Perilous Maneuvers

Some days are just not meant to go the way you plan them. 26 June was a particularly nasty one, with things actually going against us.

Right from the beginning, something wasn’t right. The plan was to drive down 90 Kms southwest from here to Nagarhole National Park. We were to drive our colleague’s car. As fate would have it, the dude developed an eye-infection that very morning. The car wasn’t available and neither was the guy. We couldn’t have canceled the trip: we’ve been planning it for too long.

coutesy: Monsieur Roy

So, the remaining three of us set out on bikes on the beautiful Mysore-Hunsur State Highway 88. Bad luck begins to slam us from here. We overshot the exit on the highway to the correct entrance to the park, by about 40 kms. Having no idea of the mistake, we kept on driving deeper and deeper into the forest. After having passed numerous tiny villages in the forest, we stopped at one of them just to make sure we were on the right path. (well, we weren’t) Incredulously, we were told the national park was a further 60 kms drive. It was unbelievable since we had already driven close to 85 kms from Mysore. Google Maps on the phone wasn’t working here. (Operators should stop advertising their ‘excellent’ coverage)

We didn’t know what to do. It was getting pretty late for the Safari that we had planned to go on. Going at this rate, we were sure to miss it. So, we continued on the same path. There was a broken road sign, dramatically bent and rusted, showing 34 kms to Nagarhole. It was against our calculations too, but we had no other option. We flew on the ghat road. It was dangerously narrow and surprisingly twisty. It was difficult to keep the vehicle on the road at all times at the speed at which we were driving. Knowing all the time that it was dangerous, we were speeding so as not to miss the Safari. This was when we started to feel that things weren’t going right. As if to complete our misery, it started raining. And the rain this down south is cold. Uncomfortably cold. The thought of spotting leopards and herds of elephants kept us going.

The check-post was within sight when tragedy struck. There was a sharp curve, a one like many others, but one that one of our bikes couldn’t negotiate. It resulted in the bike overshooting the road and skidding through the rainwater filled slush and throwing the rider and the pillion on to the road. The handle is twisted, the rear brake lever is mauled and the front brake lever is broken. More importantly, the guys are hurt. Bruised and shocked they got up and started checking if their cameras were alright. (geeks! I know) Now, the top priority job was to find first aid for the men and the bike, in this no-man’s land, in the middle of nowhere. A couple of nice people (of the neighboring village) offered us help and asked why we were here. We told them we were trying to go to Nagarhole. And then, they tell us that entrance to the park from this side is not allowed for two-wheelers. And we had to get back to the highway (50 kms in the opposite direction) and then drive all around the park and enter it from the southern side. Well, that decided it. We were now just gonna patch ourselves up and get back to Mysore and get a good sleep in warm blankets. The thought was painfully endearing. :)

First of all, finding a hospital in this wilderness was the major task. Surprisingly, there are villages this deep in the Western Ghats and one of them had a Government Hospital. The guys had their wounds dressed, before we proceeded to find another village, a bigger one, where we could find a mechanic to set the bike right. Now, we drove the bikes oh-so-slowly to the village and got the bike fixed while we grabbed something to eat. Being a vegetarian isn’t fun when you are in remote places and you are real hungry! A couple of more trips like this and that should be the tipping point for me. ;) After ‘lunch’ (flavored bread and soft drink), we started off to get back to Mysore. Since the trip had to be ‘complete’, it rained like it never rained before. Well, it wasn’t just rain. It was like tiny little bullets hitting us hard, painfully hard, drenching us and chilling our bones.

We tried to over speed in the rain (dangerous again, I know) hoping to move faster than the clouds that were raining upon us. It seemed to have worked, since after a long distance, it was just cloudy. Three bruised, battered, wet and sorry looking faces on two bikes emerged on the highway after what seemed like eternity. A stop at one of the coffee places on the highway and a hot cuppa brought some life back in our cold and tired limbs. We sat there and discussed how things worked out (or not) that day. We laughed at how the guys had a fall from the bike. Its strange how people can find cheer and hope in almost everything on earth. It in turn gives hope to me, in every sense. From there, a little over 40 kms drive brought us back home to Mysore. I’m just happy we all returned alive: Nature seemed to be bent on kicking our asses that day. Yes, the camera never came out, we spotted no animal, except for crows and we had been on the bike all day long.

After such an adventurous Saturday, today has been rather uneventful. I’m glad. :)

Looking forward to better (safer) trips in the future. Sure, this was one that goes into the permanent records, although I’d like some records in some other genres.

