Lone Ride to Thamini Ghats

After four weeks of hectic work, decided not to let this weekend go off. But till Saturday Morning couldn't decide where to go :P Asked all my friends, but everyone had their own plans. Roommates had to go for a team event to Lonavala. Woke up at 7:30. Plan is to take my Apache and go just like that. Started from home at 8:30 am thinking that either Pawna Dam or Mulshi Dam would be good. Decided upon Mulshi as I had been to Pawna quite a number of times. Till I reached Paud village which is 30KM from Pune, there was no sign of rain. I was doubting if my day would be bad. But within a  few kilometers, I could sense the inclination and  I entered the ghat road , and within no time I could see the clouds coming up! Felt so relaxed! 45KM drive took me to Mulshi. There were a  few waterfalls nearby, they were many people coming from Pune and Mumbai to spend their monsoon weekend. I spent some time there. It just 12'o clock and I didn't feel like going back. Thamini Ghats were just  another 20KM away from there,  so headed to Thamini. The road was little bad for stretch of  5KM, but it was good enough after that. The ride to the ghats  in that cloudy weather  kissing the rain once in a while was awesome!

 

On the way, I stopped at Garudmachi hills for a while, it looked hulk and tall. I reached Thamini ghats in less an hour or so. Met with a few college students who came for a weekend ride. Spent some time there and headed back. In the return way, 5KM from Thamini, I saw a valley towards left and I decided to cover that as well.  I remembered that I had been there before, but that time it was by car. The road was narrow and was surrounded by  dense forest. Once in a while a car/bike passed by, with fog lights turned on. Without lights, one could hardly see the road for a few meters. The valley looked so beautiful, I could see clouds below my feet!  Rain poured on me aperiodically  and most of the times it was kind of drizzling. Took a few nice shots of the wonderful valley. There was a chay tapri, I enjoyed having T in that rain, looking at the clouds in valley down below, wow, I can never forget. After spending some time there I headed back to Pune. In contrary to what I thought, I didn't feel difficulty in riding down the ghats.

 

Also the cool weather, hilly and greenery surrounding made me as fresh in down ride as I was during up ride. I almost rode 160KM in total and I reached home by 5:15PM, finishing my memorable Saturday.  Just one thought was in my mind "This is the reason I don't want to go out of Pune" :-)