Slush splash to Rajmachi

Posted: by Pulsurge in Labels: , , , ,
8

“If adventure does not wait on the doorstep, climb out through the window”...........Loesje

A solo outing for an earlier aborted event transformed into an amazing group ride. Arjun, Glen, Parimal, Revel, Khaleel, Amit Patil (suprise turnout) and myself started towards Rajmachi for a different kind of ride, never done by us till date- at least in a group.

The first halt at Rishabh's for breakfast. Being a Sunday and early morning departure- empty tanks were obvious.


Warming up the tyre profile on the edges, twisting through the Khandala section and short high speed sprints on the expressway takes us to Lonavla exit and finally to the Rajmachi split from Summer Hill Hotel entrance.

Ocassionally halt for Glen and Revel who were clicking most of the photographs at the tail and at the same time enjoying the lovely view all around.

End of the tarmac and its about time to rattle plastic on our bikes, whipping up the cream on the road and go around splashing like kids.

A halt on the way before we get going again for some serious fun.

Mr. Dharve's balancing time is up and he goes for a nice splash in the slush. A compiled moving frames of the adventure.
Everyone at crawling pace, at their attentive best to counter every twist in the tail with the rear tyre going for ice-skating.
Mosquitoes were a big issue, open up the visor and they are all over your face. Was in no mood for blood donation, but in the process lost balanced and CRASSSHHHHED! Nothing serious, just a block of mud on the RVM.
Now starts the fun.....the pics say it all, don't they?


With tonnes of slush and mud loaded on the bikes in the process- we were facilitated by the streams to shed a few of it.
Just when we used to think, that its over- we had another monster to get over.


Pushing each and every machine till the top...this had to happen.

Coming across glimpses of paradise on the way.


And finally reaching the base of Rajmachi fort. Looks small, but its hell lot bigger.
All drenched, whats better than a hot cup of tea.

No one was spared....everyone was part of the crash course..some were captured on lens and some were not.

Amit's bike went into hibernation and refused to start. Swapped his and mine battery and thankfully it worked or else would have been a nightmare going back (look how dead Khaleel is).

Accoustics and visual treat offered by a horde of 4x4s..the Gypsies look lovely dont they?
It was going to be a similar stressful ride on the way back, but comparatively subdued owing to lesser ascends this time.

Three pairs of shoes were destroyed during this venture. I was lucky to borrow and extra pair lying in Amit's bag. Parimal's oversized Woodlands couldn't survive the torture. Poor guy had to face all the torture and bought a pair of floaters from Lonavla to ride back home. Revel somehow managed with his torn pair.
Dropped into a malvani restaurant at Lonavla and ate like demons, though the food was nothing great to talk about.

Was an amazing ride, something we never tried before. Bikes took some battering and luckily didnt break down on any front. The only regret being of not having trekked Rajmachi, but come winters- I'll be there on top. It will just for the trek then not the ride- the hangover is not going to go away so soon, not at least for another 2 years. Maybe then we'll be heading for another chocolate treat.


Three cheers to everyone who were part of it- at one point of time fatigued to the core, but all smiles after the trip.
The route (for info, if anyone's interested): Mumbai-Panvel-Khopoli-Khandala. Take the Lonavla exit from the expressway. Ride on till you see a sign board of Summer Hill hotel and a small descend. Carry on with the road till you hit the fork. Take left and continue- there are no diversions to confuse. Later deep into the forest, you'll come across a fork with a board reading "RASHTRIYA VANIKARAN KAARYAKRAM" (written in Marathi). Take left and enjoy the journey till Rajmachi. Like us if you are taking a motorcycle- its no way that you can make it all alone in rains, absolutely no chance. You need at least 2 guys to push the bike up. Might sound funny, but taking a strong rope would be helpful- pulling the bike up with a rope would be much easier than pushing the bike up the hill on slippery surface. Apart from all the tiredness and fatigue, its an adventure worth to be done at least once.

The memories HERE

8 comments:

  1. RAJMACHI CAMPING says:
    September 24, 2009 at 8:58 PM

    Good pictures of monsoon masti on the way to Fort Rajmachi.
    Are you aware that 4 wheelers and 2 wheelers going to Fort Rajmacxhi dammage the track?
    It is more enjoyable to trek on foot from Lonavla and climb the forts.
    For more information please send a mail to rajamachi@gmail.co

  1. RAJMACHI CAMPING says:
    September 25, 2009 at 12:05 PM

    Whenever you visit a place of historical importance like Fort Rajmachi, please try to know and understand that place, the people there, etc. For more information about Fort Rajmachi, please visit BLOG:
    http://visitrajmachi.blogspot.com

  1. Rajesh Desai says:
    October 24, 2009 at 4:42 PM

    Nice pics and adventurous ride. I can understand how difficult things can be on that ride. It reminded me of my ride there two years bank when the weather was dry, cool and pleasant.

    http://picasaweb.google.com/rmdesai73/RajmachiRide2930Dec07#

  1. Tourist says:
    May 12, 2010 at 8:00 PM

    Dude, U guys rock! I would love to ride along side you gand ...I am a Yezdi rider ... Can I be a partof your gang?

    cheers!

  1. Tourist says:
    May 12, 2010 at 8:02 PM

    shit sorry typo error ... dont kno how to erase it now ... pls help ... * "love to ride along side you gang"

  1. Pulsurge says:
    May 12, 2010 at 8:24 PM

    ^^^Hey thanks for your comments. Well surely you can join in. You got a legendary bike there, but in turn it will add to the limitation...you can be part of meets and short rides- but on longer rides where on open highways we generally cruise at around 100 kph- I guess your baby wouldn't want to be pushed hard. Still you are warmly welcome to join our group at www.yahoogroups.com/group/thesaddletramps

    Went through your blog...you write well. Itching to do the 'Khopoli 11 kms' ride soon. So what if the monsoons are not here yet ;)

    And no need to delete your typo comment...it looks good in fact :P

    Ride on, ride safe, ride long!

  1. Mangat says:
    June 2, 2010 at 5:09 PM

    Awesome Plase...Awesome Post and Awesome Ride... would love to do it some day... :) :)

  1. Pulsurge says:
    June 2, 2010 at 5:17 PM

    Hey thanks Mangat! Tiredness and agony apart..its really fun. You should do at least once. Going in dry season is no fun..rains is when the real fun starts. All the best if you planning to.

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