Thursday, June 4, 2015

The Avengers are gearing to cruise - Mahabaleshwer

BAC Mumbai is back again with yet another fun filled riding experience. This time, the planned destination is the Land of Strawberries and the Origin of River Krishna in India, Mahabaleshwar. This was also one of the key staging areas for Shivaji’s army in the 17th Century for construction of the Pratapgad fort, a key Maratha Fort from historical perspective. 

The Ground work

Having a 2 day plan had been a suggestion from many of our members. Finally it was taken into purview along with one of the most scenic destinations to have been chosen for the ride. But to back it all up, a strong plan was required to be put in place. That is where the core committee came in with the initiative and started setting the wheels in motion for planning the ride.

After having an internal discussion and taking opinions in view, a plan was finalized. Club meeting for the announcement of this plan took place on 24th May at 5 Gardens, Matunga. In this meeting the long awaited plan was finally revealed and put up for approval by other members.

The Plan

We start by assembling at the McDonalds in Kalamboli, which is famous as a breakfast point as well as assembly point for many biker’s clubs. From here we leave by 5.40 am for Pali via Khopoli using the Panvel bypass road on the Mumbai Pune highway(old). This will be the first continuous ride before coming to our first halt after Pali.
Second major part of the ride will begin here, leaving from Pali at about 8.45 am and reaching near Poladpur by 11 am, where again we take a halt for refreshments and head-count.



From Poladpur, it is a nice 35 km route to Mahabaleshwar through the Ambenali ghat which is a mountain road. It is one of the best ghats for bikers to ride in since it has many turns and twists without having a lot of change in elevation. In fact, the main characteristic of the Ambenali ghat is that it takes many turns without gaining or losing much height. So this is one of the top attractions of the ride ahead!

We reach Mahabaleshwar by 2 pm and there is where the second Phase of the Fun begins. There are a lot of activities planned for rejuvenation of the members till late in the evening. Members will also have the option to go and explore Mahabaleshwar.

The Wait

Now with just 2 days to go, the bikers are pepped up to hit the roads. 

We can just hope to have a good time. At least before the ride actually begins. But it is worth the wait. So stay tuned… lot of fun filled curves and twists ahead. 6 June, here we come!

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