Showing posts with label 100kms. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 100kms. Show all posts

Sunday, November 16, 2025

Madhugiri Fort Trek Guide: Conquer Asia's Largest Monolith | Chap 215 (Nov 16, 2025)

After completion of the Madhugiri trek.

Place: Madhugiri Fort Trek
Distance: 100x 2 = 200kms.
Directions: Bengaluru – Dobbaspete – Madhugiri –  Bengaluru.
Particiapants: Dileep (Koof) > Karthik (Sippy).
Bikes: NS400
Previous visit: Bhairavadurga trek.
Budget: Rs450/head. (Petrol = 400Rs, breakfast = 30Rs)
Difficulty: High endurance / Low technical.

IN LESS THAN 50 WORDS:

This was one good, gruelling trek.  Madhugiri is Asia's largest monolith (at least according to its welcome board sign). We used to ride past her on every one of our previous 6 trips in a month. Yeah, has been a crazy end to 2025. Madhugiri is a pretty easy one in terms of technicality, but it's a never-ending endurance grinder. But yeah, this place is slightly commercial, and you can find people here as early as 6am. No Entry Fees and 6am-6pm are the timings. Oh yeah, last but not least, Madhu-giri = Honey hill, because a lot of honeybee colonies on this hill. 

Sippy amidst the fields, with madhugiri in background

INTRO & PLAN:

Madhugiri and Savandurga are the largest monoliths of Asia. And Madhugiri, trust me, is pretty scary to look at when viewed from the front. It is like a never-ending rock that goes through the clouds. On a foggy day, it sends a shiver down anybody who lifts their head up and looks at it. Koof was on the confirmed list. And we had decided to leave early at 5am or so.
TIME: 22:00 (15/11/2025)

NS400 one stable cruiser

ASSEMBLE:

Yeah, I was up at 03:00am, did a few push-ups and sit-ups. After which, I gave Koof a wake-up call. Listened to some Goth, Doom and Stoner metal and. prepped myself up for the day. Koof came to my home and said, one bike was suffice. So, parked my bike back and hopped onto his and off we went.
TIME: 05:00

Misty and foggy ride to madhugiri on Nov 2025

RIDE 1: (Bengaluru – Dobbaspete – Madhugiri)

This was a 100km one-way ride. But what should have been a straightforward ride, turned out to be a topsy-turvy roller coaster. As we left Bangalore, things were calm. Then, post-Nelamangala, a blanket of heavy fog came over the roads and engulfed us. The visibility was reduced to freaking 50-100feet. With the icy fog raging on, our muscles became stiff, and my butt started to yell out in pain. 

Foggy ride. Visibility was reduced to almost nil.

We pulled over and stretched out a little bit to get the blood flowing, while stretching also we were also shivering despite all the jackets, etc, haha. We made it to our favourite idly spot post Dobbaspete and pulled over for some piping hot idlis, hoping that would at least cure the shivering.
TIME: 06:30 hrs

Idly and bajji helping us sooth down from the cold ride

After a relaxing breakfast with tea, we realised the fog was still howling at us. As we left the breakfast spot, the fog began to lift, making riding slightly better. Madhugiri was still nowhere to be seen.  Parked our bikes at the entrance, and with the goat's spirit wide awake, we were ready for the mighty trek. 
TIME: 07:30

MADHUGIRI FORT TREK:

Alright, Madhugiri trek. Well, it's pretty scary to look at from afar, but once you come face to face with it, it's like an elephant, mighty but gentle (at least the gentle ones). But trust me, the grind is real. It would feel like a never-ending climb to the skies. We took about 1h, 20min to climb the hillock, with extensive breaks (details below!:P) 

Even the final stretch has stairs

The strange part about this fort is, a fort wall's height cleverly masks the next one. So, a climber would be amazed/devastated (depending on the enthusiasm) to see the next stretches keep coming, one after another, making it a good mental tester. Ok, let me break down the phases of the trek into these:

i) Initial gateways 
ii) Danger Zone 
iii) Never-ending stretch 

Alright, here goes, keep up with me here! 

Initial gateways are easy to navigate and requires about 15-30minutes

Initial gateways:

The trek started off with a pretty easy stretch, with a lot of steps and a clear path. But hey, remember, steps drain you out. So, we decided to keep the pace slow, but no stops. At least that is what I was telling, before I turned around and saw Koof lazily on the floor resting in a half-sitting, half-sleeping position, haha! 

