[Meteormariner]

Let me begin this travelogue with a brief introduction of myself and the vehicle that would be my trusted companion on this solo ride.
I am a merchant marine officer signed off the ship in January and about to join back in May this year, my ride is a 2.5 year old Royal Enfield Meteor 350 with 24k Kms on the odometer.
The itch for a long ride prior joining back on duty was becoming prominent. The ride had to be on the mountains for obvious reasons. The question of where to ride which section of the ghats to choose lingered. That is when I got to know of HVK and his RoutO. I bought a club 12 membership and briefed HVK on email of my plan to ride somewhere, I told him I can spare a maximum of 7 days and my capacity to ride from dawn to dusk.I also requested him for “ Total trip Support” which includes route suggestions, position monitoring , emergency response and stay support.
I have done several rides before with most of them being solo rides, in all those rides I always had this question “What if – I fall, get injured, robbed, lost,attacked by an animal etc” in my mind but still the love for bikes kept me on the saddle .This trip support has put to rest most of the “What if’s” .
On receipt of my email he replied back with a tentative itinerary, which was as follows:
D1 - Madurai – Mysore
D2 - Mysore - Madikeri - Somwarpet - Sakleshpura
D3 - Sakleshpura - Sringeri - Agumbe – Koppa
D4 - Koppa - Jog Falls - Sirsi
D5 - Sirsi - Yellapura - Dandeli - Hubli
D6 - Hubli - Bangalore
D7 - Bangalore – Madurai.

This was tentative the actual itinerary would be dynamic depending on various factors with the primary one being my ability to cover the distance and stick to the plan.
One day prior the ride, I received a list of routes on the RoutO app, these routes need to be downloaded, once downloaded they work offline. These routes unlike google maps are crafted based on real travel experience. These routes have a POV section, which gives a list of tried and tested restaurants, petrol pumps with special mention of coco pumps, prominent land marks etc.

Screen shot of all the routes

Day 01 – Madurai – Bangalore( NICE Road) – Mysore


Odometer at the start of the ride.

Sleep kept evading the entire night for some unknown reason even though this is not my first solo ride, I knew I would regret this during my ride. I had an early start , hit the NH44 by day break. It was around 0730 hrs when the loss of sleep started taking its toll, I started feeling drowsy, paused my ride at an empty tea stall and had a power nap. The 20 minute power nap left me energized. In the past rides I have learnt how carrying breakfast and having it on the highways under a tree can leave notable memories, this ride was no exception, eggs and sandwich were downed for breakfast. The dreaded Thoppur section was crossed during the morning hours. The thoppur ghat section is a breathtaking stretch, with its lush green cover, but it’s heart breaking to think that many lives have been lost in this very place.
Reached Bangalore for lunch and headed to the NICE road. I was using the RoutO app for navigation, I thought I was familiar with the app but clearly I wasn’t. On the NICE Road the app asked me permission to load the subsequent route,I pressed “Yes” without looking at what the app was suggesting to load. The app had suggested a route towards Tumkur and I had authoried and followed it ( completely my mistake, I should have gone through the instructions properly) as I followed the wrong route map, I missed the Mysore exit and headed to the Tumkur exit. HVK by the time had messaged me of my mistake, but I had not checked the whatsapp.
Standing at the Tumkur exit I messaged HVK of my blunder, he immediately sent me an alternate route towards Neelamangala, Hassan/Mangalore to reach Mysore.
As part of the deal I am supposed to send him my current position every one hour, so this hourly stoppage doubled up as hydration/stretch breaks. These hourly short breaks greatly helped in keeping fatigue away and extended my saddle time.
As part of the standard procedure stay was booked by their Central hotel desk(CHD part of HVK team) 60 minutes prior reaching the destination.
I reached Mysore by 6 PM checked into the hotel. The evening was spent savouring food at one of my favourite restaurant.
End of day one – 600 + kms covered, goofed up on the NICE Road but still managed to reach my destination.

