RMX - Day 11

Route: Kolhapur - Bangalore

I promised my mom to be home for lunch so i leave from Kolhapur to bangalore (620 km) at 5. The sky is awesome, like the heavens are open



Heres the picture of what i saw :) - I was photographing all the way - and reached home at about 5. So thats the end of a 11 day ride!

Rider Mania 2011 is now claimed by Eastern Bulls !

Next stop - Calcutta

RMX - Day 10

Route: Vikramgargh - Kolhapur

Woke up at 5 and got riding from Vikramgargh with Rajesh.

Regroup with amit, praisy, bumboo, prateek, haren on the route and some where in the middle of the ride, prateek, haren and i decide to go to bangalore while bumboo, praisy, rajesh planned to go to goa.
I Knew that goa ride is gonna be tough in the dark, so we ended up at HOTEL SONY in kolhapur. Awesome place!

RMX - Day 9

Post breakfast, we had a dirt track race. Amit and me represented RTMC. Mine was the 1st Classic 500 to race in the dirt track. But before that was a recce ride (BTW no points for this ride), Many of the riders did better in this recce than the actual dirt track.

The path wasnt any good at all. sad that atleast 3 bikers fell down at the curves. The trophy went to i guess baljit singh from roadshakers pune

Every rider mania i photograph some one!. Last year it was DJ Black Jack from 23-ONE. His last year pic is on http://www.flickr.com/photos/100kph/3234360830/

WildChild AKA Dipesh Shah of 60kph was this years calendar boy



DJ Black Jackk of 23-ONE played some awesome rock - loved it and then Sheetal, Anup Taxx and Anukran Singh, Ashish prabhu got on to form a band called "Joint Venture" hehe you know "Joint Venture" the band that ROCKS and ROLLS





THE CROWD!

RMX - Day 8

Rider Mania opens after breakfast

The raffle bike is a "Mountain Dew" branded green bike that sounds like a - bullet.

Anukaran Singh, makes a grand entry with the wander lust motorcycle club. Revs so much that his engine catches fire. LoL - Feeling the heat @anu ??

There was the disassembly wars, basically one strips a bike bare, and when its done, a rider rushes to get the key of the bike. and the reassembly starts. The first to start the bike and ride it after the reassembly is complete is the winner. RTMC got third place - but that was no reason for not cheering

Slept like a child on the lawn and woke up to a rock show by a hindi band (no clue who). Riddhi from Mumbai weekend shoots was here,DJ Blackjack (The poster boy of 2009 RM) was there too! So many old pals

Sleep Late!

RMX - Day 7

Route: Aurangabad  Shirdi Nasik, Trumbakeshwar, Jawahar, Vikram Gargh, Sajan Nature Trails
This morning in aurangabad, i saw a strange path made in the sky - didnt have my ultra wide lens but captured it on my smartphone.

Awesome!

Guided my google maps, we reach shirdi for a darshan (But not before i got a got a 4 inch nail in my rear). Darshan was an awesome experience, was in the queue for 2 hours. - Never took shortcuts for there's no cheating in gods own home. The guys who took shortcuts - oh well they were the last to leave !

Nasik is a pensioners paradise! Hmm what ever that sign means. The route to Trumbakeshwar was average but then the ghats started later en-route to jawahar. Dine at a nice place at jawahar, and Prashi from RTMC suggests we come to the venue and not to Manor as planned.

The night ride to vikramgargh was awesome fast and dark ! As i reach vikram gargh i see almost 10 bikes - RTMC bikes - Whoa thats a RTMC reunion.

Reach the venue, Inddie Thumpers made us park right. Some friendly guys from the roadshaker club pune, come over and talk with us, the Late night talks go on until 2 am and then i sleep

RMX - Day 6

Route: Ajanta Caves ñ Aurangabad ñ Elora ñ Biwi Ka Maqbara


We head back to Aurangabad - rajesh goes to the Royal Enfield Showroom called cherry corporation. I go hotel hunting. So many hotels - Aurangabad is costly to stay at. Its enroute to both Ajanta and Elora. Had to settle for a dampy room for 800 bucks a night. Not my kind of stay place but what can i do - we could not camp.

CUP's bike is at the service station and we go on my bike to Elora. This place is awesome, we hire a guide who has an autorikshaw for 150 bucks. He thought i was israeli and wanted to charge me 400.

Ellora is made up of Hindu Caves, Buddhist and Jain caves.



My favorite pic is Shiva Parvati on mount kailash and ravan trying to lift it.


