The Trip Home - Day 1

Woke up in the morning and packed my stuff. Planned to come back to Bangalore and take my stuff to Chennai to avoid carrying the entire luggage home. Called Nishku and informed him that I would be coming to Coimbatore tomorrow. He told me that he's got his evening shift and will be back only by 11 in the night and suggested me to plan my ride so that I reach his place by night. I told him my plans to start early in the morning to avoid Bangalore traffic and night riding through the highways (I don't wanna get killed by the reckless truck drivers who doesn't know what is low beam head lights!!).

Just after I ended my call to Nishku, I had an impulse to start my ride then and there itself. Impulses. I just love them because they are the ones who gave me all the joys I had. Called my roomie who is at office and told him that I am leaving today itself. Took a bath, took my back pack and helmet, locked the room and thump thump thump. Started my 1985 Royal Enfield Bullet and off to Coimbatore by around 11:45 AM.

Traffic was really bad in the city. There were some diversions due to some kind of election procession or stuff like that. It took me around 2 hrs to get out of city. There was elevated highway work going on in Hosur road till the halfway to Hosur ie around 15 kms. Filled some petrol on way and headed to Hosur. Gave a small 'Ganesha Chathurthy' donation to some kids who came to me at the filling station (I think it was on Ganesha Chathurthy because the receipt had a Ganesha symbol on it. I couldn't read the text because it was in Kannada!!!). I touched my 100 kmph with ease there and then slowed down. Just checking the machine, you know (Ride responsibly and carefully!!!)

Reached Hosur. I had to take the Royakottai - Palacode road from Hosur. Asked some guys about the road condition and the responses were positive. Took right turn after the first bridge in Hosur and I hit the road. The road was a little bumpy at some stretches but overall it was pretty decent. Then it started. My engine started coughing and it went off a couple of times, especially on bumpy roads or when climbing slopes. I was kinda terrified. The road was a State Highway through some villages and a help somewhere nearby in case of an engine trouble was almost impossible. I checked the engine area and found out that the spark plug cover was out. Fixed the cover properly and started again with relief only find the engine coughing again when I paced up. Then after a while I found out that the coughing happened only when I push the throttle hard. Then I reduced the abrupt acceleration and maintained 60-70 kmph and it was running fine. Thank god!!!

The landscape was really beautiful but I did not have a camera with me. It was really bad. I could have taken numerous beautiful snaps around the trip if I had one. I reached Royakottai after 02:30 PM. Had 2 teas (they were awesome!!) and a piece of milk cake. Called Nishku and told him that I already started today and I am past Hosur, in a place called Royakottai. He started worrying that there would be nobody to take me to his room as all of them were in the evening shift. I told him not to worry as I would be reaching there by the time his shift ends. It's been so long since I had a bit of exercise and my body began reminding me about that. My left shoulder was painful by now. The reason being my rear shock absorber which is stiff like steel. I stretched a bit and started to Thoppur via Palacode. Nishku text messaged me on how to enter the Coimbatore town and which turn to take from the NH47 to the city. Entered NH after a while, somewhere near Thoppur. Halted for a tender coconut after the toll gate by around 4:30 PM. The vendor told me that Thoppur is 7 kms from there and I have to take a right turn to go to Mettur, which is my next destination. It was a small ghat section and there was a forest check post after the toll gate. I didn't notice the hump at the check post and I kinda jumped over the hump. I confirmed the way to Mettur with some truck drivers at the check post and continued my ride. I noticed that when I stopped at the truck drivers, a forest department jeep just started from the check post and began following me. They might have felt something strange by the way I crossed the hump. Smuggler!!!! Hahaha... They were behind me for a couple of kilometers and then stopped at some construction work which was going on there. Well, I was a bit tensed by that. Not only now, but whenever I came across any kind of police check posts, vehicles etc. The reason? I did not have the RC book original (it was at my home) or an attested copy of it, my vehicle insurance was outdated!!! Naturally I would be tensed to see any kind of law enforcement because I have to shell out some money if caught.

The Beast... I miss him a lot :(

I reached Thoppur and took a right turn from the NH to Mettur road. The road was neat and it took little more than an hour to reach Mettur. Filled some petrol and stopped at the junction near the Mettur dam. Stretched a bit. Wanted to go to the dam and have a look at it but it was getting late, so decided to take a left and head to Bhavani, my next destination. The day was ending and it was getting dark. I stopped at a village on the way to Bhavani by around 6:15 PM and had some snacks and water. My back was aching like hell. Washed my face and called my old colleague to ask about the road conditions ahead. Started again after a short rest and it was already dark. This was the worst part of the journey. A two lane road and bad visibility. I couldn't see anything because of the glare on my helmet visor due to the headlights from the vehicles from the opposite direction. I had to turn the visor up for better visibility but the flies and insects were hitting my face and some were going into my eyes. It was horrible. I had to go terribly slow to avoid any troubles. With great difficulty I reached Bhavani and entered NH47 by 7:15 PM. The road was smooth and a 4 lane. I headed straight to Coimbatore. My bike was not giving any troubles now and I could just cruise taking all advantage of the massive power from the Royal Enfield Bullet, but with care. I had to stop in between to attend and make some calls. The ride was smooth and wonderful, better than the same road condition I enjoyed in the NH stretch near Thoppur during the day because now my machine is not coughing when I go past 80 kmph. Awesome!!!

The luxury ended when I reached Avinashi. The 4 lane disappeared and so do the medians. Now I was face to face with the trucks and fast cars coming against me, sometimes frightening me by coming on my lane (No medians man, and almost nobody knew about low beam head light!!!). It was a bit frightening and once I just missed a head-on with a really fast car while overtaking a truck by going behind another truck!!! Thank god I am alive. I had to crawl behind slow trucks as overtaking was out of question. After all, I wanna be alive :)

Took the right turn from NH47 to the Coimbatore city and headed through the Airport road. Rode 8-9 kms and stopped near a bakery to have some refreshments. At last, I was in Coimbatore. It was 9:30 PM. Called Nishku and told him that I have reached the city, but it may still take more than 10 kms to reach his place. It will take around 2 more hours for his shift to end and so I decided to take rest at the bakery. Drank some juice and washed my face. My shoulder was aching like hell!!! I stretched my body to get some relief but no use. I started to Nishku's place called Ganapaty by around 10:15 PM. It was only 10.40 when I reached his place but he was still at office. I didn't know how to go to his house so he asked me to come to his office. I headed to his office in Kumaraguru College of Technology and met him by 11:15 PM. Came all the way back in the same road to his house. He made me a black coffee!!! Watched some TV and went to sleep by around 12:30 in the night. At last, rest!!! I hope my body pain would be relieved by tomorrow morning.

That was a great day!!! :D


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