An Unforgettable - Insane bike ride 2

Some say... others Do it...

Some preach... others practice...

Untill when will you be keep waiting for the right time...

Either propose her or stop thinking about her...

If there's any moment to accomplish your dreams then it is right here... right now...

Dont wait... go ahead and cherish your dreams...

Down with mid-term exams :P, body pain, cold n cough... i must visit a doctor and take some medicines: as the journey is already scheduled... it should not get cancelled... ;) Thus, took dosage worth 360 bucks... and advice to take rest... only not to be followed later... Although medicines were always there with me during the entire journey, quite close to my heart - in shirt's pocket ;) it never got used... forget about the rest...

Eagerly awaiting for the Strategy exam to get over (alike all other colleagues) so that i can get onto the ride... but, oops last date for final exam fee submission is today... let's do it instead of delegating the task to friends... :P

Its' 4.32 p.m. with almost all colleagues being audience to Mr. T.N.Seshan: did not wanted to miss the event and photography... ;) but, one should not get distracted... let's embark on the journey... Considering next big town on the way being Hassan, some 220 odd km. away, let it be the place to halt at. Although i did not wanted to give Shravanbelagola place a miss... but cudn't help it either... no point in deviating 18 Kms. one-way off the highway @ 9 p.m. to visit the place.

Reached Hassan by 10.10 p.m., took Fish meal, got bike fuelled up for morning journey to Mangalore and found a decent hotel to stay in. Wow... the room had a big Sony Bravia TV... its long since, i hooked onto an idiot box... n by the time i thought to doze off, it was already post 00.00 hrs.

Hold on its not yet decided whether i should go to Mangalore by Sakleshpur circuit or through Belur-Halebidu-Mudigere; the later being tough and lengthy road to drive on... but had the positives of visiting Halebidu-Belur. Although the later one looked more exciting, the mind was in a fix whether to visit those places alone or sometime later with friends... i mean walking around archeological sites and temple complexes alone; seems bit insane... So kept 2 alarms one at 5.30 and other at 7.30 a.m...

By 6.15 i checked out. Dew has settled on the bike and i was left with no cloth to wipe on. Man, how can i give a skip to a spare cloth piece; probably i can. What better time to put best use of newspaper lying on the street. The bike started on the 1st kick, but eyes could not make out the road ahead: foggy morning. The photographer inside me resisted every time i attempted to accelerate the bike. Cant stop myself from halting at several places en-route to capture the amazing pics of nature. One dont get to see them often.

The state government has put lots of efforts to revive tourism here... but it seems there's a tussle beteen the tourism and road transport ministries. The roads are extremely pathetic... to say the least. Bet you cant drive >30 kmph. with my speed being amazingly high at 20-25 kmph.

The Chennakeshava temple complex at Belur and Hoysaleswara-Kedareswara temple complexes at Halebidu built by Hoysala Dynasty rulers in Dravidian style were superb, to say the least.

Its 8.45 a.m. and time to move on to Mangalore my next destination. If the previous stretch of road was any bad then this stretch of around 70 kms. was worse. The next stop was Mudigere, 38 Kms. away from Belur, taking little over 1.30 hrs. to reach. Time to have a breakfast now : 10.15 a.m. before proceeding 120 kms. further to Mangalore.

Time over-runs are what one should always manage; particularly when you are time bounded : commitment to return back to college tomorrow latest by 2 p.m. so that i can present my Consumer Behavior assignment... unusual dedication to studies... probably because i had prepared a major portion of it and others wont be able to take it over well :P

The next stretch of 56 Kms. to Dharmasthala was covered in close to bang 100 mins. One could not have experienced any ride less bumpier than this. Just wondered how would it have been, if there would have been any pillion. Although the Manjunatheshwara Temple was 13 kms. off the so-called highway and i was running out of time by a big margin; i visited one of the sacred places in South India and famous pilgrim center - dharmasthala; as if i had an appointment with Bahubali. Gents visit and give their offerings to Digambarnath bare chested.

