A Toast to the Coast

                                                             

Well, after a short hiatus I was back on my bird for the next ride. Probably my last ride before my exam comes up. I had recently got my bike serviced only to be prepared for this short dash to a beautiful coastal town. It was a Sunday. For some, a day to catch up on some more sleep. The all important additional 5 minutes that invariably ran into hours eventually. But I had a very early start. I left home at 05:30 to assemble at the Royal Enfield Showroom at Nerul. It was supposedly a ride termed as Valentine’s ride. I was told that a ‘female pillion’ would add more memories to the ride. Considering that, it was a sad start for me as I had nobody to get along. I was only hoping & praying that I was not the only loner in the group. To my surprise, I was the 2^nd person to assemble at the showroom. Another Thunderbird (Red in colour) stood there with 2 helmets dangling from the handlebar. I told myself, the time has come to feel miserable. The 1^st couple on a red Thunderbird (Valentine effect) all ready to cosy up for the entire ride.  Two guys approached the bike and introduced themselves to me. I heaved a sigh of relief when I was told that they plan to ride on that bike.

    A few minutes later, the showroom manager came in and opened the shutter to a loud clatter. A collection of these beautiful handcrafted machines stood inside tempting all of us to buy another Royal Enfield. Soon one thump followed another and a total of 15 bikes assembled side by side. The company’s regional manager was the one we were waiting for. As soon as he came and geared up, we assembled in a single line and turned on the ignition and woke up the neighbourhood as usual, before we began our journey. Before I forget, the start was more than satisfying as all the 15 riders were loners (barring the red one and of course the showroom manager and regional head riding together with the mechanics). We proceeded along the Uran JNPT road. A route I had never been on before. It was a single lane road with big trailers running along on one side and mammoth containers stacked up at the container stations visible on the other side. The biggest challenge was to overtake a slow moving container. Every few meters there was a sharp turn and the never ending trailer ahead of us literally blinded us. After passing through the truck dominated stretch we came to the local village roads. After following those trucks endlessly we thought we could now shift up the gears and speed up. But before we could even think, we found another set of authentic Indian road blocks. Cattle strewn all over the road, blissfully chewing. I’ve always wondered... Don’t their jaws ever stop???? After carefully avoiding their horns which were more frightening than ours’ (despite the sound) we progressed further and thankfully at a higher speed.

   We were wound by the twists and turns that continued throughout the rural stretch before we finally reached our 1^st point of assembly, the toll naka just before the dangerous yet scenic NH17. NH17 was a killer stretch with the maximum number of accidents in the recent past. The ride was definitely not a race but this route had sent my heart racing. Enchanting scenery on both sides of the road but a single lane without dividers meant more focus on the road. Each time I had to overtake a vehicle ahead I had to peep in to avoid oncoming traffic at the same time ensure no one rams me from the back and I don’t ram the vehicle in front. Looking in the mirrors was a challenge with the sun reflecting sharply and blacking you out completely. But thankfully our wingmen did a fantastic job to ensure we had minimum difficulties in making progress along this narrow highway. We were forced to stop along the road as one of the riders had some battery troubles. It was probably the best place to have a breakdown. The scenery left us hypnotized. You could see farm land as far as your eyes could. The trees were completely shed off all their leaves. At the end, was a train passing by, making it a perfect postcard shot. After the brief halt we marched on, to finally stop for breakfast at the all important Vadkal naka. It was a busy junction and a gang of 15 thumpers surely caught the attention of the locals. A dose of hot vada pav, misal pav and cutting chai, we all were fully recharged. The ride was getting tougher as the sun was hitting us hard. All the protective gear suddenly became a big burden as we were sinking in our own sweat. Another hour into the ride and a mechanical failure brought us to a stop. The rear brakes on the showroom bike began to wear off. At that point we had enough of our gear. We all unzipped our jackets and rode along feeling the wind rushing through our bodies. The final stretch was probably the best. We just rode along parallel to the beach. We had the coconut trees lined up on one side making it green and the deep blue sea on the other side, a sheer visual delight. We finally stopped at a place where we could just park and spend some time in the beach. The bikes rested along with us, before each of us got into our swimming trunks and made a dash to a much needed splash. The water was chilled even though the sand was burning. I just sat in the water thinking of my ideal girl. I was so deeply lost in those romantic thoughts that I actually felt as if she was sitting right beside me. As the waves gushed in the thoughts began to take a beautiful shape till I was hit by some kind of a twig. Alas!!! All those dreams came to an abrupt end.

