Occasion: Madras bulls 3rd Anniversary
Date: Saturday, April 16 and 17, 2005
Place: Horsley Hills
Prelude:
Date: Friday, April 15, 2005
Horsley, quite and tranquil, hills was chosen as the quiet sanctuary for celebrating the birthday of Madras Bulls (www.madrasbulls.com). After a long time, the bulls took a break from the mundane daily chorus of HighT (IT) life. It was around 3 P.M. and with the Indian Cricket Team donning the perfect role of depressing the cricket fans, I blew the T.V. and decided to get myself ready for the Horsley ride. First, I removed my solo spring seat and replaced it with the regular seat of my bull. Then, went to Royal Enfield Brand Store in Adyar and got the regular checks done. Got myself some chain links (Machismo has the new O type rings which are not readily available everywhere), Spark Plug, Throttle Cable, Clutch Cable, Spare fuse, Tail and indicator lights. Met Madbulls Arul, Vijay Prince, Sachin, Bharat and had a good chat and our man Sachin was buying an Autosol for polishing his Bull. I was shit scared that this is gonna bring Tsunami back to Chennai :-)=
Then, I moved to stock my First Aid, if nature planned to taste me, with the usual tabs for indigestion, cold, diarrhea (I like to freak out on road side food ;) ), some Electral, bandages and so on. Went to the petrol station and filled 12 Litres of Xtra Premium and headed straight home to pack my Cramsters (which was an over kill). Got the packing done and was all set. At around 10.30 P.M., Haridas calls me to tell that he met with a small accident and that his clutch wire has Rested In Peace. Hari came over to my place and picked my spare clutch cable ending an eventful day.
So, I closed my eyes with my dreams in full thumping throttle.
Day 1:
Date: Saturday, April 16, 2005
Time: 4.45 A.M.
Odometer: 10,092
Woke up at 4.45 A.M. and was all washed and ready to hit the Road. Gave wake up calls to fellow bulls and had a message from Brijesh that he will be late by 30 mins. Saddled my Cramster to my Bull and was absorbed in her beauty which was Manly. One kick and she roared to life and roar was nothing less than a lion in the lonely forest. With the initial exercise of warming her up for the rampage, the RaGing Bull was all set to conquer her destination. She fired and it was just Divine.
Time: 5.25 A.M.
Odometer: 10,097
Reached the Le Meridian and saw her losing Royal stature to the Royal Enfield Bullets parked in front of her. With the usual hi and hello, the bulls awaited the travel to the Heaven. Dodo had come to see us and was 80% confirmed to the overnight party. Out other bro’s Arul, Ranaga, Navneeth, Yacoub, Dosai, Bala, and Raja
Route:
Kattipara Junction – Porur – Ponnamale – Sriperumbadur – Kancheepuram (NH4) – Ranipet (NH46) – Palamner – Madanapale – Horsley (estimated 280 KMS)
Time: 5.45 A.M.
Route: Porur - Sriperambadur
With the bulls ready to rage and rampage the journey towards the destination began with the rubber side down. The calm and serenity of nature was just rampaged by the Thumps of bulls and the city roads were seeing heaven. With the entire bulls warming up for what would be exciting, agitating, commoving, rampant, and aplomb ride of the Month (after all every month something wilder is born ). My partners in the ride were Brijesh, Aditya, Sailesh, Raghu, Ganesh, Ashwin, and Bharat changing ever so often. The first regrouping point was Hotel Paramount after Ponnamale. The entire group regrouped and we decided on the next stop, which was Ranipet for breakfast. Venky, who has already been to Horsely, was leading the group. Now we got split into three groups with myself, Ganesh, Aditya, Sailesh, and Ashwin in the middle group (or group 2).
