How would you feel when on a Sunday morning you go for a ride in the bike on along stretch of one-way smooth road with no traffic and no signal lights to stop you? Thrilled?

Yes, absolutely. That's what I felt too. A lover of long drives, a passionate traveler and a fun-seeker, in these roles which I play, I took the most of it on this ride to ecstasy.

It was just another Sunday morning when we (me, Manoj and Sujesh) decided to take the best of it by going on a trip to Mysore. I thought they were talking about going on bus, was really wondering whether we will get seats on the bus since its Desera season there, and then I heard them say "bike".

It could have been an easy trip, our initial expectations were that the trip would only be 100 kms one way, but only discovered it to be 150 when we already past 25 kms from Bangalore. 

One of sujesh's colleagues 'Nishanth' also joined us for the trip. Not experienced in long journeys and high speeds, this chap had a pretty rough time being with us. Feeling sorry for him, but it couldn't have made better.

After getting up late and repairing my speedometer which wasn't working for the past couple of weeks, we started after 11 AM. After the first 25 odd kilometers which was through the roughs of Bangalore traffic, we then gained on the momentum. It was the newly inaugurated Bangalore-Mysore four lane road and it was truly a stunning road to drive on. There were little or no gutters on the road, traffic was so rare, no pedestrians, no signal lights, no sharp turnings and no police checking (Manoj owned a Kerala registration bike).

Had our breakfast at around 11.30 and then we really stopped only at one place to have a drink of water and that too after two hours. We were virtually flying at a consistent 80 kmph and much above. Nishanth was asking whether we could slow down a bit, but unless I'm not confident of myself and my drive, why should I satisfy his requirement and kill the thrill of the journey? He got more scared when we saw an accident on the way, but it was when we almost reached Mysore, so the slowing down then didn't really mean anything. It was an accident when one Tata Sumo tumbled down a slope almost 2-3 times. Hope nobody was hurt; we had to leave the place since it started drizzling then.

We reached Mysore by around 3. Heard that the place would only open at 3 PM. So we decided to have lunch. Parked the cruisers infront of the townhall and then went in search of a hotel. Since it was a Sunday, we could find only one which served not so good food. Still had to take it for the sake of not missing a lunch.

By the time we came back it was 3.15. When we looked at the entrance, we were horrified to see a really huge queue there. Its desera season, we could have expected that. Pathetically, we didn't. There was no point in waiting over there for hours to see the palace. The palace itself would consume a couple of hours and more to see. We need to rush back home too. A night drive would be much slower and dangerous due to the chilling climate and wind. Moreover, my colourblindness would trouble me more at night.

So we went to Chamundi hills, spent some quality time there, took some decent enough photos went to see the huge bull on the way down and then climbed back by around 5.30. We then were going to Botanical garden, Vrundavan when we saw the beautiful Karanji Lake on the way. Nishanth was very particular about a boating there. The climate was also pretty suited for that. So we decided to cancel Vrundavan and went to Karanji Natural Park.

Including the camera and parking charges, the per head consumption of ticket fare seems to be little too much for the entrance, but the boat ride pulled us in. There was also a Butterfly garden there. But to kill the excitement, there was already a huge queue for the boat ride and the butterfly garden was around one and a half kilometers away which will be closed by the time we reach there by foot. But there was one bird sanctorum in the park where we could really get in close proximity of the birds. Forgetting the chickens which were running around, we saw a few peacocks, white peacocks, hornbills, swans and a few others. That made it a worth enough trip. After a cup of coffee and a handy needed rest, we started our way back by 6.30 PM.

It was late and it was getting dark. So we didn't want to go anywhere. We headed back right the same way we came in. This time it was a bit slower for the reasons mentioned before, but the ride was equally exciting. Except for a few times when we couldn't sight the road well enough, we kept on our pace. We had our dinner on the way from the famous Kamat hotel in Channapatna, bought a few handicrafts (which I wanted to buy from the last time I was there) from there. Sujesh was driving Manoj's bike for the first few dozen kilometers but since he was lacking in pace and since he wasn't that comfortable on a long ride, had to give the rider seat back to Manoj.

Manoj exceeded all expectations and put forth a good enough competition with me in speed which we both enjoyed. We reached back home by 10 PM and after viewing the snaps we took, we slept off hoping to kill the tiredness by the next day morning.

The road all the way up and down was so beautiful and so were the road sides. Photographers could spend a lot of time taking pictures on the way but that will kill the pleasure of the drive. Luckily, none of us were good in that and so we carried on. It was a great journey on bike, my second best in terms of the distance (my best is to Hogganakkal which is 180 kms one way). Will love to go for a ride once again in the same path. Awesome trip!!!