New Year Bash - 2007
28Dec2006 to 02Jan2007
My last view of 2006 Bangalore
This Newyear ride was a combo of Pradeep,Prabul,Vijay and myself Arun.
Kamal couldnt join us which was a big disappointment..he was the lead(thala) for our last newyear ride the same destination.
Day1:
As usual I was late for the Nelamangala chai meet... I was late by 0.5hr, 1hr, 1.5hr as per Vijay,Pradeep,Prabul respectively.. :D Prabul already left and on the way. We all teamed-up at Kamat Channarayanpatna. From then, it was a nice group ride all the way. The next stop we made was at Chikmagalur for tea. We packed lunch as well. Soon we came out of the town and entered the ghat section. The kemmangundi road was at its worst possible shape..though the scenery was ok & fine. The last time i came here was in peak monsoon few months back..it was all green,wet and misty..this time its all missing, but then it was ok. We found a nice small waterfall on a corner and settled down for our lunch. After that nice little lunch session, we entered that Hebbe horror..the track was damn slippery with all that stones and gravel.
Hebbe falls
Soon we were in the hebbe falls..and the view was cool as usual..guess this one waterfall never disappoint people irrelevant to seasons. Later it was getting dark when we were coming out of hebbe..the scenary was just romantic that i stopped at every corner.Soon we were standing on the tea shop outside kemmangundi resort. Nobody was interested to go & check whether rooms are there are not..as per prabul, Kemmangundi resort is one sick place to stay with sick food :-) We enquired about other stay options with a villager who was waiting for bus(?). He spelled out a name called Kalhatti giri..what giri? asked few more times to memorize the name.. we thought it would be another village with some dirty lodge..we just proceeded to check that..only to find such a calm & nice place with a mini waterfall and beautiful resort waiting all alone for us. :-)
Soon we were in the hebbe falls..and the view was cool as usual..guess this one waterfall never disappoint people irrelevant to seasons. Later it was getting dark when we were coming out of hebbe..the scenary was just romantic that i stopped at every corner.Soon we were standing on the tea shop outside kemmangundi resort. Nobody was interested to go & check whether rooms are there are not..as per prabul, Kemmangundi resort is one sick place to stay with sick food :-) We enquired about other stay options with a villager who was waiting for bus(?). He spelled out a name called Kalhatti giri..what giri? asked few more times to memorize the name.. we thought it would be another village with some dirty lodge..we just proceeded to check that..only to find such a calm & nice place with a mini waterfall and beautiful resort waiting all alone for us. :-)
Bababudangiri hill ranges
For food, the guard suggested us to ride to the nearby village and bring the ‘live’ chicken..so that he can cook for us..the idea didn’t really look nice to me..we went to the village anyways and came back with booze & cooked chicken :-) We sat in that huge balcony..it was freezing but fun..the chat went for long.
Day2:
Morning we went to the water falls. Its a small temple with a mini waterfall on the side..you can trek up for further waterfalls but we didn’t. By then few of the village families came there to worship god and take bath. We had a big confusion whether to take bath here or in the room..prabul entered the falls first..and then, one by one all of us got in. :-) After bath, entered that small temple and prayed god. The time was running pretty fast but it was very peaceful out there. Guess in day time more people would come and the place might get dirty..go there in night!! ;-)
When it was almost lunch time, we started for our next destination..which was supposed to be either lakkavalli or Agumbe. We went straight to lakkavalli dam..its a 20kms deviation from Tarikeri..the dam was beautiful with thick blue water. They had few cottages right on the dam..very nice place to stay..but again, all the aunties & uncles from bangalore booked them, so we tourers dont have business there..we proceeded on our way towards Sringeri.The route was pretty confusing between map & asking people..but then, i had a rough idea. Prabul suggested to stop for lunch in a pakka village hotel..i say, we need people like Prabul to generate such spot ideas.. ;-) we stopped for lunch some where before N.R.Pura..the veg food was pretty good. we all gulped to the neck..i gulped to the nose infact..couldnt walk after lunch.. :-( was wondering how am i going to ride??
Vidyasankara temple -Sringeri
but then, the roads were good and everybody started ripping..the curves were getting better and better while approaching sringeri. Soon we were in the temple..there was a little crowd in the temple..many of them were feeding the holy fishes on the stream running inside the temple campus. It was very nice spending time there. After dark only we came out of it.
we headed for our destination Agumbe which is of another 20kms or so..with a ghat look-alike road..reached Agumbe guest house by 8:30.. i was wondering whether we would get rooms or what..but the guest house was dark and sleeping..had to wakeup the guard. He promptly gave us the room. I had this idea of riding to the sunset point in the midnight..but then, guard opposed the idea and said there was 'shooting order' against naxals..so better not to step out. :-)
We anyways stepped out for food..packed 'Neer dosa' and other usual stuffs and back to the guest house. Again it was a long chat session.