Route: Sriperambadur - Ranipet
The road from Ponnamale to Sriperumbadur was ideal for our bulls Warm Up as it is under construction and checked our speed below 80 Kmph occasionally touching 100 Kmph. Once we crossed the Sriperumbadur strech, the real treat started (more for the Bull than for Bulleters eyes). This stretch was an invitation for Speed Kills. Well, I decided to test Lepards advice on max her out on every gear and taste the taste the last bud. With straight road ahead and nothing visible to challenge, I just did that. The Raging Bull was maxing out at every gear and my heart was racing with anxiety to know when she would really climax. The Odo crossed 80 and was the time I shifted to Gear No 5. 90 – 95 – 100 – 105 – 110 – 115 and I felt I was barrier which kept her from moving ahead. So, I got myself tucked in her curves and was one with her Heart and Soul…and the Odo started moving again – 117 – 120 – 122 – 125 and I knew she climaxed…WOW!!! She did 125 Km/Hr (May be 115- 118 the real speed). With the Cramster hangin on both sides and two fog lights fighting the wind strongly, got her Top Speed down to 3 – 5 kms, so may be she could touch 120 Km/Hr real speed. Then I sropped own to bring her back to sane limits (;-) ) and was riding between 60 – 100. This stretch was just the prelude for what was waiting for us. The small grouping rising in unison with Ganesh doing stunts and almost getting killed was reminding of my boyhood days. In between we stopped to catch up with the third group of Brijesh, Shaggy and others. With them not in sight, we decided to head straight to Ranipet. Ashwin decided to stay back and catch a smoke. What followed next was a serene ride towards Ranipet. Brijesh and co. caught up with us near Ranipet and we reached Ranipet at around 8.00 A.M.
Arrival Place: Ranipet
Arrival Time: 8.00 A.M.
Odometer: 10205
Total KMS traveled: 108 KMS
Time Taken : 140 mins (with breaks)
The first group of Venky and Co. was waiting at Ranipet and had finished their breakfast. I hogged my breakfast as all my rides had taught me that healthy rides are proportional to healthy food at right time. With one plate of hot steaming Idli’s and Dosa and a cup of hot Tea to wake up any sleeping nerves was ready to burn gas. Sachin and his friends arrived by the time we finished breakfast. Vijay’s bull developed a strange noise with Sachin exploring the strange sound. This proved to be a blessing in disguise. The last thing we expected in Ranipet happened. Our ever enterprising Sherin walked into a garage with an 350 CC Machless and 850 CC Sunbeam classic. This was the icing on cake. Apparently, the Machless was a 1960 once bought for 40k and was in the process of being restored. The Sunbeam was the real beauty with twin engines, huge Avon tyres, Smith Odomoter, dual tome paint, adjustable fork tension, and so on. The Sunbeam was bought for 1.5 lakhs and is being restored which can fetch 4 lakhs minimum. With many an amorous eyes we decided to leave the beauties and head straight ahead to Palamner.
Route: Ranipet - Palmner
Departure Time: 9.10 A.M.
Once we crossed Ranipet, the roads opened up. The black road with green fields and occasional cows and bullocks was the classic Tamilnadu at her best. Myself, Ganesh and Bahart were partners at rampage with each racing each other at healthy speed. And then there was a sudden roar and a classic thump and all I could see is a White bull overtaking us as if we were doing some 50 KMPH. It was Sachin’s white bull and a real Thumper. Myself and Bharat joined him and was crusing at 80s and 90s crossing the trailers, trucks and dancing to the tunes of the curves and bends the highway offered. This was also where the roads disappeared and presented with an offroading stretch of white sand. This was just the break we wanted from the smooth tar and our bulls showed why they are the BULLS as they conquered the stretch with great élan.
Arrival Place: Palamner
Arrival Time: 10.40 A.M.
Odometer: 10289
Total KMS traveled: 84
Time Taken : 90 mins (with breaks)
Myself, Sachin and his friend reached Palamner first and waited for the other bulls to step in. As usual we were the source of attraction for the entire crowd who were looking at us like green men from the distant planet. Finally, they decided to ask us what the hungama was all about and I explained to them in whatever little Telugu I knew (Palamner is in Andhra Pradesh and local language is Telugu). The usual questions flowed like what is the top speed, mileage and is it running in Diesel and so on. By this time our bull brothers had reached. Sachin filled oil in his bike and again checked Vijay’s bike and decided we couldn’t do anything and also finding a piston in Palamner or Madanpalley is like finding pure drinking water in Chennai (a.k.a Madras). With water breaks and Petrol toppings we started towards what would be the best Ride of the morning session.
Route: Palamner - Madanapally
Departure Time: 11.30 A.M.
