A beautifully bright sunday - perfect setting for an early morning ride to lavasa ! :D
So i went ahead with another lavasa ride. Alone, but accompanied with the camera and a video shooting one at that.
I know it might sound pretty stupid to go for a drive all alone.. but somehow i enjoy that to a great extent. Just for the time that i get for myself - thinking about a lot of things, deciding a few - it just helps me clear up my mind of all the mindfuck that takes place in a week or 2. The sense of total freedom for those 2-3 hours is something i crave for.
On the 13th, it was a pretty much bright sunday - a typical day when you would love to hang around at a multiplex for a morning show followed by lunch - with friends or even may be with girl friend ;)
I had something bugging me since the 10th. So i thought of doin the drive all alone - had posted abt it on team-BHP, but it was just better that nobody really bothered to come :D
Started at around 7.15ish from home. Had expected to reach the Mutha ghat by 8.30 - considering the shortcut left turn rt after the ghat. Somehow i missed it altogether and went ahead via the Ghotawade industrial area road. It adds about 10Kms to the total distance but to be frank, It was all worth the longer route !! Somehow, there was no traffic on the roads - and i could easily cruise at 80-90Kmph continuously.
this 80 to 90 Kmph speedzone is somewhat my favourite.
First, Its fast enough to zip thru the scarce traffic of trucks/ buses/ six seaters.
Second, its really easy to speed up from this range without causing any stress on the engine in 5th gear.
And lastly, at 80-90Kmph, 1.4 tonner Corsa is pretty much controllable - even with hardest braking. Above that its a dicey situation - the car kinda swerves to sloping side of the road and not to forget the absence of ABS - wheels lock up really quick and it skids off.
Getting back to the ride,
reached ghat by 9.00 to see some 2-3 bikers resting in a lightly shaded area. Firstly, thought that the ghats are swarming with the driving school cars and thats the reason why the bikers look so frustrated :p . Thankfully, i saw just one driving school car up there that day.
Crossing mutha ghats at a constant speed of 70 - 80 Kmph is pretty much pleasurable. Though i was driving a bit slow cos of the handy cam stuck on dash, and recording every single bit of the ride. ** grin **
was a completely uneventfull drive till the Lavasa gate rt next to Temghar dam. At the gates, security guard stopped me and didnt allow me to go ahead, reasoning that some accident took place and road is closed. Damn i said and as no choice, turned back from there.
These guards are pretty nuisance at places like this. They wont allow to drive on the public part of the roads as well. And, as there have been some issues with bikers at the Lavasa roads, guards try to scare away anyone who looks even a bit suspicious.
( but the mumbai boys who came down for a drive on 27th had luck on their side - they were allowed inside lavasa city without any issues )
Turned back from the barricade - and switched on the handy cam once again.
Rest of the drive was a plain jane except for a unusual bird spotting. I had stopped for a photoshoot of the ride, and spotted a bird of prey sitting on dried out trees on the road side. clicked some snaps and later it was id'ed as a Kestrel. Took some photos of the car and started on my way back.
Some of the snaps
the steed..
The Kestrel
The Video :
Putting a perfect end to this ride was coffee and sandwich at Jijai @ chandni chowk. Some bikers were resting there - mostly RSA - but didnt bother to disturb them.
PS : Reaching back home in time was necessary to ensure a superb lunch cooked by mom - and i did reach in time ! :D
Waiting for another 'perfect' sunday morning - only to grab the cam gear and run away to lavasa for a drive !
