Vasota Jungle/ Fort Trek

Date : 3 April 2011

Group : Went with Explorers group.

Difficulty level : easy (almost similar to Sinhagad with little more time), might be difficult if you do not have guide for road, since the road goes completely from Jungle area.

Photos => I have uploaded most of them on Picasa - https://picasaweb.google.com/adsarode/VasotaJungleFortTrek#

2nd to 4rth April being long weekend, I utilized it for going to trek. I had done waterfall rappelling with Explorers before and had good experience that time. This time I did not get any friend to come with me, but then I though of going alone as opportunity to make new friends. The group was good. Arrangement done by Explorers and specially the food they served on the top was Amazing.

Vasota fort is quite remote. One has to first reach Bamnoli and then needs travel through boat for @ 1.30 - 2 hr to reach Koyana forest, from where the road to fort starts. The road is not very difficult. The forest you get to see on the way is eye candy. I enjoyed walking on this road very much.

Beautiful road - for more photos see my picasa link

After reaching fort there is hardly any construction to see there. The good thing is there are too many beautiful things to see around. I wont write much on the beauty of the sight you get to see from this fort - check my Picasa link. Today I am not in a mood to write much :)

Bedse caves - a long waited ride

Day : 12 Mar. 2011

Bedse caves

Bike : Thunderbird twinspark (me - alone :) )

Distance :

Kothrud Stand to Bedse caves(Kothrud stand => ChandaniChowk => NH4 => Kamshet => Bedse village => Bedse caves) : 60 Km

Bedse caves to Kothrud Stand (Bedse caves => Talegaon => took wrong turn and landed in Pipri => Kothrud stand) : @ 70 Km

Note : 

There are no boards before Kamshet on NH4 indicating turn for Bedse village, even after Kamshet I did not see any boards showing "towards bedse caves" etc.

Do park your bike near Bedsai Devi temple, road after that is in very bad condition (rather it is not a road for vehicles)

My journey started looking at accidents on the highway.

Ice truck

Till Kamshet I could drive mostly @ 75 to 85 kmph. After Kamshet the road goes through village and it is not in very good condition. You will have to drive @ 40-50 kmph on this road.

You can visit temple of KedarNath (Shiv temple) on your way to Bedse caves, the temple is exactly on the road! 

KedarNath temple - on the way to Bedse caves

Inside the KedarNath temple

Shiv Pindi

The scenery around the road is quite beautiful, particularly if you reach little early in the morning you can enjoy  the nature's beauty in this area.I tried clicking few photographs on my way to Bedse caves -

Salunki

Probably kokil

Trees

I had little bad day today, for some unknown reason one of the screw supporting Thunderbird's front leg guard fell somewhere, being in little remote area and unable to listen to that noise I tried something simple to fix this problem :)

Temporary fix for Front leg guard support

When I was about to reach Bedse caves I thought of parking my TBTS near Bedsai temple (which was THE RIGHT THOUGHT), a villager told me that you can go further on your bike. Somehow I stupidly believed him and overconfident with my driving skills decided to go further on bike

What is seen in the image is just a little glimpse of this BAD ROAD,
ahead it is feels like mountain biking :(

I tried controlling my TBTS on this dirty road as much as possible. The front leg guard was already irritating me with noise. Finally when I almost reached there, I lost my balance :(. I did not have even minor injury but to add to driving pain, my TBTS's foot rest for gear shift was broken :(.

Broken foot rest

Now I was in dilemma "Whether to go up stairs and visit Bedse caves or should I return from here itself". Finally I thought after all this pain it is not worth going back without visiting these caves. So finally I went upstairs to see these caves. It was worth that effort!!. No usual crowd, at the most 4-5 people, clean caves and beautiful nature. That is almost perfectly what I like. Sharing here few photos of these caves -

The lonely road, My Lonely :) TBTS - near Red mark, and the stairs for Bedse caves

Stupa

Another view of same stupa

Carvings - taken from inside the caves

Couple on horse

Couple on Elephant

Another carving

Carvings on walls

Inside Vihar - where monks meditate

Sun rays and water

Pune-Mumbai Expressway - taken from Bedse caves

I am sure these hills must be looking very beautiful in rainy season

My return journey was not so good. Saw few more accidents while coming back. With broken foot rest I really tried best out of me to control bike down the hilly area. I had never tried such driving before, to add to it while going down I tried to follow another villager and came down from a more difficult to drive road. But finally I loved this experience. Near Kamshet I could get a mechanic, who did not have foot rest for my TBTS, but I suggested him to use one of the pillion foot-rest and make it work for now :).

Another memorable ride to Bhimashankar

For those who have not read earlier post, I will suggest reading this post first.

Day : 12 Feb. 2011
Bike : Thunderbird twinspark (me - alone :) )

Taken almost immediately after starting return journey

My home (near Kothrud Stand) to Bhimashankar(Pune => Chakan => Khed => Chaskaman => Wadi => Bhimashankar) : @120 Km.
Bhimashankar to home (Bhimashankar => Ghodegaon => Manchar => Chakan => Kothrud stand) : @ 120 Km.

First of all, I was very very frustrated on this day because nothing was going right in life. I eagerly wanted to meet Shambho and wanted his blessings. Fortunately I did not face much opposition to go alone, probably my family knows it very well about the bonding I share with GOD.

I started from home @ 6.25 am in the morning, it was almost dark around me. Good that I was wearing hand-gloves and a jacket, otherwise it was quite cold morning. There was almost no traffic on the road, I should say that the road was almost empty :). I did not click even a single photo while on way to Bhimashankar, but took some quick photos using my E63 on my way home.

Early morning road :), must be taken @ 9 am or so..

I could ride till Chakan or probably till Rajguru nagar with speed of 70 to 85 kmph. I think I even touched 95 kmph sometime. After Rajguru nagar the road goes through village and the condition of road is not so good. My speed varied from 45 kmph to 70 kmph depending on road conditions but again there was absolutely no one around me on the road.
I gave lift to a 4th std. school kid by name Gokul, the kid was very shy. He started crying when his father asked him to go with me, but afterwards he came with me happily.
I had another opportunity to give lift to one elderly person (age 85 years!), when I dropped him he asked me to come for tea. This is something particular I have noticed about village people, if you give little help to them they will offer you something. Really innocent people :).

I reached Bhimashankar @ 8.45 am (quite earlier than expected). This time probably first time I got opportunity to do Pooja directly on the Jyotrilinga pindi. I could feel the blessings of GOD and felt very happy for my efforts.

I started my journey back from Bhimashankar @ 10 am. While coming back also the roads were almost empty.

I tried clicking few photos while on the bike, which might encourage you to go for this ride :)

The road goes through jungle, tried to take snap of trees before entering jungle area

Riding all alone through this jungle area was really a very different experience

Through the tress - you are all alone on this beautiful rode :)

I would like to share/ note one feeling I had during this ride. "It is a myth than I am driving and it is also a myth that the bike belongs to me/ the bike moves because of me. The truth (what I felt) is GOD is making me feel that I am the doer and he is the one who is moving me and the bike. He - the almighty is the one who moves the world, I should be glad for the life / experiences which he has given me. I am nobody but probably a small part of dream which the almighty is seeing. His decisions are beyond my brain to understand but I should have a faith on him that whatever he does is done only for the good."
To put it in a simple quote "Believe in GOD the way a kid trusts his parents, do not doubt just have the faith"

I reached Pune @ 1.15 am. I wish I could have taken few more photos. Somehow that day I did not feel like taking out my S5IS and tripod but I am surely eager to go for another similar ride with camera and tripod!