Place: Vanivilas Sagara DamDistance: 200kms x 2 = 400kmsDirections: Bangalore > Tumkur > Sira > Hiriyur > MarikanvieKrew: Chethan (Zethu) > Datta (Dattu) > Karthik (Sp)Bikes: Bullet > PulsarPrevious Visit: Gandikota & Belum CavesIN LESS THAN 50 WORDS: This was a 400kms ride, to send off Zethu on a 1000kms road trip (Bangalore-Mumbai) on his new Bullet-500. Vanivilas Sagara never fails to disappoint the visitor, with her tranquil & serene ambiance. Lastly please trust me on this “Earning an Enfield always feel different from buying one” 
INTRO & PLAN:Alright, Zethu had returned to Bangalore and due to pre-planned trips we couldn’t meet up for my birthday. Then on a weekday he called and told me that he had just picked up a new bike and revved the engine. I was like “OH my F’N G” Realized it was bullet, and it only made sense of him to buy a 500. So, I devised a plan either to Hogenekkal (to recollect our accident memories) or backwaters of KRS on the same Friday. But as I had work, we postponed the plan to Sunday. As Zethu told he would leave back to Mumbai on the same day, I thought why not join him until a point and ride back to Bangalore? Dattu quickly jumped up on the confirmed list as well.TIME: 22:00 (16/6/2016)
ASSEMBLE & LEAVE:Yeah I was up at about 04:00, did a bit of cycling and V-ups and was all set to ride. As the meet was scheduled at Dattu’s place, I left my home and rode slow on the ORR to meet Dattu at his place. It was quite some month since we last met, so we had a good chat (hoping we don’t get caught by police like last time :P). It was not long before we could hear the magical thump of the bullet afar and the Zatan himself on arrive on his moving throne of darkness. All three of us stood around the bike and admired it. It was a beast, no doubting it and it was the right beast to carry Zethu to Mumbai.TIME: 06:30
RIDE 1: (Bangalore – Dobbaspete – Tumkur – Sira – Hiryur – Marikanive Dam)This a 200kms ride to the peace dam – Marikanive. As it was a Sunday we knew traffic would be a problem. As we left Bangalore, we made it to the Tumkur highway without major hiccups. Once on the highway we began to throttle on forward. While Dattu and I were on my bike, Zethu had his bag-pack as his pillion on his. And as we touched the highway proper, the real beast behind the beauty began to reveal as the bullet throttled ahead. Zethu started doing 90+kmph with bare minimum effort. The bike looked so stable and calm even at high speeds. We rode about 50kms to pull over at our regular hotel overlooking the mighty Shivagange for some yummy breakfast.TIME: 07:00
After the nice breakfast, we stepped out for some tea. Listening to their Madikeri stories and filling them up of our Gandikota stories, we caught up with each other. Dattu took over my bike and then we went ahead full time. Cruising at 90+ we were finding it hard to keep up with the peace monster on the road. It suited Zethu perfectly. After a while we could spot 50+ riders on their enfields thumping ahead. It almost looked like flies had swarmed the road from afar. Cruising ahead we rammed into the crowd and we went ahead. But Zethu wasn’t to be seen anywhere. He had secretly camouflaged in between the other bikers (We were told him to signal the bikers behind him to take a deviation and divert half of the gang towards Shimoga :P)
After cruising past Tumkur & Sira, we began to ride slow and pulled over just before Hiriyur and sat on the road side. As the deviation to Marikanive had to be explored, there was no point in slowing down Zethu as he had a long distance to go. We pulled over sat and had a long chat, then shoulder greeted each other. Wishing him a safe ride, we took the service road and Zethu took off on his majestic beast throne on the wide highway.TIME: 10:15Riding ahead forward I spotted the right deviation, but asked people around to get a confirmation. Riding another 20kms ahead we arrived the Dam premises. TIME: 10:45
VANIVILAS SAGARA DAM:It was Dattu’s first time at this place and I was sure without a doubt that he would love it. (I mean who wouldn’t right?) The dam was built pre-independence and is still considered to be an engineering marvel. It acts as the source of water for irrigation and other purposes for the villages nearby. This dam was initiated by queen (then widow) of Mysore, who named the Dam after her youngest daughter. The queen had to pledge her jewels in order to ensure the competition of the dam.Coming to our visit, it was actually fairly simple. We walked across the bund to the other side admiring the windmills atop the mountain and the tranquil waters. (btw the second windmill – the lazy one was still not rotating :P) we climbed up and found our viewpoint and crashed in. We sat for good 15-20mins taking in the beauty that stood before our eyes. The crowd was decent even on a Sunday. Once our tummies began to grumble we decided to leave the place. We had some coconut water and took off from the place.TIME: 11:30
RIDE 2: (Marikanive – Hiriyur – Sira – Tumkur- Bangalore)As we began the ride, the sun had come up and the heat winds were up full time. Dattu began the ride in full swing and the heat was getting to me us. It was becoming dizzier and dizzier. We made a full spring dash and finally pulled over for some fuel. Called up Dilli, Madhu & Ashok and asked them if they could make it to our dhaba at Nagarbhavi. When the responses were negative, we carried along forward. I took over the bike at Sira and started cruising along at 80kmph and Dattu began to doze off due to hot winds. Finally we switched back again and thought “Chandu dhaba” would be a better option as going to Nagarbhavi and back to Malleswaram afloat would be slightly risky. As we cruised past Nelamangala, we slowed down and pulled over at Chandu dhaba for some yummy lunch.TIME: 14:15
After a good lunch, we left the dhaba afloat. It was only guiding the bike here and there and the bike did the rest. We reached Mahalakshmi layout, I dropped off Dattu at this place and cruised along ORR singing to myself to reach back my place.TIME: 17:00CONCLUSION:“ this was a sad/happy trip. It was real nice to see the mighty Zatan on his moving throne of darkness cruise off to Mumbai. And dattu, well, he was on good mode and ripped through Tumkur Road without mercy”Until next time, Cia \m/