    I cleansed myself and was ready for lunch. We all hoped for a really royal spread as hunger pangs had taken control of our bodies. Before we could imagine the dishes we would be served, we faced a puncture. We cursed that nail which penetrated the tyre to our hearts’ content as we all were succumbing to hunger. We finally split up and 1 group headed for lunch & the remaining 4 riders were attending to the puncture. To make things worse 3 riders including me lost our way and ended up going 15 kms away from the restaurant. The wingman with us lost his cool and gave a piece of his mind to the lead rider for not halting at the important junction. We finally managed to get together and had lunch at about 16:00. Before the laziness kicked in we started our return journey.

The same curvy roads wore a completely different look in the evening. It was bustling with people who had come to shop at the bazaars which cropped up along the streets. As twilight approached I couldn’t resist but imagine “what if my dream girl was pillion to me?? The only missing element in this beautiful ride.” May be next time... I thought. I rather forced myself to think that way as I just couldn’t stop imagining. Well, the thoughts started fading off slowly along with the sunlight and my focus had to be on the road as there were no street lights. I nearly had a freak accident at a blind turn when suddenly out of nowhere a cat decided to cross the road. I missed it probably by the length of its own whiskers. I thought for a moment it was either that feline or me that was going to survive that night. I had no room to brake and had I braked hard I would have surely fallen off and been run over by the vehicle behind me. That’s when I told myself “thank God my dream girl wasn’t sitting behind me”.  The beams of our head lights curled around the meandering roads and guided us safely back to our final assembly point. Most of us had become restless to get back home. I was facing a massive headache throughout the return journey due to the delayed lunch.

  A final group photo was shot and we went our separate ways. As I rode back home the entire day was playing in my head like a tape recorder on loop mode. The new friends, the beach, the love struck ME, and of course what would this ride be without an RE.

The Other Side of The Road...

Little did I know to teach someone to ride,

All of a sudden I became her most important guide.

What if she would slip n slide,

Would I be able to take it in my stride??

She sat on the bike with a beaming smile,

Urging to ride from mile to mile.

While she faced those usual starting yips,

Never was she closed for some useful tips.

Soon she began to shift the gears,

Her confidence overshadowed my fears.

Banished was her initial hiccup,

Gracefully she surged from trot n canter, to gallop.

Her long standing dream was soon fulfilled,

That's when I valued what I did.

With her face filled with an enchanting glow,

There was a rush of emotions waiting to flow.

With her now riding regularly,

I see her do so more professionally.

Each time I see her ride away to glory,

I feel blessed to be a part of this story.

Life in College

                                Sitting in my class room on a bench of wood,

                         I relive the moments, very few good.

                         As I enter my last year in college,

                         I realize there was more to it than just gain knowledge.

                        

                         The First Year was a real quickie,

                         Before I could notice, it was over in a jiffy.

                         Not wanting to do much,

                         I wasted a whole year as such.

                         When I entered year Two,

                         I quickly made a list of things to do.

                         The list that was thoughtfully made,

                         Remained unread and was soon to fade.

                         I found myself in a group of three,

                         Each of us, having very little time free.

                        All taking up the Herculean course of CA,

                        We told ourselves, life was better off doing BA.

                        

                        

                        Then came the dry and miserable patch,

                        For, there was not a single girl in my catch.

                        As I saw the so called couples cozying in front of all,

                        All I could do was to sit & study in the reading hall.

                       

  

                        Suddenly I saw myself in the third & final year,

                        I told myself the end was near.

                        Life was pretty much the same,

                        With no added spark to the diminishing flame.

                        I always thought that life in college was not to be forgotten,

                        Some how I ended up making mine slightly rotten.

                       

                        As the end of college came nearer & nearer,

                        I found every single day shorter & dearer.

                        In my quest to be a person successful,

                        I ended up losing my college life youthful!!

Ride to Break Free- Part 2

Continuing from where I left... I slowly started getting back to my senses. It was really the need of the hour. We were to off road our way up to a hill top to watch the sun set. But before we marched on we had a power lunch. A little bit of everything in the right quantity to ensure no one dozed off. We started our way back up to the village. The narrow kutccha roads were a real challenge. But it was only the beginning. As the sun reflected off our fuel tanks we rode on to the dustier and dangerous patches.