The gateways are very easy to navigate. After a couple of gateways, it opens up to a small grass patch, where a clear, narrow path takes you to the next phase of the trek. Once you get a whale-shaped rock, it signifies that the second phase of the trek has begun. 
TIME: 07:45

The most vertical ascent of Madhugiri

Danger Zone:

As soon as I spotted the whale-shaped rock, I pointed it out and jumped with joy. Koof looked at me, thought some clown must have possessed me. Alright, this stretch has railings and can be easily navigated. And the cross-traverse part of this section is considered to be the riskiest, and makes "Madhugiri"  the most dangerous trek of all? I mean facts, yes, cross-traversing a rock face is tough and dangerous, BUT. What if you take it HEAD ON and climb the vertical face itself? And that is exactly what we did :) Btw, there is a safe alternate route via railings which eventually joins the railing shown in the picture above and below. 

resting on the steepest part of ascent of madhugiri hillock

A few people gasped, a few other people called us crazy, but we continued being ourselves. Once we were out of the so-called "danger zone", then came the merciless, ruthless, relentless, running out of adverbs here, haha. - the never-ending climb!
TIME: 08:15

The last stretch is the longest at madhugiri and drains you out

Never-ending stretch:

Now, after doing the danger zone, some might be feeling the adrenaline-pumping feeling you have reached the top. Hold your horses, it's, I guess, somewhere around 50% of the trek. Yes, AND NOW, the grind STARTS. 

The never ending grind to the top at madhugiri

Make your mind strong, from here it's a ruthless never never-ending climb. Remember the fort walls masking the next stage I had mentioned earlier? You will experience it here. Every time you feel it is the END, you will see another stretch ready to be served, with a crooked smile.  Koof in most of the treks, find the views along the way more enjoyable than the actual summit. 

The push to the summit

I am not sure if it is an excuse for sitting. I had to cook up stories like "from the top of Madhugiri, you can see two suns, if you reach before 9am," etc, to keep him rolling, haha! After a hard time keeping Koof motivated with my cooked-up stories, we pushed to the summit. I mean, literally pushing, huh, see image above. And here are some motivational stories I cooked up for koof:
a. you will get kuska from the king's kitchen at the summit 
b. the fog always is hidden in a room on the summit
c. the king's wife can be heard time to time singing, only at the summit etc., 
TIME: 08:45 

Finally the top of madhugiri

MADHUGIRI FORT TOP:

As we reached the top, Koof, like always, started saying how easy the trek (sarcastically of course) and he is used to these kinds of treks for early morning walks, etc., I stared at him and said "go down and come back, I will wait here",  haha. We explored the granaries and old ruins at the top, then came to the entrance at the top and slept off there for 10-15 minutes. The spot we chose was slightly off the route, few poor travellers thought that was the route. We immediately warned them and pointed towards the actual route. The face below was the steepest 90deg rock face :P. After a peaceful nap, well rested we decided to head back.
TIME: 09:15

Sippy with granaries and oil storage at the top of madhugiri

DESCENT:

The descent was a quick one; we took about 45 minutes to an hour to get back to base. And hey, non-stops on this one, felt really happy. We cruised past the "gruelling stretch" in a jiffy, asking her, sorry for all the names we called her on the way up. Then came the danger zone, well, no prizes for guessing, we took the steep route down, haha. 
I was making fun of Koof's bike, saying "first time, I'm not stressed while climbing down, but what scares me is sitting as pillion on your bike, my butt is gonna become rock solid :P" Once we reached the base of the hillock, Koof started making fun of me saying, "this was the easiest trek of all, i need something more challenging etc., etc.,"
TIME: 10:15

View of Madhugiri as seen from the base and starting point of the trek

RIDE 2: (Madhugiri – Kortagere - Dobbaspete- Bangalore)

As we left Madhugiri, Koof said i try riding. And I was very sceptical, but as i started, I felt really good. And lots of power. Before a blink, i was cruising at 80-90kmph on empty highway roads. We spotted a local juice shop near Koratagere, where we pulled in for about 1 to 1.5Ihrs.  

After which Koof took over and cruised at a very good pace, dropped me to my home as we decided to skip lunch and left to his home respectively.
TIME 13:30

CONCLUSION:

"This was one grinding encounter. Madhugiri lived up to its expectation of being an endurance tester. It gives that sense of safe-ness. With whole families around coming to enjoy a picnic, it doesn't offer a raw, isolated, wild trek. But for a beginner, it is the perfect choice!!

