If the Chennai ride was a revelation, then I'd call this ride enlightenment.
Sugar is my bike, a Classic 500 Desert Storm. The one I intend to love with all my heart, take places and learn how he works.
And in this ride I had experienced company, signaling me to ensure safe riding and teaching me things along the way.
I wore a full faced helmet, the elbow and the knee guards too. I had to keep my headlamp ON all along the road I followed, for obvious reasons. I learnt postures that don't get you tired every 100 kilometers.
Will take you along the day wise plan.
Day 1 (Sunday the 24th)-
Started to Yana at around 11am. I saw my paradise on the way to the Yana caves.
Trees, not forest-like, but very calm jungle-like. With the sun rays piercing through the leaves on the curvy roads and the calm air and the deafening silence of the forest; it all felt like a dream.
I knew I was new on that kind of terrain. The bends were quite critical. A few felt like hairpin bends; inclined and all that. And a few curves were just very sharp and blind.
And as I noticed a car that had got stuck on the other side while turning, in the next 200 mts, I skid on stones. On a real sharp curve. I fell and Sugar fell on me. Not for two moments was I in shock. I got up normally like I was expecting this, thought I sprained my leg, but I could gear and walk. The elbow & knee guards saved major damage I tell you! Wounded near the ankle a bit though. And Sugar also suffered minor damages.
Rode to Yana. Parked. Walked 1.5 Kms to reach the cave (and temple). Majestic and amazing.
Left Yana and rode towards Gokarna. Roached the town and the temple around sunset. Narrow roads, hippie crowd, just too many non-Indians.
We continued riding till the end of road near Om beach and tried the Namaste cafe for rooms. It was a long weekend and everywhere else was full, they said. But luckily we got a room and crashed there for the night.
Day 3 (Tuesday the 26th)-
We were all set to leave at around 11am. After breakfast we decided to stay another day. If we got the room, of course. And we did! Major chilling, munching, roaming on the beach was all we did on the 3rd day.
Day 4 (Wednesday the 27th)-
We started at around 11am after breaking fast at Namaste cafe. Rode towards Haveri to catch the NH and reach Bengaluru. Curvy roads till Haveri, and then came the NH! Dinner at Sira's Kamat and the NICE road to home!
Day 5 (Thursday the 28th)-
No body pain what-so-ever, except the leg. It swell in the morning and pained quite a lot later in the evening. Wearing a crepe bandage and I can't ride Sugar for 10 days now. You fall and you learn from it, don't you?
Planning on maintaining a journal for Sugar. All rides and learnings on that one. You think that's a good idea?
Sugar is my bike, a Classic 500 Desert Storm. The one I intend to love with all my heart, take places and learn how he works.
And in this ride I had experienced company, signaling me to ensure safe riding and teaching me things along the way.I wore a full faced helmet, the elbow and the knee guards too. I had to keep my headlamp ON all along the road I followed, for obvious reasons. I learnt postures that don't get you tired every 100 kilometers.
Will take you along the day wise plan.
Day 1 (Sunday the 24th)-
Started at BTM. Waited at Mekhri circle and rode towards Tumkur.
Stopped at the Pavithra Idli shop. Had heavenly idli (with butter!) and masala dosa!
Via Tiptur and Shimoga reached Jog Falls during the evening. Left Jog at sunset and rode towards Gokarna. It got dark slowly and the roads were curved, barely lit, inclined and scary. (For an amateur like me, that is.) I was told to use the high beam (only) to get a good view of the curves while turning. Worked like a charm, of course.
Around 9pm we reached Honnavar safely and decided to end the day's ride there. Stayed at the Kamat there.
Day 2 (Monday the 25th)-
Started to Yana at around 11am. I saw my paradise on the way to the Yana caves.
Trees, not forest-like, but very calm jungle-like. With the sun rays piercing through the leaves on the curvy roads and the calm air and the deafening silence of the forest; it all felt like a dream.
I knew I was new on that kind of terrain. The bends were quite critical. A few felt like hairpin bends; inclined and all that. And a few curves were just very sharp and blind.
And as I noticed a car that had got stuck on the other side while turning, in the next 200 mts, I skid on stones. On a real sharp curve. I fell and Sugar fell on me. Not for two moments was I in shock. I got up normally like I was expecting this, thought I sprained my leg, but I could gear and walk. The elbow & knee guards saved major damage I tell you! Wounded near the ankle a bit though. And Sugar also suffered minor damages.
Rode to Yana. Parked. Walked 1.5 Kms to reach the cave (and temple). Majestic and amazing.
Left Yana and rode towards Gokarna. Roached the town and the temple around sunset. Narrow roads, hippie crowd, just too many non-Indians.
We continued riding till the end of road near Om beach and tried the Namaste cafe for rooms. It was a long weekend and everywhere else was full, they said. But luckily we got a room and crashed there for the night.
Day 3 (Tuesday the 26th)-
We were all set to leave at around 11am. After breakfast we decided to stay another day. If we got the room, of course. And we did! Major chilling, munching, roaming on the beach was all we did on the 3rd day.
 |
| Peace |
 |
| Dusk |
 |
| The beautiful moon rising |
We started at around 11am after breaking fast at Namaste cafe. Rode towards Haveri to catch the NH and reach Bengaluru. Curvy roads till Haveri, and then came the NH! Dinner at Sira's Kamat and the NICE road to home!
Day 5 (Thursday the 28th)-
No body pain what-so-ever, except the leg. It swell in the morning and pained quite a lot later in the evening. Wearing a crepe bandage and I can't ride Sugar for 10 days now. You fall and you learn from it, don't you?
Planning on maintaining a journal for Sugar. All rides and learnings on that one. You think that's a good idea?