Day3:
Now the target is Kodachadri..but not yet decided.. ;-) we started late and went towards Thirthahalli. Vijay's bike had some welding job to be done. Later, we enquired route for Chakra dam..locals suggested another dam called Varahi which was supposed to be more scenic than Chakra..we agreed promptly.
but then, the roads were good and everybody started ripping..the curves were getting better and better while approaching sringeri. Soon we were in the temple..there was a little crowd in the temple..many of them were feeding the holy fishes on the stream running inside the temple campus. It was very nice spending time there. After dark only we came out of it.
we headed for our destination Agumbe which is of another 20kms or so..with a ghat look-alike road..reached Agumbe guest house by 8:30.. i was wondering whether we would get rooms or what..but the guest house was dark and sleeping..had to wakeup the guard. He promptly gave us the room. I had this idea of riding to the sunset point in the midnight..but then, guard opposed the idea and said there was 'shooting order' against naxals..so better not to step out. :-)
We anyways stepped out for food..packed 'Neer dosa' and other usual stuffs and back to the guest house. Again it was a long chat session.
Day3:
Now the target is Kodachadri..but not yet decided.. ;-) we started late and went towards Thirthahalli. Vijay's bike had some welding job to be done. Later, we enquired route for Chakra dam..locals suggested another dam called Varahi which was supposed to be more scenic than Chakra..we agreed promptly.
Varahi dam
The route was pretty confusing but interesting..as in, we need to stop every corner to enquire..finding humans to enquire is also kinda tough. The road was narrow, average & ok kind, and scenic all over.
Not much of human settlements in that stretch..thick vegitation..in monsoon, guess the whole area should hold a wild look and pretty interesting to ride on. We reached Varahi dam..wow wow wow..such a hidden beauty out there. Like every other dam, here also no entry & no permit to click around…asked the guards as in, why we should not enter/click.. couldn’t understand what they say.. a long soaping act with cops didnt really work..we came back little disappointed..
at a turn, i stopped others..why not we enter the dam without their knowledge?? :-) the dam wall was 'inviting' us..parked the bikes and climbed the wall..on the top,there is one road and a majestic view of the dam..we climbed down in the other side and reached the water level..wow, water is so clean and fresh..we clicked around as much as we wanted..like someone says, rules are meant for something.. ;-) Later, again prabul suggesting for a village hotel lunch..this time, i pitched-in like, let it be a village hotel but non-veg plz...and here we go, our luck, we found a pakka village hotel with proper non-veg...believe me,i never tasted such a tasty fish fry..went for 2 fishes, a chicken fry, and kgs of rice to go along.. :-) and yep, again couldnt walk...now kodachadri didnt really look like a nice idea.. :D took out the map, and decided ok lets go kundapura..team promply agrees..(good team I say) and now, it was a new ghat section we took to reach sea level..cream twisties...just ripped all the way.
Not much of human settlements in that stretch..thick vegitation..in monsoon, guess the whole area should hold a wild look and pretty interesting to ride on. We reached Varahi dam..wow wow wow..such a hidden beauty out there. Like every other dam, here also no entry & no permit to click around…asked the guards as in, why we should not enter/click.. couldn’t understand what they say.. a long soaping act with cops didnt really work..we came back little disappointed..
at a turn, i stopped others..why not we enter the dam without their knowledge?? :-) the dam wall was 'inviting' us..parked the bikes and climbed the wall..on the top,there is one road and a majestic view of the dam..we climbed down in the other side and reached the water level..wow, water is so clean and fresh..we clicked around as much as we wanted..like someone says, rules are meant for something.. ;-) Later, again prabul suggesting for a village hotel lunch..this time, i pitched-in like, let it be a village hotel but non-veg plz...and here we go, our luck, we found a pakka village hotel with proper non-veg...believe me,i never tasted such a tasty fish fry..went for 2 fishes, a chicken fry, and kgs of rice to go along.. :-) and yep, again couldnt walk...now kodachadri didnt really look like a nice idea.. :D took out the map, and decided ok lets go kundapura..team promply agrees..(good team I say) and now, it was a new ghat section we took to reach sea level..cream twisties...just ripped all the way.
Maravanthe backwaters
We took a chai break and then stopped at Maravanthe..had a nice little photo session. Now, the watch reads to 5pm..the sunset was supposed to happen at Murdeshwar but sun god was not in mood to go along with us..Murdeshwar is still a lot of distance to cover..decided to give it a try..the next one hour was a hardcore rip on that coastal NH..the road was really bumpy..but we didnt leave the throttle..Prabul was always ahead of me..seems like he decided not to use brakes..the sun was going down pretty fast in our left..we were seeing it and ripping..just banged in to Murdeshwar in time..the sun was left another 10mins to set.. :-)..