KREW:

Koof - knew if it was one person to pull it off within 1.5 hours, it was him. But last thing i wanted to do was sit next to him, he would doze off 1-2hrs haha... 
Sippy - Having seen IT recently and getting inspired by the clown, kept the spirits high. And yeah, no glute exercises needed for the week :P

Until next time, Sayonara \m/

Sippy after successful completion of Madhugiri fort trek


⬅️ 214) Bhairavadurga Trek                                                             216) Shivangange Trek ➡️

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Wednesday, October 22, 2025

Channarayana Durga Fort: The High Mountain Trek | Chapter 211 (Oct 21, 2025)

Anwar with the friendly dog on the summit of Channarayanadurga

Place: Channarayana Durga trek
Distance: 100kms x 2 = 200 kms
Directions: Bangalore > Nelamangala > Dabaspet > Kortagere > Channarayana Durga
Krew: Anwar (Sharief bhai) > Karthik (Sp)
Bikes: Pulsar                                                                                  
Previous Visit: Kabbala Durga trek
Budget: Rs 250/head (Total = 400 petrol + 100 breakfast & tea)

IN LESS THAN 50 WORDS:

Well, this was a crazy chapter, the second run during the Diwali holidays. People often ask me why I go to these hillocks repeatedly; this chapter answers it perfectly. Firstly, I don't go for myself. It's the others I help reach places. Secondly, the mountain always presents a different face every time we go, so its a new experience every time. (Thirdly - none of their business)  In this chapter, the fog descended wildly onto Channarayana Durga as we ascended and presented a beautiful yet scary side of her. The trek, as such, was beautiful, but with water running down on the white stones, proved to be quite risky. Thankfully, we had a guardian angel along with us! Read on.

First tier covered in fog and mist

INTRO & PLAN:

Well, it had been 2 days since our trip to Kabbaladurga. 1 day to recover and 1 day to plan. Madhu said he would be busy, and Anwar said he could be staying at Nelamangala. So yeah, the trip was planned, pick from Nelamangala. Headed where? Nobody knew. Oh yeah, btw, it was Anwar's b'day as well. SO, thought of gifting him a good experiential gift rather than materialistic ones.
TIME: 22:00 (20/10/2025)

ASSEMBLE & LEAVE:

Oh yeah, woke up at 00:30, wait what. Yes, you read that right. Woke up, did a few push-ups and sit-ups, and by 2am was ready. I got bored and listened to some music. Woke up Anwar by 3:30am and told him we'd head out early. Had a sip of coffee and left home.
TIME: 04:30

Misleading second tier spot


RIDE 1: (Bangalore – Nelamangala-Dobbaspete - Channarayana Durga)

The ride to Channarayana Durga is a smooth one. But the construction on the highway is slightly draining. As I left home, I cruised along at a decent pace in the early hours with still darkness all around me, felt homely. Reached Nelamangala and picked up B'day boy and cruised to reach Dobbaspet. Once onto the Kortagere road, it was smooth sailing in the darkness to reach our regular breakfast spot for a double round superb breakfast. 
TIME: 06:00

The fort turns after the first fort wall


We had a great breakfast, and the sunlight had begun to rise. The zone just before sunrise feels the coldest. Hopping onto the bike, we zoomed ahead until the town "Tumbadi", Oh yeah, that's right, we discussed the awesome movie as we cruised along, parked our bikes at the town's centre. Requested a random bakery to hold on to our helmets until we reach back :P
TIME: 10:45

Surreal views at the first tier, with the fog gushing in from all sides

ASCENSION:

Channarayana Durga is one such hillock, which is easy to ascend, but is also tricky. Let me explain. The rocks here are slippery, and with water running down, it becomes actually risky. As we reached the foot of the mountain, the sun was up and we felt good. The waters running down the mountain send slight chills. We took about an hour to ascend the mountain.
Anyway, I have divided the ascension into the following stages, So keep up with here! :
i) Initial Stretch
ii) Lost Paradise
iii) Layouts
iv) Last Stretch

TIME: 07:15

i) Initial stretch:

This stretch is the hardest part of the trek. Not surprising at all, right, if you want your enemies to die, let them die at the foot of the mountain, not at the top. This stretch is tricky, I mean real tricky. With waters running down, we could only feel what the invading armies felt whilst trying to conquer this fort. And guess what, out of nowhere, I mean seriously out of nowhere, a dog joined us in the middle of this stretch. 

ii) Lost Paradise:

Once we reached the first fort wall. We began navigating our way into the lost paradise. And as we entered it, we were taken aback by the sight that was in front of us. Thick dense fog is descending on the hillock. Damn! It looked so beautiful and scary at the same time. The whole of the lake and ruins of the temples were shrouded in fog and felt damn nice. With the winds blowing with the fog, felt like an angry banshee's cold hug!    

