The Beginning :
Route : Bangalore - Shimoga - Sirsi - Goa - Gokarna- Murudeshwar- Shimoga - Bangalore
Distance Covered : 2187 KM
Trip Dates : Aug 15 - Aug 22
Bike : Thunderbird 350
Riders : Me & Srikanth
Stats:
Distance Traveled : 2187 KM
Petrol Cost : (62.5 Liters ): 3980/-
Mileage Achieved: ~37 Kmpl (2270 KM total)
Things carried:
First aid kit
Spare Clutch & Accelerator cable
Cramster Stallion Saddle bag & Plastic roap (spare)
Knight Hood Gloves
Studds 3G twin visor helmet
Moto G3 mobile for GPS
MI power bank
Rynox Mobile mount for navigation
Nikon DSLR
Myself and Srikanth planning for some trip either by bus or bike to be free from the office life. My project got finished 3 weeks back and so we decided to go on Aug-15th. We decided to go by Bike so that we can enjoy more and cover more places. we have selected two routes to finalize 1) Goa 2) Munnar and decided to go for GOA, as Munnar is only greenery not much fun included, where as Goa route is mixed of both greenary and fun. Rainy season is generally off season for GOA, so accommodation is dead cheap but we miss water sports and real Goa beach fun. We never been to Goa, so we finalized the Goa route.
Instead of directly going to Goa and return back we decided to halt at Shimoga & Sirsi and Murudeshwar. So we did advance booking for Shimoga & Goa stay and booked directly at Sirsi & Murudeshwar on the day itself.
Srikanth reached my place on 14th morning from Hyd. Srikanth having experience of bike trips but not more than 400 KM, so its a big challenge for his fitness. We both applied for 1 week leave and did shopping for all required stuff including Tri-color flag for tomorrows independence day.
Part-1: Bangalore to Shimoga
Route : Bangalore - Shravanabelagola - Shimoga
Distance Covered : 338 KM (368 KM including Shimoga local)
Time : Aug 15 2014; 12:30 AM (midnight) to 7:30 AM.
We have decided to start early morning at 3 AM, so that we can reach Shimoga by 8 AM and cover all tourist places in day time. Before sleeping, packed all stuff in saddle bag and alarm set to 2 AM and we are set to sleep at 10 PM. I am trying so hard to sleep, but no use....tried and tried...no use. Srikanth slept somehow after a struggle but woke-up with a neighbors noise. We laughed each other and decided to start the ride now itself. Took bath and fixed saddle bag to bike. Took some time to fix the Rynox mobile mount as I am using it for first time. Taped Tri-color flag at front side of ODO meter.
At 12:30 AM : Tyre's check .... OK
Lights/horn check .... OK
Luggage balance check .... OK
Start Engine.. Idling...Steady.. ready... set.. go..
All set for the epic ride:
Route : Bangalore - Shimoga - Sirsi - Goa - Gokarna- Murudeshwar- Shimoga - Bangalore
Distance Covered : 2187 KM
Trip Dates : Aug 15 - Aug 22
Bike : Thunderbird 350
Riders : Me & Srikanth
Stats:
Distance Traveled : 2187 KM
Petrol Cost : (62.5 Liters ): 3980/-
Mileage Achieved: ~37 Kmpl (2270 KM total)
Things carried:
First aid kit
Spare Clutch & Accelerator cable
Cramster Stallion Saddle bag & Plastic roap (spare)
Knight Hood Gloves
Studds 3G twin visor helmet
Moto G3 mobile for GPS
MI power bank
Rynox Mobile mount for navigation
Nikon DSLR
Myself and Srikanth planning for some trip either by bus or bike to be free from the office life. My project got finished 3 weeks back and so we decided to go on Aug-15th. We decided to go by Bike so that we can enjoy more and cover more places. we have selected two routes to finalize 1) Goa 2) Munnar and decided to go for GOA, as Munnar is only greenery not much fun included, where as Goa route is mixed of both greenary and fun. Rainy season is generally off season for GOA, so accommodation is dead cheap but we miss water sports and real Goa beach fun. We never been to Goa, so we finalized the Goa route.
Instead of directly going to Goa and return back we decided to halt at Shimoga & Sirsi and Murudeshwar. So we did advance booking for Shimoga & Goa stay and booked directly at Sirsi & Murudeshwar on the day itself.
Srikanth reached my place on 14th morning from Hyd. Srikanth having experience of bike trips but not more than 400 KM, so its a big challenge for his fitness. We both applied for 1 week leave and did shopping for all required stuff including Tri-color flag for tomorrows independence day.
Part-1: Bangalore to Shimoga
Route : Bangalore - Shravanabelagola - Shimoga
Distance Covered : 338 KM (368 KM including Shimoga local)
Time : Aug 15 2014; 12:30 AM (midnight) to 7:30 AM.
We have decided to start early morning at 3 AM, so that we can reach Shimoga by 8 AM and cover all tourist places in day time. Before sleeping, packed all stuff in saddle bag and alarm set to 2 AM and we are set to sleep at 10 PM. I am trying so hard to sleep, but no use....tried and tried...no use. Srikanth slept somehow after a struggle but woke-up with a neighbors noise. We laughed each other and decided to start the ride now itself. Took bath and fixed saddle bag to bike. Took some time to fix the Rynox mobile mount as I am using it for first time. Taped Tri-color flag at front side of ODO meter.
