Preamble
Agumbe is one of the most sought out destination in the Western Ghat mountain for its scenery, suitability for trekking and waterfalls. Owing to its high rainfall, it has received the epithet of “The Cherrapunji of South India“, after Cherrapunji, one of the rainiest places in India.
I was eagerly waiting for this trip owing to the location, weather, geography, terrain etc. As Agumbe was located nearly 700kms from Chennai, I was sure that this was going to be a memorable experience with The Knight Ryders (TKR). Given the terrain, weather and distance, lot of information was shared with the members in advance which helped in the preparation for the trip.
The pre-ride day is always an exciting day with buzzing of packing, repacking and checking the essentials relating to the ride.
Forward Journey – Day 1
On the day of the ride, we assembled at our usual joint, the Motel Highway, Poonamallee at 3:30 AM. After usual cuddle and banter, we had a short briefing by Captain Ramesh and Santosh who emphasised on safety and the rules to be followed enroute. TKR want to be seen as friendly riders and not rash drivers. Hence, respecting other road users is an important objective for us and avoid any inconvenience to others.
We started with flag off at 4 AM.
The mood of the riders was charged up despite the gruelling distance to be covered. Pre-Dawn ride is always challenging due to truck traffic, low visibility and the road condition. The leads, sweep and tail ensured that this segment of the ride was completed without any hassle. Enroute, fellow riders jointed at designated spots like Sriperumbudur, Kancheepuram etc and we moved forward. After a refreshing tea break, we reached ‘Sai Suprabaatham’ near Ambur where we had the most important meal of the day, a sumptuous breakfast. The restaurant staff were very courteous and we had a simple flag hoisting ceremony at their request.
We had a minor glitch when one of the bike’s tyre had a puncture due to which we had an extended break at the restaurant. Varadan, Bart Balaji, Vivek, Jithin etc utilised the extended break to make some memorable videos and photos. By the we drove for 8 hours, we had a refreshing break near Hosur with fresh tender coconut and chilli guava. We witnessed the world famous Bangalore traffic snarl once we crossed the Toll Gate. Vehicles were moving at snail pace and it was frustrating till we reached the NICE road. The NICE road was a smooth and pleasant cruise at 80kmph.
Due to unscheduled stops, the lunch designation was changed to a restaurant ‘Green Park Dhaba’, at the exit of NICE road, sensing our hunger, they served the food faster. After the lunch break, we proceeded in the Bangalore – Mangalore Highway which was an awesome stretch to cover. With little traffic, we reached the next tea spot ‘Hotel Mayura’. The coffee was too good at this place and most ended up ordering second round of coffee.
We realised that the destination is closer, hence, we were excited much more. With Captain Ramesh leading, we had a beautiful ride with the sun setting by the side and we reached Chikmagalur (known officially as Chikkamagaluru).
Darkness has taken over its reigns now, birds had returned to their nests, crawlies and nocturnal have come out in search of food, lights have gone from the roads, but, we were riding with the same enthusiams.
With rain also started pouring, the road to our stay was an adventurous ride with twists, turns and we could see only a few meters with the help of the head light. We rode in a controlled manner to ensure safety of everyone. Voila, here we are at the destination ‘Vintage Heritage HomeStay’ around 9:30 PM covering 650kms in approx. 18 hours. After dinner and chit chat we all retired to the dormitory for a good rest. Snoozers and snorers were allotted the respective sections so they remain in their comfort zone
Local sightseeing – Day 2
We woke up to light drizzle of rain and a pleasant weather. After the good rest and a Malnad Breakfast, we were fully rejuvenated. We were fully geared up along with rain wear to explore the hills of Western Ghat. The recent rains had washed away all the dirt, the flora and fauna were beautiful and fresh. The fresh smell of mother earth, the beauty of the vegetation, chirping of the insects, the taste of freshly brewed tea and coffee were a treat to the senses. The weather was like moody girlfriend with drizzle all along the way.