We took a chai break and then stopped at Maravanthe..had a nice little photo session. Now, the watch reads to 5pm..the sunset was supposed to happen at Murdeshwar but sun god was not in mood to go along with us..Murdeshwar is still a lot of distance to cover..decided to give it a try..the next one hour was a hardcore rip on that coastal NH..the road was really bumpy..but we didnt leave the throttle..Prabul was always ahead of me..seems like he decided not to use brakes..the sun was going down pretty fast in our left..we were seeing it and ripping..just banged in to Murdeshwar in time..the sun was left another 10mins to set.. :-)..
Murdeshwar drive-in beach
soon vijay & Pradeep arrives..then everybody started dragging the bikes in the beach..Prabul was the one most excited..he was riding in the beach here & there for almost 30mins..upto 7:30 we were in the beach only. Later stayed in a nearby hotel.
Day4:
Today is the last day of 2006..Prabul need to go back Bangalore and enter his house before 6pm else his wife wont allow him IN ever.. :-)
so he parted..and we 3 proceeded towards Gokarna..we actually had a new confusion. since we had cut down kodachadri, we were 1 day ahead of schedule..what to do now? suddenly decided 'dudhsagar'..its some water fall sitting in some corner of Goa..
some kinda trekking also reqired to reach there..going all the way for that and coming back to Gokarna for newyear looked like a James Bond task..but pradeep & vijay were boosting me to go ahead..okiee..lets rip.. :-)
Day4:
Today is the last day of 2006..Prabul need to go back Bangalore and enter his house before 6pm else his wife wont allow him IN ever.. :-)
so he parted..and we 3 proceeded towards Gokarna..we actually had a new confusion. since we had cut down kodachadri, we were 1 day ahead of schedule..what to do now? suddenly decided 'dudhsagar'..its some water fall sitting in some corner of Goa..
some kinda trekking also reqired to reach there..going all the way for that and coming back to Gokarna for newyear looked like a James Bond task..but pradeep & vijay were boosting me to go ahead..okiee..lets rip.. :-)
Enroute DudhSagar waterfalls
Entered Goa..the first time i am getting in with bike..the roads are narrow and surprisingly pretty neat..all that sudden coconut trees and village look alike area brings the Goan mood somehow..we had a nice lunch break..
I liked the taste of breezer..its so sweet and smells nice.. :-) crossed Margo,Ponda and entered another village road.
Reached the spot by 5pm..another 8kms of jeep trail to be covered..but since it goes through forests, its closed after 4pm..ohh man, the whole day run gonna get waste..we were standing pretty confused and irritated..by then, i saw this person who was in half trouser and riding a cycle..stopped him to enquire abt the other* option to enter..;-) confused him for sometime..later litterally kidnapped him as our official guide and entered the forest..now, the ride was through a foot trail going along the railway track..pretty interesting. Soon reached the falls. There was not much of water..but it was a big satisfaction that we made it to the place. Now its dark and the ride back till Gokarna before the year end looked worsen than the James Bond task..adding to that,we decided to take a village route by-passing Margoa..that turned out to be a very chill ride through some remote areas in dark..the road was just cream which allowed us to move fast. Everybody was complaining that i am riding slow.. :-) we covered the distance pretty fast and there was a hope that we can reach Gokarna before 12..and we did it as well. Manager /Owner Mr.Kuchinad didn’t really expect me that i would reach by 11:30..he had given my room to some other aunty/uncle..later he promised me that once the party is over, he will take us to his residence for that night.. ;-)..and we refreshed ourselves and joined the party. There were few cars..few girls in all shapes..a loud music..and for that everybody should dance is it?? :D and pradeep did dance as well..
Day5:
Its a "No ride" day..so we started to beach lazily..i could see the Oom beach getting commercialized pretty fast..
still it had that charm. This time we took a boat to Sangam beach..its a pretty long beach with white sand..
0 shops..0 tourists.. :-) must be a great place to camp..but then, we came back..asked the boat valla to drop us in half-moon beach..so that we can get a hand on trekking as well..its a 15mins trek to paradise beach from there. reached paradise and settled down in a hut..while other foreign dopers busy with cards, we preferred to play chess.. and thats how the day went off..
later in the evening, we got into water.. swimming in the sea is always interesting...then spent some time in clicking sunset..then, we saw this lonely foreigner who was sitting on the beach and playing guitar + singing with nobody to listen except he himself..we decided to give him a company..he played nice in-deed..we boosted him to play more & more..after 45mins, he got tired and wanted to call it a day..and we didn’t leave him..then, he agreed for a last song.. with all our surprise he started singing “Jhalak Dikhlaja Jhalak Dikhlaja aaja aaja” with pakka rhytm..and we were like shell shocked.. :D
Entered Goa..the first time i am getting in with bike..the roads are narrow and surprisingly pretty neat..all that sudden coconut trees and village look alike area brings the Goan mood somehow..we had a nice lunch break..
