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Salsa Videos

For those who wanne taste of Salsa.. :-)

Count down..!!

Only 7 more days to go.. when I start my adventure towards the Himalayas..!!
Next week by this time.. I guess I would have fixed up my Bike and all set to Leave for Manali.. the next day..!!
Can't wait..!!! :-))

And also today happens to be my last but 1 day in the group that I'm working so FTP..!!
Chatting with Frnds.. and making new..!!

Day 2: Ride through the Hills

Day 2 was no less exiting than day 1. I was the last one to get up. By then Chandan and Mukund had already gone for sight seeing and capturing the forest in Mukund's SLR camera. Finally at 8:00 I made up my mind that I had to see the Jungle roads and the greenery and got off my bed… Then when I was in attending the nature call, I realized that II could have been locked in the room as there were know one... and might have to wait till my buddies came back..!!
Luckily, they had left the door unlocked. I finally was out of room and a silent ride towards K- guddi. Expecting to see something. The Jungle road was beautiful. Forest on both sides of the road. Calm and quite, wow..!! For a moment I wanne to park my bike and just sit in that silence.

While I was riding, I spotted a woodpecker. I though it would really make a nice snap/Post card. Got of my bike and trying not to make any noise, I walked towards the bird, with Cam in my hand. Suddenly I started to feel as if I was one of the National geography photographers…  Slowed my steps... but... bird flew off... again to sit on the road just few meters away. Again I walked towards it... and the same thing happened… After 5 to 6 attempts I gave up. I decide to walk back where I had parked my bike. It was only then I realized that I had almost walked about a kilometer trying to take a decent snap of the wood pecker..!!


I moved forward, found my pals heading back…!! So I decided to return by then I already had a taste of the Jungle roads..!!

After having breakfast at the local hotel and picking up spice that was grown there we started our journey back home…
The route we were supposed to take was K-guddi, Chamrajnagar, Mysore and then Bangalore.
Few minutes into our journey, I bike was running low on petrol… In reserve, I had always thought my bike to do 20Km (just to be on a safer side) though I knew that I would do up too 40... Now, I was on jungle roads… No petrol bunks for sure… Didn’t know how long it could go... but as there were two other bikes, in case it went dry, we could always take the petrol from the other..!!

Wow..!! The ride was just amazing..!! Just forest... no traffic, no jams, no honking that I usally come across every day morning when I go to office. !!

We reached K-guddy, and then headed towards chamarajnagar, still no signs of petrol bunk; we had already done about 25 km. After having a photo session with the elephant we started again.


Now, I started to run by bike in neutral with ignition off. As it was down hill it could easily go on..! I did it for about 5-6 km. Then I had to fire my engine... I was lucking enough to get to see some Deer and couple of birds...
As we reached close to Chamrajnagar I desperately wanted to have a break, have a tender coconut, I even stopped. Chandan and Mukund thought otherwise, so we carried on... when we were about 7Km away from the city I realized that my bike key was off the key hole. Thought my bike running but the key was missing. (another experience...!)

My bike was running in reserve, and bike key lost..!! What was I suppose to do..!! I could stop and start the bike, but how was I supposed to open the petrol take to fill fuel..!! Bangalore was good 200Km away…
Tried to stop thinking and just ride... But was really hard to do it..!! I was cursing myself for asking for adventure.. And trouble to make the trip interesting..!!!
We reached Chamrajnagar… checked up with the local, where we could get a duplicate key maker and took my bike there... Initially I just wanted that guy to unlock the petrol tank. In no time that guy handed over key to me... and that too for just 20Rs...

By then Mukund decide that he wants to carry on and visit his parents in Mysore (and leave us behind)...

Next, the ride was just Chandan on pulsar and me, tailing him on my bull..!!
The ride was dry and boring... ‘cos the road was good and no much of greenery….
After having lunch at a dabba in Mysore... we were on our way to Bangalore, not before seeing some beautiful gals in dabba... and my sleepy eyes where wide open ..!!

As the road was not 4 lane.. I had thought We could have a photo sessions doing Bike stunts..!! when we reached 24hr Coffee shope.. Chandan told me that his cam had fallen off his jacket..!! ( another experience) There went our Sony Cam.. and all the precious picture...


By 5 we reached Bangalore..!!
This was a trip, first of many to come, of my life..!! with ups and downs, tension and fear, happiness and calmness. Just like a tiicka masalpuri..!! ;-)

Day 1: Ride through the Hills.

I have my friends and cousin's who are hard core trekker. They always tell me about getting lost on their way and how adventurously then got back. As I'm a more of a biker then trekker ( though I do trek once in a while), I would wonder what kind of adventure I would have other than a flat tyre in a sunsan ellaka.. :-).
As if, god was listing to my internal conversation, answered me in this road trip.
The initial plan was MM hills and then to Ooty and then back to Bangalore, in 2 days.
When we checked the map, it was no way gone be possible. So we decide that we will got to MM hills and then to BR hills and back.
Even the number of people who were supposes to ride, changed just like our initial plan.
Chandan was supposed to get his bike which he had given for painting, which he didn't get. Krishna was supposed to join the ride. Didn't. As he realized that he had to attend a function. So finally Chandan, Mukund and I were the people to make this happen.
I was cloud number 9 'because with great difficulty I had changed the side stand of my bike and saw myself as a mechanic who could fix anything. :-)
Suppose to start at 5. Finally we were out of Bangalore at about 7.
The drive till Kollegala was pretty decent. It was punctuated with coffee breaks and nicotine breaks and also me using the word cynical instead of scenic and being the subject of the joke. :-)
At Kollegala, I decided that Chandan cud ride my bull and take the Pulsar which he was riding, which I thought was not the right thing to do... :-(
The road was just the kind of road that I had wished for. I couldn't find traces of Tar even if I were to hold a magnifying glass. I knew my Bull could take on any road but I was not sure if pulsar could take it.

