Motorcycle Diaries, Story 2: Monsoon Ride to Ooty in July 2016

My first long-distance ride in the south was also a test for my RS 200, whether I had made a wise investment in the motorcycle. Touring, more than commuting within the city, is my main draw when I choose a motorbike. This time round, I wanted one that: was modern-technology, had ABS, and was comfortable enough for day-long rides. The RS 200 promised to offer all that at least on paper and was also 75K cheaper than the KTM Duke 390, which was my first choice but could not afford. Our ride to Ooty was a bid to corroborate the purchase.

Day One: Getting out of Bangalore

With the Viaterra Claw saddled on the backseat, I rode out of my house on time on a Friday morning. A light rain fell, making the roads mucky and wet. A good time to test the ABS, I thought, deriving solace in the notion that rain at the beginning of anything was a good omen. 

At Gottigere, under the NICE road bridge

Met Jose at 7 am as promised under the NICE road bridge at Gottigere, and then we were off, speeding down the NICE road to the Kanakapura exit, not stopping till we reached the usual breakfast place (called Vinayaka or Vignesh or Ganesh; one of these Ganpati names), where they serve piping hot idlis and vadas, and tea. Met a couple riding KTMs to Kodaikanal; the chap looked every bit the quintessential biker, in his overalls and a KTM RC 390 (Must’ve been a back-breaking ride all the way to Kodaikanal!). The girl had a biker jacket and a hired KTM Duke.

Day One: Off the beaten track

We set off from Kanakapura and took the next tea-stop at the T-junction in Malavalli, another regular pitstop on the route. The KTM duo met us there too. Jose gave them directions and tips, and then we continued on our ride. 

At the tea-stall in Malavalli

Jose decided that we should take the scenic route, which traversed quaint villages and pretty farmlands, instead of barrelling down the highway. I agreed and must say, I wasn’t disappointed at all. Barring the many speed-breakers that appeared all of a sudden and the precarious villagers who strolled across the narrow roads as if they were walking in their backyards – well, we were actually riding through people’s backyards in some hamlets – the route was absolutely beautiful. 

"Pee" break near a village

Lush fields, the occasional spray of rain, the fresh countryside breeze, everything was almost surreal till we reached Nanjangud and encountered madcap traffic on the highway. Dodging cows and fiendish tourist taxis, we hurtled down to Gundlupet, my bike keeping up with Jose’s Duke 390 at a respectable 1-minute distance, running at an average of 105 kmph.

Sunflowers with their faces turned away from us, from the madness of the highway.
On the Nanjangud-Gundlupet stretch.

Day One: Bandipur-Masinagudi to Ooty

The main reason for riding to Ooty was that we would have to ride through a section of Bandipur National Park. Those who know me well would know how much I love wildlife! Only on one occasion many years ago, on a night ride through Chinar forests near Munnar in Kerala, we saw a lone elephant on the roadside. We could barely make out the outline of the mighty pachyderm at night, but even then we could tell when it began to walk towards our jeep! I barely remember that sighting, and after going through the many videos of elephant encounters in Bandipur on Youtube, I was looking forward to my own in the forest. We saw no elephants, but a lone bison made an appearance and a mongoose skittered across our path. Sadly the two-legged wildlife variety in their desperately honking, smoke spewing vehicles hurtling past as though they were on a race-track ensured that the noble pachyderms kept their distance from the madness of the road. The weather was fine, though. 

The wet roads on the Ooty-Gudalur stretch

After crossing the delirium of Masinagudi town, we began our ascent to Ooty. The winding roads, the mind-blowing hairpin bends definitely set an adrenalin rush in Jose who disappeared up the ghats, waiting for me midway somewhere to catch up. We had another tea, taking in the whiff of eucalyptus and tea from the tea-processing factories nearby. The air got cooler as we rode up. By the time we reached Ooty town, it was lunchtime. We had a nice meal at this restaurant called Place to Bee, which serves continental meals.

Nice lunch at "Place to Bee"

Then we checked into the hotel where we had booked a room for ourselves. Nothing to sing home about; it was a bare-bones, dingy room with a clean bathroom all right. The only time we spent in it was at night, leaving again at 7 am to ride back to Bangalore, this time via Gudalur.

Day Two: Ooty to Gudalur and Mudumalai-Bandipur

The exit from Ooty to Gudalur via Pykara and Naduvattom was daunting. There was some rain, the wind was chilly and formidable, and the roads were mucky and slippery. Thanks to the ABS, we didn’t skid a lot, but I did stop once or twice to catch my breath; I was a little shaken I must admit. Thankfully, nothing bad happened, other than a few branches of the shola trees falling on our heads! At Naduvattom, we stopped for tea and also bought some tea packets from the friendly chap. The sights and smells of tea-estates was refreshing. It allayed my apprehensions a little. 

Tea stall at Naduvattom

Mist settles over the tea estates at Naduvattom

The 52-km ride between Ooty and Gudalur took us more than 2.5 hours to cover, mainly because of my slowing down I think, and stopping to take pictures. The crosswinds ensured that I didn’t speed down the ghats. They even whistled their warnings!

By the time we reached Gudalur, it was 9:45 am, and I was ravenous! Jose found a nice Malayali restaurant, a little inn with a traditional kitchen – complete with a wood-fired stove, rattan tables and long, wooden benches against the wall, and wooden cupboards with glass facades – where they served excellent, succulent, spicy beef curry with Malabari porotta. With black tea, and dal vadas too! The chap who ran the place talked at length to Jose about his son who was a computer graduate I think and was looking for a job. The son emerged from their house behind the inn and took down Jose’s email, and also gave us his own. Wonder what happened to that promise of an IT job in Bangalore, Jose? :)

Spicy beef curry and porotta with black tea

The traditional kitchen at the inn in Gudalur

Once again, we entered the forest, this time from the Mudumalai side, but saw no elephants. Again the same honking, urban ignoramuses, and some deer, that’s all. Nevertheless, the weather again was beautiful and we emerged, once again, in Gundlupet and road towards Mandya.

Day Two: Via Mandya back home

On our return journey, we rode down the highway, flying down most of the stretch, especially the ring road at Mysore. For the first time in my life, I touched 130 kmph on a motorcycle. The speedometer hit the red line at this speed and I couldn’t go any faster, which was as well, for as we slowed down at an intersection, we saw traffic cops with speed guns on the highway :)

We stopped at Poojari's Fishland Restaurant outside Mandya where the owner had these vintage cars lined up as exhibits at the entrance. Jose settled for curd rice while I had a nice fish curry with rice. 

A Willys, Fiat Padmini, Morris Minor, an eyesore, and another Fiat.

A good meal, after which we rode once again all the way to NICE road in Bangalore, stopping once at a Café Coffee Day outlet in Ramanagara for a caffeine shot to keep us from falling asleep! Once on the NICE road, Jose turned off on the Bannerghatta road exit while I headed towards Hosur road, rode up to Silk Board, and reached home by about 4 pm.

At CCD in Ramanagara, the last coffee stop before reaching Bangalore

I did not get to see elephants but the ride, the first one in the south, was fantastic. My RS 200 proved to be a reasonably good tourer. Apart from the slight, general fatigue, I had no aches or pains anywhere. Woke up fresh the next morning and went for a run even. I’m happy with the investment I made in the RS 200. In September, it proved its mettle once again when we – Jose, Govind, and I – rode once again to the Nilgiris, covering 1040-odd kilometers in 3 days. More on that in another post.