Along River Kaveri

CLICK HERE FOR MORE PIX

4 day weekend and looks like I can sneak out a day’s ride. Thought of checkin out the Shivasamadrum and couple of other places nearby. GanganChukki falls, Barachukki falls both of the same river Kaveri and then Talkad. Asked keerthi for directions of his ride he did last year. Started lat by 10 am for the 'can be called trip' after 5 months of commuting.

Usual kanakapura road it is and good roads end a lil after k'pura towards Malavalli. Then on its offroading on roads under constructions and I was in for unwelcome dust bath. It was sunny hot. Good that I got a mesh jacket just the previous day. Looked like not a nice way to make a come back as I was hoping for smooth and rain riding. Took left from malavalli and its a bigger road under construction. Now I started cursing! Din wanna turn back so just carried on and after some 40 kms of bad roads, the roads improve and now its smooth ride.

Not long before I reach ShivanaSamudra Project entrance. Get to gagan chukki falls. There was lot of water gushing by post monsoon unlike last time when I visited it. Try some mobile photography. Sun unrelenting. Quite a crowd there. After a few clicks and cucumber I leave to check out the falls from the other side. On the way back saw a road go to the right and was a board saying off-limits to civilians. But dunno y I got tempted and went in for some distance. A couple of clicks and just when I was got out of the roads, a govt car was entering and honked at me. Lucky that I got out a second before else may be I would have been stopped for questioning!

Get back to the maddur-kollegal road and after few kms sure I found a road going behind a big tree as told by keerthi. After a few Kms came to a fork where one led to Gaganchukki falls while the other lead to Barachukki falls. First went to Gagan chukki again to view it from just above the falls. Asked for cucumber again and the old lady asked whether it was for me or the monkeys!! I surely din find it edible and donated it monkeys any way!

Hop on the bike towards Barachukki falls some 6-7 kms from there. It was another huge falls and again like gaganchukki needed panoramic shots to get the whole falls. I could see colombo boats far below taking the revelers near to the falls, but din feel like hiring 1 alone. After posing for a pic I move towards Talakad. Another place to visit along the banks of river Kaveri. On the way back to malavalli I surely find a left turn after the narrow long bridge I cross again. Talkad it says some 25 kms. Big deal I thought. Its 2 already n I thought of having some grub at Talkad. But the road turns horrid from now on. Very bumpy and repeatedly my backpack gets dislodged from the nets. The old nets not reliable any more and I keep close eye on it in the RVM for the fear of it falling off!. Pass through green fields beside the road till my eyes could see. Some reprieve from the bad roads.

Take another left and towards Talakad. This place has a famous temple. Not religiously inclined I head straight to the river. Its already 3.15 I am hungry and tired. Get to the banks. Lot of the holidayers reveling in the shallow water of kaveri. After some survey I pic a spot under a tree to rest a while. Empty the food packets in my bag watching the ppl have fun. Spend more than an hour there. 4.30 I start back home. I remember keerthi mentioning bettor roads through another interior road through villages. Enquired for the same and ditched the horrid main road. The roads were bettor and after capturing few pix of sunset I decide to head to maddur to catch the 4 laner instead of kanakpura. Though lil longer but proper roads all the way.

Get to Maddur by 7 pm and some rip session now to blow the bad road blues. Its getting cold and the mesh jacket not helping. Also have small rain session. Din feel like stopping at the eating joins enroute alone and headed straight to home. At the end it was a nice ride after 5 months.