CUP was very adventurous and he went exploring the unexplored. He discovered a girl with her top off, making love. The sculptures in the indra Sabha are explicit, maybe they could not wait. He came out screaming - would'nt you ?

We get back to biwi ka maqbara - "the poor man's taj mahal" and i get to photography again





Rajesh's bike is ready. The owner of cherry was really helpful to us, treated us to some aerated juice. That night we head to a place called Hotel Sagar at aurangabad. The owner Junaid is a hard core biker and wanted us to come over there. I feated on egg biryani - Awesome Must Have!

We ended it by a proper nawaabi paan specially made for yours truely "ADY BABA" by that panwaala.

RMX - Day 5

Route: Lonar - Sultanpur - Ajanta Caves
Lonar Crater is a deep trek down from teh PWD house - We left our tents and went for a run aroud the crater 4.65 km pebbles, shrubs, bushes.

Lonar Crater shot by a Nokia E71 Camera phone

It has a cool monumental temple in the base. After this run i had a shower in the lonar waterfall and the water was warm! Totally Kewl! We had to give a pass to the daitya sudan temple and rush to ajanta caves.

Ajanta rocks, really elaborate carvings, hidden for 1300 years and rediscovered. The place if blooming with tourists, some naughty child threw a stone on a honey comb and rajesh got stung by bees. Hes ok Hes ok.



We hired a guide - a funny guide who showed us a view point right opposide the caves - thats where we camped that night

This is how Ajanta Caves looks in the morning!

RMX - Day 4

Route: Pune - Ahmednagar - Aurangabaad - Pimpri - Sultanput - Lonar Crater
CUP had to meet up with an old janagraaha collegue and so we caught up at German Bakery Pune. Kavita was right there. While the old collegues were catching up on lost time, I tried some toast with some roasted eggs - awesome.

German Bakery is quite close to Osho Ashram and its frequented by disciples and some weedheads too

After the meet we lash out on the roads to Aurangabad. The traffic is killer! A night riding session to lonar crater follows. We camp at PWD guest house Lonar. The guest house overlooks on the crater. I attempt some night photography of the crater, but the light is rapidly diminishing and i give up.

Light Painting this night- under the cross beams of the headlights of the bikes - kudos to rajesh for helping me out here!





















Night Night! Good Night!

RMX - Day 3

Route - Wakaar Shop - Strawberry Fields - MAPRO - Panchangi - Parsi Point,Panchangi - Table Top, Panchangi - WAI - Dhom Dam

I wake up to see the KRISHNA river WoW. This is must see place. Definitely in the "top 200 places to tent at before i die" list. We pack the tents, clean the place and move to "Vaibhav baug" strawberry fields. The lady is from karnataka and is thrilled, her son shows us the fields. Amazing seeing fresh red strawberries. Incidentally Vaibhav baug is a home stay too.. Check it out

PratapGargh fort is the next destination. The second largest fort constructed by Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. 4 watch towers, dual lines of fortification and walls on all sides, amazingly strong fort - is owned by the 13th descendant of Shivaji - something like that.

We ride back to mahabaleshwar after the tour of the fort, buy more strawberries for Rajesh's collegue Kavita.

Panchangi is really close to mahabaleshwar, and we head to a place called "table top" - which is a big flat ground on the top of panchangi. I do some horse riding on a sweet white horse called kohinoor.







It was hard to pitch camp on table top as its very dusty. We ride to Dhom Dam - the sun is setting - faster faster - pitch the tents.

Tripod, Framing Setup, pitching tents all in 10 minutes and the sun was gone

This is what i got (look at it hires on flickr)















CampFire at night - Night Night!

RMX - Day 2

Route - Belgaum - Kolhapur - Panhala - Kudoli - Kasegaon - Karad - Satara - Kanher Dam - Mahabaleshwar
 
Chorge Misal is a place in kolhapur which serves just 1 dish - the MISAAL PAAV. The exact contents of the gravy is unknown, but its spicy and i oh well -forgot of food for some 5-6 hours. Now coming to know of me, you would find me not thinking of food - very funny.
















We then get to Panhala Fort. Nothing much here - move on. On well there was this marathi girl who talked me in to believing how nice she made salted butermilk - 3 glasses and that solved the Chorge Misaal problem!

The mercury dropped as we enter Mahabaleshwar, Kates Point is a nice tourist spot about 5 km from venna lake. The other location Echo point - echos your voice















The monkeys at needle point are funny. This guy climbed up and took a leak right in front of me.



We set up tents at Needle Point - at a place overlooking the krishna valley. And i went down to the city to get food and firewood. Its really like shimla at night, and the maharashtra police was really amazed of how 2 dudes from bangalore are here on bikes.

