Solo Ride to Mumbai - Malshej - Ozar

Solo Ride to Mumbai - Malshej - Ozar

Date : 7th Feb 2009
Bike : Red Karizma
Total KMs : 330km
Destination : Mumbai - Malshej - Ozar (ashtavinayak ganapati)
Riders : Solo
Average/Cruising Speed : 80kmph (on speedo)
Top Speed : 135kmph (on speedo)
Road : Good Roads (70%), Average / Bad (30%)
Time : 6.30am - 4pm (with lot of halts)

It has been quite a while I was thinking of doing some solo ride after keeping a frequent close watch on the Tourer section of xBHP.
Recently last sunday i had been on a solo ride to alibaug & hence was desperately seeking a good little more far away ride. Well, now choosing a destination was a big confusion. As I wanted to be back in a days time & before it gets dark. Got the biking directions from yahoo india maps,
shortlisted four places i.e. Malshej, Kashedi, Jawhar, Bhandardara. Took a printout of this routes & started thinking before going to bed.;) Thinking about it I started feeling very sleepy, still wasnt sure about the destination. Atleast I had made up my mind to go on a ride next morning (i.e. Saturday 7th Feb). Got up early morning ar 6am ( i know its not too early), while having my bath I decided a place :) "Malshej". Since I had recently gone for a Cleanup ride with xBHPians to malshej so was very somewhat aware of the route, roads & the beautiful twisties on the ghat. I thought of venturing bit ahead of it & lets see where the roads takes me or if theres any good place waiting for me. So had tea, as I thought breakfast will have on the way, Put on my jacket, took a bottle of water in my backpack, cleaned up my bike & here i left. Even my bike was bit thirsty, so was hunting for petrol pump. Left from Bhandup, took the straight road from thane majiwada through flyover to bhiwandi. The climate was fabalous. There was a small ghat, am not sure what is its name.

Little traffic but the climate was pleasing me. After a little ride I reached Kalyan from where I had to go to Murbad. I am too bad remembering the roads, never ever I do. I just waited on the road side just to tally the route with my route map, suddenly a couple came on a bike next to me & asked me for the way to panvel. Me giving them the paper of direction I was referring to, asked see if this can help you, they quietly left me. :D Btw, my office currently is at thane, if you take me through some other road, am sure I will get lost :D. Anyways after a lot of navigational
help from the locals I got a petrol pump somewhere after kalyan & filled up fuel into my bike. To mention here, I didnt had much cash with me, just 200bucks. Thanks to the credit card which helped me for the fuel. Driving for a while then I reached murbad, asked for the way to Malshej. After a descent drive of almost 100kms i reached some place where I could see some basic hotels. From here I could see the Malshej ghat & the mountains, where I
had to reach. Before that thought of having something, as was feeling damn hungry after a drive of 100kms. All I could find was a Batata vada & a socalled misal. More than choice, something eatable was important so quickly had it & headed towards the awaiting moutains.


Sat back on my bike & headed towards the inviting roads to the hills. Driving on the roads, me & my bike yelled a word "VOW"..!! Yeah, the roads where not only very good to drive on but also beautiful. Trees from both the side forming an entrance, sun trying to peirce from the branches, leaf falling & sprinkly on the roads..
Amazing.. Check the pix, all the snaps are clicked from my Nokia 6500s (3.2 MP, Carl Zeiss), Though not enriched resolution but good enough to feel the trip log.

Entire scene while driving was so wonderful, I started singing while driving.. Trees started laughing at me hence I stopped. :)..
Waited on many spots to capture the wonderful views, twisties, scenes. Am sure if had clicked snaps of every beautiful visuals my phone would have overflowed with its memory. The only disadvantage in a solo ride is, you dont get own snaps. But who cares,.!! Riding alone is a glorious feel in itself,just U & the nature.. Place is a nirvana.!!.


