xmas is Kodai

BLR - Mysore - Kodai - Saty -BLR (2012)

We were pushing Ujwal who had picked a Bandit few months back for a long ride. Phal picked a modified  (off-road kit) duke which was lying around @ his home, and we chose Munnar. After frantic searches and calls, we found Kodai to be the only place with vacant resorts. We first had to cross the biggest hurdle: BLR-MYS. The less I talk about this pathetic stretch the better. Insane traffic, with speed breakers every other mile... the ones which scrape the bike..ahhh!!!

Luckily, Phal was in BLR, so my wife and his cousins travelled to Mysore with the luggage in the safari, while I rode solo to Mysore. The following morning began the wait for Phal, Ujwal and his wife, @ the Shell fuel station. Knowing these guys, mom had asked us to have our breakfast, and I dint listen to her. Luckily, mom had packed vada's my wife, which we finished eating before long. After a considerable wait, we hit the road, and luckily reached Chamaraj-nagar in no time.

The progress was slow and littered with breaks, as it was the first long ride for few of them after ages. Break fast was @ a hotel near Hasanur, and we entered TN. We hit Saty, and were shocked and bewildered to see cyclist's climbing up the ghats waving us through. And there we were on bikes afraid to let go of the controls. After we left the ghats, me and my wife switched over to the Bandit, and boy was it fun.

I got so carried away, I forgot to hand over the security key of the bike to Ujwal. Luckily after few km's I remembered, and turned around. I was taking it slow, but after getting comfortable, started throughly enjoying this amazing machine. We switched back after sometime, before the Pallani climb to Kodai began. I've always been against riding the Bandit, in the fear that I might stop liking my La poderosa, but not anymore. Two different beasts, with entirely different characteristics.

By the time we closed in near Kodai, and rejoined the main road, it had turned dark, with heavy traffic. The pot holes on this main road started to gobble up the bike, with some really heavy scrapes to the chassis. Blinded by smoke, on coming traffic and pathetic roads, I eased out to a crawl. On finally reaching the hotel, we found that our rooms were still not ready (even after calling them few hours in advance). After some frustrating exchanges, we finally were shown to our rooms, for some hot showers (It was bone chilling cold outside), and it was time for some warmers.

Finding scotch in kodai was a disappointment, and through sheer luck we found Black dog 12, and that was all there was. The duke (raised suspension) was right at home on these bad rodes, and I so badly wanted to swap. The food @ resort was good, but serivce was slow, and the food arrived cold (thankfully, micro-wave in the room). We indulged ourselves in some local sight seeing, where the only sight was fog, and rode the two seater cycle around the lake.

The real fun was on the way back, now that everyone was seasoned, and ready. The moment we took the left few km's down Kodai towards Pallani, things changed. The roads became better, the weather turned out to be good, but mainly Phal was all revved up. So began the descent where I lost count how many times I scraped the exhaust, or  had the foot pegs fold. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't @ high speeds, but there are no straight roads here. Only winding, tempting empty tarmac. We on these more powerful bikes were struggling to keep Phal insights. 

The same theme continued through till Saty and post that. We got so carried away, that it was after quiet sometime that me and Phal realized Ujwal was no where in sight, and pulled over. @ chamarajnagar, me and wife decided to ride to BLR directly, rather than going to Mysore for the night. Luckily for us, this was the first time the road from kankpura to Blr was empty, and we made up some good time. Good decision, but bad one for forgetting to call mom. She was not happy for few day, as she had prepared food for us, and we dint even inform her.

I've done BLR - Kodai via both Salem and Saty, and both have been good. But for a biker, BLR - Saty - Pallani - Kodai should be the default option. You get more than 50 hair pin curves, with hardly any traffic. Add to that the shade from the trees, this road is pure fun.

The three of us have already started planning for one epic trips this year. Watch this space :p

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