Nilgiri Ride

Just a simple ride report of my first ride of Nilgiris done this last weekend.

Was in mind for a long time but planned just a week ago.

Spoke to a very young friend of mine (just close to completing Golden Jubilee ) abt the ride and he readily agreed to accompany me on the ride. Was stunned.

Planned to route and timings and was scheduled to leave on Friday morning (which always obeys the Murphy law)
Finally it happened to be last Saturday when the D day arrived and we set out in my friend's Bolero Caper with his Giant Iguana Disc and my Bergamont commuter firmly secured in the rear using Bungee cords.
Had fitted a rear rack just a day earlier which really saved my back of the load needed for 3 day touring.
Tried smooth talking my friend so fit one for himself, but he was so assured of himself to ride with a 12 kilo backpack and a motorbike helmet! (Helmet was a goof up, he loaded the motorbike helmet in his jeep with early morning groggy eyes)

Drove comfortably till a little further ahead of Nanjangud where he had his ancestral home and we parked his camper, assembled the bikes, loaded the luggage and set off by 9.
One look at him would tell that he is the Megatron cyclist that I had imagined with that helmet and luggage!

The initial pace that he set from Nanjangud to Gundlupet made me wary of the day's destination.
We had planned to ride tough on Day 1 to reach Gudalur via Sulthan Bathery and Nelakottai. But why that circuitous road when a straighter NH is available via Bandipur.
Its zimble.... had made my mind to suffer more and ride more !
But we were still in Gundlupet at 11:30 and Gudalur was still 47 km away via the straighter road and 90 km away via the planned Bathery climb.
He was convinced that he could pull it through the dreadful Nelakottai climb.
So, we started riding against heavy headwinds to Bathery which happens to be steady climb from Gundlupet intercepted by minor descents.
Was surprised to see lush green forests in Bandipur and Muthanga even though the monsoon was yet to arrive there. I guess the pre monsoon showers have blessed them in bounty.
Reached Muthanga and had hearty veg meals in a road side shack. It was already 3 and was getting gloomy with overcast clouds.
My friend Tejas with his gladiator outfit and limited cycling practice was huffing and puffing even on flats and hence, it always happened that I had to wait for more than an hour in every stop to sync up with him.

Since, we bit the bullet to ride via Bathery, it became seemingly evident that we will end up riding in the dark.
I asked him if he wanted to call it quits in Bathery and ride the next day to Gudalur and extend the tour by a day but he assured me that he can pull it to Gudalur even if its middle in the night.
We couldn't even dream of riding Bathery to Ooty in a day with so much loaded biking, hence Gudalur was the only choice. My navigational instincts told me that there should be some vliiage roads which would bypass Bathery and lead us to Gudalur and Bingo, we found a shortcut from Muthanga leading us to Nambikolli via some fertile plains.
Rejoined the Bathery - Gudalur road and started the heavy 10 km climb to Paattavayal which is a elephant minefield even in the early evenings.
I reached Paattavayal by 5 or so and was waiting for him to reach but soon started getting nervous since an hour had passed and he could not be seen. Frantic queries with passing vehicles gave me an assurance that he is almost there and he finally laboured his way to the top by 6:15. It seems 2 motorcycle borne persons were killed by elephants on the ver road just 2 days ago which compounded my fears.
Relieved that he made it in one piece, it was time to unleash my precious Solarforce Cree Lights which simply lit up the tea estate roads
It was a dream riding in the dark nights on the ghat twisties under spotless skies with just me and my friend and no other vehicles on the road. Crazy it was.
Reached Gudalur after marathon 120 km uphill rides with unknown elevation conquered and crashed on the first available lodge..

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz



Day 2 :
Holed up in an almost window less room and dark interiors meant that we got up by 8 and started rolling by 9:30.
The deadly climb to Ooty starts immediately after the signal and goes unrelenting for the first 20 kms. Surprised myself by hauling my heavy commuter with luggage within 2.5 hrs and waited a cool 3 hrs more for my friend to tag along...
The elevation drops the next couple of kms (TR Bazaar) only to go up for the next 5 kms. We took it easy from there on (was cursing myself for leaving him alone all the time to do the climb alone) and rode comfortably and ever so slowly to Pykara to break for Lunch.
Ooty is f*%ked up with tourists and resembles maggot infested rot. Didn't bother to stop anywhere and strolled into the town a whole 6 hrs later than I had hoped to do..
Nevertheless, my first climb done.. not done to the best of my efforts.... will cherish it....

Checked in YHAI hostel & celebrated the climb with lots of "Child Bear" and again zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Day 3 :
Victory ride !!!
Rode out of Ooty on a cool Monday morning with people still not out on the roads and wanted to end the descent as fast as possible so Kalhatti it was.....
Glided comfortably till 28th hairpin only to be intercepted by a pair of wild boars.. dint want any panga with them. waited till they carted away from the road and then strolled along.
Broke for Breakfast at Masinagudi and reached Mudumalai / Bandipur border in no time.
Got informed that the elephants were found wandering on the road and dint want to risk ourselves on their way. Took a wise decision to haul the bikes on a truck and just couple of kms down the road, were confronted by couple of these seemingly gentle giants having a good time by the road side.
Justtt misssssssssss...

Got down midway to Nanjangud, put our bikes back in jeep and reached Bangalore to a chaotic welcome(traffic and rains).


All in all, a very very memorable my first mini TFN and sure many more to follow this year

Pics here : https://picasaweb.google.com/jumjumkhoya/MyFirstNilgiriRide#

and Ciaooooo...