Married to the Bullet:Part-2:The Lohagad Trip

Date: Oct 10

Odo at 1200

Days of Marriage: 15

Craving for a good drive and knowing no place around Pune, I persuaded my roomie Kapil (KK) and my friend Joydeep (JD) to take up a Lohagad Climb on my only familiar route the good old pune-Lonavala route. After much persuasion both of them agreed. Joy didn’t want to take his antique eliminator along and joined as my pillion. Kapil was hesitanat to take his Passion on the highway and his experience on the highway was nil.
We took the Aundh-Wakad route and reached waked and then sped off to the NH4. There is a small diversion to take otherwise you might end up on the expressway. So we waited for Kapil at the diversion to signal him. He caught up with us and we got on to the NH4. We zoomed off to lonavala and stopped at XXXX for a cup of steaming chai and waited for Kapil. After 15 minutes of wait and his presence nowhere in sight we used our business continuity plan a.k.a the mobile phone. He didn’t pick up the phone and we diecided to get on our way. Partly thru we get a call informing us that our pal has reached lonavala. So we joined him there and had breakfast and took the slight return trip to lohagadd.
There are no signboards anywhere and ppl gave us confusing directions and we finally managed to end up on the right road. We were driving and driving and there was no fort was in sight. We took a small stop at a restaurant for a chai and was duly informed that we have overshot and Lohagadd was 30 kms behind L. So we returned back in the scorching sun and found a boat ride on our way back.
But there was a slight problem. There was a descent to make which was full of gravel and kapil was the first one to go. He slid the bike by jumping around stones and somehow reached down. I was a lil hesitant on my 185 kg monster but the descend was smooth probably bcos of the (185 + 63) kgs that came along with it. We took a couple of snaps of the ducks along the water and took a speed boat ride and went for Lunch. The lunch was good and we were sulking about the climb to make.
Finally we reached Lohagad and was informed that there was 1000 steps to climb L. We started off with hope and with so many pitstops and water breaks in between and an hour of excruciating climb we reached on top. The view from the top was awesome though there was nothing but a plane ground with dilapidated buildings and a temple on top. We went around the whole fort snapping before the camera decided to call it quits. We rested on top, made an entry into the registrar and went downhill at a fast pace. We were at the foot of the fort in 20 minutes.
Had refreshing Nimbu pani from a vendor and zoomed home without any breaks.

Married to the Bullet:Part-1:The Lonavala Trip

Married to the bullet.
This is a series of trips that I have done on my bullet. First part of the series many more to follow.
Date: Oct 1, 2008
Days of Marriage: 5
Odo at 300 kms

My first long ride was to Lonavla.. a cool…60 kms from Aundh in pune to meet by cousins and my grandswho were on a National trip.. The night before couldn’t sleep thinking about powering her through the highways.

Morning got up even before usual time (that’s new for me) and slowly started the bike and headed my usual way of office. Once I got to the Highway there was nobody stopping me. I revved the bike on the NH (couldn’t take the expressway as the bikes are not allowed) to touch 50, then slowly took her to 60 and then 70 and stopped there bcos it was the run-in period.Well I could see trucks in front of me which u normally dare not overtake on any other bike but here everyone made way for the bullet. It is quite a nice sight to watch when u come on at full throttle and u can view in the rear view mirror of the truck the driver’s eyes lighting up at the sign of the bullet and then gently making way for it.

Took a break a for a cup of chai and revved her on to Lonavala.

Something that you experience on her is the inner peace she gives u when riding her. Have tried lots of bikes but nuthing like the bullet. Once u make the peace with her..you have to be gentle..ofcourse..she responds. It seemed to me like the union of the two souls and in no time I reached lonavala.

They were waiting there near the railway station. It was the first vehicle I owned and I wanted to show my bike off. My mausi (mothers sister) was standing just behind their Qualis and I powered my baby a lil bit and braked hard in front of her, the front tyre screeching to a halt just in front of her .

So all had just one question why this bulky, noisy, oil leaking machine? How can a lean guy like u ride this???
I was well prepared and suggested no better and stable bike on the Indian roads and blah blah.

The best thing is every one wanted a ride on it. The lady who got it was my cousin and the beautiful lass she is, I didn’t disappoint her.

We proceeded to INS shivaji to meet my cousin who works with the Navy and the best part was that he had got his bullet the day before, though he got it 15K cheaper through his canteen service . It was quite a sight to see two brand new bullets parked in tandem.

Left the bullet at the military base and took a quick trip to Aamby valley and got back to Lonavala. Saw Aamby valley from outside and the sunset and proceeded back to the base. From there we got both our bikes and rode back to Lonavala. Here the beautiful pillion made way for a ex-bomb with her chirpy kid.

Said adieu to them and rode my bullet crazy in the night till I literally jumped in the air over a couple of speed breakers mid way. That brought me to my senses and rode safely back home.