[StallionAmit]

Hi fellow community members, I am a newly inducted member and a great fan of Team-BHP. I am really looking forward to learn a great deal on the automotive front as well as to contribute to this community. My membership was approved yesterday and taking this opportunity, I would like to post my travelogue which I did in mid-April '15. This is my first ever bike trip and that too solo. And here it goes (kindly regret any error from my side since this is my first post):

"Invest in Experience, not in things", this one is truly a great line. In our lives we want to do great things, things which others haven’t done, things which make us different from others. Some choose different careers, some choose different hobbies, some different things like cars, bikes, etc. so that we look and feel different. But in our country, where is there is always a rat race, we have been raised in a way that our priorities are to first accumulate things and if time and energy permits then enjoy them. Well I am no different from the millions. I am 30 years old, I learned riding bike in 28 years, learned driving car in the past 6 months, so you can say I am a late starter in the riding scheme of things.

I bought my first two wheeler when I could afford one. It was a Mahindra Duro Scooter but sold it off quickly within 6 months, since I faced many issues in servicing, quality issues like oil leakage, etc. However, I request readers not to make an opinion about Mahindra two-wheelers considering it a one-off example. I will also give the benefit of doubt to Mahindra automobiles since two-wheelers is their new division and they are also improving. I like Indians companies growing and doing well. Mahindra is one such company which I admire. Then I bought Bajaj Avenger 220cc, a good bike from Bajaj for people who aspire to own cruisers, it’s still with me. As I learned to ride and started following different blogs, automobile sites, the bug to own a Royal Enfield (RE) bit me. Well no doubt the RE looks great, the sound of its thump is amazing and it gives an amazing feeling to own one (at that time I had never ridden an RE though). One of my colleague bought it and it looked amazing. I started looking for used REs since spending on a new bike again would put a hole in my pocket and as luck would have it, one known person in Mumbai was selling it and I bought it. The bike was an unloved one, did only 300 odd kms in 2 years and was slowly getting rusty due to the atmosphere of Mumbai (I was in Indore then). I promised the bike that I will love it and will take it for rides. My wife also loved the bike. We did some short trips in Indore and soon I got transferred to Bangalore in 2014. When in Bangalore I used the bike only for some local visits, which did not, justified a bike like RE. Bangalore is a beautiful place and also in and around 600 kms there are lots of places where one can go and enjoy a road trip.

The year 2014 was a very mixed one for me with some good things and some bad and I wanted to have a good holiday to refresh myself, I got that opportunity in April’15. April being the first month of financial year is relatively cool for people like me who work in sales and after a hectic last quarter of the financial year (Jan to Mar) I decided that I will go on a road trip and that too solo. I can tell you that I faced a lot of resistance from my wife (for safety reasons of course on how I will travel alone that too on a bike for so long) and even I did not tell my parents that I will be doing one. So slowly I started to prepare for the trip.

Step 1: The Preparation
"The more you sweat in practice, the less you bleed in war", the saying is apt and since this was my first long, solo trip above 200 kms, I needed to prepare. So as most starters, I started with looking on the internet on how to fix things myself - clutch cable, accelerator cable, oiling the chain, etc. But mind you these are tips of the iceberg, the preparation involves much more than that, one for example is changing tires, in case of puncture etc., which however I could not do myself as of now (will try to learn and do later as I plan more long rides). So, I am putting up pictures of the things, spares etc. that I bought before going on the trip below.

1) Saddle bag (helped me to arrange my stuff better)
2) petrol can (from Shell petrol pump, in case of contingency, you never know where you may face problems like strikes, etc.)
3) A simple toolkit having spanners, pliers etc. to change, hold, pluck cables, etc. A toolkit is also available with the RE which has the some tools
4) Tarpaulin and ropes/bungee cords to protect your bags, etc. in case of rains
5) Jacket, riding gloves, knee guards, white T-shirts to protect from heat. I am a big fan of leather jackets, I have a little collection of them and I love them. They have style, give a feeling of power and look great on a rider. I choose the black one as it goes great with a Royal Enfield. A travelling pouch can be noticed also, this is handy to keep your mobile, keys, wallet, etc.
6) But on my wife insistence I bought a protective jacket and riding jeans from Cramster, Bangalore. This was to ensure that I had a safe ride. The jacket looks heavy but I can tell you that it is a must if you are travelling on a long route for a long time. I found it to be really good and it is also all-weather and doesn’t feel much warm even in summers. After a couple of Kms the rider and the jacket just become one, I mean the jacket becomes the skin of the rider and it does protect well. The jeans were comfortable too with a knee padding (very useful when you are bending to take photographs on your knees).
7) Now the most important part, the spares, below you can see, front and back tyre tubes, petrol pipes, Clutch cable, accelerator cable, headlight bulb, spark plugs, chain link lock, chain grease, fuses, clutch lever (when bike falls generally clutch lever gets damaged).