Cold Night, 1 kilogram of strawberries, Late night photography and here is what i got ! (Look at it hi res and mail me what you feel :)
















Done with the day - Night Night!

RMX - Day 1

Route - Bangalore - Chitradurga - Belgaum

Background
On the 19th of Jan 2009, when we (RTMC) was hosting RM 09 at Ooty, Inddie Thumpers lay claim to host Rider Mania 2010 (we call it RMX). Its now a year since - For n00b's Rider Mania is an event run by a host club where all bikers come over to network, and participate in fun and games. We make a mess of the place :p and exit

Rajesh "CUP" Choudhary and me were the firsts to leave from the bangalore club - RTMC. We plan a Maharashtra Darshan covering Panhala, Mahabaleshwar, Panchgani, Aurangabad, Ajantha and Ellora Caves, the Lonar Crater and Shirdi before we touch base at Vikramgarh where the RMX is being hosted. This ride has always been planned as an eclectical mix of touring, history, adventure, camping, camp fires, food, running, and people. It never was a Point A to Point B ride. and "some one" in his wise frame of mind envisioned this ride as a "Weight Loss" ride and planned to eat only salads and fruits, lets see how it goes


Today we met up at 5AM at mekhri circle and did a straight ride to Chitradurga Fort. Stole some "Channa" from the fields, photographed some sunflowers and the farmers with them



Chitradurga fort is a a very impressive fort built like a snake, built in a span of 800 years. We hired a guide who showed us around for 2 hours.



We were looking for a guy called "kotiraj" (monkey king) the spiderman of india, but unfortunately could not get to see him.



Back those days the way to break into a fortified fort was  to break into the doors with a huge log. Now this needed a good distance to achieve momentum - thats how the passages to this fort are shaped like a snake

This is a FUN, Photography ride - that's me!

Halted at Belgaum - the only city which has all the 3 armed forced in the same place - or is it

RE Launches the classic 500 in bangalore

While RE is launching the classic at magrath  road here in bangalore, my bike has gone to the RTO for registering

My first impression.. its a TOY ! its short ! i need bigger wheels

heres a pic of the FIRST royal enfield classic 500 in registered in bangalore roads

And here comes RM09

Just cant wait for rider mania 09. A whole 3 days of partying and merry. RM09 is hosted by my club in bangalore - RTMC and so far we have a lot lot of folks who registered

Rock Band, royal enfield bikes, bikers, fun games and tonnes of beer.. that's what rider mania is about

There Goes Agro

I went to agro motors today to get my bike serviced for the chickmagalur trip, I was shocked to see a brick wall constructed separating the workshop. Apparently the whole site was in dispute and the case has been running in the court for like a quarter of a century according to the guys who work there.

Today when i went there, i saw a bunch of rowdies playing carom while listening to the music from a cheap set of speakers connected to an amplifier and a battery. There's a big poster that says karnataka dalit congress (basically a rowdy group) and posters of BRAmbedkar. These guys line up eunuchs on normal days says the manager, but today i could not see them :)

They are not taking any more bikes but in my case he agreed for delivery like next week. Considering with these trouble makers as neighbours i opted not to leave my bike there, who knows it may be target of arson. There is a festive spirit at agro, the chief mechanic wants to retire, the others want to sleep at home. Wow - too good to be true!

I was suggested a mechanic on ORR by them, That guy is like doing a pickup for my bike :) Something unheard of among RE mechanics.

A Sangam - Bheemeshwari cross country ride story

Before I start my tale, its mandatory that I feed some background to this saga. It all started on 21st of May this Year Something looked strange at sangam (The place where Mild River Arkavathy and the Wild River Kauveri meet)… The water was at knee level, unlike on August of 2004 when it was at waist level. While I thought of driving the car across the river, acknowledging the fact that it's not a 4x4 car, I perceived it as a bad idea. Ending the holiday with a trek to Mekedhatu we got back to Bangalore.

Days back, Sarath from the 60kph group posted a Request For Riders (RFR) and opportunity knocked on my door. Opportunity is a haughty goddess who wastes no time with those who are unprepared. I saw the opportunity to cross mekedhatu with the Thunderbird and I was still screaming for more. After touch-basing with Sarath on the 60kph forum, we decide to leave 4 days later on a Saturday. These 4 days gave me ample time to plan ride and synchronize with the forest officials for permission to ride on the fabled forest road between sangam and muthathi.