Coorg

What started off as a 40kms trip to the neighboring Srirangapatna, ended as a 250kms trip to not-so-close Madikeri, aka Coorg.The idea was to get out of the house, or the city, on the weekend and put it to good use. Hadn’t used the camera for a little while too. So, we figured going to the bird sanctuary would be a good idea. Although, I wasn’t sure if I had the right equipment to shoot birds. I wanted to make an effort anyway. Many inspiring people in the company you see. ;)

Waking up at 05h30 on a Saturday morning is a pain in the… well, most parts of the body.Stuffed the bag with essentials like the tripod, an extra lens and some filters and started off. And the moment we start the vehicle, I get an ‘idea’. :D I thought, why go on the Bengaluru highway again, lets take some other road. So, we took the Hunsur road. Now, we are cruising on the road, having no idea where to go or when to stop. I see some road signs with many cities on them. One was Madikeri (Coorg) 120kms. We decided it would be a good idea to drive down there, since it was quite early in the morning. Distance wasn’t an obstacle. :)

This was the first major trip for my FZ. It is one of the most radical designs in the Indian market, designed after its monstrous cousin in Europe. The tank-size is out of proportions and the rear tire is just too wide. It gives you a lot of confidence while cornering even at high speeds.

And so we are cruising. At one point after we were well out of Mysore and past some villages, there was a long stretch of road. It was a very interesting piece. It was as if the road took a plunge and then climbed back up in a straight line. Imagination took over and we pulled over the vehicle, setting up the tripod with the camera, posing away, the bike being a part of a regal background. Passers-by shot us with curious looks. I am often asked by people if I run a photo studio, courtesy: the tripod.

I repeat this each time, but I really think our roads aren’t safe. Forget the night times, even the day is pretty dangerous. People ought to respect others’ lives as much as they love their own. Being an optimist, I think it will be a long time before we see such a change.

After passing through numerous nameless villages and little towns, we reach the foothills of the Western Ghats, ready to ascend to Madikeri. The ghat road that leads up to the town is quite amazing. It is surprisingly wide, allowing you to bank at high speeds. Well, of course, while negotiating the turns, its your responsibility to watch out for vehicles coming in the opposite direction. There is no road divider you see. While riding up the hill, I thought of the descent and how much fun it would be. I wasn’t wrong.

After completing the 120+kms, with a couple of stops, we had reached the city center (well, lets call it that). Now, we had no idea what to do. Primarily because it was a totally unplanned trip. And then, you don’t go to Coorg looking for a particular thing or a place. You just go there, spend some time, relax and get out.

Oh yeah, forgot, you also have a coffee. Special Coorg Coffee. And since we had no idea what to do, after the arduous ride, and a tasteless breakfast, we had the coffee. Two cups. The first wasn’t strong enough. Now when people ask why we went to Coorg or what we did there, I just have one answer: To have a cup of coffee.

There was another tourist attraction quite close to Coorg. It was the Abbey Falls. Since it is peak summer, there wasn’t much water in the falls. Just a tiny trickle compared to what it is generally, after the rains. But, it was perfect for the kind of shot I wanted. When shooting, you always have certain ideas in your head. The lead-up to the falls is quite dramatic too. You park your vehicle somewhere in the valley and then you walk through dense forest trees for about 8mins to reach the falls. To my imagination, after the rains, you will hear the falls much before you see them, much like the Fountain of Trevi in Rome.

The camera is out, people ducked and some shots were fired. No one was injured. ;) But, everyone was curious as to what I was trying to do. Later, I realized that people were staring at me, because I had a frustrated look on my face. Was trying real hard to get the right shot. Got some ‘alright’ pictures there and moved on. The drive uphill wasn’t exactly fun, I could feel the vehicle cursing me for putting it such troubles at such a young age! After reaching back Coorg, we started off on the not-so-amazing part of any road trip. The drive back home. It was just after lunch time, the Sun was merciless.

We had to take some major breaks on our way back, to fight dehydration. Reaching back Mysore, we felt as if we conquered something, I know, it’s a silly feeling. But it did feel like that. After we reach home, we had been sun-burnt, no, it wasn’t tan, it was sun-burn. Its been more than 2 weeks, I still got it.

Free advice: Apr-May is NOT the right time to go on a bike trip.

Trying to get a bit more adventurous the next time. Destination next is a 3-day,500+kms drive to Mangalore. :) As the bike gets older, the top speeds get higher. ;)