Nice spot in the second tier where lay in a lot of granaries and outposts

iii) Layouts:

The layouts, I mean, what layouts huh? Nothing was hardly visible haha! Crazy scenes, it was. And we were the only two on top of the hillock (oh yeah, the dog as well, so three). So, we kept pushing further and reached the "end of the word" spot. And we weren't surprised to spot nothing. We couldn't spot Madhugiri or any of the hillocks. It seemed as though the fog and wind had made peace and were howling and encircling the entire hill. Felt surreal. 

iv) Last Stretch:

Told Anwar and the dog (yes, I really did tell him) that we would summit the top and wait for the sunrise, and then come back here. We pushed through the last stretch and reached the summit. 
TIME: 08:15

resting on the summit with the dog

TOP:

As we reached the top, we settled down below a tree and began to relax. The fog was really howling by now. The sun was trying to put up a good fight but it was of no use. We had some biscuits in our bag. We fed the dog, and after having biscuits, he sat down and began napping. Haha, such peaceful creatures. We also had some water and relaxed for a while. But the winds blowing along with the fog were actually spooky. After resting for about 20-30mins we decided to head back the spot we discussed earlier.
TIME: 09:00

Trekker navigating the second tier of channarayanadurga

As we came back to the "end of the world" spot.  We could spot the bottom of the ground, and the fog seemed to be lifting. We felt happy and decided to crash at the spot until the fog lifted. The spot is a tricky one with dead ends all around. And the brave dog followed us onto this spot. Peeping cautiously below, took step by step and sat with us. And it was truly the "end of the word" feeling!! We waited and waited, then finally took a nap at the spot and decided to head back haha!
TIME: 09:15

The lost ruined temples of channarayanadurga, with a loyal companion

TREK BACK:

It took us hardly 45 minutes to reach the base. The dog was waiting for us to get back. As I sat down beside him, I tried to seriously have a conversation, looking into his eyes. All he did was stare at the next gateway that lay afar. He had a mission, and that is all that mattered to him, I guess. We cruised back the top two stretches in a jiffy. And we entered the "initial stretch", we could see that the water flowing down the mountain had increased, and to make matters worse, it started raining. 

Waters flowing making the trekker's journey challenging


Being doubly cautious, we made our way down very slowly. The dog stuck with it throughout until this stretch. And as we were navigating the final steep descent. We couldn't spot the dog anymore. thanking him for the company, we headed towards the bakery for some refreshments. After some Sting, we decided to head back to Bangalore.
TIME: 10:15

Anwar and brownie, just before entering the last phase of the trek
   

RIDE 2: (Channarayana Durga – Dabaspet - Nelamangala – Bangalore)

Okay, this was the 100kms ride back to Bangalore. As we left Channarayanadurga, the cool breeze felt good on our face. We stopped and had a final look back at the hillock, who was still fighting the fog with the help of the sun. We promised her a return and zoomed ahead towards Bangalore. Dropped Anwar at Nelamangala, and headed back to reach hime. 
TIME: 12:30

CONCLUSION:

Has to be one of the most awesome faces of this mountain I have ever seen since 2012. But nevertheless, it was risky. And a superb experience to the b'day boy. Let's keep GOING!!  And last but most importantly, thanks to the dog for sticking by us throughout this adventurous trek. Cheers boi :)
Until next time Ta-ta Cia \m/

Thank you brownie for keeping us safe - channaraynadurga trek

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Sunday, October 19, 2025

Kabbaladurga Trek: The Grind Is Real | Chapter 210 (Oct 18, 2025)

Hiking kabbaladurga the loapers style, freestyling


Place: Kabbaladurga trek
Distance: 100kms x 2 = 200kms
Directions: Bangalore > Bidadi > Channpatna > Kabbaladurga > Kanakpura > Bangalore
Krew: Madhu (Bande) > Anwar (Sharief bhai) > Karthik (Sp)
Bikes: Enfield >Pulsar                                                                                  
Previous VisitRayakottai fort trek
Budget: Rs 290/head

IN LESS THAN 50 WORDS:

Alright, this trip was more than just a trek. Kabbaldurga tests your internal being and your will to survive. Going alone is one thing; going as a group is something else. And yeah, with all the steps being carved out, etc., for public safety, we took the old school route up and pulled off a banger!!