The road to ‘Baba Budangiri’ was pretty thrilling with driving uphill on a single lane with twists and turns. The machine responded and supported well for such conditions also. ‘Baba Budangiri’ itself was so misty and wet, I was wondering what was in store for us in Agumbe. We had some light snacks and tea and in the local store and proceeded towards Mullayanagiri which was our next destination. The ride to Mullayangiri was not much easier with fog and rain taking over the route.
The place was serene which will remain in our memories for longer. We decided to head to Chikkamagaluru town for a snack break and drove down hill. The town had nice coffee joints and we refreshed ourselves for some good coffee, puff pastries etc. After the coffee it is fair to concur that Chikkamagaluru is The Coffee Land of Karnataka. We headed back to our stay riding a different route from Day 1 which took us faster to the destination.
After the evening dinner, we had the customary briefing / feedback session with the team. Santosh discussed about the key aspects of the ride, what had we improved and what we could work up. This kind of discussions helps us to improve our driving and overall have a safe and enjoyable experience. Gopu having fulfilled the necessary criteria was felicitated as a ‘knight ryder’. The team also felicitated leads from the 75 th Independence day ride who took a lot of initiatives to support the event. They all deserve a well round of applause. Recognising the initiatives also motivates us to keep doing better and improve ourselves.
We also celebrated the birthdays of Varadan and Jagadeesh with cake cutting. There were bonding moments over bon fire and we all retired for the day after a nice music and dance. I promise that I will not reveal much details but it was great fun to watch the knights shake a eg . A great day had come to an end just to begin fresh tomorrow.
Trip to Agumbe – Day 3
Some of the early risers decided to go for a morning trek around the resort. We were introduced to ‘Ranga’ our furry friend and guide for the trek. The owner told us that Ranga would take us through the entire trek. Walking in the morning mist through paddy fields gave a fresh energy. When we decided to take a route on our own, our friend Ranga, who had been a good guide so far, seeing us going against his planned route, snapped and ran away fast to the resort to complain about the uncooperative guests.
Due to lack of information about the conditions at Agumbe, it was decided that we would visit the hanging bridge in Kalasa and Sringeri on Day 3. Again riding through the Western Ghat was mesmerising. The hanging bridge is built over Bhadra river and it was picturesque. After some photo shoot we proceeded to Sringeri for lunch.
Sringeri, a small village in the Western Ghat is the site of the first maṭha established by Adi Shankara. The place was serene and divine. We had a nice lunch at the local restaurant. Based on the latest information, it was decided that we would proceed to Agumbe which was only 40kms from Sringeri. It was a tranquil drive to visit Agumbe where we spent some time enjoying the nature and environment.
Through the ride, I was humming some of the songs by Illayaraja which was so apt for the ride
- செந்தாழம் பூவில் வந்தாடும் தென்றல் என் மீது மோதுதம்மா (முள்ளும் மலரும்)
- பொன்மாலை பொழுது இது ஒரு பொன்மாலை பொழுது வானமகள் நாணுகிறாள் வேறு உடை
பூணுகிறாள் (நிழல்கள்) - மலையோரம் வீசும் காத்து மனசோடு பாடும் பாட்டு கேட்குதா கேட்குதா (பாடு நிலாவே)
- சொர்க்கமே என்றாலும் அது நம்மூரைப் போல வருமா அட என் நாடு என்றாலும் அது நம்
நாட்டுக்கீடாகுமா (ஊரு விட்டு ஊரு வந்து)
I am sure you would also had your favorite songs and moments during the ride. It was a surreal experience and nature inspire artists so much, the benefit of which we enjoy, a good music and a song. Also, it gave me a thought that are we doing enough to preserve the nature for the future generations also to enjoy the same way we are enjoying now. ‘We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children’. No one seems to know the origin of this saying, but it’s a hard hitting fact.
We returned to the resort by 8:00 PM to enjoy a nice dinner. People relaxed and enjoyed the last night at the resort and had good fun over music and dance. Again details won’t be revealed, but I promise, it was super entertaining. We all retired for the day for a good rest before we head back home.
