Memories, some of them sweet, some of them sour are integral part of the human life. The sweet ones bring a smile and the bitter ones remind us of the learning and experience.
முதல், First, प्रथम, primo etc. represent number 1. The number 1 is unique and symbolize unity and the origin of all things, since all other numbers can be created from 1 by adding enough copies of it. When you combine first with memories, it occupies a special place in the heart. I feel that the complex human brain has a special place to store all first memories so that it cannot be forgotten and retrieved in a wink.(eg. first job, first crush, first love, first kiss, first salary etc).
Similarly, this group bike ride will stay fresh in that place in brain which stores those pleasant memories, as it was to commemorate the first anniversary of the The Knight Ryders club. To celebrate the occasion, what is best way other than to conquer Yercaud which is called the King of Servarayan Hills in the Eastern Ghats in Salem District of Tamil Nadu situated approx. 350 kms from Chennai.
Day 1
We gathered near Tambaram at 4:30 AM on 15 October 2022. The mood of the members were joyous and so excited about the occasion. After the usual briefing, we started our journey towards Yercaud. Morning rides are always pleasant with less traffic and cool weather. After the initial tea stop @ 100kms, we reached Ulundurpet, our pitstop for breakfast. A team of new Honda Bike Riders from Pondy led by Varadan joined at Ulundurpet. After the breakfast, the team from Pondy interacted with the Knights to understand more about the club and its members. Santosh briefed them about the safety guidelines and the riding discipline to be followed. It was good to see that the club inspires many people to come forward and take a spin on their bike.
After the safety briefing, we proceeded towards Salem. The route from Ulundurpet to Salem was challenging given the continuous change of the lane system between two and four and the traffic, however, it was a piece of cake for us to manoeuvre and reach Salem. Honda Big Wing, Salem hosted the members in their new showroom with light refreshments and coffee. We had the opportunity to interact with the Salem team and had some nice moments.
Post the meeting, we proceeded for lunch and then towards our destination Yercaud. Hill rides are always mesmerising with the twists and turns. The nature was at its best due to rain on the previous day which had washed away all the dirt and the air smelled fresh.
The scenic beauty at every turn reminded me of the lyrics of கவிஞர் கண்ணதாசன், வளைந்து நெளிந்து போகும்பாதை மங்கை மோக கூந்தலோ மயங்கி மயங்கி செல்லும் வெள்ளம் பருவ நாண ஊடலோ (from movie முள்ளும் மலரும்). . Nature provides huge inspiration for artists and I am sure கவிஞர் would have written those lines after travelling to Yercaud through those 20 hairpin bends. After a very nice mesmerising ride, we reached Tamil Nadu Guest House which was our stay for two days.
The Knights relaxed a bit, changed into casual attire and went for a small stroll near the Guest House. The Guest House was situated near the beautiful Yercaud lake. The area surrounding the lake was buzzing with people and activities.
In the evening, we gathered for some fun group activities. Every one participated and enjoyed the games of dumb charades, Pictionary, 5 second rules etc. It was nice to see the Knights enjoying the evening in a relaxed way. Everyone was a winner with their active participation.
Late evening, around 8pm we gathered around the bonfire to celebrate the event which we have been eagerly anticipating.
Started a year back with few members as the exclusive ‘honda motor bike riding club’ for Honda CB 350 and CB 350 RS owners, the club has grown phenomenally with more than 30 members and 100+ registered users. I am sure no other ‘bike riders club’ would have been able to attract so much interest from bike enthusiasts in a short span of time.
We exchanged mementos with Kun Big Wing South members who had collaborated with us for many rides and provided excellent support to the club. The members from Kun Big Wing South also extended their congratulations to the club for achieving the milestone. The members were given a Tshirt and a special memento which we can proudly display at home. At this moment, it was revealed that the club is taking steps to register with the competent authorities. Once completed, TKR will be one of the few registered ‘motorbikes club’ in India. Definitely this will be a proud moment for us and will be feather in the cap of TKR.
Having completed the criteria for inclusion as members, me and Vishnu Kumar were included as members of the club. I felt elated and happy to be associated with TKR which provided an opportunity to drive together and have fun. We winded up the day after a good dinner and corridor talk among the members.
After a good rest, some members went for a morning stroll to enjoy the nature at Yercaud. We had a tandoor chai in a local tea shop which was quite refreshing. A good south Indian breakfast provided us the nourishment to handle the drive back to Chennai. Geared up, we headed to Servarayan temple, which was situated amidst scenic greenery. Knights unravelled their photography and modelling skills by posing for nice photographs and videos.
As Salem is the hometown of Captain Ramesh, he invited us to his house. We met Captain’s parents who were so kind and treated us with light snacks and coffee. It was no brainer to see that Captain has inherited his hospitality qualities from his parents.
We headed to Aatur for a nice lunch. The ride back home from Aatur was enjoyable due to less traffic and pleasant weather which helped us to extract the maximum performance out of the bike. After nearly two hours into the ride, we reached Villupuram where we had a hydration and refreshment break. Keeping the body nourished and hydrated is a key aspect in a bike ride which the club also emphasis to make sure everyone is comfortable through out the ride. The ride from Villupuram to Chennai was bit hectic due to the high traffic but the eagerness to meet the family after two days kept us on toes to reach Chennai safely around 8PM.
We had incidents with the bikes on two different occasions, one bike with multiple warnings flashing (mine) and another bike with a clutch plate issue. Our designated rescue driver Gopal swung into action and drove the bikes safely. This shows that TKR name is synonymous to safety and like a wolf pack taking care of its members to ensure no one is left behind.
As said in the first paragraph, this ride is going to be one of the sweetest memory for a very long time given that this was a milestone ride and a cherishing moment for all of us. There is no doubt that the club is going to be one of the most prominent, famous and safest motor bike group in India in the near future.
Eagerly waiting to meet up on the next ride.
– Adios Amigos till next ride (HaKuNaMaTaTa)
13 Responses
Well written and crisp giving us the picture of your entire experience
Superb style ananth, esp the starting of the blog.
Welcome to the knights order.
Very well written, Ananth. Covered all aspects!
Thanks a lot for the positive responses. It’s motivating
Structured.. Short..Sweet narration of the events..
These events kindle the spirit for others to be active in tours. Really happy to be a part of such a professional group. With just two tours with this group have picked up some good friends 😀
Hopefully I would finish the qualifying trips and Eagerly waiting by to be Knighted soon!
Well narrated story, well done.
I feel like I too travelled alongwith you. But I missed this nice trip.
Hi Ananth, your blogs are well scripted. I don’t read a lot . But i love to check your blogs. Great . Keep doing the good work. You are an asset to us.
Regards
Bart
A good blog. Nicely and enthusiastically explained ride. Congratulations to our team. More Miles to go
Once again felt like rewinding the entire moments of our anniversary ride.
Hi Ananthu..
It is always a pleasure to read your blog. Even though I missed this anniversary ride, which I will always regret, I felt that I was there and could enliven the whole trip, thanks to your blog.
The build up to announcing that this was the first anniversary ride was very professional. Your blogs will help us to recollect and rejoice every ride. Great job as always. Keep up the good work
Hey Ananth, Well narreted the entire trip even with minute details.
Thanks for this wonderful blog..
Wow! So well narrated the entire ride so memorable one for all of us. Lovely blog and keep doing more Ananth.
Cheers
Varadan