Day 02 – The plan

Mysore – Madikeri
Madikeri – Somwarpet – Kudrasthe
Kudrasthe – Sakleshpura – Mudigere – Chikmagalur (Till Sakleshpura)
Sakleshpura – Hanbal
Hanbal – Devarmane – Banakal

The end of this day left me disappointed with myself, I reached else where instead of my destination.
Started from Mysore at first light, had a refreshing ride and breakfast in the outskirts of Mysore.

Parked at an eatery on the outskirts
Thoroughly enjoyed the ghats and reached Madikeri, did some coffee shopping for a long list of relatives and headed on my onward journey towards Kudrasthe.
Enroute to Kudrasthe my rear number plate which had a rattling issue fell off, luckily I caught it on the rear view mirror and went looking for a workshop. I found a workshop engaged in overhaul of farm equipments, the main technician attended to my motorcycle. The technician quickly started opening up about himself , how he had completed his degree in Mechanical engineering at a college in Mumbai , his time as an employee with Siemens technologies and how family issues required him to quit his job and return to his village. Now he owns the workshop and seems happy. Got me thinking as to how life keeps going on and how some people easily open up to strangers.
Upon reaching Kudrasthe changed over the route map. Now during the planning HVK team had sent me clear instructions to follow this route map ( Kudrasthe – Sakleshpura – Mudigere – Chikmagalur) only till Sakleshpur then switch over to the next route map ( Sakleshpur – Hanbal), but I had not given me enough attention to the planning messages and hence I had missed the switch point ( which in this place was Sakleshpur) and headed towards Chikmagalur. HVK team had received my position updates and had pinged me but I had not checked my messages either. When I came to know I was already on the outskirts of Chikamagalur. The routine drill was followed, stay was booked by CHD . I checked into the room by 5 pm after 300 + kms on the ghats. HVK team was telling me I could have stayed at better locations if I had followed the plan. Anyways I told myself it's all a part of the learning process and made it a point to go through the day’s plan thoroughly including the transit points, switch points, prior to the start of the ride. Normally I am briefed about the next days plan the prior evening itself, during this time I started making short hints and after that never missed a switch points.
Short outing to Hirekolale and dinner at a nice restaurant made the evening.

Dusk at Hirekolale

Day 03 – The plan

Chickmagalur - Aldur
Aldur - Banakal (Till wher eit intersects 5574DA)
Banakal - Hanbal - Sakleshpura (From where 645 intersects, Till Hanbal)
640 - 645 (Till intersect) - 5575DA (From intersect, Till Hanbal) - 5575E
Hanbal– Devarmanr– Banakal
Banakal - Kottigehara ByPass - Balur
Balur - Kelagur - Ghatikkalu Junction
Ghatikallu Junction - Kanive – Marasanige
The numbers are the route map reference number, each route map carries a reference number.

As usual had an early start from Chikmagalur. I was not aware of the Chikmagalur town canteen, but I was told they serve very good breakfast. Anyways by the time the recommendation came I had crossed Aldur and I was transiting the Aldur – Banakal route.
The Aldur – Banakal route was a beauty that words can’t describe. I will let a few snaps do the talking. I was really thankful to the planners for having put me through such a scenic route.







