Its a long time dream to go for a long bike ride and it came true this time with my desert storm. 

Asusual, i had planned many times to go for a bike ride and failed everytime to execute it. 

This time i planned to go for a solo ride, since nobody can change the plan or complain about it . 

Plan is to cover as many places as possible. 

Day 1: Started from Chennai - Trichy - Dindugal - Batlagundu - Theni .

Stayed in Theni for a night and planned to leave early to Munnar.

Day 2: Theni - Bodi mettu - Munnar

It was really a pleasant ride into the Bodi mettu plains and look at the scenic view.

Though Day-1 ride was just on roads and with vehicles, Day 2 started well with a early morning ride, saying hello to the clouds and mountains.

After Bodimettu, you will reach Poombarai and thats where the road part to Munnar and Thekadi.

Poombarai to Munnar is a mystic journey with green tea estates, narrow and curved Ghat roads, Chilled breeze and misty clouds following all over.

Enroute to Munnar, you will see Chinnakanal Waterfalls on the roadside and a nice view from both sides of the mountain.

Chinnakanal to Devikulam and To Munnar is literally heaven of South India. Such a pleasant and mesmerising view and the climate makes it a cloud nine moment.

I reached Munnar around 10 Am and had breakfast. I decided not to waste time by visiting the Rose Gardens, dams or view points (though i have seen them already in my last Munnar trip).

Now the plan is to reach Athirapally falls before 5 PM.

Now the route is Munnar- Cochin road- Aluva- Chalakudy - Athirapally

I drove without clicking any pics to save time:) . Reached Athirapally (Periyar River around 3PM)

This is such a humangous waterfalls and treat for your eyes. You can take bath in the upper place if there is less water or no flood.

You can also climb down to watch the waterfalls near by and its really worth it.

One of my all time wish list was achieved. visiting Athirapally was over. This was the original plan for me.  Reach Athirapally somehow.

Now with all excitement, had tried to explore the Athirapally - Vazachal - Vaalparai Ghat road.

This is Ghat road into the forest allowed only from Morning to evening.

Dam view

Solaiyar Dam

This was one of the scenic playground ever watched and i envy those players.

I reached Vaalparai around 6 PM and then reached Pollachi around 8 PM. Had dinner in pollachi and was planning to stay in pollachi. 

Then  decided to return chennai and had to take my bike by bus to reach chennai next day morning. 

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<Trip is Life>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

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Its a memorable trip for me as a biker and traveler not just because of Mind blowing Mega malai but also because of my first ever long trip in my beast(i own a Desert storm 500CC)

We have been planning to visit Megamalai for months and finally got a chance to fulfillthe wish on a long weekend hoping all tourist will attack kodaikanal, ooty and Kerela.

Also Megamalai is not a well known place and its good to be unknown and unexplored . That why it remains original and unpolluted. Let it be the same forever.



Lets get to the trip . Started from chennai on Friday and stopped at Dindugal and reached Megamalai next day. Stayed at megamalai on Saturday and came back to chennai on Sunday. (Aug 12,13 &14)

Route: Chennai(Navalur,OMR) - Tiruporur- Chengalpet - GST(Vilupuram- Udumalapet-Trichy-Dindugal - Batlagundu - Theni - Chinamanur - Odapatti - Megamalai(exact place we stayed is Mallaru )

Mode of transport - Royal Enfield Desert Storm Bike (Speedometer - 2280 KM to 3530 KM) covering 1250 KM roundtrip

Let me tell why it is special because this was my first ever Bike ride and that too a Mountain ride(a true hill ride without any road)

Actually the hill starts from Odappati and hardly 20 KM to #Megamalai and there was no proper road when we drove. It was under construction and had all sorts of road conditions( Broken road, road with pot holes, muddy road because of rain, rain washed stone road and the typical hill curves and most important no side walls). Most of the small cars were sent back by forest officers for the same reason.

Trip meter

We have taken many pics to save time and energy. Few clicks for our memories

Theni to Kandamanur Road 

(initially we went to Kandamanur and lost in a location shown by Google. Biggest lesson learnt- Dont rely on technology. Speak to localites)

Vaigai Dam

Once you reach Odapatti, you will have Forest office check post. Post that the roads are very bad. Infact there is no road. But it was expected they will lay the road in 3 months (possibly you will have a road from Dec 2016 or 2017)

A view from the mountain

Panoromic view

Tea estate view (Road widening is happening )

Muddy roads - Rain effect

Highways Dam

(not sure why this place is called Highways)

Beauty of Megamalai, the roads will be flowing on the corners of lake from one hill to another

A Nice view from a Bridge

Our Beasts meets the lake

A bus that goes to Chinnamanur(nearest town)

Sad state is there is only one bus available and it comes in the morning and leaves back in the evening. No other transport unless you have your own vehicle. A great salute to the bus driver for driving safely in the ghat roads. 

Roads with a mesmering view

Few lessons we learnt in this trip though i am a regular traveler but not a regular biker.

1 - Dont rely on technology - Google maps is not good for unexplored places- So speak to people at every spot.

Online booking is not always reliable - we booked only available bunglow using makeytrip and to check on the route we called those people near Theni. They said rooms are all booked and we have no connect with Makemytrip. Thankfully the supervisor had helped us to arrange some rooms because we are travelling all the way from chennai to Megamalai.

2- Plan your trip with all necessities with a back up option - There is no petrol bunk in Megamalai - We should have carried few litres handy though we are not short of fuel.

Also it rained in between at various places. Always invest on proper rider gears- Helmet,jerkin, shoes, Riding Pads, Gloves- Nothing is costlier than your safety

3- Expect anything and everything to happen - Applicable for firstime riders like me-  My trip mates bike breakdown in Chengalpet. Always prefer to service your bike few days or a week before your trip . A nut was not tighten properly and it ends up in jamming the break. Thankfully nothing happened. It cost around 3k for reparing it

Also when we are returning, my bullet headlight went off and had to drove few km's till mechanic shop without any light (we should have carried a torch light atleast). The fuse keep firing everytime and found at there is a shortcircuit in the back light lines.

And most important

You are not on a racing track to race and win. We have not drove more than 20 to 30 KM speed in hills with the given condition of roads. Of course you cannot ride faster than that with pot holes, muddy and curved roads.

"Slow and Steady wins the race".  And most important enjoy the ride.

And last but not least " Bullet is always bullet" #Bulletda

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