At 12:30 AM : Tyre's check .... OK
Lights/horn check .... OK
Luggage balance check .... OK
Start Engine.. Idling...Steady.. ready... set.. go..
All set for the epic ride:
BLR-Shimoga route map:
Moving slowly into the wind of whispers, with a slowly rising heat of machine. At 12:30 AM also roads are not completely empty due to tomorrows independence day preparations. There is sign of rain and anyhow we have fully prepared to move on in rains too. We have decided to go through Hassan route, as we come to know there is some road work going on between chitradurga to shimoga.
Enitre road is in good condition though it is a single road. till Channarayapatna, road is mostly straight and good for night journey at 80+ speeds. After Channarayapatna, roads are completely with turns with full of greenery, we cant go at high speed but good thing is roads are complete empty. (hope no attackers in that route at least we don't face any).
I gave the handle to Srikanth on highways and rest all in my hands, as he is new to Enfield weight and also night ride. Since we started 2 Hrs early, we expected to reach Shimoga by 5AM and hotel check-in may not possible. Spent longer breaks nearly 1 Hr including train-crossings, but unexpectedly due to the curve roads of last 150+ KM, we were riding at @60 only and finally reached Hotel by 7:30 AM. Hotel check-in done smoothly (hotel is fine, but not so luxury as the name and pics shown in sites), with in 30 mins we were out on roads for elephant camp. Due to Independence day, all roads jammed with students rally. carefully crossed all the jams and reached elephant camp around 9 AM.
Elephant camp Timings : 8:30 AM to 11:30 AM. But the ticket counter will be closed before 11 AM.
Ticket cost : 30/- per person and no charge for camera. No Elephant ride.
Two parts : 1) Till ~9:45 AM, Elephant bathing 2) Elephants photo session with us in different styles.
Elephant camp pics:
For me its first time touching the Elephants and I enjoyed a lot. This is the only best thing in Shimoga other than trekking. Elephant camp is good place for some landscape photography too. We had lot of fun and photography till 10:45 AM. We saw a Tunga Dam just before elephant camp, so we thought of have a look there. we ride back to Dam, no entree fee but paid 5/- parking fee. We can see the DAM from back side, but not allowed to walk over the dam bridge. To see the Dam outflow, we have to walk 15 mins down the DAM through a junk land with full of rocks and mud. We spent nearly 1 hr in total at Dam.
Before going to Shimoga, I was expecting continuous rains and it will be very chilly in day time also, but I am complete wrong. No rains at all and also weather is too hot if we are in direct sun, all our energy came out as sweats by walking in direct sun at this Dam, moreover we didn't sleep at all night.
Dam back side view from road:
Dam inside entrance:
Three gate open:
We decided to go Hotel and have a nice sleep till afternoon, and then thought of visiting the ZOO and Bhadra dam for sunset. Had lunch at hotel and fell on the cozy beds...that's all day over :)...Nothing else visited in Shimoga. Night had a city walk for 20 mins and found a good place for non-veg hotels. Interestingly all non-veg shops are in a single road arranged by Govt and this place is just little opposite to my stay, enjoyed the food. Chicken is not so great but kuska is mouth watering tasty.
Day-1 is over with partial visiting in Shimoga but elephant camp is worth satisfaction for the day. we packed all stuff and set alarm to 5 AM for the mighty Jog falls and Sirsi ride.
Read Part-2 For jog falls!
Elephant camp Timings : 8:30 AM to 11:30 AM. But the ticket counter will be closed before 11 AM.
Ticket cost : 30/- per person and no charge for camera. No Elephant ride.
Two parts : 1) Till ~9:45 AM, Elephant bathing 2) Elephants photo session with us in different styles.
Elephant camp pics:
For me its first time touching the Elephants and I enjoyed a lot. This is the only best thing in Shimoga other than trekking. Elephant camp is good place for some landscape photography too. We had lot of fun and photography till 10:45 AM. We saw a Tunga Dam just before elephant camp, so we thought of have a look there. we ride back to Dam, no entree fee but paid 5/- parking fee. We can see the DAM from back side, but not allowed to walk over the dam bridge. To see the Dam outflow, we have to walk 15 mins down the DAM through a junk land with full of rocks and mud. We spent nearly 1 hr in total at Dam.
Before going to Shimoga, I was expecting continuous rains and it will be very chilly in day time also, but I am complete wrong. No rains at all and also weather is too hot if we are in direct sun, all our energy came out as sweats by walking in direct sun at this Dam, moreover we didn't sleep at all night.
Dam back side view from road:
Dam inside entrance:
Three gate open:
We decided to go Hotel and have a nice sleep till afternoon, and then thought of visiting the ZOO and Bhadra dam for sunset. Had lunch at hotel and fell on the cozy beds...that's all day over :)...Nothing else visited in Shimoga. Night had a city walk for 20 mins and found a good place for non-veg hotels. Interestingly all non-veg shops are in a single road arranged by Govt and this place is just little opposite to my stay, enjoyed the food. Chicken is not so great but kuska is mouth watering tasty.
Day-1 is over with partial visiting in Shimoga but elephant camp is worth satisfaction for the day. we packed all stuff and set alarm to 5 AM for the mighty Jog falls and Sirsi ride.
Read Part-2 For jog falls!
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