Transited Devarmane, stopped by the road side to view the meadows and the hill temple at Devarmane. The transit points were followed ,enjoyed the scenic route and twisties through Banakal, Kottigehara , Balur. I was supposed to take the Ghatikallu detour enroute to Marasanige, but I had some how missed the junction from where the detour starts, but then HVK team insisted on going back and taking the detour as I had travelled just a few kms past the detour point. I went back and took the detour from Ghatikallu Junction transited Kanive and reached Marasanige. The detour was a beautiful narrow road circuit giving beautiful landscape views of the Ballarayanadurga range & the deep valleys below. Thankfully they guided me into this detour or else I would have missed the prettiest part of the days ride.
It was already past lunch time when I found Gattikallu homestay near kanive, asked them if they can offer lunch for a charge. I was served hot kannada dishes, when I offered to pay they didn’t accept , felt humbled promised them to return back some other day for an extended stay.
I reached Marasanige by 4 PM , on reaching Marasanige HVK team was advising me to ride towards Sringeri. So I was on the Marasanige – Sringeri route, the road construction from Marasige plus continuous riding from dawn to dusk on the ghats was taking its toll on my body and mind. I was longing for my evening dose of caffeine . That is when I found “ Holla’s coffee garage” at Gorasukudige ,a shop selling coffee powder, coffee etc.
Entered the shop and asked for a steaming cup of coffee. The shop owner was fluent in hindi and english, started conversing with him and came to know he had done his cost management accounting and was presently running this coffee shop and also a tent stay. The fatigue in me made a mental note of the tent stay. Before I could finish the coffee the dark cumulonimbus gathered overhead started pouring cats and dogs. The downpour was too heavy to ride. I informed HVK team that I am breaking my ride and i will spent the night at the tent stay at Gorasukudige. The guy took me to his place an ancient residence( well maintained , hard to see now a days) in the midst of coffee plantation. The tent was put up in the estate. I was invited inside the house, was offered another cup of coffee and I was given a home tour. The house was built in the 1960’s, most of the construction was by teak wood, floors had red oxide. Everything in the house was antique, utensils were brass, kitchen had a coal stove, a separate Almera to store warm blankets , a room with mud floooring to store paddy.
The guy had his parents at home ,they spoke only Kannada but hospitality and warmth needs no language, I could not speak their language but their warmth and hospitality was overwhelming, making me feel truly welcome in their home.
I was driven to a near by temple, where his mother was a carnatic music teacher attending to a bunch of young boys teaching them Vedic mantras. The boys were told about me and the boys welcomed me to their place.

The temple

Soon I was surrounded by temple elders, curious to know about my travel, experience and profession. I was their guest now, the next day at the temple was a big festival and I was more than invited to attend that festival. But the catch , I will have the wait the next whole day and the festival will begin at 11 pm the following night and end at 7 am, which would mean I will have to stay awake the entire night and then riding long distances would be impossible without a good night’s rest.
I put up the above points to my host and my decision to carry on with my ride without attending the temple festival, it was not an easy decision considering the kindness showered upon me.
Went to bed with a heavy heart, this was my first night in a tent, but I had a sound sleep, the chirping of birds in the early morning was a sweet wake up call. The early morning fog, the hazy mountains, the twilight was a sight by itself.


Snap of my place of stay.

Day 04- The plan

Balehole – Basarikatte – Jayapuea
Agumbe – Hulikal
HUlikal – Tirthahalli
Tirthahalli - Shimoga
Tumkur - Shimoga - HOnavar (From Shimoga, Till JOg Falls)

Started my ride late as I was over fed by my host with “ Neer Dosa” a dish savoured in parts of Karanataka made out of soaked rice powder. My host had given me directions to some places of interest such as
Saradamba temple
Kundadri hills
Hari pura prabhodohini gurukula
Ambu theerthali
It was really interesting to know that even in this modern era, gurukula system of education was followed. I really wanted to visit Hari pura prabhodohini gurukula and meet the students of the gurukula, but what I thought was enroute but it wasn’t ,so skipped the gurukula. I then headed to the Saradamba temple, I was in no mood to enter the temple premises with all my riding gear and tail bag, so made a prayer from the entrance and continued on to Agumbe.
Agumbe called the “ Land of King cobras” had always been on my bucket list. Reached and stopped at Agumbe, had a steaming cup of tea taking in the remoteness and stillness the jungle offered.


Kundadri was a detour. Kundadri was a narrow road with steep inclines, the peak had a jain temple, the peak offers a large bird eye view of the entire region. Clicked a few snaps and headed down towards Hulikal.