Step 2: The route
So all set, I started the journey on Tuesday 14th April 2015. As I woke up at 8 AM (instead of 7 am when I was planning to leave) I pulled my neck muscle while doing some stretching exercise and this put a serious doubt on my travels since I was not able to move my head properly. So being in the conundrum of whether to start the journey or not since my neck was in terrible pain, I waited till 10 am, then decided that I will go since I will not get a chance like this and packed my saddle back and left for Hubli (my first stop). The following is the route plan which I made for the travel.

The total journey plan was for around 2,200 Kms and the route was: Bangalore-Hubli-Goa-Udupi- Mangalore-Coorg-Bangalore-Pondicherry-Bangalore


The Travel:

Day 1:
The following are the pictures of my bike all decked up and ready to go. I was pleasantly surprised about how much stuff could be accommodated in the saddlebag. The bag must have weighed close to 30 Kg.



Note/Tips: As you might have noticed, I had put reflective tape on the bags, helmet and bike and even in the back of my jacket. This is for protection during unavoidable driving conditions in night. Since reflective tape glows in night it helps other to see you and hence avoid accidents.

a) Use reflective tape on bike, helmet and bags
b) The tyre pressure on bike should be front 20 and back 30 (RE) since the heat will also increase the air pressure in the tires
c) Don’t drive on sides of the roads - most punctures happen there (nails, etc. are mostly on the side of the roads)
d) Avoid night driving
e) Use sunscreen (see the below picture of my hand which was exposed during the ride)


So I started my ride from Bangalore to Hubli. I left Bangalore city at around 10:30 am and took the Tumkur road to Hubli. The Bangalore Hubli highway is an excellent road and 90% of the time it is 4 lane, which is so much fun to ride on. I maintained good speeds of 80 to 100 Kph during the entire journey and covered approx. 450 kms from Bangalore to Hubli in seven and a half hours.

Below are some pics from the ride. Since a picture is worth a thousand words, the pictures can tell what a wonderful ride it was.



After almost 8 hours of riding and 450 kms, I was feeling very tired and checked into a hotel in Hubli.

I observed some things - when riding at high speeds a lot of water comes out from eyes (some natural phenomena I guess) and this disturbs the vision focus. In the evening and till the next day focusing sight was something of a problem, I mean I had a headache for most of the day (may be riders face this kind of thing when riding first time on a long trip). I have vision which is corrected by power glasses but my glasses' power is not much and I use powered sunglasses during the ride, which I believe people riding bikes must use.

Tips: Use powered sunglasses if you use specs, this will protect your eyes and will make your ride comfortable and protect. Also while riding many small stones etc will fly (may be because of effect from other vehicular movement and some times due to your own bike’s wheel) and hit your face and eyes, therefore wearing sunglasses is a must. I was hit many times in the face by small stones, leaves. etc.

Day 2:
I woke up at 8 am, took a light breakfast and started for Goa at around 9 am. After asking for directions, I started for Goa by the Dharwad route. The route is mostly jungle/forest area and is a beautiful ride. Some pictures here will show you how beautiful it was.



The majestic Royal Enfield bike.



And here is me, enjoying the ride (riding solo has one disadvantage - you can’t get your full-sized pictures)


The beautiful way and the beautiful ride.




On the way to the Goa, I had heard that there are the famous Doodhsagar Falls (as shown in Chennai Express movie), and as I was riding, I found the board to falls (I was happy to be exploring places). I turned the bike on the way, the route was again very beautiful. God forbid if there is a puncture - you have to pull the bike to a good 6km at least. So I prayed to God, please save my bike from any problems and he/she listened.



