Tuesday, October 19, 2004

Ride to Shravana Belgola

Some people on a yahoo group from bangalore were goin for a ride to Devarayana durga some 50 KMS from bangalore last sunday(yesterday). I thought i would join and told them so. They along with me(cbz) were 4 gyes - vamsi(pulsar),sanjay(karizma) and divyan(pulsar). Some 4 or 5 more were supposed to join but they had some hold ups. IT was decided that we would meet up near my place at 8 in the morning.

Sunday morning at 8 we met but only to learn that divyan could not make it cause some relatives turned up and there was no sign of sanjay and thought plan was doomed. Just Then sanjay arrived. He sujjested why not sharavana belagola its JUST 160 KMs from bangalore and the roads were very good. So with a grin in my face said lets do it. We tanked up some more fuel for both us and our nobel steads. Carried some water and snacks. My mom has made some cookies for us.

So by the time we started after all this it was 9:30. were With lil *safety gear* a thick jacket, helmet, and gloves. We switched on our head lights in broad day light, so that it would be easy to track our group on our rear view mirror. which was very effective as we could see the felow biker from quite a distance. Then we started getting indications from people that our lights were on. how ignorant fools were we ? :).

well reached the out skirts of the city and yes the roads were great simply greate. So felt the twitch in our right arm and twisted the throttle and vroom we went. Speeds were never below 90. Then there were long straight roads so wanted to see what my bike could do and gave a full throttle and reached the max speed of my bike to 110 KMph. were dearly holding on to our bikes cause any bumps and we will be thrown out of our bikes. Sanjay on his karizma went till 120. we were devoring(over takin) every vehicle on our way. there were times where we were continuesly over 100 Kmps for 7-8 mins. I kind held back the other two cause this was my first fast ride and was not taking the turns like they did. Took a but break after 70 Kms at around 10:15 for half an hour. Its is really required to cool our sences and our bikes. Then we rode of again. the same thing. some sumo's used to help us in over taking by signalling us if there was a vehicle from opposite direction. and tellin us to overtake. guess they just tryin to get rid of us crazy gyes. Then sanjay disapeared ahead of us as his bike had much more punch. Then came up to a crossing to Sharavana
belagola where he waited for us. It was some 18 Kms narrow roads none the less very good. We were really enjoing the leaning turns. Rural boys were trying to let us know that our head lights were on. thinkin of us as stupid people. but what the heck. The land scape was very beautiful.

Finally reached the place at 12 noon. parked our bikes at a supposed place where a old man said he would watch over it and later took 5 bukcs per bike. Any way we entered the temple left our shoes left our helmet at the office there. The there was the climb on the rock face. where there were steps chizled. good for us there were some metal pipes to hold on. it was tiring. then we realised the only exercise we did was for our finger typing of the key board. why dint we try climbing with our fingers?:) we stopped to take some break to catch our breath every 20 25 steps. finally reached the summit. Saw the famous Gomateshwara idle which was a monlith made of single stone. where sat for a couple of hours in the kool shadow of the temple stones. and the view from the summit was great. were hungry and then munched on what all we had broutht. sanjay had some puliyogre, vamsi had some dates and biscute and my cookies. started seein some clouds form and throught it was time to
head back. we wanted to reach bangalore before night fall.

so we came down got our stuff. Just then i wanted to freak my parents by calling them and letting them know where we were. and yes they were in err... freakin out. were not used to the idea of travelling so far on two wheels. got some advices to be carefull. then got some pics of the place as a suvaneer. a gye said one rupee one picture and when i took it, he said that there were 10 pics in the cover and so 10 rupees. hihihihi. had cool drinks and started off at 3:00.

And yes the same mode of ride back. this time i was more confident and takin leaning turn at 100 KMps speeds. it was kinda scary but none the less exiting. then made my personal record or 112 on the speedo and maxed out. Dragon flies were hittin us like stones and one hit my helmet visor and went slpat chapaak. one more on top of my helmet. had to clean them later with water. Then we over took a scarpio who got pissed off and started racing us. we dint care but then he started blockin our way and was goin nuts so we left him and it was time for our butt break any way. we had made 60 KMs in 40 mins. then i tried sanjays karizma. and boy was it koool. hardly any stress and just shot to 60 - 80 with our my knowledge and then 100 was effort less. well switched back to my bike and decided to bye a heavy boot to kick myself
for not goin for that one. any way was fun was not over yet. had some water and
rode off. while passing in a town a cycle wala came across right in my way with out
lookin and i jammed my breaks hard. my wheels locked and back of the bike was fish tailing left and right. thought that i would now lick the tarmac. but luckily recovered and rode one. jaaan bachi. hihih. finally reached bangalore by 5.30 and at home at 6.

well that was my sunday. rains gods showed us mercy by not taking bath that day. hehehe total distance covered 330 Kms.