The Plan

A quick plan was hatched among (pretty much almost among) the riders

Pre-Ride

I obtain permission from the forest department for sarath, his wife, and me, to protect ourselves against trespassing and definite arrest.

Ride

Ride from Bangalore to Sangam,

Ride From Sangam to Mekehat, Across the river (this was my idea of fun)

Back from mekedhat to Sangam

Sangam to Galibore (here is where the forest permission comes needed)

And Galibore to Muthathi

Muthathi to Bheemeshwari

Lunch at Bheemeshwari (organized by the kind grace of Sarath - the Chief Naturalist of Galibore)

Back to Bangalore.

I then touch base with Mr Sarath of Jungle Lodges and tell him of my plan. He was visibly very, very upset that we were riding on bikes on the jungle trail. He even conveyed his feeling about our selfishness and warned us about the elephants. But the forest permission had already been sought for and there was not much he could do. But like all sports, he offered us lunch at bheemeshwari. Special thanks to you Sarath of Jungle Lodges, you were a major source of information. The bikes were definitely non polluting Thunderbird and a Std 350

The Ride Day

We are scheduled to meet up at Khodays Factory Kanakpura Road. But out our-of-towner biker boy Sarath was hovering around katriguppe. After synching on phone, we meet way away from our intended spot in a petrol bunk where I was checking tyre pressure.

We planned to meet at 08:00 hours and its now 08:30. This called for a Non-Stop dash to Kanakapura. We stopped at a lovely kanakapura restaurant that serves breakfast (Its called Raju Hotel) and then I went to the forest department on permit business. Special thanks to this non-corrupt, adventure loving, speedy procedural department.

Bidding adieu to this lazy town, we move towards sangam on the dodda-alla-dahally road.

Mekedhatu is a notified property. This means vehicles just cant enter that place. Two condemned busses lie there that are used to transport passengers across the 4 kilometer forest trail. These two busses are refueled by jerri-cans and do not cross the river. You, the traveler are supposed to cross the river by foot.

Crossing the arkavathi river by bikes, we land on the other bank of sangam. My partner-rider, sarath's, poor wife had to cross walking. Wet sands, 1st gear, sliding thunderbird. This was my idea of fun. Realizing that we are in notified area, un-willing to violate the law for adventure, we back out and get back to sangam.

Sangam to Galibore

Galibore is a fishing camp that is situated on the bank of river cauvery, 9 kilometers from mekedhat. This is run by Jungle Lodges and its famous for those huge fishes. The approach to Galibore is a road (what road????), a mud trail that runs along side river cauvery. Stopping by a huge white tree (terminus arjuna) we were found chilling out by the bank of the river.

After being stopped at galibore by the Jungle Lodge guys, permit in hand, we were let off with a warning that the gate is closed.

The warning looming over my head, we left galibore towards muthathi, again on a rough unexplored road. For some reason I thought the route was just 4 kilometers long. But as we continued riding the end of the road was as evasive as it could get. Dogged with high ups and downs, the trail was getting tougher and tougher. The thunderbird was at its best but the standard 350 was leaking oil. Sharath then confronts me, if we don't see road in 15 minutes, we ride back to sangam. After a small meeting and assuring sarath that the end of the road is near, we are back to what we do best... riding. Note how good you feel after you have encouraged someone else. No other argument is necessary to suggest that never miss the opportunity to give encouragement.

In time I see a gate and a beautiful tar road outside it. Sarath has reached first. The forest gate is closed.

I am damn hungry. Is this why we ran around for so long? Is this the reward? A Tide of panic shakes my body, propagates through my nerves, blood rushing up my head, despair approaching me, I switch the engine off and sit on the bike while I ponder. Leadership has been defined as the ability to hide your panic from others. I was like the Prince Of Persia who was caught in the 7th level when the door closes. Ideas come pouring, maybe we carry the bikes over the forest check post gate…..

Then like the mouse who opens the gate in Prince Of Persia, Sarath, alights from the bike and opens the gate… The forest guards at muthathi were given the wireless message from kanakpura and they kept the gate open!

Crossing Muthathi, we then ride to cauvery fishing camp in bheemeshwari and have a great lavish non vegetarian buffet. After the wonderful service bestowed on us, I leave this wonderful place, indebted to Sarath (for whom we had food) and the guards who were kind and hospitable to us.

Warned by the guards not to go thru Halgoor due to bad roads, we just did just that. Leaving bheemeshwari and heading to halgoor, the roads were initially a pain.

Halgoor-Kanakpura-kaalglipura-bangalore was the route we took back to Bangalore. We arrived at Bangalore at 6 PM.

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