Come 5 am, and the time to leave for the journey hadarrived. With a riding jacket, camera, and of course, a full tank of fuel, wewere off.
The trip down towards the south border of Goa towards Karwaris not exactly pleasant. If you are riding a bike along this stretch as wechose to, you may well have to have to occasionally stop to heat your possiblyfrozen hands on the engine block to keep your fingers from falling off. Oncrossing the Goan borders, a reality check sets in, and you will realise howwonderful Goan state highways are. Pot-holed, cracked roads are what you willbe welcomed by, but then again not the kind that would cause you or yourvehicle serious harm.
The ride continued with the sun rising slowly and shylyabove us, and along this stretch some wonderful sights make their presence feltalong the coastal highway. The pretty Karwar beach coupled with the smell offresh fish being brought onto the docks by trawlers, the bridge joiningSadashivgad and Kodigad lined with estuaries are a photographers dream. Butthis happiness is short lived. The roads gradually become dustier and bumpierand will cause concern to even the hardiest traveller as to what lies ahead.Persevering though, will bring you to worthwhile locations like theHonavar-Kasargod bridge, the Lord Shiva (second tallest in the world “according to the ever reliable Wikipedia) statue in Murudeshwara, a fewchurches, and lush green valleys.
Approximately eight hours from take-off will have you alongthe outskirts of Mangalore, where one absolutely must find an iconic smallice-cream/milkshake parlour to rest. The familiar but somewhat different soundof Mangalorian Konkani will most assuredly fill your ears as you quickly grabsome snacks before you set-off again. Locals advise the Puttur Madikeri routetowards Bangalore. This is a trap! After 30 kilometres of smooth roads you willencounter the worst roads you will ever have the misfortune to lay eyes on. Thepotholes on this stretch will make your suspension sink lower than imaginable.After covering almost 90 such kilometres with a few less-bumpy patches ofbroken tar you will arrive at Madikeri.
After a cup of renowned Madikeri coffee you can restart yourjourney that will have you in a riders/drivers paradise. Broad and windingroads and generally lovely weather, will have you cruising down, wishing thatpermissible speeds were a lot higher. Along this stretch, you will pass theever beautiful and green Coorg famous for its coffee plantations. Two hoursfrom that point on will have you in Mysore.
The roads from Mysore to Bangalore are quite nothing towrite home about but decidedly smooth enough to ensure a decent drive. All inall, a trip well worth making the trip for at least the memories, if nothingelse.
