Its been just a week (Aug 2007) since I started thumping in my new RE Thunderbird(RE). I was looking to find a location to start what would be the first among the many rides I plan to make with my RE. Since I did not want to travel too far in my very first Trip I tried to zero in on places which were less than 100 Kms from my Home. Thats how Pondy Dam came to mind. It was some 75 Kms off my home. so on a Saturday morning 6:30 I took off in an almost perfect RE riding gear, a open Helmet, dark Ray Ban Sun Glasses and denim trousers and a small back pack to hold my Canon DSLR camera and a water bottle.
Riding in the mornings in chennai is always a joy, its not cold as many other Indian cities which i had been to (Hyderabad, Bangalore) and the atmosphere is very thin and clean. Bcos as the day progresses the Chennai's atmosphere is not only known for its heat, but a thick layer of dust as well.
After filling petrol, I decided to take the route of Madhavaram-Puzhal-Pudur-Ambattur-Avadi-Thiruvallur-Pondy. The majority of this route was known to me as my college was near Avadi. No big surprises on the road except for curious on-lookers who were looking at my dazzling chrome laden bike and my attire. I reached Pondy Dam which to my surprise didn't have much water. (This time of the year, I expected it to be atleast half full). I took some shots of my bike and then some Birds which were flying near the flood gates.
Then I decided to go along a stream which was flowing into the Pondy Dam. so I started from the Dam and went upstream thru the Villages, the road through out was either gravel or of small granite rocks, there was no pucca road. But my RE was just not worried about that and so was my back. After some 4 kms of upstream ride, I came to a place where I could see some HomoSapiens and I took diversion and went inside to discover a small village with a Temple, Lotus Pond and some Houses. Took some snaps of the Lotus (with some comments from the onlookers, who were wondering who was I)
Relaxed for a bit and started again,started feeling hungry as well. My intial plan was go back to chennai in a different route than the one which I took for coming into Pondy. Before the trip I had planned to come back to chennai thru Ranipet, Redhills and Puzhal. I had been to Ranipet once as a kid when my father had a contract running in one of the companies over there.Its an isolated place with a lot of red soil.(Now we know why RedHills is called so)But this route was not marked clearly nor the persons whom I contacted could give me any clear directions, infact one person told me a route and asked me whether I intend to go alone on that route !! Now, me the brave heart went ahead but soon turnned back and decided to go to Thriuvallur, have my breakfast and then decide on the route to be taken. so rode my RE back to Thiruvalur and on the way gave lift to a person who advised me of a good Hotel for Breakfast when we reached Thiruvalur. I went and had my favorite breakfast (Pongal and Vadai), which was quite good, except for the Vadai's size which was quite big (even by my standards :) )!!
Started from the Hotel and decided to take the Avadi-Ambattur-Padi-anna nagar route as I had to go to my RE Dealer to get some of the Bike's papers. As I neared the City, Traffic started to increase and the sun was not helping either. Reached Anna Nagar and got the papers and rode back to my Home by 12:30 PM logging some 165 Kms in the process.
I was a little tired but thanks to my RE I didn't have any body-ache. My RE was ready for more .......
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