 It was my 1st ever experience riding on nothing but big blocks of stones and to make it worse fine sand covering the entire stretch which meant there was no room for error. Throughout the bumpy ride there was 1 big question in my head. Will I make it without scratching the machine and keeping myself alive atleast till my results??? Then all of a sudden a big WHAM and I was nearly thrown off the bike. I was focused on the question which meant no focus on the so called road. I hit a boulder and could have been crushed between the bike and the big rock. Thankfully I was able to hold on to the handlebar and just about keep the engine running. From that point on my heart rate was probably as high as the engine's RPM. A sharp hairpin bend saw a lot of people struggling for grip some of them falling off and getting back without any hassles. That's when I realized that my moment was not too far away. Exactly 10 mins later I braked to avoid a pit only to lose grip and the sand ensured I also finely fell off the saddle. Luckily, I had Manish Sharma behind me to boost my confidence and keep me going. And finally we reached the top which gave us this breathtaking view.

A professional photo session was all we could think of. With the sun beating down on our napes and all of us covered in dust we decided to sit back and watch the sun dip lower behind the mountains.

Unfortunately we had to race with the sun back to the ground as there were no street lights. If the ascend was challenging the descend was like taming a snake. Every grain of sand wanting us to slip at every possible corner and every boulder and crater welcoming us wickedly to their paths. We somehow managed to reach base with not a single puncture. THANKFULLY!! All of us 'soot'ed up we reached our tents finding our way through the deserted streets with the only rays of hope being our headlights.

 It was freezing cold at night and I continued to be wrapped in my dusty riding gear. A tired bunch of us wanted some food and a place to crash. At that moment we were told that our main guests and entertainers for the night were just leaving from Kharghar. Suddenly all of us were pepped up and we decided to collect logs of wood to set the camp fire. At 23:00 hours when almost the entire resort was asleep they were woken up by 9 screaming engines which were welcoming 2 more to our camp site. All they could do was stand at their balconies and stare at this rare sight that showcased brotherhood .We danced, sang and finally ended up in our tents out of sheer weakness after the tiresome day. The next morning was a treat to our eyes with the moon still reflecting in the water's purity and the rays of sun beaming from the other end. All of us cleaned our bikes with the dew that had neatly settled and were preparing for our ride back home.

moonshine on the water

Final moments

We were reluctant to leave this piece of paradise. But that's how life is, short experiences but everlasting memories. I'm saying this because I'm fully back to my senses. One has to get back to his/her senses after such a rejuvenating trip being so close to nature in all possible forms and what better way to do it than on 2 wheels!!

Mumbai Meri Jaan

                        Sitting under the old banyan tree,
                        I seek to set myself free.
                        Wondering about this beautiful city,
                        I tell myself what a pity!!!

                        Everywhere you go there's the hustle & bustle,
                        Not a bit of silence as clean as a whistle.
                        Having lived for more than 20 years in this city,
                        I wonder if this is the place to be.

                       Famous for its well known local trains,
                       I find travelling in it, taxes my brain.
                       Space to stand, just a few inches,
                       All you face is the commuters' pinches.

                       'Spite of all the problems mentioned above,
                       There's so much in this city to love,
                       Be it the towering new high-rises or cricket ground,
                       Some of them Oval & some round.

                       As each day passes,
                       I meet people of different classes.
                       Most of them working on their dream,
                       Hoping to take back the hard earned cream.

                       People here are ever colourful,
                       Most of them never fail to do the needful.
                       Each one doing their job sincerely,
                       Working hard & returning home merrily.

                       Sitting under the same old tree facing the west,
                       I see the city at its magnificent best.
                       As I see the crimson sun set,
                       I savour this moment that I shall never forget.

                       Often thinking of leaving this place,
                       For its ever increasing pace,
                       I realise there's so much in this city to look out for,
                       Which all of us can sit & adore.

                       When I see myself outside this city,
                       I shall again tell myself what a pity!!!
                       For, I would never like to say good-bye,
                       To this island city of Mum-bai.

Retired "Hurt"

                              Walking down this cobble stoned street,
                              My heart voluntarily skipped a beat.
                              I suddenly found myself back in time,
                              To the days I played football sublime.

          
                              The year was '06 & the month was August,
                              I entered the field with my knee feeling robust.
                              Within an hour into the match,
                              I came across my life's most defining patch.


                              All my dreams of a come-back were shattered,
                              This time I realized my knee was surely battered.
                              As I faced those endless moments of agony,
                              All I could do was lie down & hold my knee.

                              With all elders forcing me to give this sport a rest,
                              I found every moment, a severe mental test.
                              For, they were asking me to give up this game,
                              Something that gave me name & fame.

