Whilst an enthusiast hiker group in my office was discussing their next trekking plan in mountain ranges of Sahyadris, a thought came to my mind; it was time for a ride in the hills of the Sahyadri range and reach such a destination where spiritual cleansing can also be done. The choice was “Bhimashankar”. Even the group had earlier taken two rides to Bhimashanker, the response was overwhelming and there were 18 bikes for this ride. Great turn out.

The heat was on, and the boosted moral was seen on every face as all assembled at sharp 7:00 am at Mulund Toll Naka, to be soon joined by Rajiv, to take charge of the pack, and the ride rolled. There are two routes to reach Bhimashankar. One is through Morbad-Malshej-Ghodegaon-Bhimashankar and the other route is via Lonovala-Talegaon-Manchar-Ghodegaon-Bhimashankar, and we wanted to enjoy both the routes to have different riding experience.

We took our first halt at Morbad after Kalyan for breakfast. Subbu and Dino preferred to ride further. Catering to hungry lions of “Inddiethumpers” was a challenge to the hotelier. General Guri took the lead and ordered ‘Not to Stop before Lunch’. Ride through the Malshej Ghat region offers a unique feeling of remoteness and wildness. Nature here was at her best; it was like after a heavy shower the entire region was out for drying. While cruising through Malshej one can have a glimpse of the majestic Harishchandra Fort, Fort Shivneri [the birth place of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj] and though the rains have stopped by now, waterfalls were running down the mountains. Note: there is no Petrol Pump after Morbad till Ghodegaon [70 kms].

We reached Ghodegaon via Ganesh Khind after riding for almost 3 hrs. The entire stretch of Malshej-Ganeshkhind-Bhimashankar, is full of craters and broken roads enough to give you sour butts and stiff wrist. After a mouthwatering and eye watering lunch, [thanks Guri for adding extra spice], the final lap of 42 Kms. to Bhimashankar was accomplished. Compliments were showered on me after reaching the hotel for choosing this route and I could see and feel that ‘cause, though our bikes were parked, our bodies were still rattling. It was a full body massage. Evening session just went as per club standards; moderate drinks, lots of humor, unlimited veg. Dinner supported by cool breeze and sound sleep. Here, I have a suggestion to our Sr. riders and also our Moderators that why not add one more word to our club name i.e. “Bullet & Laughter Club’. [Bullet is the best machine to ride and Laughter, the Best Medicine].

Bhimashankar, is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva. Nana Phadnavis, the Peshva, in 1729, redid this ancient temple of Bhimashankar. There is huge bell at the entrance of the temple. After meditating and offering prayers, we reached “Hanuman Tala” [a small pond near Lord Hanuman Temple] which is 2 kms from Bhimashankar temple. There is a mythological story behind this Hanuman Pond, which was told by Sadhus who say that “Mother of Lord Hanuman, Mata Anajanee, prayed here for 11,000 years. This place is just at the bottom of Nagphani, the famous peak. Dino, Vaishali, Bhavesh and myself decided to trek this distance while others reached there on bikes.

Bhimashankar, is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva. Nana Phadnavis, the Peshva, in 1729, redid this ancient temple of Bhimashankar. There is huge bell at the entrance of the temple. After meditating and offering prayers, we reached “Hanuman Tala” [a small pond near Lord Hanuman Temple] which is 2 kms from Bhimashankar temple. There is a mythological story behind this Hanuman Pond, which was told by Sadhus who say that “Mother of Lord Hanuman, Mata Anajanee, prayed here for 11,000 years. This place is just at the bottom of Nagphani, the famous peak. Dino, Vaishali, Bhavesh and myself decided to trek this distance while others reached there on bikes.

Further, through the narrow path, slippery rocks, dense forest and steep climbs we were on the top of “Nagphani” the mountain cliff. As we were climbing the rocks, we were experiencing the damage we have been doing to our lungs due to smoking and after reaching the top; nobody was in a position to talk, as all were busy taking deep breaths. Perfect exercise for the lungs. [Still want to Smoke?] We missed the valley view as it was covered by fog. Getting down was another challenge in front of us but was easily done at equal spirit. So much the Mother Nature gives us.

Now it was the time to return. We finished our breakfast and started riding back. We opted for the other route i.e. via Manchar-Talegon. By now, we all had become seasoned riders and the same roads, which made our bikes, and us dance the earlier day, had become smooth and the experience was like a cake ride. The best stretch of the ride was between Manchar to Talegaon. We rode in a formation of single line lead by Guri with clear instructions that no one will overtake him. This not only helped us all ride together but also gave an assurance of no one is missed or lost out. It gave me pride when I saw by people in towns and on highways waving, counting the bikes and also heard someone saying “Lagta Hai Bullet Group Hai”. Another trend setting example for group riding. A quick breakfast and sutta [we will not change], we were back on the bikes heading towards Home. Maintaining a speed of 65-70 kph, the safe and trouble free ride got over at 6:30 pm near the CBD Bridge, at Navi Mumbai.

This was the most memorable ride for me, as it comprised Bad Roads, State Highways, National Highways, Natural Beauty, Pilgrimage, Waterfalls, Trekking, Rock Climbing and most importantly, trouble free. I would call this ride as ‘ALL IN ONE RIDE’