Tuesday, August 2, 2016

Muthathi – Black Tranquillity: The 200km Relaxing Forest Swim & A Shocking Near-Encounter with a Crocodile | Chapter 127 (May 16, 2016)



Place: Muthathi - Island of Tranquility.        
Distance: 100 x 2 = 200kms.
Directions: Bengaluru – Bidadi - Channpatna - Kabbladurga - Muthati
Particiapants: Arun(Aaku bhai) > Madhu (Barca) > Pradeep > Karthik (Sp).
Bikes:  KTM Duke > Pulsar                                      
Previous visit: Maddur - Started?

IN LESS THAN 50 WORDS:                                                  
A much needed break & more importantly a good swim. A neat, classical ride to this peaceful forest  on a weekday. Getting into the river waters and relaxing was just the medicine needed to shatter the tensed bonds within my head. 

INTRO & PLAN:
Initially we had thought of riding to Chitradurga on Saturday (14th May 2016) but as it didn’t work out we ended up going for a long walk. During the walk Arun told me he had a holiday on Monday, hence we called up Madhu and asked whether he was up for a ride. Once Madhu confirmed, the plan was set. Late night, Madhu called and told his friend also would be joining us.
TIME: 23:00 (15/5/2016)


 ASSEMBLE & LEAVE: 
Yeah I was up at 05:00, did a few crunches & cycling, had a cup of hot water & lemon and was all set to go. Arun & I met up at bakery at about 06:30. After having some hot tea, we headed towards Nagarbhavi to pick up Madhu and his friend. After a formal introduction of Pradeep we left Bangalore.  
TIME: 07:15

  
 
RIDE 1: (Bangalore – Bidadi– Channpatna – Sathnur - Mutathi)
This was approximately 125kms ride. As we started off from Bangalore, we rode slow & easy for the first 30kms or so. As we reached Bidadi, we pulled over at our regular hotel for some yummy breakfast.
TIME: 08:15



After a yummy breakfast we had a refreshing tea outside and headed further. We rode non-stop at a decent pace until Channpatna. Once we reached Channpatna, we took a left deviation and entered into the country roads. Enjoying the fresh air & pure ambience we rode slow through the towns to get the first glimpse of Kabbladurga.
TIME: 10:00

   



Ah, yes, like always sends chills down my spine every time I see this hillock. Arun with his new found love KTM started burning some rubber and practising stoppee on the clear road. After which we continued further to reach Sathnur. We bought a bottle of water and were ready to enter Mutathi.
As we entered Muthati, we checked into the forest check post and enquired with the guard about the road conditions.  As we entered the forest premises, we were greeted by two beautiful peacocks wandering on the road. As we headed deeper into the forest, the roads became gradually worse. About a kilometer or two prior to actual Muthati, we went off road and found a perfect spot on the river banks.
TIME: 11:30


MUTHATI:
Ah, yes the placid river spot was just the perfect thing needed for us. The water levels had gone low, but nevertheless we had to watch out for the whirpools and dangers of this place. First I got in and swam for some time, after which Pradeep & Madhu got in as well. The float in the cool water was just the relaxation we needed. After about an hour playing in water we decided to get out dry ourselves and head back home. As we were heading out, i spotted a floating stone, I thought i was hallucinating and we packed. As we had a final look, it looked somewhat like a crocodile, but we dismissed and left. (Read the last part)

Ps: The waters here are notorious and have resulted in many deaths. Please be advised and not venture too deep into waters.

TIME: 12:45

  

RIDE 2: ( Muthati – Sathnur – Chanapatna – Bangalore)
This was 125kms ride back home. We decided we would take the same route as we had come to the place. So, riding back uphill we reached Sathnur under the blazing sun. We grabbed a bottle of water and continued further switching riders to reach Channpatna. Once we reached Channpatna, the traffic increased considerably. Bigger problem than that was our tummies began to grumble. So, we raced on non-stop cruising past Ramnagar & Bidadi to reach Kengeri.  After which we headed towards Nagarbhavi towards our new found Dhaba – “Kuteera”
TIME: 15:45



After a heavy, yummy lunch we left the dhaba afloat. Riding on at full speed (without helmet too) we almost went straight into a traffic cop. Just in time we took a reverse turn right in front of him, headed in the wrong way. Dropped Madhu & Pradeep through an alternate route and headed back to reach our respective homes.
TIME: 18:15

CONCLUSION:
This was just the trip I needed, a perfect stress cracker. The swim in the cool flowing river waters in such a pure ambience was just the thing needed to free & spread out my rusted black wings back into life.
And oh yeah, next day newspaper, few fisherman had been dragged into the water by a croc. Whew! That was a close one!

