Every time I visit the Kemmangundi area I felt like biking there. And it was a long time wish. It was no more a distance but making free time that mattered to go there. Also I was sharing my wish every time I met with Kowshik that we have to do the biking trip to Kemmangundi. He used to readily agree. And finally on 2011, October 22 we were on the road with our bikes clipped to Kowz's Getz!
We started early in the morning when it was dark but very soon came out into the sun light. The roads appeared much straighter for this journey making it a perfect mood for biking. Good music and timely breakfast fueled us for the game. Losing track from the right way could not stop us from taking a long turn making the mountains much farther. Waiting at the railway crossing was nothing but a restless feeling; though it energized us to reach for the start.
Kemmangundi welcomed us with its beautiful landscapes. We drove into the heaven and parked ourselves at the guesthouse. It did not take too long for us to prepare ourselves for the most awaited downhill ride to Hebbe. I had seen the place and had even experienced the journey to the place in a jeep. 4X4s are only the options for people to reach Hebbe because of its downhill rocky terrain. Else they have to walk. We chose to bike.
Both of us enjoyed our downhill ride. Although we were careful, at places we could not resist the temptation of zooming into the valley. Both our bikes were in good condition and was in full control with us. It was a first time experience for me to do such a downhill ride and to do it in such a heavenly place was a bliss. It was a thrilling ride till we reached the hebbe falls. Many jeep drivers were excited to see us and speak to us. They stared at our cycle and our gear. They wanted to try a ride as well. We were answering many of their questions and there was no end to the excitement all around. It was a sense of satisfaction to see the magnificent hebbe falls in full flow. We quickly returned to our bikes and wondered at the uphill task we had. We had no choice but to climb back 13 kms to our guest house.
Well, the uphill climb was a tough one for sure. It was a 13km of trekking along with our bikes and at places our bums were on the saddle. It was the sense of excitement that we got from the downhill ride that pumped our adrenalin to overcome the uphill challenge. To add to it, breeze was becoming much cooler. We rested at many places. Some jeep driver tried telling us to take the short cuts and some other explaining the wild animals after the dark. We just continued. For a short patch, we were lucky enough to get a jeep ride as well. Sooner we saw the sun getting under the woods, quickly we got down from the jeep. That short ride was a big help for sure. But we had a lot more uphill task to do. It was a beautiful sunset before we hit the dusk.
It was a kind of dehydration for me that pulled my muscles for a while. But nothing to beat my excitement of completing this long awaited biking to hebbe. We biked back in the dark and reached our guesthouse by 8pm.
We woke up early the next day. We took our bikes and started cycling towards the Mullayyanagiri. The morning comfort gave us enough scope to do some photography and record some videos. We did about 8-10km of biking and went back to the guesthouse. From there we left to Mullayyanagiri and drove back to Bengaluru in the night.
It was absolutely a thrilling experience to me with the downhill ride and an awe-inspiring feeling having done in the Kemmangundi area. Thanks to Kowshik for his wonderful company as always. I now want to go back there again and again and do such trails.
A longing trip has left a longing feeling in me for more!
© Srikanth Parthasarathy
October 2011
