Bicycle Tour around Kuduremukha – Agumbe - Sringeri

Every cyclist dream is to ride through the dense forest, accepting the high altitude terrain, relax in the water stream after a day ride, casual chitchat in the leisure ride; these all we had in two days bicycle tour around Kuduremukha – Agumbe on 22 & 23^rd October 2016.  The happiest moment for me is, day one camping at my home Muniyalu, Karkala Taluk, Udupi Dist.

This is my first two days bicycle tour within Karnataka. I have decided to travel more and more in coming days with in Karnataka.  The team was consisted Shanthi Prasad, Manjunath, Adarsh and myself.  Rafi guided about the transportation.  I chalked out the route using Strava app.  My main motto was making day one camping at my home, so accordingly drafted the route.

Bengaluru – Kalasa [Travel by Volvo Bus]

Day -1 : Kalasa – Kuduremukha – Hanumanagundi Falls – Kervashe – Shirlalu – Muniyalu [Around 80 Kms]

Day-2 : Muniyalu – Kabbinale – Someshwara – Agumbe – Begar – Sringeri

Sringeri – Bengaluru [Travel back by Volvo Bus]

21.10.2016

The bus was scheduled at 10.40 pm from Kempegowda Bus Stand. We all gathered well in advance.  Major issues comes always in bicycle tour is, transportation. If we are enough lucky to get a good Driver & Conductors, the journey will be always smooth, else it will end up with lot problems.  This time we were lucky, loaded our bikes into the luggage compartments and settled in our seats.  The journey went well.

22.10.2016

Misty Kalasa welcomed us, the time was around 6 am.  Soon we finished our morning core job in public toilet.  Loaded our luggage on pannier and continued journey towards Kuduremukha National Park.  The weather was really awesome, riding in the morning mist is always pleasure.

The trail was rolling ups and downs, reached the Balegal around 8 am for breakfast point.  My friend Shanthi Prasad well in advance informed to the Hotel guy for breakfast. Yummy Puliyogare filled in our hungry stomach and continued our journey.

We got more energy after breakfast, continued our journey in lonely road of Kuduremukha.  Due to weekend, we came across the tourist vehicle often.  The terrain of the trail is rolling one, sometimes we found difficult to peddle and sometimes enjoyed the down trail.

Stopped the bikes wherever and whenever seen the beautiful landscape and location, the pics were countless.  Journey was continued with beautiful pictures.  Kuduremukha trail is little difficult till Gangamoola, further it is descending one.

Easily we can cover more distance within short time.  We hit the Kuduremukha Forest Checkpost around 2pm.  The pineapple made crazy to us, filled our stomach with tasty one.

We had enough of the time to complete our Day-1 ride, decided to move further and take a lunch somewhere near stream.  After checkpost we took right deviation which lead us towards Kervashe.  Very short distance around 2KMs found a beautiful lonely stream.  The tiered and sweat body were badly needed water, jumped into the water and enjoyed the stream.

After spending a good time in the stream, finished our lunch. We all thankful to Manju for bringing the home made food to all of us.  Chapati with two type chatni, snacks, and biscuits filled our stomachs. The time was 3.30pm, thought to move towards Muniyalu.

The interior village trails were more calm and beautiful, on the way visited the Shirlalu Basadi. We reached to my home around 5.15pm.  Quickly finished the hot water bath and went to visit Varanga Jain Basadi.

Day was ended with yummy dinner at my home, bid adieu for the day.

23.10.2016

Day begun early around 7 am after morning coffee at my home. Adarsh bike tyre noticed flat, Shanthi Prasad quickly replaced the tube.  It was a training session for me since I am not more aware about changing the tube back wheel.

Taken a beautiful route Kabbinale to reach the Someshwara, after the suggestion of our apartment friend Gopinath Bhat. We could have really missed out the dense forest lonely route, if not ask the suggestion.  The lonely forest trail took us almost 10KMs to reach the normal civilization.  

Witnessed many hidden falls roaring, bird whispering, curved beautiful trail, complete shadow across the journey.  Stopped many places for photography and continued our journey.

A small accident of Adarsh made us little nerves for some time. While driving downhill sudden break skid the bike and got injured on right hand.  After quick first aid, we asked him to pedal till Someshwara which was around 4KMs away.  With painful broken hand pushed hard to reach the breakfast point of Someshwara.

Tasty Neerudose, Buns with Coffee filled our stomach. Our main task was to make vehicle arrangements to send Adarsh to Agumbe.  Luckily we got an empty mini tempo, requested the driver to drop him Agumbe, and happily agreed.  Adarsh boarded the tempo along with his bike and left for Agumbe.

The real bicycle challenge yet to start; the most difficult stretch of the journey, Agumbe Ghat.  The journey of the Agumbe Ghat is around 11 KMs with 14 hairpin bend curves.  Our estimated time was around 2 hours to complete the stretch.

Took group photograph for evidence and continued our journey.  The stretch was not so easy to anyone, however we intentionally choose this trail to make a history in our bike journey.  I had been this Ghat in all mode of transport viz., Bus, Tempo Travel, Car, Bike and this time on Bicycle.  We enjoyed the ghat trail ride, whenever needed a break either short or long, reached the tip of the Ghat view point. We took around 1.45hrs to complete the stretch. Filled our stomach with tasty pineapple again.

Journey continued towards Doddamane, Kasturi Akka home of Agumbe where Adarsh was waiting for us.  He was little recovered from the injury, however the swelling was more.  Asked him about injury to take the decision about further journey, the brave boy took a challenge and peddled till Sringeri.

The time was around 2pm, badly wanted the lunch.  Shanthi Prasad took us the last time visited Hotel Sri Guru Prasad in Agumbe.  The food was excellent, finished the lunch and relaxed under tree for half an hour.

Further journey was interesting rolling one, very soon reached Begur.  Initial plan was to visit the Sirimane Falls, considering the localities suggestion about the crowd skipped the itinerary.  They suggested to enjoy the stream near Magebailu.  

We all agreed and headed towards the stream.  It was a small stream in the mid of paddy fields.  Only four soul were present, enjoyed the stream and continued the last stretch of 8 KMs journey towards Sringeri.

Reached Sringeri very comfortably around 6pm, explored the near place of Tunga River.  Decided to board the cycles in the Bus then have a Darshana & Prasad in temple.  The bus was parked in the main Bus stand, conductor was not ready to take a risk to put bikes before 9pm.  Parked our bikes near locker room in the Bus stand went to temple.

Took blessing of goddess Sharadambe of Sringeri and Prasad.  The time was 9.30pm, boarded our bikes in the bus and bid adieu to Sringeri.  One more memorable journey added in my travel history, mind was crawling the next destination of bicycle tour.