The ghat is so amazing, I had a close feel of it riding alone.. Leaning was never so much of fun, wonferful roads on the curves, what else do you need for cornering. Saw a small temple on the way of ghat which is a very attractive spot. The temple is within the rocks & I believe this particular place while rains, gets the most beautiful spot in the ghats.



Waited there, took an ashirwad from Bajrang Bali.. (Bolo.. Jai Hanuman!! :)) & left further. There was a sign board on the way "Caution? Falling Rock Do Not Stop", but here the "I" was missing from Caution, thought the rock had fallen really here which took away the "I" also.. lol..!!



Passed through a nice tiny tunnel, even the monkeys on the way wished me luck..;) Finally..!! reached the top of it with some nice pix in my pocket.
There was a beautiful lake, looking at it felt like rode above & reached the heaven. Couldnt resist myself stopping by the lake & sitting for the while listening to the wind & water current.


This is what India is man..!! So beautiful.!! Place is miles away from pollution, dirtiness.. Pure nature.. Nirvana.!!
Alright, so malshej ghat is done.. now what was in my mind.. but my bike wanted to just run & so did I, unknown of the next destination, riding on to some place which I dont know,. I started feeling what real biking is all about, its not about destination, its all about ride like somebody said. That was the ideal thought floating in my mind, my odometer was even excited to run so fast. After a ride of like 35-40kms I thought of waiting at some place & enquiring with villagers if theres some place to see ahead. On asking them, I got to know about a Holy Place called as "Ozar" situated just 15kms away. Knowing more about this temple, it is one of the ashtavinayaks ganapati (Vajreshwar). Without wasting any more time just headed towards the temple. The road was real bad for around 5-6kms, bumpy..


Wished if my bike could get converted to a dirt bike & I do motocross.. I was literally standing while riding through those wicked bumps. But it was really scenic, the farms, farmers, cows, sheep & also a scarecrow to shoo me away..!! :P
Reached the temple, was really beautiful.. There was the same lake perhaps connected to it. Though photography was not allowed but managed to click some snap of the lord Vajreshwar (Ganapati).

I hope you are praying right now.. Else please do it :)
Extremely cool place, sat for a while in the temple. Guess what, I called up my mom at home told
her where I am .. She started shouting at me, but when I told her I have come to this temple.. She was feeling very happy about me & bit stunned. I gave her the wonderful gift "Sound of the bell (ghanta) of temple through the cellphone..!!". Got very happy & even I felt I did something good. Visiting this sacred place I was blessed :). Took some prasad for the friends & family. Really was not in a mood of having food, but still managed to eat a Sada Dosa & I left back for home. It was almost 1.30pm, very hot when I started riding back. But the trees on the way helped me by their shade. Was feeling very sleepy & tired, dieng to take rest atleast for 15-20min.


But I thought let me complete the malshej ghat first & then will see. Again I drove for around 70kms & stopped in a nice peacefull shady place. Parked my bike bit on the offroad beneath a tree.



There was a farm all around, a cow was relaxing near to me, was small fountain coming out of the broken pipe & could hear the wind passing by. Kept my bike on the main stand, took off my jacket kept in on the handle & I lied down over my bike making the jacket as my cushion. Yeah, my bikes long enough I can sleep over it. It sounds funny, but I got the real moment which I was waiting for since a long time. All I could see up was the trees with their branches entangled & the blue sky.

Just mind blowing.. Feel it to know it..!! Lied down for almost 20min, felt fresh..


Got up, put on my jacket back & ready to ride hard now.. I drived non stop for over 100kms in 1.5 hrs & reached back home by 4.30pm.


This entire trip was so beautiful & enchanting, would love to go again & again. It has encouraged me to get more bolder on the weekends, pickup my bag, get on the bike & ride hard somewhere really far away from this busy world to a more realistic place.. Then only one can enjoy the ride & know what the biking is all about.
Ride Hard people..!! Am here to ride till my breathe allows me.. !!! Ride Hard or Stay Home..!
Happy & Safe Riding..!!

For more pix. Please visit my Picasa Album here.

Solo one day RoadTrip to Malshej - Ozar