South India (Day 1: Pune -> Dandeli, Karnataka)

Ride Summary: Distance; 460 kms     Ride Time: 7 hrs      Total Time: 9 hrs (8 am - 5 pm)

After I returned to India, I had made up my mind that I will spend a lot of time sight seeing; knowing my own country better. It's sometimes sad when we hear westerners talk so many good things about the places in India that we haven't ourselves explored. That was one of the things that motivated me to expedite my plans of visiting the beautiful places around India. Hence right after the Ladakh trip, I applied for my extended vacation and this time it was the South! I really believe that we need to do the things we always wanted and we need to do them now. Till we are physically active, healthy. That's the best way to enjoy it. Seriously. Please. Get going on your interests!




A friend, colleague and a fellow rider, Nitin was interested in joining me. I wrapped up
things at work pretty late on Thursday; hence we started the ride around 8 am. Rides
without chai just aren't possible. Hence right after Khambatki, we stopped for a quick desi
chai. I had it re-made as I really like it "kadak". This is also my 1st trip with the
helmet mounted go pro camera (Thanks to Rahul for bringing it from the US). Hence I
experiemented with a few shots on the way towards Satara. There's my go pro shadow selfie
;-)
We were making good ground. Quite ez when you just have 2 people to coordinate. Also,
thanks to free tolls for motorcyclists, we didn't get delayed by that either. The Pune-Satara road condition is laughable. It feels like a road test. The diversions testing your
stopping skills, the pot holes your swerving and some stretch of the road looks like a fresh war zone scene. As if a tank has grooved the surface making your motorcycle feel drunk!


We stopped for lunch in Belgaum (Oops! Belgavi City!) around 2 pm. The restaurant owner tried to get us some accomodation in Dandeli at a cheaper rate. I was kinda excited to be in Belgaum for the 1st time. It's a good city; lot of trees -- well that's my 1st
impression.


When I entered the Karnataka border, I don't know why but I thought of Rahul Dravid.

The road condition between Belgaum and Ramnagar is pretty bad. Other than that, Karnataka
roads put Maharashtra roads to shame. I mean, a hands down win! We loved the ride between
Ramnagar and Dandeli. Beautiful, right through the dense forest along the Kali River Basin.


Again, I played with my new go pro and got a small clip! In this awesomeness, we missed
looking for the accomodation promised by the restaurant guy in Belgaum. When we reached
Dandeli, we checked into a government lodge named Jungle Lodge, Kali Adventure Camp. The property is well maintained and the way these govt. employees spoke and interacted with us
with such hospitality, they put any private bank staff back in Pune to shame! I was impressed that they accept cards and have free wifi! (In the middle of a jungle that
let's me blog. Yeeeeeee!!!) They are currently playing a movie about the wildlife in this area over a projector while I type these final words. I am so loving my Kingfisher with the awesome complimentary pakodas! Remember! We created office but then we also created motorcycles :)  Cheers!