TRIP TO THE COFFEE SHOP OF INDIA:
Author: Rallapalli Bharat Bhushan.
I am Bharat, completed my engineering from JNTU College of Engineering, Anantapur in Andhra Pradesh. I am very passionate about tripping on bikes to long places. I made trips to many places in India till now. My latest trip was to Coorg, Karnataka, the coffee shop of India.
My heart was longing for a trip to somewhere before my engineering college life ends in a month. I had many plans. My dream trip is to Kanyakumari on NH7, 1000kms from the place where I live i.e Anantapur which is on the same NH7 in Andhra Pradesh. But the time and finance doesn’t allow me to go to Kanyakumari.
I and sunny decided to trip somewhere else. I came to know about Coorg when I was in school and felt it would be nice if me made a trip to it . So, the destination we chose was Coorg, the coffee shop of India, in Karnataka. The Coorg is 500 kms from Anantapur via Bangalore and Mysore. Bike we chose was Karizma R, which is 2 years old. We made many trips before on it. I and my friend sunny planned our route and timings for this trip. For the route and other doubts, I visited blogs by Xbhp riders who made a trip before.
The first leg is to Bangalore on NH7- 220 kms.
The second leg is to Mysore from Bangalore – 140kms
The third leg is to Madikere from Mysore – 140kms
It was a 4 day trip and our first plan was to reach Bangalore or Mysore in one day and then go to Madikere the next day, then see places around Madikere and return. Journey started at 9 am in the morning on 26th march. The bike did very well on the highway and by 11.30am, we were reaching Bangalore. So, we planned to Mysore directly. Riding on the outer ring road, reached Mysore road. The traffic was chaotic on outer ring road with many lorries. The road to Mysore from Bangalore was a state highway with its own culture which reflects the heritage of our country. It had a decent traffic with good sceneries on either side. We crossed Maddur, Mandya and Sri Rangapatna to reach mysore. The road was nice and had good curves. It was almost 5 in the evening while we were reaching Mysore when we called a friend and asked him if we could ride to Madikere at that time. He suggested to go ahead because it is a good stretch and 120kms is not a big distance on it, he said. So, started to Madikere from there directly. The road was nice with good curves and challenging traffic. After we crossed Hunsur, 45 Kms from Mysore, the road bifurcated into two ways. We were left in confusion and there is no one to guide us. We halted there watching which way all the vehicles were going, and we decided a route in which buses were also going.
This is the thrilling part of our trip which left many memories and lessons in our biking life. The route we have chosen was through the jungle in the Kodagu forest reserve. We came to know it after we rode for 20 Kms through it. The time before the light fails was little which didn’t permit us to go back around in the state highway. The light is failing, the road is not so good, forest all around, cold creeping in, still many miles to munch!!!!I felt strange and weird while sunny encouraged me to keep moving forward. At a place, we spotted elephants crossing the road. We felt Kerala very nearby and later came to know that it was just behind a hill at that place. The road had coffee plantations on either side with many little fields also. We reached a place called Virajpet, where the buses stopped with which we were coming along. I spoke to the bus driver and gained some knowledge. Actually Coorg is not a single place. It is a place stretching over 80 kms with Madikere as main centre . Madikere was 35 Kms from that place, but it was already dark and we have no other choice but to move forward to reach the main centre.
It was pitch dark with no street lights on the way, there came the ghat section, there were no other vehicles, no villages in between etc....My mind started losing balance thinking over these things. But it was the time I realised my wishes were coming true. Riding in the night, on a ghat section, its very cool there as we were reaching the hill station, I felt thrilling and It was the moment I felt proud to be a biker on a trip. Though it was our mistake to have chosen the wrong way at that time, it was like a life time experience which brought the true biker spirit in us. It was 8.30 pm when we reached Madikere. Hired a room and got freshen up.
At the end of the day, I noted all my experiences to frame them in to an article one day.
11 hours
500 Kms ( 3 terrains)
2 guys
1 bike – 17 horsepower
were the figures at the end of the day. We did 500 kms in less than 12 hours which included riding on National highway, state highway and Forest route. The all credit goes to the Karizma. It had a very hard time but didn’t let us down. Thanks to machine again. That day what we learnt was to be composed and confident even if things go wrong while you were tripping but make sure you plan well and execute well.
Next day, we visited a place called Tala Cauvery, which is the birth place of river Cauvery. It is 55 Kms from Madikere, with total ghat section while riding. The road is scenic with coffee plantations on either side and was visual treat for the tourists. There was a coffee pub on the way. It was a shop that sells all the products of the forests like honey, wine, coffee beans etc. It was established by a self help woman group. We ordered a coffee and the woman there showed us a book on Coorg, written by an English man in 1990. It had all the details of Coorg, their culture, their traditions, festivals, dresses, places in Coorg etc. The only field marshal of the Indian Army, K.M. Cariappa is from Coorg. I came to know this from that book. I noted down some points from that book into my trip book. I managed to take pics in the book through my mobile. I got few of them. The coffee was superb. Thanked the woman for the book about history of Coorg. Payed the bill for coffee and left the pub. The temple in Tala Cauvery was reflecting the culture, sculpture and architecture with a modernistic tinge and the view from the top was amazing. We started back after some time and sunny rode fast back to Madikere to watch India – Pakistan match of World cup. Evening, I visited a waterfall near by Madikere and I rode all over Madikere and the houses were interestingly built on slopes. Had snaps of Madikere and interesting places in it. Came back room and felt happy knowing India is going to win the match that day.
Next day, left to Bangalore in the morning and we rode on the state highway which is not taken the day before that day. It was a state highway with less vehicles and good places in between. We by passed Mysore, reached Sri Rangapatna, had lunch there and started to Bangalore. It was evening by the time we reached Bangalore. Stayed there in cousin’s house for that night.
Next day, morning was the last leg of the total trip. It was the national highway leading to our place, Anantapur. Even though it was the afternoon, the ride was comfortable. We managed to take some good pics and reached back to room.
Over all, the trip gave me memories, taught me lessons, raised my spirit as a biker, increased my passion for making many more good trips in the future.
I only had my phone to take pics on this trip. It had a 3 mega pixel camera. But I am happy and lucky to have obtained good pics.
Pics:
Starting from our room.
Sunny with his 17 horses Karizma
National Highway – 7, The paradise of speed.
The traffic of Bangalore
The heritage of Karnataka being painted on the walls.
The Bangalore Mysore state highway.
Tuskers in the forest region of Kodagu.
The forest road, the challenge for the day. Will ride on this road again one day.
The view of Madikere from our room.
The coffee PUB on the way to Tala Cauvery.
Pics from the book given by the woman at coffee pub.
Some pictures en route Tala Cauvery.
Pics of Tala Cauvery temple and view from the top!
The road not taken by us to reach madikere. (we missed this and rode along forest which left memories worth)
The road to which the car is going is the forest route, the other one is the road not taken (state highway)
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No distance is too far on a highway like this for KARIZMA.....love it!!!!
The objects in the mirror are closer but are surely behind......the sweet baby Karizma had munched miles without much stress....lovely bike....!!!
Resting time for the beast.....for touring in India I believe Karizma is the best in class...!!!
Thank you all
Bharat R. Bhushan