I liked the taste of breezer..its so sweet and smells nice.. :-) crossed Margo,Ponda and entered another village road.
Reached the spot by 5pm..another 8kms of jeep trail to be covered..but since it goes through forests, its closed after 4pm..ohh man, the whole day run gonna get waste..we were standing pretty confused and irritated..by then, i saw this person who was in half trouser and riding a cycle..stopped him to enquire abt the other* option to enter..;-) confused him for sometime..later litterally kidnapped him as our official guide and entered the forest..now, the ride was through a foot trail going along the railway track..pretty interesting. Soon reached the falls. There was not much of water..but it was a big satisfaction that we made it to the place. Now its dark and the ride back till Gokarna before the year end looked worsen than the James Bond task..adding to that,we decided to take a village route by-passing Margoa..that turned out to be a very chill ride through some remote areas in dark..the road was just cream which allowed us to move fast. Everybody was complaining that i am riding slow.. :-) we covered the distance pretty fast and there was a hope that we can reach Gokarna before 12..and we did it as well. Manager /Owner Mr.Kuchinad didn’t really expect me that i would reach by 11:30..he had given my room to some other aunty/uncle..later he promised me that once the party is over, he will take us to his residence for that night.. ;-)..and we refreshed ourselves and joined the party. There were few cars..few girls in all shapes..a loud music..and for that everybody should dance is it?? :D and pradeep did dance as well..
Day5:
Its a "No ride" day..so we started to beach lazily..i could see the Oom beach getting commercialized pretty fast..
still it had that charm. This time we took a boat to Sangam beach..its a pretty long beach with white sand..
0 shops..0 tourists.. :-) must be a great place to camp..but then, we came back..asked the boat valla to drop us in half-moon beach..so that we can get a hand on trekking as well..its a 15mins trek to paradise beach from there. reached paradise and settled down in a hut..while other foreign dopers busy with cards, we preferred to play chess.. and thats how the day went off..
later in the evening, we got into water.. swimming in the sea is always interesting...then spent some time in clicking sunset..then, we saw this lonely foreigner who was sitting on the beach and playing guitar + singing with nobody to listen except he himself..we decided to give him a company..he played nice in-deed..we boosted him to play more & more..after 45mins, he got tired and wanted to call it a day..and we didn’t leave him..then, he agreed for a last song.. with all our surprise he started singing “Jhalak Dikhlaja Jhalak Dikhlaja aaja aaja” with pakka rhytm..and we were like shell shocked.. :DThat’s how the newyear 2007 began..
couple of videos,
the beach drag sessions at Murdeshwar..
Karizma
Group
and few more pics..
Kalhatti giri falls
Resort - K'giri
Feeding fishes
Kottai iddli.. :D @Agumbe
Enroute Dudhsagar falls
Riding the Naxal zone!
Prabul in high spirit..
Oom beach shack
posted by Arun | 6:58 AM
10 Comments:
good stuff. I should relocate to bangalore I think ;)
Hey man, can you put captions to the pics in the end ?
Thats great ride arun, covered so many places!! and i thought u said it will be a very slow lazy ride :P
U seem to find something new every time u enter western ghats. I wouldn't have missed this ride ne other time but this time something else was a lil more appealing :D
One damn goooood ride bro! I **envy** you!
Also - some of the pictures are really amazing!
You just rock, Arun.
thank you all..
@vibhu.. expecting you here.. ;-)
will update the captions soon.
pkm,
it was planned to be a lazy ride..but then, when our plans worked? :D
waiting for your Goa log.
Kamlesh,
yea..scenary was too good..
sometimes, thought why would i waste those moments behind camera?
Ashish,
;-)
Nice trip report... feels like I was there.
-Anamika
: )
Good write-up.....
amazing places, we gotta do many more explorations like this one...
And dont forget, you promised the ajantha/ellora too
Arun,
It seems really a great trip after reading your log.
Hope to join you atleast once in the trips u make. :)
Ravi. A
thanks all of you again..
prabul sir..point taken!
lots of ride & camp stuffs on pipe-line..need you! ;-)
@Ravi, sure..
get a car soon..i will drive and u take my bike.. :-)
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home