INTRO & PLAN:

It had been a week since the Rayakottai chapter. Hands were itchy already. And with the Diwali holidays on the horizon, I had planned to execute 1 or 2 more trips to catch up on 2025. Usually Kabblu is the place I visit alone on my birthdays for resetting my being. Kabbaladurga is also one of the prominent Navadurgas around Bangalore. But this time had the best 2 (wait 3) companions.  It was Anwar and Madhu on the confirmed list. And we were set to GO.
TIME: 22:00 (17/10/2025)
   
Two hikers (Anwar and Madhu) resting and smiling after successfully completing the climb.

ASSEMBLE & LEAVE:

Yeah, I was up at 02:45am.  Called Anwar, who had to come from  Attibele and come over to my place and leave his bike. Madhu, on the previous day, had confirmed that he would be at Kanakpura and join us at the base of the hillock directly. So it was Anwar and me from Bangalore.  As I waited for Anwar sitting outside the home, I was shocked to see the flock of cars and bikes heading out of Bangalore. Insane it was. Anyway, once Anwar arrived, we said tata to Bangalore.
TIME: 06:00

RIDE 1: (Bangalore– Ramngara – Channpatna - Kabbaldurga)

This was a 100km one-way ride on Mysore Road. As we left Bangalore, it started drizzling. I had second thoughts about Kabblu being a good option on a rainy day. But kept riding. The darkness still prevailed, and with the rains, it was tough, so we moved out at a slow pace. But then again, "if you don't ride in rain, you don't ride", right?  We pulled over at our regular breakfast at Bidadi for some nice breakfast.
TIME: 06:00

beautiful views on the way to Kabbaladurga

After a great breakfast, the slight light had made its way. The air was still cold, we hopped onto the bike again and made our way to Ramnagar. Upon hitting Ramnagar, the old Mysore presented itself, and a different side of me awoke. The bike more or less took over the riding part, and we chatted our way to reach Channapatna. From Channapatna, we took a left turn, and the country roads were bliss. It was a complete canopy ride, with the trees welcoming us on both sides and sheltering us from the sun.  We made it to Kabblu where Madhu was already waiting for us. It was time to CLIMB.
TIME: 07:00

Hiker rests on a steep rock face

KABBALDURGA TREK:

Well, it took us about an hour to reach the top. I knew it would be more difficult compared to their previous treks for both Madhu and Anwar. The idea was to maintain a slow speed and keep going. As before, I have divided the trek into the following sections:

i) Initial stretch
ii) 3 point stretch
iii) Viper stretch
iv) Final Stretch
So ready? Yeah this was a calm yet crazy trek, keep up with me here!

i) Initial stretch:

Trust me, this is never straightforward as it navigates through a forest. This is the easiest stretch, but the stretch where I always goof-up. I mean it is fun, but not always. Even after visiting this hillock many times, i made a micro-mistake where i strayed off a clearly visible pathway, talking and narrating stories haha :P

Hiker enjoying the grind of the steep rock face climb

ii) 3 point stretch:

This was shaking you up from within and really tests your stamina. Well, there were the steps that had been carved out. But even that kinda pulls u out of your body. But like always, we took the old school route, climbing it free style. But something special awaited us on this one. The dog that had accompanied me last year showed up and immediately recognised me. We hugged, and it was such a special moment. (Kabbaladurga 2024 chapter) Oh yea, as far as the stretch goes, cautiously but continuously we're grinding our way to the top with a break in between.

Hiker and dog on the steep face of Kabbaladurga

iii) Viper stretch:

After the grueling 3-point stretch, there was the viper stretch. Call this cause, it resembles a mega boa that had passed through the grass. This is not difficult, but the inclination is steep. We made it through this pass without any hassles.