Some more pictures from the ride to Goa.








I traveled around 260 kms on the second day to Goa, and reached there at around 3 pm. Checked in OYO hotels (Rs. 999 all inclusive with wi-fi - good value for money hotel).

I slept for 2 hours and then at around 6 pm, left for Baga beach. I felt elated. I love seas. And I love Goa ,- the culture, the openness, not a single care in the world of the people there, enjoying each day, enjoying the sea, sand and sun.

Baga beach is where most of the action is. There are lots of night clubs with good music, sea side restaurants where the most crowd could be seen. Young and old couples enjoying each other company. I was missing my wife badly. I walked for some time on the beach and had dinner in one of the restaurants and then went back to hotel looking forward to another wonderful day in Goa.





Day 3:
I asked some people, where I can go and see some beaches. Someone suggested Morjim beach and Arombal beach. Since Morjim beach was closer to the hotel at around 5 km, I decided to go there. I reached the beach at around 8:30 am.

Well I was awestruck with the beauty of the beach. This was the most beautiful beach which I had seen till now (this was about to be second most beautiful beach, since on the next day I came across another beautiful beach). The beach was unbelievably clean and with very few people it was a pleasure to be there in the morning.

I feel that just being on the beach was a sort of meditation. I wished I could spend my life in Goa near a beautiful beach like this. The people who are living here are so lucky, I was thinking. The sound of waves is like a lullaby which can put even a troubled mind to sound sleep. The sounds of the crashing waves against the sand is one of the most beautiful sounds in the world. I saw people (mostly foreigners) there enjoying the morning with a swim in the sea. Since I don’t know swimming, going inside the sea was not an option. We should learn how to enjoy life from these foreigners. I spent a good two and a half hours on the beach just walking in the waters and on the sand and I felt very happy just being there.

[StallionAmit]

Morjim: The beautiful beach




In the afternoon, I had some office work, so spent the afternoon working on it. It got over by almost 4:30 pm and then I took the road for Arambol beach. It is also a very beautiful beach with a long shoreline. It was also peaceful and serene. Some foreigners were playing music and drums and there was a nice atmosphere on the beach, so I just sat there listening to all the music floating around the beach. The music is medicine for the soul. I don’t know how time went and it was night soon. I decided to spent some more time on the beach listening to the waves and doing nothing. It was the most peaceful experience. I just didn’t want to go back to the hustle and bustle of the normal life and wanted to settle there. The thought of leaving Goa the next day was making me sad. But life is not so easy and we have our paths to travel.





Day 4: Goa to Karwar to Udupi
I woke up at 8 am and left the hotel at 9 am. Before leaving, I checked the engine oil just be sure that the bike is in good running condition. The engine oil levels were okay. I checked the clutch cable and accelerator cable for any issues. But to my surprise the clutch cable had some issues and the movement was very rigid, I did some fixing myself (thanks to the 1 day spent in a garage learning some basic stuff) and the accelerator cable was good to be used. I noted down that I had to change the cable once I reach Bangalore.

Someone recommended a visit to Agonda beach, since it is supposed to be among the best beaches in India. Did some research and found out its on the way to Karwar and it was good news since I was going the same way to Udupi. However no one was able to point the correct way to the exact location of the beach, so I thought of dropping the plan this time and carrying on the way to Karwar. On the way I passed Margao and it was good to see with old Portuguese architecture (I guess, I am no expert on architecture though).

While 60 kms from the border (that day there was a lot of traffic in Goa and movement was very slow), I just happened to see a sign for Agonda beach. I felt good and turned the bike on the way, well it was quite a long way inside the woods and hills and I was feeling how come a beach be there in the hills but to my surprise there it was and indeed it was very beautiful beach, below are some pictures.



It was around 6 pm when I reached Udupi. There were many beaches on the way and many sights which I have read are good places to visit, but that would be next time since I was feeling very tired and just wanted to rest my back. So searched for a good hotel and crashed. Though I visited Udupi beach, after visiting Goan beaches I didn’t liked it much. Not everything can be same, right?

Some more pics from the ride.