By 1.11p.m. i got back to the state highway after visting Shri Rama Temple mid-way. Its 1.45 and i better take lunch here rather than waiting till Mangalore-75 Kms. away. By 3.15 i entered Mangalore, to see the Kalash circle. In next 45 mins. the Kadri Temple and Gokarnatheshwara temples were visited. Although they weren't there in the itinerary, it is always better to ride across the city streets through the main temples - as it would cover a major portion of the city. This philosophy must be applied only when you dont know what to do and where to go in a city; rovided you are not a gourmet.

So, as planned to leave the city by 4 .m., after taking short rest at some restaurant, i kick started 15 mins. early towards Someshwar beach, near Ullal town. Half an hour more and i was there - strolling through the beach. Ohh... i have received missed calls from Samir and Netra, it would definitely be regarding attendance for the Colloquium. Called up Samir to know that all my friends were enjoying the last few mins. of the event.

The desire to get drenched in the Arabian sea, was growing with each passing moment. So, i kept jacket, helmet, shoes and other belongings aside on the beach. Meanwhile, there was always an apprehension: what if someone runs off taking camera, bike keys and clothes :P Stupid mind, it wont let you off from thinking this way; untill you get out from enjoying the beach water. Its 5.30 p.m., time to proceed...

Considering Madikeri 240 kms. away to be the next destination to halt at, i planned to reach there by 10.30 p.m. But after crossing 55 kms. at Kasargod in an hour and half i decided to take the short-cut to Madikeri through Suliya - the road being short by 60 kms. than the alternative route i had selected earlier. I cannot forget that stretch of road - no vehicles for half an hour on the pot-holed 60 kms. stretch. It took me 2 hr. 8 mins. to cross it - i think this description is sufficient enough to explain the ride on that stretch.

If the previous stretch was any bad then it was to be continued again post Suliya to Madikeri - the next 63 Kms. ride costed me 2 hrs. 38 mins. only. By 10.36 p.m. i was there @ Madikeri, completely exhausted - washed-out. Time to take some badly needed rest. Booked a room in the lodge and got a hotel, open past 10.50 p.m., only to serve me.

265 Kms. to cover in around 6 hours to reach bangalore by 1 p.m., the task seemed quite possible but considering yesterday's constant ride of <30>4hrs. the task wasn't a cakewalk even. By 6 a.m. i had left Madikeri - The Scotland of India. In a hurry, i thought of giving Abbey Falls a miss, this is the decision i repent now.

By 8.15 a.m. at Hunsur, i stopped to have breakfast. Ah, the road from here on to Mysore, would be any biker's paradise. Unfortunately my bike cannot accelerate more than 85-90 kmph, else it would have gone 100+. Reached Mysore by 9.09 a.m. half an hour earlier than expected, i went on to explore the Infosys Mysore campus. The campus is amazing; at least that is what it felt from outside by peeping through few of the magnificent structures. Its 9.26 a.m. now, time to move on.

At 10 a.m. i was welcomed by the Historic town of Srirangapatna, although had visited the Srirangapatnam mandir last time on my way to Ooty with friends, it seemed as if god is asking me to meet him again. So i took a left turn to visit the Ranganatha Swamy temple, Lord Vishnu - reclining on huge coils of the serpent Sesha, with multiple hoods. Within next 25 minutes i was back onto the highway to Mysore.

On the i was welcomed and thanked by the Sugar City, Mandya; Channapatna, Land of Toymaking; Ramanagar, Silk City; Bidadi, Industrial town, etc. By around 11.45 p.m. while i was 60 kms. away from Bangalore, i received a call from my team mates, enquiring me my whereabouts. I assured them to join them back for class presentation, on time. I reached the college by 1.15 p.m. an hour before the class begins. 1 hour was enough for me to refresh, have lunch and check out the presentation.