My first long-dist. bike ride !

Bhailog, agar 110kph half-our ride on the Khandala-Panvel stretch of NH-4 nahi experience kiya toh kya kiya ??!?!?!?.

As I embarked upon my first long distance bike ride from Pune to Mumbai, I had little idea that all my apprehension and anxiety of how I would make it was futile ! A smooth as silk NH-4, a lovely Honda Unicorn in its peak form ('tachometered' at 3000 kms) and little luggage (my shoulder-bag which actually gave support to my back while it rested completely on the a-bit-higher pillion seat), the ride was a piece of cake !

I started at around 6:30 am on a clear April Sunday morning. With little traffic on the road, my throttle wouldn't listen to my anxieties. Off it went and I was cruising at around 80 kph for the first hour. At around 8:15 am I made my first - and only - halt at the tiger point. It offers one of the most breathtaking views of the Mumbai-Pune Expressway and the NH4 toghether with its flyovers and tunnels - all in one view !!!

With the morning sun making its presence felt with its teasingly warm rays of light, and a gush of fresh air having its lovely soothing effect on me, I set out on the speediest drives I have had till date on my bike. The around-70km Khandala Ghat-Panvel stretch is one of the best routes to push the throttle as hard as you please. A Pulsar 150 guy joined me at about this time and he was the one who got me to push the throttle hard. He aws like speed-locked at 90-100 kph... like a robotic machine... neither slowing down nor accelerating further. I maintained the 100-110 kph speed band for the better part of my 40 minute journey till Panvel. God I loved it to overtake the Pulsar guy at 110 !!! Just curious to know what must have gone through his mind. Was it, "Wow ! Too much dude !"... "Hohoooo... sahi ja rahela hai baap !!!" or "Iski khisak gayi hai... 'jayega' saala" or what ??? We continued our duel right till we reached Dadar !

Anyway, the ride had its share of "Oops !" moments. I was negotiating a mild curve down the road at no less than 80 kph when suddenly, a couple of speed breakers came into sight. There wasn't a sign-board to warn of it. Without my disk-brakes, I wouldn't have made it in time !!!

I reached my ex-college hostel (VJTI) at around 9:30 am - just in time to have a hearty breakfast with my ol' buddies :D.

All said and done, guys, Unicorn rocks !!!