Another amazing trip has just extended my first-time-experience list: bike trip in southern part of wonderful Western Ghats forming a natural border between Tamil Nadu and Kerala. For the first time in my life I spent 3 whole days sitting on a bike (my bum is still hurting and I'm sure if it could talk it would curse me ;-)) and riding in God's own country. Despite very bad weather forecast (it was supposed to be heavily raining all 3 days!!!) we hadn't given up and set out for the unforgettable adventure. And we were rewarded for our courage because finally the weather was just wonderful with only few showers. We were a nice group of 11 bikes and 1 car: guys and gals, Indians and foreigners, mostly members of Chennai Trekking Club, all of them just fantastic people full of energy and optimism. We started from Chennai on Thursday evening taking an A/C sleeper bus to Madurai. Chatting, playing UNO and having a lot of fun we proved that we are really ready to spend 3 not-always-easy days together. We reached Madurai early in the morning, took a breakfast, collected bikes from transporting agency and were getting ready to set out when the first complication turned up: Peter (the main organizer and founder of CTC) has lost his bike keys!!! Isn't it just a nice start? ;-) Fortunately guys were able to find a handy locksmith who, after some fighting with the lock, was able to open it and we could finally start our adventure...
Every day was somehow special. Day one was marked by ongoing problems with Peter's bike (it's funny that the chief organizer, who had been bombarding us with warnings that every biker must make sure that his bike is in good condition, was finally the only one having problems ;-)); posing for photojournalists; attacking mango stall; stealing corn from a field (Indian friends were quite scared when they saw me eating raw corn and were threating me with consequent stomach problems...oh please, raw vegetable can be actually good for your health!!!); having the first (and fortunately the last as well) accident when Parri and Balaji slipped and fell down from the bike but luckily got away just with torn pants and some scratches; and after searching for a sleeping spot and considering even a big bus stop, finishing the day at the church front yard in Idukki and being lulled by frogs croaking and some bikers snoring ;-)
Day two was filled by riding through lush green tea estates spreading all around; photography session in a tea field and squatting on a road itself; small surprise trek through a forest full of bloodthirsty leeches (victims have survived just with a little blood lost ;-)), with 400m climb to the rock peak and amazing view on the valley below; refreshing swimming in a small lake and consequent cursing by a local guy for having spoiled the only source of drinking water (hey, we didn't pee in the water!!!) and a very long night search for the camp site ending at the lodge near Annamalai.
And finally the last day, no less beautiful with riding to Valpaarai with more of the tea estates and colourful villages; breathtaking view from Loam's point ; losing half of participants on the way to Solaiyar Dam; Peter riding his bike with 3 or even 4 pillions and finally relaxing, swimming, "transporting" non-swimmers (and even saving them from drowning!!!) and taking a group photo in the middle of a dam . Despite having had only a late breakfast, we reached our destination Coimbatore in a great mood and just in time to hop on our bus and head for Chennai.
During those three wonderful days we were riding in almost all possible weather conditions: unbearably hot sunny weather, refreshing cool mountain breeze, strong side-wind trying to fling us down from the bikes, heavy rain, untransparent mist thick as a cream, nice calm night with star-spangled sky...On our 700 km long way we were passing through small colourful villages, we were surrounded by lovely valleys and imposing mountain peaks, endless green tea estates spreading till the horizon, huge dams and scenic lakes...All the time admiring the purity, greenness and lushness which we are not used to in Chennai at all. We had a lot of fun and experienced some strong, unforgettable moments together. And I'm sure all of us are already looking forward to taking part in another bike trip which is definitely coming soon ;-)
So, this was my first bike trip and I'm sure I will reminisce it a lot during upcoming hot days, weeks and months.
Thank you Peter!!!
During those three wonderful days we were riding in almost all possible weather conditions: unbearably hot sunny weather, refreshing cool mountain breeze, strong side-wind trying to fling us down from the bikes, heavy rain, untransparent mist thick as a cream, nice calm night with star-spangled sky...On our 700 km long way we were passing through small colourful villages, we were surrounded by lovely valleys and imposing mountain peaks, endless green tea estates spreading till the horizon, huge dams and scenic lakes...All the time admiring the purity, greenness and lushness which we are not used to in Chennai at all. We had a lot of fun and experienced some strong, unforgettable moments together. And I'm sure all of us are already looking forward to taking part in another bike trip which is definitely coming soon ;-)
So, this was my first bike trip and I'm sure I will reminisce it a lot during upcoming hot days, weeks and months.
Thank you Peter!!!
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