Back home – Day 4
The urge to get back to the near and dear one have taken over the tranquillity of the nature enjoyed over the last two days and it was time to get back to the concrete jungle. We eagerly looked forward to cover another 650kms of drive and reach home safely.
We had a set back enroute as one of the member unfortunately fell sick and needed attention. He was escorted by Captain and seniors to the nearby medical college and research institute.
We were all having anxious moments and thanks to god’s grace he was fine to continue the journey. The solidarity extended by all the team members need a special mention and it’s was moment of realisation that ‘I will be safe riding with The Knight Riders and won’t be left behind’.
All agreed for a delayed arrival so we can reach home safely. We took the same route back home with enough refreshing breaks to make sure everyone was comfortable.
The ride from Hosur to Arcot was thoroughly enjoyable even at night. After spending nearly 16 hours, all reached the final destination Chennai safely by 11:30PM covering overall 1600+ kms over 4 days making it the longest ride so far, which is an achievement and a feather in the cap of The Knight Ryders.
This trip is going to stay in our memories for a longer time till we beat the milestone. The ride taught me that it’s the passion that brought us together but we have grown the bond beyond that to ride together, take care of each other and support each other in hard times.
Thanks to The Knight Ryders for choosing such a beautiful destination, route, stay and making all the arrangements to ensure that we enjoy every aspect of the ride. Thanks to the Leads, Sweeps, Tails for making the ride safe for all. The team also stood true to the statement that ‘We will not only have fun but will also behave responsibly’. Eagerly waiting to meet up on the next ride.
– Adios Amigos till next ride (HaKuNaMaTaTa)
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16 Responses
Wow…Loved the way you had captured the entire journey for people like me who are desperately looking forward to join our first long ride with the coveted group of Knights. Thank you so much and looking forward to driving with you all. Cheers!
Great 👍.. even though I cannot join, after reading this I could feel the entire situations ,except my black stallion roaring sound 😉👌👌👌👌👍
Once again you proved your mettle as a writer. It is truly inspiring and ignites the passion for writing a travel diary. The anonymous quote on preserving nature will be etched in my memory. Lots more to comment but I leave it to others. Looking forward to your next blog…
Another superb blog …Ananth..
Recreated whole trip in words..
From the last paragraph of u r blog …. “We are also eagerly waiting for your next blog🤩”
Ananthu,.. Once again you proved your mettle in bringing forth the narrative in such a way that it will be cherished by everyone . The anonymous quote on preserving nature will be etched in my memory. Lots more to comment, but I leave it to others. Keep going amigo..
It is so inspiring and pulls me to write one too ! Such detailed narration ! Awesome Ananth!!
Mind blowing Article.😍
It covers nook and corner of this ride. It tempts us to join the next ride plan with TKR. Good job guys.
Superb. Drove alongside as usual narrated the story. I hummed most of the songs you mentioned during ride. A memory to carry forward forever.
Thanks AK for taking us through the beautiful journey again through the beautiful words and the Ilayaraja songs. Cheers until we ride again next time 🙂
Ananth once again you nailed it. I was reliving the entire moments while reading your blog. Thank You
As you said in the last paragraph “Eagerly waiting for next trip” and also your blog
What detailed narration Anandhu, enjoyed reading. Hat’s off 💐💐
Wow. What an inspiring blog. I just felt like I rode with you all folks just by reading it. Shows how much passion, camaraderie that’s exists in the Knight Ryder’s gang. Can’t wait to join another ride with you all. Keep riding Love you all.
As good as our trip. Enjoyed every bit of info you captured. Thanks and keep these feeds coming. Enjoyed every bit. Kuratta vudura pasangala enna azhaga thatti kudithrukinga “Snoozers and snorers were allotted the respective sections so they remain in their comfort zone” Ultimate 😆.
Wonderful… I dont think i can write anything after this… Blog master:)
Boss, you should write. Writing is all about perception and narrative. We want to see yours also.
Couldn’t have been better written. Captured the essence of the entire ride beautifully. Keep up the good work Ananth.