Jain temple at Kundadri

Hulikal was a transit point. Hulikal known as one of the rainest place in India, but to my dismay the sun was shining bright.
Hulikal to Tirthahalli was again ghats with jungles on both sides, enjoyed the clean air and peaceful surroundings.
Tirthahalli to Ambu Tirthahalli was again a detour. Ambu Tirthahalli home to a hill temple of Lord Shiva, where one can see water gushing out from a small recess at the feet of the Nandi, I offered my prayers at Ambu Tirthahalli and returned back for lunch at Tirthahalli.
The next part of the day’s ride from Tirthahalli – Shimoga- Jog falls was uneventful, mostly lonely, clean green surroundings, fresh air, scenic landscapes, breath taking views, far from chaos the city roads offered.
The CHD did not have any tie up with hotels around jog, so I found a home stay in the outskirts, a decent home stay run by an elderly gentleman whose business in Bangalore couldn’t survive the Covid period. The homestay was located amongst their own bettle nut plantation.

Day 05 – The plan

Jog Falls - Sirsi
Sirsi - Yana - Gokarna Cross (Detour, Return to Sirsi)
Sirsi - Yellapura
Yellapura - Dandeli
Dandeli - Syntheri Rocks – Sadashivgad

As usual had an early start after having a good home made breakfast. First stop was the Bale Padmavathi Amman temple situated on a mountain range on the top of Jog falls. This temple was included on my itinerary on insistence of my host.

Bale Padmavathi Amman temple

At the entrance of Jog falls

The ride from Jog to Sirsi and the detour to Yana was as usual solitary but loved it. Yana had a rush of tourists, I was seeing such a crowd after a handful of days and that actually made me happy. I had my doubts about my ability to trek to the Yana caves in full gear, but the weather god was kind and I could do it easily.

Yana caves

Took the same route back to Sirsi with lunch stop in a road side dhaba. Sirsi to Yellapura was uneventful. Ok reaching Yellapura I enquired with the HVK team if I could head straight to Karwar but they insisted I do the Dandeli route to Karwar. There was sufficient day light left and I agreed to do the Dandeli circuit- the best decision of the day.
Yellapura- Dandeli-Karwar passes through deep jungles, at places the vegetation is so thick not even sunlight enters. I was reluctant to even stop for hydration breaks, it was a little living on the edge kind of feel. I entire jungle was filled with noises made by the insects. Dandeli – Karwar passes through Kali tiger reserve. The day light fading , the deserted roads, the jungle coming alive, the feel of transiting a tiger reserve made me check my gear around my neck for strange reasons. I was tightening my jacket around my neck and pulling my helmet down to reduce my neck exposure. Funny but that’s how the mind plays games in such situations.
Throughout the entire stretch I was at the mercy of my motorcycle, there was no mobile signal or any human in sight. A loose connection, a blocked orifice, a failed sensor could leave me stranded in the jungle. I was patting the fuel tank of my motorcycle as a thank-you gesture on existing Kali tiger reserve.
Stopped at a small settlement had tea from one of the shops and headed to Karwar.
CHD had tie ups in Karwar, checked into one of the pre booked hotels spend the evening at the beach and called it a day.

Day 06 – The plan

Karwar – Mangalore
Mangalore – Madikeri

Excitement was high when I transited the Karwar tunnel on the NH 66. I have transited the NH 66 before , it is a very scenic coastal routes but the vibe was spoiled by heavy traffic returning home after the extended holidays.
Lunch was at Shetty Lunch home, kundapura on the recommendation of HVK. Excellent lunch , no complaints.
Ascending the western ghats enroute to Madikeri at the time of dusk made up for all the chaotic traffic encountered on the NH66.
A walk along the streets of Madikeri and an early dinner made the evening.

Day 07- The plan

Madikeri - Mysore
Mysore - Pollachi (Till Palladam)
Avinashi - Dharapuram – Dindigul
Dindigul – Madurai





Few random clicks on the way home

Started the day at first light, plan was to head home. I made quick progress through Mysore, Chamarajanagar, Dimbam, Sathy, Palladam, Dindigul, Madurai. It was a 600 km fulfilling ride. Reached home safely and sent a thank you note to HVK team for their trip support after all it was because of them I was able to enjoy the ride knowing there was a team looking out for me.
What started out as just a ride ended up as a journey about people, landscapes and experiences.