Once we crossed Palamner town, lush green fields with black tar roads took over us. The roads were just beautiful with very less traffic. The bends gradually becoming sharp, the thump of our bulls making symphony with nature. Myself, Brijesh and Sachin were riding as a group with speeds between 80 – 110 with each overtaking other at various bends. This stretch had the best ride stretch. We stopped in between Palamner and Madanapalley to regroup. My throttle assembly decided that its enough of taking orders from this Mad-Bull. My RaGing bull started taking matters into it own cables and revved whenever I was turning. Sachin comforted me that at speeds this won’t really matter and started again. Brijesh had to get the volley ball inflated and we stopped at Cycle shop for pumping air. Sherin gave a SOS call to Brijesh. His bike was stopping every 1 km. So we decided to go back and help him. We had travelled 7 kms back when we saw Sherin. This is where the strangest thing happened. The moment we caught up with him, his bull was PERFECT. Nothing was done and the problem vanished. So our journey started again and this time we were cautious. We stopped 1 km before Madanapalley for a butt cum liquid break.
The shop owner thought we were cops and Sherin was a Military guy. Finally, he garnered enough guts to ask me and I just couldn’t stop laughing. Believe me Sherin was looking exactly like a Army man from behind, but the moment he turned he was a perfect candidate for Tamil Nadu police dept :). I got a call from Bharat that he was waiting for us along with Ashwin at Madanapalley. I topped my bull with 5 litres more to be on the safe side at a Reliance petrol bunk (Try Reliance bunk they are neat and clean). We reached Madanapalley by 1.15 P.M.
Arrival Place: Madanapalley
Arrival Time: 1.00 P.M.
Odometer: 10342
Total KMS traveled: 53
Time Taken : 90 mins (with breaks and 14 kms overtwun)
We regrouped with Ashwin and Bharat at Madanapalley which is in Chittor district. A small town which has enough places for refreshments and big bus stand. This place also has decent mechanic shops in case anyone needs help. We started from Madanapalley after Bharat topped his bull with Petrol. Ashwin was concerned with his bull as she was not pulling him when he was passing through mounds. He was concerned how she was gonna climb the hills.
Route: Madanapalley - Horslety
Departure Time: 1.15 P.M.
This was another memorable strech with open roads, curves, greens fields, cows, mad truckers, honking Qualis, fast Ikons and the EVER SO ROYAL THUMPING BULLS. The intoxicating smooth roads was making thump more and more and then we saw a hoarding that welcomed us to Horsely. Horsely is 10 kms from the bottom of the hill. We started our up hill journey. As expected, Ashwin’s bull did not want him to climb the hill. I guess his clutch was the culprit. This paid way for the best towing experience of my life. I have towed many times and the longest was towing a friend’s bike in Noida – Delhi toll road. I was trying to push Ashwin’s bull from behind when I realized that my legs were moving wide apart that I might eventually leave my heavenly body :-)=. Attempt one failed. Again we tried again and failed. Attempt three was success albeit my bulls going over the tip of Ashwin’s shoes. I understood the mechanics. I started pushing Ashwin’s bull even before entering the mount. This gave enough leverage and impetus to push his Bull. Brijesh was sweeping tail just in case if we fall down, thanks Mate! The hill was not as scary as the Shimla, Tirupathi or Himachal Ones. It had occasional hair pin bends and some sharp curves and almost no traffic. Finally the welcome to Punnai Resort – Horseley board told us that “WE HAVE ARRIVED”. Thanks to Ashwin I had the best towing experience of towing on hair pin bends, which was nothing but “eccentric”
Arrival Place: Horsely _ Punnami Resorts
Arrival Time: 2.15 P.M.
Odometer: 10391
Total KMS traveled: 49
Time Taken : 60 mins (with towing up hill)
Summary:
Route :
Kattipara Junction – Porur – Ponnamale – Sriperumbadur – Kancheepuram (NH4) – Ranipet (NH46) – Palamner – Madanapale – Horsley
Total Kilometers - 299
Total Travel Time - 8 hours 15 mins
Continued:
2. Madras Bulls Party @ Horsely hills
3. Travel Back – Horsely to Chennai
