It was my crave since 6 months that I should do a bike ride. It was time for my bike to get serviced and change its wheels to get set for a long ride. It was time for the speedometer of my bike to touch 80s and 100s. And it was time for me to enjoy the rain and ride on my bike.
The much awaited moment arrived over the last weekend and I was very excited to do it. Saturday evening I was done with all my duties in the city and was free to do anything on Sunday. Since I had got my bike serviced and new wheels were waiting to see some rough way, I decided to do a biking trip. As soon as I think of a bike ride, I think of my granny’s place. It is almost a 3 hour ride from Bengaluru and will be good fun riding on the NH7.
Initially I thought of doing the trip alone. But then I have a friend who does not join for most of the treks I do and hence I wanted to take him. I checked with him and he was ready to get on my back seat. I had not told him where we are going. And he did not ask me either. I planned to leave on Sunday morning at 4.30 am. Before I slept in the night, I was talking to my friend Ravee on the bike ride plan. He suggested me a place called Maidanahalli Black Buck Sanctuary and I even read about it on his page here. Since it is closer to my granny’s place, I decided to go there first and then go to my village.
We started at 4:45 in the morning and by 5:20 we were out of Bengaluru. Sudhee did not know the destination and I kept it as a secret. All I promised him was, wherever we see a Deer, we will stop the bike. So that was it. My bike was just like a horse, and the rains were welcoming us to the road.
Our route was via Doddaballapur, Gowribidanur, Madhugiri and then Maidanahalli. We reached the Black Buck Sanctuary at 8:30. As we entered the forest gates, two of the black bucks looked like they were dancing to welcome us. They were running faster than my bike and crossed the road. It was a great welcome for us. After that, we were loaded with some beautiful sightings. Jayamangali Black Buck Sanctuary is a very beautiful place and a perfect habitat for these black bucks. According to the forest guest house warden Narasimha Murthy, there are about 1200+ black bucks in the sanctuary. Not many people visit this place; but at the same time, there are many challenges in maintaining the reserve area as well.
We sighted many beautiful black bucks and I enjoyed photographing them. Also the place is full of beautiful birds. I sighted almost 12 species of birds and I am sure there will be many more. Forest guard Narasimha Murthy was very helpful to us and he offered us to go there once again and stay overnight so that we would get to see many more beautiful bucks during the morning and evening time.
Male Black Buck Running (above). Female Black Buck (below)
I was never aware of this place until Sunday. And there are only two Black Buck Sanctuaries in Karnataka. One is near Madhugiri and the other is in Ranibennur. I could not believe myself such a beautiful place exists that is so close to Bengaluru. It is a worth visit for me. Hopefully the forest department will take measures to maintain it well and conserve these beautiful wildlife which are truly the gems of this place.
Bee Eaters enjoying the rain
By 13:00 we left the sanctuary and started riding towards my Granny’s place which is in Hindupur taluk of Andhra Pradesh State. It was almost 80km from the Sanctuary and we reached my granny’s village Budili at 14:30. By then, hot food was waiting for us. It was a very long time since I had visited my granny. And she was waiting to see me and was complaining to my dad that I hardly visit her. She is an 89 year young lady who is staying in that village alone. And no surprise that, she feels like seeing us very often. I paid my respects to my granny and started from there by 16:30 and rode back on the NH7 to Bengaluru. It was almost 370km bike ride and was satisfied by the end of the day. Even though there was not much rain, it did rain just to make us happy. Sudhee enjoyed the 50km stretch covered in 30 minutes while returning back.
NH7: Hyderabad - Bengaluru Highway
Here is the link for more pictures: http://www.flickr.com/photos/srikanthap/sets/72157624147624593/
Srik
6 comments:
Delighted that you had a great time visiting the game reserve near Madhugiri.
Even more pleased that you did this without leaving a significant carbon footprint. Good for all of you who did it.
I do object to you gentlemen going for a great Andhra Style home cooked meal without me.
The photographs are just wonderful. The deer with lush green vegetative background makes me want to visit the place.
Adventures on Bikes are the most interesting and fun and that too during monsoon means its simply FANTASTIC!! The feel of cruising on the mean machine during the monsoons is something that needs to be experienced and got to know here that you had the best of time on the wheels.
It’ s evident that you got to see the best of the nature during biking only and not on four wheelers as the snaps here posted shows that….
Amazing roads without “everest inspired" speed breakers,Black Bucks in action and a bunch of birds & butterflies in the green… its indeed a refreshing experience to have all this during the biking which really brings us close to nature.
Expecting more on biking in the coming time from your end.
"I use to love the rain because I felt like it made my motorcycles exactly the same as everybody else. At that point it turned in to a rider to rider battle"-Kevin Schwantz(Former World Champ – Moto Road Racing)
Wow! I too didn't know that such a place existed so close to Bangalore. The photos are awesome!
Nice write up and wonderful photographs Srik...
I think you remember the time I had gone to trek up the Madhugiri hill once(Sep '09)....I had posted some photos of the hill and also of some black bucks at the Maidanahalli Sanctury...
Well, the place is very close to my native place too...I want to take all of you along with Narasim there once.Its a beautiful place for sure.I'm sure the place will be even more beautiful in the rains.
You should try the Madhugiri hill trek once, anybody can do the trek and sanctury visit in the same day and be back in Bangalore the same evening(info for anybody interested).
It was really a good visit! and for me it was really surprise visit!
Enjoyed a lot, thanks to Srik!
Really loved your style of writing as well as the pictures you have taken. Being a motorcycling enthusiast myself, I can associate closely with these experiences...
Keep it Up !!!
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