The Good, Bad and the Worst

The year 2009, made a single resolution, Self cooking. I am just fed up with the junk hotel foods. I was thinking too much of where to go for a trip. First trip in this year should be some thing good and I should remember it forever. Browsed BCM touring site(http://www.bcmtouring.com/forum/travelogues-f9/) for South India options. Many tours to X, Y and Z in Karnataka over the Western Ghats. All of them are very unique and with the same tropical climate. I am quite not agreed with those places. I can not stretch my bike beyond 500Kms so there is not going be anything in North India now, this time I am quite running out of options. Long before my friend Siva always says about Valparai, a place near to Coimbatore. Just googled for the data, it is really promising. Less population, less traveled compared to any other popular tourist places, many other attractions around. I hate to know the fine details of the route map of where I am going, it simply spoils the enthu, the very purpose of trips are beaten if you do so. Great quote, "For my part, I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel's sake. The great affair is to move". Its just a quick plan, only 2 hours left, When I decided it was 8.30PM Friday, have not availed leave for Monday. But this is an addiction you tend to sacrifice most of them for it, so do I. I was so hurry, bought some drinks in food world, fueled the vehicle. Came home after purchase around 10.40PM, then packed the clothes, charged the camera battery... almost done everything. When I kissed the pillow it was 12.00. Set the alarm for 3.40AM. I need to make it too early, my plan is to start here by 4.30 AM. If I do, then I can reach Sathyamangalam by before next day noon, might be around 12PM. I had no respect for the clock always after my college days, so delayed 15 mins. But 4.30AM I am just fighting with my kicker, this is the result of the training in NCC (National Cadet Corps).

In this world most of the judgment depends on perspective to the viewpoint. How you can decide a straight line, it is absolutely relative. If you put the same object which you feel as straight in a great circle you can no longer say that as a straight object. I am just using the same logic here to decide the Good bad and Worst.

The Bad:
When I started from Bangalore it was around 4.32AM. Though I know the route better, I worry about the diversions with out any sign board, multiple continuous humps (makes you to feel like driving in heaven) and big pot holes on the way in dark. Roads from Bangalore to Kanakapura are Bad (Again it is relative).

The Worst:
Worst part starts after 5Kms from Kanakapura. It extends until the Tamilnadu part which starts in the middle of the Sathyamangalam forest area. The whole route falls in Mallavallai - Kollegal - Chamraj nagar. I have no idea why government is least bothered about these farmers. They are the heart beat for any nation. I hope there is going to be a time (may not be in near future), where everyone realises it. I paint these roads with the Worst.

We are going out of topic for some time here ......
When I reached CH Nagar I got a call from home, and immediately I need to address an illness in my family. So I had to return to Bangalore. But I had time until 10.30PM Saturday. I was so hesitant to come back using the same route. I have the map with me for reference, so checked for the possible alternates. There is one, so proceeded towards Sathymangalam. After Sathy I took a route towards Salem, it goes via Anthiyur - Aththani - Ammapettai - Mettur - Mechcheri(Watch here for Diversion to Thoppur Juntion so that you can avoid Salem), Dharmapuri - Krishnagiri - Hosur - Bangalore. On the way I stopped for porridge made of millet. This is served by diluting it with butter milk and sliced onions added for taste. This is one of the ultimate, some time before staple food as well for Tamilnadu people. It is very good for tropical conditions. I had almost more then a litre taken, I am just desperately needed. I may not get the samething with equal taste in Bangalore. You can easily spot these vendors by their setup, a red color clay pot covered with white piece of cloth, wooden made vehicle with 4 small tyres, and many stainless steel made cups. Additionally they serve 4 to 5 varieties of side dishes for this porridge. All comes in a cost of 4/-Rs per 250ml quantity. Please avoid taking this in towns, may not be hygiene.

On the way to Ammapettai, I just overtook a Bajaj M80 guy at around 35Kms, it was a real close one just because of the oncoming Car. But I don't feel anything different. Because everyday in Bangalore we used to follow these unwritten rules :-) But the native guy took this more offensive way and he blindly followed me after yelling something. I heard his yelling, but I did not think that he meant that for me. He came close to me, delivered few hot words and rushed away. I just followed him a while and asked him to come sideby. I asked why did he get so angry, because I have no clue for the reason he went mad. The reason is quite simple I surprised him very much, he exaggerated this in such a way that his heart was stopped for a second when I overtook him.
I apologized for the wrongdoing, he is actually a nice gentleman almost more then 55. He was so convinced because the way I approached him. This is a lesson, I earned it.

The Good:
Middle of the Sathayamangalm forest there lies the border line for two states, the roads in TN falls under the good category. I was about to take a snap of that border line, one side excellent roads other side medium to bad roads. Missed to do so, If anybody goes over there please take a snap and send that to me. Once you reach Sathyamangalm you see the NH crosses over hundreds of villages on the way, you need to be extremely cautious while driving on these roads. This is infected by pedestrians, so I won't add this stretch starts from Sathy to Thoppur Junction to Good. From Thoppur junction to Hosur, it is one of the world class roads available in India I believe. Though it is just 4 lanes the quality is viable. I salute our great leader Atal Bihari Vajpayee for starting these 4 laning projects across the country. The slogan also more realistic "Safety and Speed", it is simply true. I could see the car guys going in 120Kms.

For bikers these good roads might be a boring one. So relatively I vote for Bad as Good, Good as Bad. This time the trip is just running all the way with out any sight seeing. Just a stress test for my bike too. I have crossed the 500Km limit in a single day using Splendor+, hats off to Hero honda. I decided in the beginning this trip should be rememberable, at last yes it was.

Distance between important stations are given below.

Bangalore to ChamrajNagar - 168 Kms
Bangalore to Satyamangalam - 244 Kms

Sathyamangalam to Mettur - 80 Kms
Mettur to Bangalore - 193 Kms

Total distance I covered - 522 Kms.
Please let me know if anybody breaks this record using Splendor+.