Every Year, Monsoon always demands for a beautiful ride. When the ride is cards, the obvious choice of everyone is to hit the Karnataka Western Ghats which does not disappoint us in terms of experience and beauty. Obviously riding in the rain is tremendous experience and experience apart.
It was time for us and without any opposition, all agreed to cover the scenic belt of Karnataka Western Ghats. As obvious this ride had lots of experiences and yes we have a new rider Ramesh Babu in our team and this was his first bike ride.
Here is the Route Covered...
Day 1 : Bangalore - Nelamangala - Channarayapatna - Arsikere
Day 2 : Arsikere - Kemmanagundi - Bababudangiri Range - Chikmagalur - Balehonnur - Koppa - Thirthahalli
Day 3: Thirthahalli - Hulikal - Kundapura - Udupi - Karkala - Dharmastala
Day 4 : Dharmasthala - Sakleshpur - Hassan - Bangalore
Team : Me on my Thunderbird, Satisha on his new Classic & Ramesh Babu on his Electra.
This was one of beautiful ride which I would always cherish. All the luggage protected with rain cover and we were fully equipped with rain gear.
Day 1 : It was Thursday, 30Aug2016. We decided to cover highways in the evening and hence started our journey on Thursday evening at 5.00PM. Ramesh Babu (Babu) was waiting for me in Hennur Junction and Satisha said he would meet us at Nelamangala Junction. Since this was the first ride, Babu was little nervous in beginning and eventually he picked up to be a good rider.
We all 3 met @ Nelamangala at around 6.00PM, took some kick off pictures and started our ride with a loud thump. Just around half hour ride, rain god started blessing us 😅 😆. We parked and protected our self with rain gear, it started raining and we were riding in the rain with frequent stops for coffee in rain.
While we were riding in the rain, on the way to Arsikere, there was an accident which created some sort of restlessness in us. We rode very slowly with rain and darkness and finally reached Arsikere. Took a decent accommodation and had a good dinner in local hotel and crashed for the day.
Oh..I forgot to mention, the roads all the way was too good to ride 👍👍!!!!!
Start of the Trip (Satisha and Babu @ Nelamangala
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| Shimoga Highway |
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On the way to Birur |
Day 2 : It was Friday, 1Sept 2016 and we had to cover Arsikere - Kemmanagundi - Bababudangiri Range - Chikmagalur - Balehonnur - Koppa - Thirthahalli. It was complete ghats and we need to cross the Bhadra Range which would consume more time as the roads were not great.
We started early morning from Arsikere and rode towards Kemmanagundi, as expected it started raining, riding in rain is altogether a difference experience. Before Kemmanagundi there is forest deviation to Bhadra range which would go through valleys. We signed the Forest check-post register and started riding, this is place altogether mesmerizing expereince to ride. It was not the first time though, every time I visit here, it makes me feel as if riding for the first time.
We made lots of stops in the valley and finally reached Thirthahalli in evening around 7.00PM. Then as usual some beer, dinner and rest for the day.
We decided to cover highways in the evening and hence started our journey on Thursday evening at 5.00PM. Ramesh Babu (Babu) was waiting for me in Hennur Junction and Satisha said he would meet us at Nelamangala Junction. Since this was the first ride, Babu was little nervous in beginning and eventually he picked up to be a good rider.
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On the way to Kemmanagundi |
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| Beautiful Forest Route of Bhadra Range |
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| Bhadra Forest Range Starts |
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| Muddy Roads to ride |
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| Beautiful Scenaries Starts from Here !! |
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| Continue to ride through Mist and Sloggy roads |
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| Valley Starts 😃😃 |
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Satisha & Babu could not resist taking Pics 😃😃  |
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| Some good rides through Mountians |
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| Looks So beautiful 😃😃 |
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| Maha Kavi Kuvempu House |
Day 3: It was on 2nd September and we had to start riding through Thirthahalli Forest and Hulikkal which was another mesmerizing route. We started early after breakfast and rode to Hulikkal which is very beautiful to ride. This was a different landscape with water bodies everywhere.
Riding through the Ghats we reached Kundapur and then to Maravanthe. Since we reached Maravanthe by afternoon, we decided to hit Dharmastala via Kudremukh.
When we started ascending the Kudremukh, my bike engine oil drained and engine seized..OOps one more nightmare because of my bike.
Satisha went down the mountain and got the engine oil and we started the bike, luckily it started. We did not wanted to take risk going through Kudremukh, so we went via Karkala to Dharmastala
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Hulikal Lake |
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| Selfie time 😊 |
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| On the way to Hulikkal |
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| Riding through curves is awesome🚲 |
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| Ghat Section |
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| At Maravanthe Beach |
Day 4: Final day of the ride, we got up early and hand Dharshan of Lord Shiva and rode back slowly to blore. Reached by night.
Overall another awesome ride !!!!!
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| Dharmastala Temple |