                              With a last dream of donning the college shirt,
                              I found myself forcefully retired & painfully "hurt".
                              As I saw my team play & win,
                              All I could do was sit outside & give a forceful grin.

                              For anyone else it was just a game of football,
                              But for me, a passion above all.
                              A passion that always made me glow,
                              But today, the same passion is at an all time low.

                              A year & a half post surgery,
                              I find myself having made a decent recovery.
                              But each time I pass through the same old street,
                              I reluctantly accept the lost magic in my feet.

Ride to Break Free- Part1

  It was the 10th of December 2011, about 3 weeks post my CA final exams. The herculean task of appearing for all 8 papers had left me blank and I was waiting for that perfect getaway to get back to my senses. It was this day that brought me back to my senses. The day started off with me waiting for a bunch of thumpers for nearly an hour. Then out of nowhere I heard a familiar sound of one of the most majestic machines created by man(Royal Enfield Bullet). Rajaram Chinakkan, one of the senior most riders called out to me and said I was too early. I said it was the excitement that drove me to come early. Soon a bunch of bulleteers followed and the total count was 9. Every passer by stared at us, for we were all padded up and raring to go after a glass of cutting chai. The start was sort of jinxed I suppose. With all of us raring to go with our engines roaring we heard a louder noise to our shock. The leader, Atul Vig's chromed Machismo 350 suffered a puncture. A quick run to the tyre shop and we were good to go.

  The journey kicked off from Kharghar. Destination- Bhandardara, one of Maharashtra's scenic jewels. After riding through a stretch of loose gravel and dust we soon joined NH3. We were riding flat out at about 110 Km/hr. A trail of Royal Enfields thumping along was a sight no one could resist. Every tourist bus we passed, we got a round of salutes and applause. Families out on a weekend drive were stunned to see us trail blazing and they were more than happy to take out their cameras and shoot us as much as possible. Not to mention, I was more than willing to slow down for quick flash. We had our 1st pit/pee stop after nearly 2 hours of riding. As the bikes rested, we emptied our bladders contributing for a greener tomorrow.

We then realized that only 6 of us had made it to this point. The remaining 3 were attending to our 1st mechanical failure of the ride. The oldest bike in our group a 1991 model was finding itself a little too tired. The troop marched on with them joining us. I also got a sound thrashing from Manish Sharma our tail guide for riding slow on rough patches. He said you ride a bullet, it relishes all kinds of abuse so better not slow down for a few inconspicuous craters.

  The cruise continued and we entered the ghat section. Traffic had slowed us down but the attention we got only multiplied. The thump was louder and echoing in the mountains as we tackled the twists and turns. I'm sure the Gods above would have heard the 'beat' of 9 riders. I was more worried whether the noise would cause a landslide. But anyway as we progressed through the meandering roads we all heard another growl. No, it wasn't another group of riders but our own stomachs. We halted at a roadside dhaba when we realized that our fellow rider with the oldest machine was way back limping forcefully. He had the support of Manish Sharma(Tail guide & Chief Mechanic) who guided the overheating machine to join us for breakfast. Typical village restaurant, we had the most authentic misal pav. Every drop of it was 100% Maharashtrian.

With our stomachs full, we proceeded further feeling the clean village air. Another short curvy stretch of roads and we realized we were getting nearer and nearer. Kids around the village greeted us with their biggest smiles. That's when I realized what it is to actually ride the oldest motorcycle brand in the world. Every kid, every adult knows the legendary marque BULLET. We were probably leaving lasting impressions in the minds of these kids. The chilly winds and the clear skies added to the feel of the ride and we soon reached our site. We were all hoping to pitch in tents to spend the night. After a few negotiations we were told that tents were available and we continued riding down to the river bank. The spot was a piece of heaven. Something none of us could have ever imagined. I guess this photo would speak more than anything.

The crystal clear waters was something I last saw in a Nat Geo magazine. Our jaws dropped in awe when we were told that the tents would be set up just 3 feet away from the river bank. I said to myself, this is what a weekend vacation meant. There was not a single sound around. Absolute peace and serenity. None of us spoke for a while for everyone of us city bred riders decided to enjoy the silence, surrender to the rustling of leaves and appreciate mother nature for her magnificent creation. But for me things were a little different. I could still hear the thumping beat of the 9 motorcycles ringing in my ears and my hands voluntarily vibrating as though I'm still riding. This could only mean one thing.

    I was surely getting back to my senses. How much of it I regained shall be revealed in the 2nd part. Till then, happy riding!!!