I then consoled myself say that, it would be good opportunity to check if pulsar could do it on that kind of road. ( I bought a new pulsar 180 CC ). It’s always better to experiment on others bike than your own... :-)) I'm sure you will agree...
But believe me, Pulsar actually surprised me... It could easily do over 70. And shocks were really good.

When we were about 20Km away from MM hills. I wane to have a nicotine break. Mukund was neutral and Chandan wanted to reach MM hills and then rest. We agreed and then the unexpected happened.
Chandan trying to overtake a bus was very close the bus in front to see the bus coming from the other side and ended up between 2 buses. It was as if the whole thing just stopped. It was not as if he was badly down, but he was the last guy I expected to be in such a state. We pulled out the bike, into shade. My first concern was if he was hurt. Didn't bother about my bike, 'cos I knew I could fix.
After everything settled down, I decided to take a look at my bike. I was shocked..!! The petrol tank had taken a beating. :-((. The handle was bent, and the clutch yoke was damaged that clutch cable was out. I just didn't know what to do, but to snatch 2 smokes from Mukund and smoke it up in could of minutes which were like seconds to me...!!!!

Without the clutch cable in place I couldn't move my bike and we could not find any signs of help for hours, if we were to wait.. We somehow tighten the cable to its place with the key ring and Chandans bandana. (My first experience ...)
I was on my bike again. Scared to change the gears too often. Trying to run only on 2 or 3 and not to use my clutch :-) finally we reached the foot hills of MM hills where we had our Lunch. Post lunch, I tried to fix the handle and the cable. The Worst part was if the handle was corrected the cable would not sit on the groves that we had adjusted.
After spending about 30 mins, we decided to revert back to make shift arrangement and carry on. It was the beginning of the ghatt, with 29 hairpin curves. To make matter worse, the bent handle of my bike didn't allow me to turn the bike completely. I would hit tank, on trying to do so...
On one side I was happy with this kind of stuff as I though it was preparation for my Himalayan trip and on the other scared if at all I would be able to bike back home.
I really loved to turn my bike with the bent handle as I also had to bend my bike ( in which I consider myself to be good). The only problem with the gear change.
We made it to the top in good 1 hrs time. On reaching there the first thing was to find a mechanic. Local people directed to a puncher guy, where he right away said it would not be possible to fix the problem. However he did wire it up and said it would fix the problem.
We decide to cool our heels and take some rest. I and Mukund were keen to visit the temple, on the contrary Chandan decide to take a nap.
The temple was no close to our expectations. As in it was all painted and the not the usual temples that I had seen. People made to cross in between Shiva and the nandi which I have been taught and told not to do so... Especially if the nadir is small and in front of Shiva.
When we came out there were lots of pigeons and Mukund could resist capturing the moments on my cam. :-)

We returned, just to find Chandan dosing away to glory :-D
We decided to go to BR hills as we though that it would be a do-able.
Coming down MM hills was another adventure for me.. The bent handle forced me to bend the bike and the sound of foot rest of my bike rubbing against the road... wow..!! I had an adrenal rush... I was least bothered about my clutch.. Trying to do a good speed at the hairpin turns...
We didn't stop for long at the foot hills, just carried on.. As we had to make Kollagala before 5... Given the condition of the road... and we did it...
We then checked with the locals about the shortcut to BR hills.. then directed us through villages... and farms... and told us that it would cut down the distance 50-60 KM..

We reached the check post at 6:45.. The Gate was supposed to close by 6:30... After shouting at top of his voice.. The guard let us through... not before collecting 30 Rs from us... Though he warned us that it was dangerous..
The drive was just amazing.. it was getting dark... and then it started to rain..
What made it even worse was the fog on the road, mist on my Visor. I could hardly see the road.. I lifted the wizer to see the road .. My glasses was covered with mist...
The only thing that was on my mind.. was if I were to be very lucky and happen to see a wild animal.. Where do I run for shelter.. !!!!
I was the last rider.. to make the matter bad.. I just couldn't stop thinking..
All of a sudden Chandan and Mukund stopped... near a water body... I was wondering what made them to stop.. I was already 7.. and was getting really dark...
A herd of bison’s... drinking water... wow..!! It was just breath taking.. For me... to see it... not cos it was the first time... but to see it frees... me not behind glass of the vehicle..!! In the moon light... it was awesome... Can't actually put it down in words..!!
After freighting them.. by trying to take a snap... We moved on to reach BR hills by 7:30 just to find that there were no rooms.. to shelter..
After buttering the lady at Atree, we got a room for the night..

It was day that I can never forgot... for the accident, sound of my foot rest hitting the ground on hairpin turns, the beauty of the forest, fog hindering the sight, bisons in it free environment.. And lots more..!!
The next day was even worse..!