I didn't have any plans for new years, so quite automatically began checking the map as to possible places i could ride to. As has been the case in the last few months, i was dissappointed. Every place that i knew of, i had already done multiple trips to. I was familiar with all the highways, and was begining to worry if the new year would have anything new at all. Boy! Was i in for a surprise...
After a couple of days of overthinking and debating possible places with myself, i decided to do what i do best. Pick a direction and ride, not a destination. Since i used this technique only for short rides (less than 300kms), i was a little worried about how it would fit into this plan. Also i wanted to see the new years sunrise in a new place. So i would have to ride all of 31st night, watch the sunrise and ride back all of 1st. For a direction i chose east.
31st was spent in checking on the bike and gearing up. At sunset, i was on the bike setting off for where i knew not... But as excited as a five year old with a new toy. Where didn't matter as long as i was riding.
Since i picked east as a direction, i had 2 highways to choose from, having done the nagarjunasagar road countless times in the past, i chose the vijaywada road, which i was comparetively less familiar with. By the time i crossed city traffic it was quite dark. I cruised aimlessly for about a hundred k's, and then to my right i saw the moon rising. Half, red and bigger than i had ever seen it, i felt being drawn in by its beauty, i took the next exit off the freeway at narketpally, and chased after it.
Having left the expressway, the highway narrowed and the silhouettes of the surrounds changed, lots of trees, fields and lakes replaced dry open spaces dotted with rocky hills. And i was surprised as to how dark it could get, with very few villages around, the only source of light became the moon and a thousand stars, complemented by my L.E.Ds which where put to full use brightening the road ahead.
After a few hours of chasing the moon on the now very chilly night, i found it had risen too high to chase, and i found myself somewhere near ongole. While passing through a village i heard crackers being set off and the shouts of happy new year, a glance at my watch confirmed it, 2016 was here.
All of a sudden the road got bad and a lot of craters forced me to take a left and another change of direction. The next two hours of riding was scary. I went through village after village of drunk and over excited young people, some on foot some (even worse) on motorbikes. My dodging skills were put to the test. I couldn't understand the suicidal urge these people had to jump in front of me screaming happy new year! I wondered if they weighed the option of a 200kg motorbike (and a not very light rider) with the velocity of atleast 60-80kmph crashing into them! Some even tried to chase me on motorbikes to wish me! Wishing all i could and escaping from the rest, i found myself relieving myself from the freezing cold, having chai at a still open tea stall at 2:30am not far from machilipatnam. I soon crossed a village called moopidevi which had a beautiful bridge above the gushing waters of the krishna. Crossing the bridge, i found a small narrow road parallel to the river. It was time to chase the river!
If the drunk revelers were scary, it was nothing compared to the next phase of riding. 3am-6am are the hours i call "ungodly" to ride in. Not a soul stirrs during these hours. Even truck drivers pull over and fall asleep under locked door. The cold is at its bitter worst. The night is darkest as the moon too moves away to a high pearch and doesn't illuminate these hours as it would from the horizon. Fog sets in, and the combined effect of these forces can have quite a scary effect on a riders mind.
To get a feel of what im talking about watch:
Under these condition everything that moves takes the form of an apparition and every shadow a haunting memory. But fear being detrimental to a rider's reflexes, the best way to deal with these hours is by picking up the pace. Speed keeps me focussed and doesn't let the mind wander. But i was soon hit with so much fog that this became impossible.
Visibilty down to 10 feet even with 2 very powerfull fog lamps i had to cut the pace. Not only was it biting cold but the fog and mist produce the effect of steady rain on a rider moving through it, leaving you soaking wet. So i had to stop and pull out the rain covers before cruising on in steady pace, always careful to keep the brakes dry.
2 hours of enduring the fog, revealed its dividends! False dawn broke dead ahead lightening up the sky faintly with shades of pink and orange, also the river flowing next to me picked up pace and i could hear the rapids urge me on. Throwing caution to the wind i spead towards the false dawn and soon heard a different sound. (Its amazing how hearing takes over when vision is impaired) Much deeper in tone than the gurgling of a rushing river. The closer i got the clearer it became. It was the sound of large waves crashing, i had reached the sea!
I had to jam the breaks as the road ahead suddenly gave way to a sandy shore. What an amazing moment it was! I found a road running parallel to the beach, and rode a few kilometers while the false dawn faded and the sky began to show sunrise colours, i found a nice spot to park and nestled against the bike in the sand with the warmth of the engine, to soak in the breathtaking view unfolding before me! First sunrise 2016!
I was tempted to ride closer to the water but let that go because, my bike is not a dirt bike, and given its weight, is likely to sink in the loose wet sand. Even though i was confident that i could rev her out if she got stuck, such an ordeal might just deposit enough sand in sprockets and other places to cause damage. I was in the middle of nowhere with noone around, depending on my bike to get me home, it wasn't worth the risk.
After a good hour of soaking up the view, clicking pics and feeling the sunlight conquer the night, the fog lift and warmth return to the world, i headed out most reluctant to leave such a beautiful place behind. After an amazing adventure, i still had to make my way home! Using navigation for the first time on the ride, i rode to guntur. Two idlys and an hour of rest later i rode through vijaywada and gained the expressway back to hyderabad by mid-day.
The early morning ride in no way lacked in beauty, and the glory of conquering narrow unending roads in the warm sunlight was an amazing feeling in itself.
I don't quite remember much of the ride back. My mind set off on a ride of its own, thoughts of year past, loved ones left along the way, hope for the year to come, the promise of unscaled heights and becoming a better person are all i can remember. The 300km ride home from vijaywada, the ever dependable Silverblaze took care of. How many times has she brought me home after a crazy adventure! I snapped back to the here and now only when i crossed the Outer ring road into hyderabad. The ORR has always been my proverbial wall around the city, only when i cross it do i feel at home or on adventure depending on direction.
As i pulled up at home, i was surprised to see the sunset before me! 24 hours and 1200kms of riding against all possible elements, was truly a test of endurance, both for man and machine. This adventure complete, i strode off confident, eager to face the elements the new year has in store for me, and make it to the sunrise!
Happy 2016 dear readers!
