumed inside the fort for photos and sightseeing, then on the way to Abby we came across Gaddige two doms we stopped in for some photographs and continued our ride to Abby fall the ride was breath taking the fog and silence of nature completely covered by green, as we neared Abby we could see the clouds eating half the mountain or some portions of the top, everything was a surprise in Abby falls not much water and the water was brown in color and not allowed to get in water took some photos and there was the hanging bridge. We returned to top and continued our journey to Irpu on the way stopped in for breakfast for 20 min, the gps was not working took some wrong routes and kept asking people for directions in towns, as were closing to

Irpu there was an dirt bike race being organized in open field, first time seeing an motor sport live, fueled the bike and reached the Irpu by 11am, there were just humans in the forest not even a single monkey in both the water falls, an ramp kind of stuff was there to get under Irpu fall for shower.
We were supposed to be in Chamundi by 12pm to meet the other group of bikers who had started their ride on Sunday morning the actual group of 5 bikers were reduced to one as others didn’t join. We made them wait for 4 hours, Sorry Sharath and Vishwas, they informed us telling we will catch up in Balmuri as chamundi was over crowded. We had to cover the stretch fast as they were waiting for us, we took Nagarahole national park route, we were stopped near the check point and told two wheelers not allowed inside the Nagarahole Park, and we had to return few km back and continued with the adjacent route and reached Balmuri around 4pm while returning we got to see elephants and monkeys and the Hunsur road was in bad condition as it was an elephant zone they hadn’t developed the road we couldn’t feel any bumpy ride in the same stretch as we did it in night, thanks for waiting for us for so long guys Sharat and Vishwas, it was an fish market there literally an fish market in Balmuri no place to park the bike or get into water, first time seeing an huge crowd in any water fall, we left to Nimishamba

this place was crowded but not like Balmuri and finally managed to get in water there it was clean and clear, stayed in water till 6.00pm then visited the temple and took our first photo of two bikes together, and took Kanakapura road to reach Bangalore, the roads were so good didn’t feel a thing stopped both the bikes just before Bannur for fueling, couple of stops to change the riders and some photos in night courtesy Vishwas for the cam, stopped in Kanakpura for dinner and last stop in coffee day Kanakapura road around 11.30pm.

All these places, 695km were covered in 26hrs without sleep.
1. Madekeri Fort
2. Gaddige
3. Abby Falls
4. Dirt race
5. Irpu Falls
6. Balmuri
7. Nimishamba Temple

Bikes
Thunder bird 500
Classic Chrome 500

Riders
Gokul P
Santhosh Venkataram
Sharath Chandra
Vishwas V

The beast and me 2

Just returned from Anantapur on Friday with the beast, spent my Saturday at home nothing much to do, had a feeling to take my bike for another long ride when I slept on Saturday night. It was an surprise next morning dad was like lets go to Hosdurga as I just got out of bed around 7am, then nothing to explain got ready in an hour’s time left my place around 8.25am late start, but never late for me especially for an unplanned sudden trips took the Nelamangala road the newly prepared one as new as it could be, without any potholes this time it was too much traffic till Tumkur, once cleared Tumkur the roads were free smooth till Sira where I had to take an deviation AH 47, as entering the Hullihuru the roads were bad the trees were dry not just dry completely dry without water, and the first obstacle was a tree on the road as they were cutting the trees to widen the road NH234 / SH148, the picturesque mountains the roads made my beast an all terrain bike now.

Then reached hosdurga had our lunch there after lunch told dad I don’t wana take this road back and our GPS wasn’t working as there was no network, from there we continued our journey towards Kadur the roads were being developed the NH and SH but the village limits roads were freshly laid welcoming the beast it was smooth for some time then the circus starts but the TB500 cruised easily without much strain on the bike or me, frankly telling am not an strain for the bike at all pillion seat is comfortable in rough roads but not in good roads, on the way to kadur spotted an ancient temple Sri Mallikarjuna swamy temple built during hoysala time its in Hirenalluru SH153 and 76 were in a pathetic state, one needs a lot of patience to ride on these roads, then we continued NH207 it was an freshly laid ones till Arsikere, single lane too much traffic in this stretch thought of deviation and took Gandsi road the SH road was an cemented one too good, but all good things comes to an end in short time Tiptur and it was the white mud road it was like an dirt biking beast did it with some slides and covered the stretch. Then connected to Tumkur and Nelamangala and reached home by 8.30pm did 544km in 12hours.

Beast and its rides trip 1 Anantapur

The beast and its rides.

Started of my first 230km solo ride on Thunderbird 500 around 9am from Bangalore was surprised to see the see the city roads so smooth, it was an co incidence as my journey date was closer to the elections of 2014, took the airport road, the only proper road maintained in Bangalore properly and with the new elevated way, it was an amazing ride in that stretch continued by the highway the roads and bends as smooth as it could be with no strain on the rider covered the stretch in 2hours 20min thanks to thy NHAI for maintain the roads so good, didn’t stress the engine much as it is an new bike maintained the rpm between 2.5 to 3k the thump the and cool breeze in Bangalore was so good, as entered the highway the hot winds of Andhra currently Telangana was hot as the situation in AP post division. According to to the locals there the weather is of two types one is summer and other is extreme summer in a year, but during my stay it was like both in an single day morning till 9.30am summer and from 9.30am till 5pm extreme summer then back to normal summer.

Places to visit in Anantapur
1 Isckon temple situated right next to the highway in Anantpur 10km from town, it’s so quiet inside with the beautiful architecture, where 4 horses are pulling the chariot which is the actual temple.
2 RDT stadium (Rural development trust), must visit place especially for sports lovers, this is one among the institutes in India which offers free training for various sports, run by Spanish people, producing good players in each sport, this institute takes admissions only for the rural people who stay in Anantapur, not even a single rupee is taken from a kid even while taking them out for tournaments.
3 Devara knoda venkateshwara swamy temple, couldn’t get to know more about this place as the locals said it’s not safe cos of election time, its closer to the town on top of a hill.