122) Melukote – Peace Kit: (4/2/2016)

Place: Melukote.               

Distance: 150 x 2 = 300kms.

Directions: Bengaluru – Bidadi – Ramnagara – Mandya - Melukote

Participants: Chethan (Zethu)  > Karthik (Sp).

Bikes:  Avenger > Pulsar                                            

Previous visit: Bhasmangi  Fort Trek

IN LESS THAN 50 WORDS:

This chapter was done to catch up with good old Zethu. It saw some peaceful riding, long talks and very blissful nap under the green trees. And finally to finished things off at a dhaba with good lunch.

INTRO & PLAN:

Zethu had had rode all the way from Mumbai to Bangalore on his Avenger. After resting for a couple of days, he notified me that he was good for a ride. And I badly wanted to hear all his ride stories and obviously if it’s Zethu, his New Year stories are the best to hear. So BR hills was planned. I had to take leave, as it was a weekday.

TIME: 22:00 (3/2/2016)

ASSEMBLE & LEAVE:

Yeah I was up at 05:00, did a push ups & bicep curls and was all set to go. The meet up was scheduled at RR Nagar arch. So I left home at about 05:30 and waited for Zethu at the Arch, Once he arrived, we greeted each other and decided to leave town before the traffic could pick up. 
TIME: 06:00

      
 

RIDE 1: (Bangalore- Bidadi – Channpatna – Mandya -Melukote)

This was a 150kms ride. As we departed Bangalore, we rode beside each other. It felt good riding with Zethu as it had been quite some months as he was put up in Mumbai and had pulled off quite a few big ones there. After riding for about 30kms we decided to pull over at at our regular hotel at Bidadi for some breakfast.

TIME: 07:30

Over the breakfast, we decided to change the place to Melukote as it would be less tiring and we could relax at the serene place. So continuing further we cruised past Ramnagar, Channpatna, Maddur.  We pulled over at the outskirts of the Mandya for some hot light tea. Zethu started filling me up on his end of the stories and likewise I told him about my side as well. 

     

After the deviation from Mandya, the roads quietened down and the greenery increased dramatically. Zethu was flying left to right and right to left, enjoying the fresh air. We pulled over at a few stops and one standard stop at the beautiful curve that exists just before the hairpin curves to the temple. Executing those Hp curves with delight we made it to the temple.

TIME:10:45

MELUKOTE:

As it was a Thursday the flock was less in number. But we directly headed towards our peace spot. First waving a hi to Bande Ganu, climbing down the stairs we made it to grass lands.  The breeze was strong and air temperature was low it was just perfect as we had anticipated. We roamed around for a little while and told him about the last visit’s trek with Gow  (Melukote trek) at the same place. After this we crashed down on the grass amidst the friendly buffaloes. 

     

Zethu filled me up on his New Year adventure and what a start it had been for him for the year 2016. After a while we restored to silence and all we could hear is the leaves rustling, few beams of sunlight making to through to us and the grass being eaten of the ground by the cows. goats and buffaloes. Slowly we drifted off into a peaceful nap. 

Man, were we off on a trip? Yes we were. Such a nice nap, never had I had. We got up, yawned and then sat up staring at the skies and the confused cows that were looking straight at us, wondering who the visitors were. Then we met a cowherd who was desperately trying to get a small calf into a pond for bath. But it was resisting his and playing around. IT was damn fun to watch. After spending a few more minutes packing up, we decided to leave Melukote.

TIME: 12:30

     

RIDE 2: (Melulkote – Pandavpura – Mandya – Ramnagar – Bangalore)

This was 150kms ride back. We decided to skip Tonnur kere as our tummies were already growling. but we did ride to Pandavpura and touch Mysore road. Now I was confused, whether our regional dhaba – ‘Swati highway dhaba’ fell before or after, trusting my gut I took a left and headed hoping to spot. And I was spot on, and we pulled over at the dhaba for some tasty lunch.

TIME: 14:00

After spending about 1.5 hours at the dhaba, munching and drinking we left the dhaba afloat. The ride back was pretty straight forward as it was on the Mysore road. We rode back with a few light tea stops to reach back JB Split stop at about 18:00, Here we pulled over thanked each other for making it and split. I continued towards Gokula to meet Dee for chats. After which I headed back home to reach my home as well.

TIME: 19:30

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