Day 5: Udupi to Coorg via Mangalore
I left Udupi at 9 am. Udupi to Coorg is around 250 kms and I took the Udupi, Mangalore, Puttur, Sullia route. The route was beautiful, mostly mountainous with zig-zag roads and woods on both sides. What I can say, it was wonderful to ride and I was enjoying each and every bit of it. From beaches to hills it’s a very good ride. The smell of woods is very sweet.

Here are some pictures of the ride and they explain how beautiful is the way.



I reached Coorg at around 3:30 pm and looked for a home stay. Home stays are relatively cheap compared to hotels and you can stay on coffee estates near nature away from the hustle and bustle of the main city area.

After finding a good room for Rs. 1000 per day, I unloaded my stuff from bike and went to see Abby falls and the gardens. On the way to Abby falls I got confused with the directions, but a young kid helped me to find the way after I accidently went to some village. He asked if I have some money, I gratefully obliged and handed him some. He was happy and left.

Below are some of the pictures of the Abby falls.






After sight-seeing I returned to the room. I was not feeling very well since the morning as I had a sore throat and by evening I had difficulty in swallowing food too. I understood that I was about to fall ill and the thought of it made me scared since it meant that I had to cut short my further travels.

Day 6:
As I woke up my fears came true I was feeling a little feverish and had a very bad throat. So I decided to go back to Bangalore. My plan to going to Pondicherry had to be shelved. With a heavy heart I had to return to Bangalore and thus my first road trip ended.

Some return trip pics.




Return to Bangalore, the usual traffic scene.


Well, this road trip was a great one. It helped me spend some time by myself, which I believe everyone should do. This gives time to introspect and to put things in order. This helps to re-energize.

And I am also grateful to my Royal Enfield bike, which ran flawlessly and gave me no trouble at all and also gave a very healthy mileage of 40 Kmpl. I can say with confidence that it is the best bike in the world and most reliable too.

This journey of 1690 Kms is a memorable one.

Thanks for Reading.

Amit

[GTO]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to Travelogues. Thanks for sharing!

[carpacman]

Good read, your travelogue is reflective of your introspective mood, especially your thoughts on the beaches of Goa. I am sure the ride must have been demanding, given the fact that you have to brave the elements. I agree with you that one should take up these solo rides/ drives once in a while, I too plan to.

[bblost]

Thanks for sharing.
Lovely ride and a very well written.

I always feel the best rides are with no more than two bikes.

[Tushar]

“The more you sweat in practice, the less you bleed in war”, the saying is apt and since this was my first long trip above 200 kms solo, I needed it most to prepare. So as most starters I started with looking towards the Internet on how to fixing things myself, like clutch cable, accelerator cable, oiling the chain etc.

Quite an apt saying and its a good thing you looked up DIY articles on the internet. I have seen many riders carrying all the right spares, but few of them know how to use them if they're stranded. This was me at one point during a ride to the Ashtavinayak temples. Fortunately I wasn't alone and had experienced riders with me.

feel that just being on the beach was a sort of meditation. I wished I could spend my life in Goa near a beautiful beach like this. The people who are living here are so lucky, I was thinking. The sound of waves are like a lullaby which can put even a troubled mind to sound sleep. The sounds of the crashing waves against the sand is one of the most beautiful sounds in the world. I saw people (mostly foreigners) there enjoying the morning with a swim in the sea, since I don’t know swimming going inside the sea was not an option. We should learn how to enjoy life from these foreigners.

Thoughts that go through the minds of every person who ever goes to Goa. Leaving the relaxed beaches of the state is always difficult and I always find myself jealous of the foreigners there who really know how to live in the moment.

Sad that your trip to Pondicherry had to get cancelled, but better than the original possibility of not going for the ride at all!

Thanks a ton for the share!

[chaith.turbo]

Originally Posted by StallionAmit

Day 6:
As I woke up my fears came true I was feeling a little feverish and had a very bad throat. So I decided to go back to Bangalore. My plan to going to Pondicherry had to be shelved. With a heavy heart I had to return to Bangalore and thus my first road trip ended.

Originally Posted by StallionAmit

The Travel:

Day 1:
The following are the pictures of my bike all decked up and ready to go. I was pleasantly surprised about how much stuff could be accommodated in the saddlebag. The bag must have weighed close to 30 Kg.

