Monsoon Ride 2016 - Western Ghats for 5 Days

Rajendran V
Aug 30, 2016
3 min read

Updated: Mar 2, 2023

Ride covering the Western Ghats for 5 Days (30Aug - 3Sept 2016)

Every Year, Monsoon always demands for a beautiful ride. When the ride is cards, the obvious choice of everyone is to hit the Karnataka Western Ghats which does not disappoint us in terms of experience and beauty. Obviously riding in the rain is tremendous experience and experience apart.

It was time for us and without any opposition, all agreed to cover the scenic belt of Karnataka Western Ghats. As obvious this ride had lots of experiences and yes we have a new rider Ramesh Babu in our team and this was his first bike ride.

Here is the Route Covered...

Day 1 : Bangalore - Nelamangala - Channarayapatna - Arsikere

Day 2 : Arsikere - Kemmanagundi - Bababudangiri Range - Chikmagalur - Balehonnur - Koppa - Thirthahalli

Day 3: Thirthahalli - Hulikal - Kundapura - Udupi - Karkala - Dharmastala

Day 4 : Dharmasthala - Sakleshpur - Hassan - Bangalore

Team : Me on my Thunderbird, Satisha on his new Classic & Ramesh Babu on his Electra.

This was one of beautiful ride which I would always cherish. All the luggage protected with rain cover and we were fully equipped with rain gear.

Day 1 : It was Thursday, 30Aug2016. We decided to cover highways in the evening and hence started our journey on Thursday evening at 5.00PM. Ramesh Babu (Babu) was waiting for me in Hennur Junction and Satisha said he would meet us at Nelamangala Junction. Since this was the first ride, Babu was little nervous in beginning and eventually he picked up to be a good rider.

We all 3 met @ Nelamangala at around 6.00PM, took some kick off pictures and started our ride with a loud thump. Just around half hour ride, rain god started blessing us 😅 😆. We parked and protected our self with rain gear, it started raining and we were riding in the rain with frequent stops for coffee in rain.

While we were riding in the rain, on the way to Arsikere, there was an accident which created some sort of restlessness in us. We rode very slowly with rain and darkness and finally reached Arsikere. Took a decent accommodation and had a good dinner in local hotel and crashed for the day.

Oh..I forgot to mention, the roads all the way was too good to ride 👍👍!!!!!

Start of the Trip (Babu, Myself and Satisha)

Shimoga Highway

On the way to Birur

Day 2 : It was Friday, 1Sept 2016 and we had to cover Arsikere - Kemmanagundi - Bababudangiri Range - Chikmagalur - Balehonnur - Koppa - Thirthahalli. It was complete ghats and we need to cross the Bhadra Range which would consume more time as the roads were not great.

We started early morning from Arsikere and rode towards Kemmanagundi, as expected it started raining, riding in rain is altogether a difference experience. Before Kemmanagundi there is forest deviation to Bhadra range which would go through valleys. We signed the Forest check-post register and started riding, this is place altogether mesmerizing expereince to ride. It was not the first time though, every time I visit here, it makes me feel as if riding for the first time.

We made lots of stops in the valley and finally reached Thirthahalli in evening around 7.00PM. Then as usual some beer, dinner and rest for the day.

We decided to cover highways in the evening and hence started our journey on Thursday evening at 5.00PM. Ramesh Babu (Babu) was waiting for me in Hennur Junction and Satisha said he would meet us at Nelamangala Junction. Since this was the first ride, Babu was little nervous in beginning and eventually he picked up to be a good rider.

On the way to Kemmanagundi

Beautiful Forest Route of Bhadra Range

Muddy Roads to Ride

Beautiful Scenaries Starts from Here !!

Valley Starts 😃😃

Looks So beautiful 😃😃

Beautiful Mountains with Mist :)

Riding through moutain slopes !!

Maha Kavi Kuvempu House

Day 3: It was on 2nd September and we had to start riding through Thirthahalli Forest and Hulikkal which was another mesmerizing route. We started early after breakfast and rode to Hulikkal which is very beautiful to ride. This was a different landscape with water bodies everywhere.

Riding through the Ghats we reached Kundapur and then to Maravanthe. Since we reached Maravanthe by afternoon, we decided to hit Dharmastala via Kudremukh.

When we started ascending the Kudremukh, my bike engine oil drained and engine seized..OOps one more nightmare because of my bike.

Satisha went down the mountain and got the engine oil and we started the bike, luckily it started. We did not wanted to take risk going through Kudremukh, so we went via Karkala to Dharmastala