Odometer at the end of 2800kms ride

[tasty911]

Nice ride and well written.
BTW, I couldn't figure out what's HVK? Your friend or some AI app?

[Meteormariner]

I should have explained more about HVK. HVK stands for Hi Vay King. HVK provides travellers with route guidance, stay support , or total trip support which involves route guidance, stay support, weather, road condition updates and emergency assistance as well. They have their own navigation app RoutO which has routes mapped by real travel experience and not satellite based.
In order to avail all the HVK services one has to become a club 12 member ( a small fee is required). Club 12 and HVK services is run by a chartered account Kumar, he is helped by a bunch of volunteers. The fees charged is very meagre for the services offered. So i believe he is doing all this out of his passion and not for any commercial interest. CA kumar has a huge fan base , he is a hard core traveller and has done over a million kms in Indian roads and to add to it he has a photogenic memory. In case one get lost somewhere he guides with all the land marks like as if he is a local, this applies all over india.



They also have tie ups with hotels and if one opts for total trip support or stay assistance they book rooms for you 60 to 90 minutes prior reaching the destination.
If one is on an open ended ride , or in a dilema of which route to choose in order to reach a particular destination his expertise comes to help.

[bvasista]

Nice ride and well presented here !!
HVK sir is a Team-BHP member since a long time but not currently active. Ever since I started following this forum from 2008-2009, I saw number of updates & posts by HVK Sir here on our forum actively till 2015.

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/members/hvkumar.html

[PaddleShifter]

Nice trip photos and some roads seem to be a driver's delight.

I have a small query. How do bikers manage the belongings when away from the bike (temple visit above for example)?

I drove from Chandigarh to Jamshedpur few months back and got lost somewhere around Chhapra (Bihar). HVK is a life saver in such scenario but fear that one can be at the receiving end of his verbal outbursts (he goes berserk at times on facebook) for which I am definitely not paying, for sure. Still a fan of his work.

[Meteormariner]

Managing belongings on a bike ride is always a concern. I park my bike with my belongings when I go for a meal or a short outing enroute, but then I park only in secure parking lots and mostly tip the security. My belongings are well secured on a tail bag and it would be time taking for someone to unstrap the bag, anyways my bag contains nothing except my clothes and so except for the bag i have nothing much to lose.
Yes I know HVK can be very blunt at times, but during trip support I belive he goes berserk only for valid reasons ( such as not sending proper position updates, not showing up at the CHD pre booked hotel). In my last trip he was very supportive, inspite of me goofing up on the route,switch points multiple times.

[doomketu]

Nice writeup, enjoyed reading this. Its trips like these that puts us at ease. Though I have a query. From MDU to MYS there are alternate routes without touching namma Bengaluru right ?If you do have to come via BLR then in nice road, take the Kanakapura road exit and travel to Mysore. You will thank me. The NH75 route is a " Sutthu vazhi", round about way, but a picturesque way in its own right.

[Meteormariner]

Originally Posted by doomketu

From MDU to MYS there are alternate routes without touching namma Bengaluru right ?If you do have to come via BLR then in nice road, take the Kanakapura road exit and travel to Mysore. You will thank me. The NH75 route is a " Sutthu vazhi", round about way, but a picturesque way in its own right.

Yes from MDU to MYS the shortest route would be via Sathy, Dimbam which was taken during the return journey, as the intention of the trip itself was to ride I didn't bother about the "Suthu Vazhi" (long round about route) and to add to that I wanted to transit the dreaded Thoppur ghat section to see what's actually there ( Did see lot of trucks struggling on the down slope).
I will take the Kanakapura road exit the next time, thanks for the suggestion.

[doomketu]

"Dreaded Thoppur ghat" - In my recent travel to Kumbakonam, i drove via Thoppur Section rather than the Thiruvannamalai route. The only issue is the unscientifically placed barricades. Else its a beautiful route.

Yes, the Kanakapura route is a good road, 2 lanes, and is a blend of good straights and gentle curves. Greenery surrounds you on both sides and traffic is manageable. Good luck with your future travel plans MeteorMariner.