After the Wayanad ride, it was almost a month that I had not ridden out. Santosh (NFS) came with the idea of doing Donigal, a trek/walk along the railway track in the Western Ghats. Not a bad idea at all, we both were game for this.
It was Friday the 23rd of Feb 2007, also the Quarterly Business Review (QBR) at my office as well. As I used to work in the EMEA timings, I wanted to leave office by 6 pm, reach home, pick the luggage up and start the ride to Sakleshpur.
Day 1: 23rd February 2007
As usual loads of work at office, and the (QBR) ensured that I would not be able to leave office before 8 pm. All things fall out of place when you actually want them to be in place. I was nominated for a Functional Excellence award to be presented by the VP of our business section. Since it was already close 8 pm, I gave a lame reason to my manager telling her that I have a severe head ache and left office around 7.45 pm. So my manager did the honors of collecting the award on my behalf.
Reached home only to find the house locked as my parents were out buy some groceries. Half an hour went by, they came home. I had dinner, quickly checked whether I have carried all the necessary things, started off from house @ 10.15 pm. Santosh too left after packing all the necessary things and we both met up at the Shell petrol bunk Yeswanthpur. We soon filled the fuel tanks to the brim. As usual Santosh somehow persuaded the petrol bunk guys to give a couple of toilet tissue rolls. After all this we started off exactly at 11 pm. With very little traffic till Nelamangala, we were covering the distance pretty quick. As we reached Kunigal the weather was getting colder and colder. Stopped over near Chennarayapatna for a hot cup of Tea (actual reason being to warm up our hands). 15 mins break and we started riding non stop till Sakaleshpur. Santosh had already booked a room in Sakaleshpur, so we just had to wake up the hotel guys. We reached Sakaleshpur @ 2.20 am. Not bad as we covered close to 230 odd kilometers in about 3 hours and 5 mins.
Dumped all the luggage, after parking our bikes in a safe corner in the parking lot, we dozed off until 6.30 am.
Day 2: 24th February 2007
Got ready by 7.30 am, had breakfast and took an auto to reach the Donigal railway station road. It was a steep climb for about 50 meters and there we see the Donigal railways station. We enquired the station master about the timings of the trains running on the route, if any, he said, he was not sure. Ridiculous that the station master himself does not when the trains run on the route.
With no information we started walking along the railway track. Actually there was another group which had taken the same track route at around 6 am. We were lagging them by about close to 2 hours. We maintained steady pace, cross a few bridges. A few under pinning were missing, a few nuts and bolts found along the track. We were wondering whether the train would run on this track without derailing. Soon we reached at the first tunnel. As it was not the rainy season, the tracks were not slippery. We walked for a quite a few kilometers happily clicking away with our cams. At one of the stations that was being built we met the group which had started earlier. They seemed to be pretty tired and were happily resting on the tracks. We spoke for a couple of minutes introducing ourselves, later moved on with our trail.
We spotted a train heading towards Sakaleshpur and it was goods train. Had 3 diesel locomotive engines at the front and 3 at the end. It had about fully loaded 93 wagons. It was moving at a snails pace. Waited for the train to go by, we waved at the train pilot, who was more than happy to wave back at us. Nevertheless he seemed to be amused to see us walk along the track. Soon we came across one of the highest bridges on the route. Posed on the bridge for a couple of snaps, and then moved on to find a stream flowing below. We decided to head to the stream. What a relief in the heat. We also had our lunch there, and rest for about an hour.
Now we were in a dilemma as to whether we need to take the route through the coffee estate and reach a near by village to board a bus to go to Sakaleshpur or walk back along the track. We decided to take the estate route based on the suggestions given by a person who was the care taker of the estate. He told us we need to walk for about 15 minutes to reach the village. Ok, 15 minutes not bad was what we thought. But the distance we walked was more; we walked for almost a couple of hours. The bus was scheduled to leave the village toward Sakaleshpur by 5 pm. So we reached the Edakumeri village (we only found only 3-4 houses in the village, a little surprising). After walking for another 45 mins we finally reached the village with about 15 minutes to spare and wait for bus as well as to take a well deserved rest.