The viper stretch where one can sit down and cool

iv) Final stretch:

The final stretch consists of tricky spots and a lot of steps. We consciously avoided the steps as they are more draining. Climbing free style, avoiding stepping on flowing water from the top. We ground our way to the top. 
TIME: 08:00

Tricky stretches, supports are provided but to be cautious.

KABBALADURGA SUMMMIT:

As we reached the top, I told Anwar and Madhu to keep aware of the recovery rate of their breath and body. Trust me, it is surreal at this place. As soon as we reach the top, the bodies magically calm down. As though the entire stretch was a test of some sort.  First we paid respect to the Kabblu temple and then we crashed behind the Shiva temple. Where the dog, came and rest amidst us.

The final top, the original Kabbalamma temple

We slept at the top, without speaking much, imbibing the natural sounds. Whoo! it was such a refresher, trust me. As we could sense the clouds slowly hovering around and the air getting heavier, we decided to head back as we didn't want to get stranded on this hillock with the rains slashing down. 
TIME: 09:00

The vegetation had grown and tall grass made the top of Kabbaladurga look beautiful

TREK DOWN:

Trek down was a fun one. It always tests the knees a lot. As we began the trek down, we cruised through the final stretch and viper stretch in a matter of 10 minutes. After which, during the 3-pointer, we looked for an alternative route and then descended in the steepest phase. Being calm and cautious, we pulled it off to get our feet back on solid muddy ground. What-a rush it was! But very satisfying.
TIME: 10:00

The Loapers resting at nice cave spot en route back to base

RIDE 2: (Kabbaldurga – Kanakpura -Bangalore)

This was a 100 km ride back, but took the Kanakpura road this time, completing a small good circuit. As we got down from Kabblu had a Sting to shoot up energies. And then we took off via Sathnur towards Kanakpura. It had been a while since riding on this baby, and it felt good. We pulled over at Kanakpura and thanked Madhu for making it. Post which Anwar and I zoomed towards Bangalore and more specifically Blue Wings haha. Had a light drink and finished our lunch, and made it to our respective homes.
TIME: 12:00 (reaching Bangalore)

The loapers team with a dog from one year back


CONCLUSION:

" this was a excellent and to be frank tough ones considering the route we took. Kabblu never dissapoints to shake us up. But Madhu and Anwar pushed beyond their boundaries, overcame their fears while getting down and pulled off this BANGER of a trip"

Until next time, Cia \m/ (oh yeah, the third being was the Kabblu dog!, here we go)

Loyalty is the base of good friendship. Sippy with the dog he had met one year back at Kabbaladurga

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Thursday, June 13, 2024

Kabbaladurga Trek: Focus Baby Focus | Chapter 204 (Jun 1, 2024)

Sippy's bike with kabbaladurga in the background

Place: Kabbaladurga trek

Distance: 100kms x 2 = 200kms

Directions: Bangalore > Bidadi > Channpatna > Kabbaladurga > Kanakpura > Bangalore

Krew: Karthik (Sp)

Bikes: Pulsar                                                                                  

Previous Visit: Huliyurdurga trek.

Budget: Rs 400.

IN LESS THAN 50 WORDS:

Okay, so birthday’s I have this funny ritual of travelling solo to one of the tough climbs – Kabbaladurga and a place which I revere a lot. It feels like hitting a re-boot / re-set button of your life. Helps you get centred. So, this visit was no different.

INTRO & PLAN:

Previous evening I went out and had some chats at Shivas (Hanumanthnagar) and then fuelled up my bike and rested well at night. The day before a solo travel always is slightly jittery, but hey overcoming that jitters is the whole point.

TIME: 22:00 (10/6/2024)

A bull welcoming sippy at kabbaladurga

ASSEMBLE & LEAVE:

Yeah, was up by 4am, stretched out. Was ready for the trip. Had breakfast at home itseld, 3 nice dose and was ready head out. The skies looked gloomy, well good sign to ride, but not a great sign when you want to climb a rocky hillock.

TIME: 05:30

RIDE 1: (Bangalore– Ramngara – Channpatna - Kabbaldurga)

As I headed out, it was a weekday, but the traffic on mysore road never ends. I was little shaky in the beginning and though it was not even 6am, the skies were bright. Listening to some Chinese songs I zoomed ahead full steam. After a while, I could see the sun rise on my rear-view mirrors and that felt great. On to the left a train zoomed by, smiling at all the passengers, flipping off a few I made it to Ramnagara. Here I had lost my way last time, so cautiously took the old Mysore Road and reached Channapatna.