Until next time, guluullulu \m/


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Saturday, July 30, 2016

Maddur – Back on the Black: The Simple 160km Ride to Break the Summer Slump & Get Back to Basics | Chapter 126 (May 7, 2016)



Place: Maddur - Started again!.        
Distance: 80 x 2 = 160kms.
Directions: Bengaluru – Bidadi - Ramnagara - Maddur - Nagarbhavi
Particiapants: Dileep (Koof) > Madhu (Barca)  >Gautham (Gauti)> Karthik (Sp).
Bikes:  Thunderbird > FZ> Pulsar                                      

IN LESS THAN 50 WORDS:                                                  
Almost 2 months, since our 500kms ride to Shettihalli Church. We hadn’t ridden out as a brutal summer wave had struck Bangalore. Temperatures had touched 40degrees and stayed there for some time. That is scary in Bangalore. So this trip was done once the pre monsoon showers had just begun. A simple yet effective trip to get back on the road.

INTRO & PLAN:
Trust me it was hard. Yes, it was hard to get back on the road. With life hit a dead still at work and all the dirty games involved I was polluted to the soul. Then with the rains that came into the town the city dropped its temperatures. This was clear signal that I get back on the road and out back into the sphere of pure. Maddur was planned, Dilip, Madhu & I were to head from Bangalore and reach Maddur. Gauti had to come from the other end of the road i.e, Mysore. ETA at Maddur was fixed to be between 09:00 & 09:30.
TIME: 22:00 (6/5/2016)

    

ASSEMBLE & LEAVE:
Yeah I was up at 05:00, did a few crunches & cycling, had a cup of hot water & lemon and was all set to go. I left my home towards Nagarbhavi, picked up Madhu and went towards Decathlon as the meet up was scheduled there. At Decathlon, Dilip joined us both and we 3 left Bangalore. 
TIME: 07:30
 
RIDE 1: (Bangalore – Bidadi– Ramnagara – Channpatna - Maddur)
This was approximately  80kms ride on the butter smooth Mysore road. We rode peacefully and calmly inspite of the heavy traffic that prevailed. It had been quite some days since we had been on the highway and we did feel the traffic to be congesting. But nevertheless we rode side by side chatting away and cruised past Bidadi, Ramnagara & Channpatna. Once we reached Channpatna, the time was still 08:30, so we pulled back our horses at rode at a slow pace and reached Maddur. Exactly a minute after our arrival, in came Gauti from the other end.  Both the parties wondered how synchronous that was!
TIME: 09:15

      
 
MADDUR TIFANY’S:
 We entered the hotel to find the layout completely changed. But the food was the same and we had 3 rounds of breakfast. And a tight coffee to finish things off. Then we went outside and sat near our bikes and went on talking for about an hour or two. After which we decided to hit  the local scene. Grabbing some drinks at about 10:30 we sat  at Maddur. Chattign our time away, finally we bid adieu to Gauti and 3 of us headed back to Bangalore.
TIME: 12:30

RIDE 2: (Maddur- Channpatna – Bidadi – Bangalore)
Once we departed Bangalore, as Madhu didn’t have his helmet we had two option of lunch. Either “Queen’s court” on Kanakpura Raod or the New Dhaba that we spotted near Madhu’s home. We chose the latter. We rode non-stop from Maddur to Bangalore and crashed into the new dhaba. 

     

Trust me the ambience of the place was mind blowing. And food, don’t even ask. Even though price a little on the higher side, the service and taste is simply made it worth it. And guess what we had found our new hang out place (that too near Madhu’s home:P) Ah, you should have seen the look on his face, wondering why he had to show us the Dhaba. Haha. (by the way name of the place is Kuteera)
TIME: 17:30
           

After about 2hours we left the Dhaba afloat in the Bangalore University Campus for some long walks. We went on walking not knowing where we were headed. The pleasant climate and with the sun going down, we loafed around campus eating all kinds of food. Finally dropped back Madhu to his place and we headed back to our respective homes.
TIME:19:30
Incase you are wondering about the pictures, yeah i had lost my camera :P And it was basically a ride from Bangalore to Nagarbhavi via Maddur haha, Cheers \m/


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