We boarded the bus and reached Sakaleshpur after traveling about for 2 hours. Santosh in the mean while caught up a small nap in the bus. As soon we headed to the hotel, we freshened up and had coffee. Santosh deciding to call it a day, I was left with no choice but to loaf around along the roads of Sakaleshpur. Had dinner and dozed off.
Day 3: 25th February 2007
Previous day’s tiredness ensured we would start off only by 8.30 am after having breakfast. The previous day we had decided to ride down the Shiradi Ghats and then head towards Dharmastala and then ride up the Charmadi Ghats. Also our lunch destination being Horanadu, we had a good 160+ kms to ride. We started zipping off on our bikes riding towards Dharmastala.
Since the roads were good after a few kms, it was happy hours of riding, with peg scrapping curves with good tarmac ensured we fulfilled the racer within. Soon reached Ujire and took the deviation towards Charmadi. Stopped at the village for a cup of tea.
I decided to record a video of riding up the ghats. So got all the setting ready and soon started our ride. Reached Kottigehara and then took the deviation towards Horanadu. Initially the roads were good, but turned worse for quite a few patches. Reached Horanadu, we decided to take a room there and dumped the entire luggage and then visited temple. Had nice lunch offered by the temple as prasadham. Now it was time to take a good nap. We slept at around 1.30 pm and woke up by 4 pm. After good rest we freshened up and vacated the room and headed our way back to Bangalore. Refueled at Belur and then the ride went non stop till Bangalore. Bid good bye to Santosh at Mekhri circle and I headed back home.
A small part of the life reclaimed.
Route: Bangalore – Nelamangala – Hassan – Sakaleshpur – Ujire – Charmadi – Kottigehara – Kalasa – Horanadu – Kalasa – Kottigehara – Mudigere – Belur – Hassan – Nelamangala – Bangalore
Trip distance – 763 kms
Link to the pics: http://picasaweb.google.com/n.krishna.p/DongialEdakumeri
It was Friday the 23rd of Feb 2007, also the Quarterly Business Review (QBR) at my office as well. As I used to work in the EMEA timings, I wanted to leave office by 6 pm, reach home, pick the luggage up and start the ride to Sakleshpur.
Day 1: 23rd February 2007
As usual loads of work at office, and the (QBR) ensured that I would not be able to leave office before 8 pm. All things fall out of place when you actually want them to be in place. I was nominated for a Functional Excellence award to be presented by the VP of our business section. Since it was already close 8 pm, I gave a lame reason to my manager telling her that I have a severe head ache and left office around 7.45 pm. So my manager did the honors of collecting the award on my behalf.
Reached home only to find the house locked as my parents were out buy some groceries. Half an hour went by, they came home. I had dinner, quickly checked whether I have carried all the necessary things, started off from house @ 10.15 pm. Santosh too left after packing all the necessary things and we both met up at the Shell petrol bunk Yeswanthpur. We soon filled the fuel tanks to the brim. As usual Santosh somehow persuaded the petrol bunk guys to give a couple of toilet tissue rolls. After all this we started off exactly at 11 pm. With very little traffic till Nelamangala, we were covering the distance pretty quick. As we reached Kunigal the weather was getting colder and colder. Stopped over near Chennarayapatna for a hot cup of Tea (actual reason being to warm up our hands). 15 mins break and we started riding non stop till Sakaleshpur. Santosh had already booked a room in Sakaleshpur, so we just had to wake up the hotel guys. We reached Sakaleshpur @ 2.20 am. Not bad as we covered close to 230 odd kilometers in about 3 hours and 5 mins.
Dumped all the luggage, after parking our bikes in a safe corner in the parking lot, we dozed off until 6.30 am.
