Strawberry fields

Today was a rest day for the bike though it hiked on harsh terrain. Got a closer look (from a height) of the saputara dam. Hiked to a peak to get the view of the town and around. The world is fine...
Strawberries are common here and the intake has crossed 1.75 kg so far. Signing off with red fingers for now.

The Gujju hill station

A short ride but took long. Yes it was that good. Golden again yet different. A ride from Nashik to Saputara will show you worn out hills. Some with very steep slopes but flat tops. The climbers might get tempted.

Golden Sahyadhri route

Pune to Nashik sees some ghat sections again but these are the little hills that do not need much struggle. Almost the entire route is golden during this time of the year which would be too green otherwise.
Halting at Nashik and getting an overdose of nostalgia (its the place where I learnt to walk, cycle, explore and get lost ;-) )

Journey so far II: The road to the central

On and off the coastline. (A) to (E) is sticking to the Kerala coast. Having visited the hill stations of Kerala, I decided to stick to the coast on the way up. After the Ideals icecream at Mangalore, I had an energetic and enthusiastic ascend to Agumbe(F). That Malgudi town asked me to stay for one more day. Agreeing, I explored the Mani water reservoir and left the next day(still sticking to the Mani water reservoir) and reached Sagara(G) where Linganamakki water reservoir demanded attention. So once again an extra day for the water reservoir. Rolled off the ghats to the coastal town, Karwar(H) and on the way visited Jog falls and gerusoppa reservoir (small and almost hidden). I was in (I) the day next... i.e. Vasco da Gama. If the small reservoirs succeeded in grabbing my attention, the sea at Goa always had a good chance to have me stay for longer. So did I and then again up the ghats to Belgaum(J). The roads leading to Belgaum are too good(independent of direction). Got the chance to ride on the fastest road of South: Bangalore-Pune highway and with so many vehicles moving fast, I was inspired too and made it in good time.

Belgaum and the highway ride

One such ride of all so far that didn't require sun glasses. It was a clean and green ride throughout. Not very promising detours but got to know that one could go for dudhsagar waterfalls from castle rock by boarding a goods train.
Next foggy morning left belgaum and have reached a place 20kms short of satara and halting at a dhaba. Will be reaching pune tomorrow.

More water...Goa

Not the first time in this journey was I admiring the water but it was the first time I was in the water. Got to see lot many fishes and corals at Bat island. My cameras are not waterproof so will not be able to share this part. To get a feel, go goa :-)

Off the ghats...almost

From sagara I had a lot of ground to cover to reach the coastal town, Karwar and so I left before sunrise (and after breakfast). Had a superfast journey till jog falls which is a bit shy at this period of the year.
The second cool place was a prphibited area, the gerusoppa hydle project. I managed to get a glance of the reservoir and dam after I hid my cycle in the bushes.
Ride till the coast was not expected to be hilly as it turned out to be. So as of now I am at sea level and still among the ghats...the best it can be.