it's a jungle out there ....
Being a biker, i enjoy creating trails on new route. This time i covered Bangalore-Chikmangluru-Madikeri-MaisanGudi :)
Distance: 662 km Bike: Mahindra , Mojo
Start Date: 04/29/2016 End Date: 05/02/2016
The Route – Bangalore-Chikmagalur-Madikeri-Masinagudi and back; all the way to Bangalore was a fantastic trail following all the twists and turns through the forest. The roads were a healthy mix of good highways as well as beautiful narrow roads.
Ideal Time to Visit: We were at the mercy of the sun. It was that part of the year which is sizzling hot, so all the safety gear we had on was just making us feel like how a marshmallow would feel while it was being toasted!
A.V.O.I.D being on this trail in the months of April or May. A good time to be going down this route should be sometime after the monsoons, ideally in October or November.
Entourage Strength: To make the most of this route, I would recommend atleast 4-5 riders ride together. On the #Jungle Trail, there were 25 of us this time around.
Preps: Expeditions like these are organized and executed by the experts, so they made sure the preparations were top notch. We were well equipped to deal with surprises which nature might have in store for us; we had a service vehicle, a luggage vehicle, medics, photographers and event coordinators traveling with us.
Assistive Gizmos: As is the case with me on journeys, almost always; we had enough sets of GoPro and DSLR cameras to make sure we don’t miss any fabulous snapshot.
Road and Traffic Conditions: The roads were a fantastic mix of highways, mountain roads, roads meandering through coffee plantations and beautiful forests. You’ll find an opportunity to test your bike’s top speed, cornering and power delivery on different stretches of these roads.
Best and Worst Stretches: Undoubtedly, the road to the popular Masinagudi Wildlife Sanctuary has reasons to be extremely unpopular! You’ll lose count of the number of speed breakers you come across.
Then again, it’s a tough ask – picking one best stretch of road. I liked the twisty roads while going from Chikmagalur to Madikeri. I was on song at each corner. “We need somebody to lean on” became my mojo song!
Weather Encountered: Given a chance we might have been able to cook an omelette on the top of our helmets! The terribly hot weather was the only let-down during our journey.
Food Joints and Stopovers: We made many stops to refuel ourselves and to avoid dehydration or sunstroke. We stopped by the Café Coffee Day at Kushal Nagar which is a regular hangout where most bikers pay a tribute to the Cappuccino or the Blue crusher.
Apart from the regular food joints, we chose to stay the night in lodgings at outskirt areas. We stayed at the Eagle Resort and Wild Heaven in Chikmagalur and Masinagudi respectively. These locations are so remote, even the famous 4G girl may find it difficult to get even a single G in these places!
Bike Care: Basic checkups were part of our checklist. Refuel, lubricate the machine, top up engine oil and check tyre pressure before you head out and you’re good to go.
Tip: You are bound to come across stretches where no assistance will be forthcoming, make sure you carry items that you might need in case of an emergency. Also, there are numerous stretches where the roads will twist without any warning, so you’ve got to stay alert and ride carefully. Do not over speed, it might prove dangerous because much of these parts are home to wildlife.
Footnote: A journey down this route features – bikes, bikers and brilliant memories to take back – everything that makes rides memorable.
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