Day 2: 24th February 2007
Got ready by 7.30 am, had breakfast and took an auto to reach the Donigal railway station road. It was a steep climb for about 50 meters and there we see the Donigal railways station. We enquired the station master about the timings of the trains running on the route, if any, he said, he was not sure. Ridiculous that the station master himself does not when the trains run on the route.
With no information we started walking along the railway track. Actually there was another group which had taken the same track route at around 6 am. We were lagging them by about close to 2 hours. We maintained steady pace, cross a few bridges. A few under pinning were missing, a few nuts and bolts found along the track. We were wondering whether the train would run on this track without derailing. Soon we reached at the first tunnel. As it was not the rainy season, the tracks were not slippery. We walked for a quite a few kilometers happily clicking away with our cams. At one of the stations that was being built we met the group which had started earlier. They seemed to be pretty tired and were happily resting on the tracks. We spoke for a couple of minutes introducing ourselves, later moved on with our trail.
We spotted a train heading towards Sakaleshpur and it was goods train. Had 3 diesel locomotive engines at the front and 3 at the end. It had about fully loaded 93 wagons. It was moving at a snails pace. Waited for the train to go by, we waved at the train pilot, who was more than happy to wave back at us. Nevertheless he seemed to be amused to see us walk along the track. Soon we came across one of the highest bridges on the route. Posed on the bridge for a couple of snaps, and then moved on to find a stream flowing below. We decided to head to the stream. What a relief in the heat. We also had our lunch there, and rest for about an hour.
Now we were in a dilemma as to whether we need to take the route through the coffee estate and reach a near by village to board a bus to go to Sakaleshpur or walk back along the track. We decided to take the estate route based on the suggestions given by a person who was the care taker of the estate. He told us we need to walk for about 15 minutes to reach the village. Ok, 15 minutes not bad was what we thought. But the distance we walked was more; we walked for almost a couple of hours. The bus was scheduled to leave the village toward Sakaleshpur by 5 pm. So we reached the Edakumeri village (we only found only 3-4 houses in the village, a little surprising). After walking for another 45 mins we finally reached the village with about 15 minutes to spare and wait for bus as well as to take a well deserved rest.
We boarded the bus and reached Sakaleshpur after traveling about for 2 hours. Santosh in the mean while caught up a small nap in the bus. As soon we headed to the hotel, we freshened up and had coffee. Santosh deciding to call it a day, I was left with no choice but to loaf around along the roads of Sakaleshpur. Had dinner and dozed off.
Day 3: 25th February 2007
Previous day’s tiredness ensured we would start off only by 8.30 am after having breakfast. The previous day we had decided to ride down the Shiradi Ghats and then head towards Dharmastala and then ride up the Charmadi Ghats. Also our lunch destination being Horanadu, we had a good 160+ kms to ride. We started zipping off on our bikes riding towards Dharmastala.
Since the roads were good after a few kms, it was happy hours of riding, with peg scrapping curves with good tarmac ensured we fulfilled the racer within. Soon reached Ujire and took the deviation towards Charmadi. Stopped at the village for a cup of tea.
I decided to record a video of riding up the ghats. So got all the setting ready and soon started our ride. Reached Kottigehara and then took the deviation towards Horanadu. Initially the roads were good, but turned worse for quite a few patches. Reached Horanadu, we decided to take a room there and dumped the entire luggage and then visited temple. Had nice lunch offered by the temple as prasadham. Now it was time to take a good nap. We slept at around 1.30 pm and woke up by 4 pm. After good rest we freshened up and vacated the room and headed our way back to Bangalore. Refueled at Belur and then the ride went non stop till Bangalore. Bid good bye to Santosh at Mekhri circle and I headed back home.
A small part of the life reclaimed.
Route: Bangalore – Nelamangala – Hassan – Sakaleshpur – Ujire – Charmadi – Kottigehara – Kalasa – Horanadu – Kalasa – Kottigehara – Mudigere – Belur – Hassan – Nelamangala – Bangalore
Trip distance – 763 kms
Link to the pics: http://picasaweb.google.com/n.krishna.p/DongialEdakumeri
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