March 29, 2013
The long weekend of 27 March 2013 – 24 March 2013 had to get some increments on the odo.
Me and JK left for Mahabaleshwar planning to see every stupid honeymoon spot as a biker couple ! Plan was to go along the Wai, Satara route to Mahabaleshwar enjoying the soothing Wai temple. We did eventually but it wasn’t as calm and serene as in the movies – thanks to the scorching sun.
Pachgani being our first stop to do “sight seeing”. The table top’s only attraction – more than the caves the steps.. – err.. – JK would know better.
En-route to Mahabaleshwar was the fun-fair pit-stop at Mapro Garden. Full of people, kids, crowd and everything that Manas could dream of.
Mahabaleshwar as it promised was good on the outskirts and worst inside. Evening’s ride to the famous points were just as expected. The exception being the Elphinstone point for which we had to tread 10km extra in the cooling evening air.
The return journey was from NH-17 with Pratapgad Fort as our last scenic stops. The downhill ghat from Mahabaleshwar was awesome, something that we missed since our Ooty – Munnar trip. Had some awesome breakfast with the kitchen smoking our eyes as well.
NH-17 as expected was more interesting to ride than the NH-4 / AH-47. However the ride from Vadkhal to Panvel was horrific. Pen’s bad and narrow road (also read as National Highway) were the pain in the a*#.