After Channapatna, the country roads welcomed me with two broad arms, and I just left the bike dictate the terms of the ride. After all the rains, the surrounding had turned green and it was so calming on the mind. Once I had a chance to spot Kabblu, the top was shrouded in clouds it was such a beautiful sight to behold. Shouting aloud that 1hr I will be there, zoomed into the town, parking my bike and with a mountain goat’s spirit wide awake, I was read for the trek.

TIME: 07:15

A small pond on top of kabbaladurga

KABBALDURGA TREK:

Okay, this trek was slightly different. Past one week I had taken a rest week from workout. Hence I knew this trek would be okay but slightly harder than usual. It took me 40 minutes to reach the top. But if you are trying for the first time 90-120minutes should be considered.  Okay here we go with four stretches again:

i) Initial stretch

ii) 3 point stretch ?? – wait what!

iii) Viper stretch

iv) Final Stretch

So ready? Here goes nothing!

i) Initial stretch:

Usually this stretch is so chaotic that I never take the right route, but somehow get passed this. But this time, it was different. From the get-go all things fell in place and I took the actual route from the first step until I reached the favourite spot.

ii) 3 point stretch:

The 3-point stretch which was my favourite, steps had been carved out.  I mean yes, it helps but shit, feels bad. “Helping boys become men” – KA tourism dept. I got off the steps and was climbing up the mountain like a lizard, when I could feel someone watching me and slowly catching up. When I turned back it was dog wagging its tail wondering why I was struggling so much with the climb.

A friendly dog accompanying sippy at kabbaladurga

iii) Viper stretch:

At the viper, the dog found its own puddle and quenched its thirst. I did not stop, but on the go I had a sip of water and relaxed a bit. The dog and me had a conversation going.  I mean the effortless climbing of a dog is just a bliss to watch.

iv) Final stretch:

During the final stretch, the legs were showing signs of fatigue. But I kept pushing it.  And at the final moment, the dog wanted me to reach the top first and I want it to go ahead and lead the way. I sat down and so did it next to me. Finally I started running up and then it overtook me reaching the top first.

TIME: 08:00

The friendly dog leading the way to the top of kabbaladurga

TOP:

At the top, we visited the main temple first and paid our respects. Then with the dog wondering why I was removing my shoes and putting it back on. Then, I started making way to the shiva temple and my sleep spot. Once the shoes off I entered the temple and crashed on the floor. The dog was confused whether to enter or not, I sat near the door and try convincing it to enter. But it was outside. Once I started dozing off, I could hear light footsteps enter the temple in a confused manner hehe. Finally, the dog had also found its own sweet spot temple and was resting peacefully.

I was explaining how the past year had been the ups and downs of the year. Few of stories it genuinely listened with interest, rest of the times it just dozed off. After about 30mins or so, we decided to head back.

TIME: 08:30

The conversations with dog were so pure and simple

TREK DOWN:

The trek down was an easy peasy one. It took me 20-30 mins of non-stop trek. The final and viper stretch was finished off in a matter of minutes. Then during the three point stretch, met a few people making it up, offered them water and then looking at the stairs I felt sad. Then decided to jump of the rails and go wild and climb down like a lizard I always am. Then the final stretch I just ran to the bike. Then met a person and started conversing with him for 20-30 minutes.

TIME: 09:15

the summit of kabbaladurga, the original temple is at the top

RIDE 2:(Kabbaldurga – Channpatna – Bidadi-Bangalore)

This was 100kms ride back, decided to take back the Mysore road. As I left Kabblu, with still sweat dripping down my forehead like a small stream I washed my face in the town. Then as I started riding my bike, started cooling down. Whew! As I rode on about 3-4km, I turned back, promising her a return I zoomed into the town of Channapatna.  Upon reaching the old Mysore Road, I felt home. There is something so different about the mysore road, it is simply more enjoyable to ride on. It was a straightforward ride to home.

TIME: 11:00

CONCLUSION:

Upon reaching home, had some 3 dose slept for a while, then got up and then had proper pappu rice and all and dosed off again. Then Koof called me and said to meet at Blue Wings. So went to BW and crashed there for about an hour so, then after coming back did 50pullups, 100pushups and 100squats in total of 15minutes. Happy birthday to me, FTW!

Cheers all \m/
Sippy and the brown dog at the summit of kabbaladurga

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