BullAdi

MBMC 5a @Elagiri

MadrasBulls are five years old and growing. The club has done some good rides this year and has seen some admirable new affiliates. Be it the England ride, Rider Mania or the solo Kerala rides – the members have a lot to celebrate with our fellow riders from the southern squadron. There could not have been a better place to celebrate this year than at our Bala's Foghorn Adventures in Elagiri.
Riding with a worn out clutch might not be the safest thing to do and it is definitely risky if the problem list includes a dysfunctional front brake, loose con-rod and a worn out swing armbush. So decided to ride as the bike's condition demanded – I may aswell go on to say that the bike took me through the ride safely and saw me home with no complications. I have loved my bike since the day I bought it but my respect and affection towards it grows after every such display of resilience.

Friday
Bangalore weather finally caught up with me and I was running the customary change-in-location fever. Not wanting to miss the ride,had decided to tuck in early, but the absence of electricity and drytaps forced me go knocking at my friends apartment to spend the night. Finally managed to crash at 1AM with a Crocin.

Saturday5.30AM
Rode to the Domlour flyover to meet Prateek who guided through thecity roads to the Shell bunk on the Hosur highway. DeadDog and Sonali joined us soon afterwards. Stopped at the HP bunk after crossing the stare border for some breakfast and cheaper petrol. Now joined by Salai and his wife we made steady progress @60kph. Prateek likes to ride slow, Sonali doesn't want to ride fast and I cannot ride fast – DeadDog was bound by the obligation of tailing me :-) and Salai was itching to break free. The temperature was rising and much to Salai's relief the first of the hotrods overtook us – Sam and Dutta on their superior BMWs. Theywere soon followed buy the patraaaan junta – Rohan, Mahendra,Poo....it is always a pleasure being overtaken by faster machines. Sam and Dutta - thanks to their frequent ciggi breaks were a treat many a times.

Owing to my limping slow machine, I could not afford to stop longerwith the gang on our breaks, I would continue riding treating myselfto another of their flybys. Finally reached the foot hills where the boys had stopped for yet another of their breaks. Not wanting to hold anyone back and being a part of the welcoming committee, I continued up the ghats after getting directions from Mahindra.
As always, climbing the ghats is feeling like no other and Elagiri uphill climb is a treat with frequent hairpins and long `s' bends. Temporarily forgot the problems that I had with the bike, openingthe throttle probably more than I should have. But the bike behaved beautifully with a healthy beat (the hilly climate sure agreed with the bike).
Reached the venue to be greeted by fellow MadBulls. Was pr-registered with a room already allotted, so could take off to the "site" immediately where my services were urgently required. Naren wanted help in lugging some furniture and music system to the camp site on the notorious 207 TATA mobile. It was one rollercoaster ride on the back of that pickup truck holding on to the tables and the rolling water cans through the Elagiri bends.Bala was architecting the dirt track around the site. He had us decorate it with gravel, sand and granite chips to discomfort the rider leaving no grip and unpredictable slides. Planted the beer cans around the track and helped Dosai set up the moozik.
Sim offered a ride back to the dorms to escort the rest. Sitting on a steel carrier that he has for a rear seat was my dumb idea, but ripping through the sand littered bends and flying (literally) over the humps was his idea of scaring the big J outta me...my bum stillhurts....thanks bro...

its An?l’s turn

The events started with the beer picking competition (ended with it being the only event really....). With Dosai demonstrating the artof picking stuff from ground...few of us managed to snag the cans and the rest were content with riding around the track as fast asthey could.
Post lunch, a quick drizzle settled the dust and the wet ground and the sudden fall in temperature were a pleasant contrast to the scorching heat we had through the day.

After every one had left for their afternoon siesta, few of us stayed back to pack. There were Ajith, Arul, Dosai, Vijay, Bra,Balaji and Aravindan – a bright young local lad who can speak immaculate English and had good GK. It was a privilege to have met this kid in such a remote place studying in a local convent to articulate himself so well. I truly hope that he goes places and does well for himself. Spent jolly good hour laughing at Vijay's antics and Ajiths funny retorts.

Negotiating the track on Bala’s bike

On a challenge we all had another go at the track. The ride back was another exhilarating rush – particularly at one of the crests where the road suddenly drops low – where almost every one was airborne.

After a short rest the party had started in the evening with DJDosai "belting" out crappy dinchak rave muzik...taking DJing a bit too far m'mon....he soon came back to senses and did what he does thebest - selecting some praaapor tamil numbers mixed with heavy metalrock – we are like that wonlee!!
Heavy drinking, cake cutting/smearing, brilliant presentation byDeadDawg, mindless pelvic thrusts, mob dancing, head banging,screaming, dinner "sapad"ing, dancing around the bon-fire, some more headbanging later...the crowd started to dissipate.
Late into the night Muthu took over the DJ console churning some classic rock while the rest gathered around the hot ambers. Few of us were up till early hours of the morning -Manish, Simmi, Arul, Tabby, David, Bra, Aditi_2 (Muthu's colleague),Sylvia, VKA, Dosai, Deepa and Soup.

Pic courtsey - Tushtang

At about three in the morning, Mr.Souperman develops a craving for `chai' and infects others with a need for one. He went about waking up the irate cook – our in-house-at-your-service-chef who rudely refused the request. While Dosai, Aditi_2 and self were playing sentinel outside, Soup and Deepa broke into the kitchen and ransacked the place for some sugar,tea powder and a pot. Brewed the tea on hot ambers and the guys enjoyed their charcoal flavored, ash speckled tea – I don't drinktea :-)
The group retired about 7 in the morning. I take this opportunity towelcome the new joiners Manish, Bra, Tabby and Aditi_2 to the lastman standing club :-) what say Dosai?

Sunday
Woke up late to find most of the bike missing. Geared up quickly to join the last batch leaving.

Had delicious biryani at Vaniambadi and went shoe shopping in Ambur (picked up a nice pair of riding boots). Bid adios to my Chennai buds and headed back to join DD andSonali. Sonali had a mild heat stroke and was nursing on a bottle of electrol. The ride back to B'lore was quick and uneventful.

Special thanks to DD for sticking in my rearview mirror through outthe ride. Thanks bro...I guess we are even now :-)

Some more pictures

posted by Addy @ 1:44 AM