Zero on the Odo.. ~130 to the bag.

It was a boring day, waking up at 12 then lazing through some munchies later over 'Dasvidaniya' the day seemed to end in a usual lousy drag. Then out of nowhere, decided to get off my slumber and do something “non-slumberish”.

Got ready- tucked over the red jacket whisked the dust off the bike kicked the engine to life and revved off. The time was ticking at ~5:45pm, it was getting dark and I really did not have many options. Soon I was on Sinhagad Road, not knowing what to do, I started contemplating various options- maybe ride to Sinhagad and trek and come back... but the dark clouds and evening did not deem right, possibly ride via the Katraj bypass till Shirval or so and return back... but that was a drag of an idea. That's when it struck why not take the Panshet road then take the Rajgad bifurcation and then via the thin and thickly forested steep ghat to the Velha road (Rajgad-Torna road) and then via NasrapurPhata-Satara road to Pune. Perfect!

Soon riddling my way through potholes, rubble and the returning weekenders I was riding past Khadkvasala. The traffic started to thin down as I reached the crossroad for Panshet. The road ahead was dark with a few high beams in the opposing direction, up went my visor. Then came a sign board indicating “Torna road” to the left. Took it.

The road was thin and too dark, I started getting second thoughts. What if I catch a puncture, some breakdown? What if thieves attack...? I mean this is a deserted stretch -as in a totally lonely road. But again I was confident this place would not have any dacoity issues. But a bike-breakdown is a definite possibility. The road went through a thick canopy of trees occasionally opening up to either sides opening up the dark valley sprinkled with lights in the distant settlements below. Deserted... oh yes it was... but still there were a couple of vehicles riding by in the opposite direction and that sprayed in some confidence. Soon the road started twisting and twining up a hill. The inclination was pretty acute. I could spot one of the red lights from the Sinhagad towers far behind. I kept riding

All this time there were flashes of light all around. Lightning! Yea man, I needed this- rain - and a lot of it. That's how insane I am. Passed via occasional houses and some bifurcations- some of these bifurcations were pretty dicey, but decided to follow my instincts. Soon reached the high point, I remembered this spot the last time we were here- it was bright and held the morning sun with the distant spectacular views of Rajgad and Torna. But now… it was dark, the distant pitch black clouds flashing occasionally made it further eerie. The road now was a descent. My bike handled pretty well, though slipping a few times to the rubble below. All I could see was 4-5 feet ahead where my low beam shone... or the 20 odd feet in higher beams. The descent had to be slow, since there were too many hairpin bends to negotiate. Nonetheless soon went past the crematory and I knew I was almost at level ground and Velha road would turn up in no time.

And there it was. A few villagers were seated with Milk cans at the road bend. Asked them if the left turn straight up lead to Satara road? They nodded. Yippie!!! Now I could throttle up to the full. The roads got better but not the best. I was emphatic... Started singing aloud and many an occasion rode spreading my arms open wide. Passing through many villages I was moving fast. At one occasion very marginally escaped a bad slip- I throttled to a full maybe 70 and then there was this sharp 90 deg. right, oh the fear, I could picture myself in the rubble and the bike slipping off into the field… maybe my instincts, managed to get out of it... it was only another maybe roughly 10kms or so that got me back to my senses. I could spot the highway- Satara road.

Yes! I was at Satara road- Nasrapur phata. Took the left and rode to the full throttle down the slick tarmac. It did take some time comforting myself to highway riding after the village and mountain roads. Soon the indicators got in action as I changed lanes at break-a-neck speeds. Maybe I was riding at 110. Joshi Wadevale soon made its presence. It was ~8pm. Took a refreshing halt. Lightning myself, then stuffing in a sumptuous pair of bhakris with pitla -bhajji and yes the thecha and kanda-limbu with tea- Purrrfect. Smsed me friends about my adventure, a couple replied back in all kudos. Mom said if I could parcel a bhakri back home haha :)

Well at roughly 8:20pm kicked my back to the now wet highway under drizzles. Very soon through the Katraj bypass I was back to Sinhagad road and back riding the not-so-crowded roads touched back home at ~8:45pm.

All through this ride, I knew my bike deserved better. You see the speedo was down the odo dead, the seat torn the right mirror missing the various oil-levels on the low a few fiber parts rattling and the tyres loosing their character. So all I can say is maybe I rode some 130 kms with a peak of a 110. I shall service my bike soon.

At the end of it, the bummer of a day was alive and kicking with me as the drummer!