Thursday, June 28, 2012

Bangalore - Kolli hills - Yercaud - Bangalore

23rd June saturday morning 3 bikers, or the 'Cruising Sultans' I must say, started off to kolli hills. Okay, first let me intoduce ourselves. Manas owns a Machismo 350, and Pramod, a Thunderbird and both avid bikers. I was meeting both of them for the first time that day. After completing some preliminary checks, we started from Electronic city, Bangalore to Kolli hills, somewhere between Salem and Namakkal, around 270km from Bangalore.
View Larger Map We started at around 6:30 in the morning, enjoying the cool, fresh morning thundering through the highways towards Hosur. Came across another group of around 15 - 20 bikers who called themselves as 'Knight Riders'. Stopped near Dharmapuri for breakfast at a roadside joint (aah ! I just love the idly dosas there :), and continued our way to Salem where we stopped for fuel. We continued on NH7 south of Salem towards Namakkal for another 35 kms and then took a left a few kms after 'Paravasa Ulagam' which can be seen on the left of the highway. Took a left after reaching Senthimangalam, and then asked the locals and found our way to the ghats. The way up consisted of 70 hairpin bends and it was an awesome ride. The bends were not very steep, and with considerably large curves and covered with trees all the way through. Finally we reached Semmedu, had some pineapple slices, and then continued our way another 3 kms to Nallathambi resort. Kept our bags n stuff over there, had lunch and moved to agaya gangai falls. Agaya gangai falls is around 10 km from nallathambi resort, and we had to climb down around 1000 stairs. There was not much water at the time we went, but it was beautiful. There was a pool of water which we had to cross to go to the other side where the water was falling from above. After a nice bath, we headed to a viewpoint, where the whole village of Semmedu and Rasipuram was visible below. Met some bikers there, and the first thing they asked us was, "Three people on three bikes? no pillion?" we smiled :) They were saying some stories about their expeditions in a 1986 Yezdi. Returned back to our resorts after that, had some nice dinner, and went to sleep talking about ghost stories :P Next day we left for Salem after having a buffet breakfast at the resort. Stopped for fuel at Salem, and then left for Yercaud. With around 20 hairpin bends, the climb was amazing ! The curvy roads were just a delight :) After reaching the top, we headed straight for lunch at Shevaroy's. Visited thendral view point and pagoda view point, and then started our way back home. That was when the adventure started :) We saw a map at a park near the lake which showed a way to 'bangalore new link'. So we decided to try that out, and as we went for about 5 kms, my bike decided not to start. The acid from the battery had corroded the clamps connecting to the battery. It took us a while to figure out the problem, meanwhile a sadhu who was standing nearby was kind enough to give us the number of a mechanic in Yercaud. Brought him and problem 1 solved. Resuming our journey, we went north of yercaud, through the winding roads that went around coffee estates. The roads were so beautiful that we forgot to even notice that we were heading the wrong way. After about 20 kms, it struck me that we were not climbing down the hills, but just going around. We found out that we were on the wrong way and instead of going and joining at dharmapuri, we were heading towards Arcot and then Salem again. Turned back, and went till Nagaloor, took the deviation and climbed down. Witnessed an amazing sunset on the way, and just as things were going the right way, we hit some really bad roads. A few kms from Danishpet the road was under construction. The hairpin bends were only stones which would give way if we braked, we were in for some off-roading. Manas had a small fall and luckily nothing happened other than a broken right mirror and leaking carb. A few taps on the carb's dislodged needle and we were back on track winding through the villages and finally reaching Dharmapuri at around 9. Had dinner at a roadside joint, and continued our way back to Bangalore.

Monday, June 25, 2012

Royal Sunset

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