Super Travelogue Amit!! I'm a fan of some BHPians here. I will be adding you to that list

I always carry a Hand Sanitzer when I go on long drives. Most Throat infections happen when you touch your hands to your face.
So I apply it every couple of hours and definitely before and after eating.

[varunanb]

Excellent travelogue Amit and neatly compiled.
May be your next ride will be even more enjoyable and hope your body cooperates much better.
It is always advisable to wear a fully covered helmet.

[StallionAmit]

Originally Posted by chaith.turbo

Super Travelogue Amit!! I'm a fan of some BHPians here. I will be adding you to that list

I always carry a Hand Sanitzer when I go on long drives. Most Throat infections happen when you touch your hands to your face.
So I apply it every couple of hours and definitely before and after eating.

Thanks to you and for everyone who has taken time out to read my travelogue. I am really feeling great in getting so many responses and your suggestion of using a hand sanitiser is a very apt one. It indeed will help to protect germs. And it's a useful advice for everyone.

[dreamliner17]

Enjoyed reading your travelogue StallionAmit! Simple and lucid!

Originally Posted by StallionAmit

Well, this road trip was a great one. It helped me spend some time by myself, which I believe everyone should do. This gives time to introspect and to put things in order. This helps to re-energize.

These lines just made me remember my good old biking days in college. I never really felt the need to go fast or reach the readline in each gear (i have an Apache RTR 160!) but i simply enjoyed the ride. And as luck may have it, i met with an accident on an intercity trip and that was it. I decided to hang up one's boots and did not ride long distances again. So looking back i feel, yes, riding was definitely a stress buster and it helped me in introspection. Riding in big groups is fun but riding solo has some 'magical' element attached to it!

Life keeps getting difficult as we get busier due to numerous reasons and we have fewer ways to re-energize ourselves. Doing 'that' one thing that makes you go 'inward' rather than 'outward' really helps a lot. Glad to know that you have had your decent share of going inward. Wish you many more pleasant moments of the joy of riding

[divyankar]

Originally Posted by StallionAmit

Thanks to you and for everyone who has taken time out to read my travelogue. I am really feeling great in getting so many responses and your suggestion of using a hand sanitiser is a very apt one. It indeed will help to protect germs. And it's a useful advice for everyone.

Hey Amit,
It was a great post.
Hats off to you that you traveled alone, as I always prefer couple of friends with me.
And yes I agree full mask helmet is always preferred on long road trips, for better safety and comfort.

[ShashankM]

Very well thought and executed plan. And you prepared well. The route and roads were great too. I believe, that on a solo ride, these two are very important and keeps you going. You must be feeling refreshed now.

[StallionAmit]

Originally Posted by divyankar

Hey Amit,
It was a great post.
Hats off to you that you traveled alone, as I always prefer couple of friends with me.
And yes I agree full mask helmet is always preferred on long road trips, for better safety and comfort.

Thanks Divyankar for reading and complimenting it. Yes I have got feedbacks on the full face helmet, next time I will go with a full covered helmet, any suggestions on a reasonable price brand?

Originally Posted by ShashankM

Very well thought and executed plan. And you prepared well. The route and roads were great too. I believe, that on a solo ride, these two are very important and keeps you going. You must be feeling refreshed now.

Thanks Shashank, Yes preparation was an important aspect since this was my first ever long ride. And now i know where my hobbies lie . Roads condition were awesome all the way. And Yes i am feeling greatly refreshed.


Mod Note: Please use multi-quote feature instead of posting back to back

[divyankar]

Originally Posted by StallionAmit

Thanks Divyankar for reading and complimenting it. Yes I have got feedbacks on the full face helmet, next time I will go with a full covered helmet, any suggestions on a reasonable price brand?

Mod Note: Please use multi-quote feature instead of posting back to back

Hey Amit,
Sorry for replying you late, I don't know how i missed your post.
Actually I am using studs helmet for my Pulsar 220 but it will not go with your bullet. Try flipkart or snapdeal I am sure u will find some thing in budget.

[khanabadoshDil]

Dear Amit,

A very refreshing piece, very true to the emotions. I am reminded of the first time I took to the road, incidentally that too was in GOA. I am sure the investments in 'experiences' will reap rich returns for you. Hope to read more.

Regards.