Ride To Freedom On Independence Day, Royal Enfield Style!

All the riders gathered outside CVS Motors before the sun came up. The ride was to start from there and riders were discussing their motorcycles, safety gear, the route and the crazy Friday night party they had. But no matter how much partying, they were up and all set for the ride ahead.

The ride started once everybody assembled, and the eager riders and their motorcycles formed a long queue. The group was divided into further different teams with a team leader, so it was easy to keep track of all the riders.

Once across the city, the roads were flooded with Royal Enfields. The convoy of motorcycles was a showstopper since most have never seen so many similar motorcycles at once. The riders stuck to their respective teams and behind the team leaders who maintained good pace.

Once out of the bustling city, the stop for breakfast was a delightful sight. So many Enfields parked together invited other passerby's to enquire and wanting to be part of the ride. Many wondered what was happening purely overwhelmed by the sight of the large group of riders.

CVS Motors did promote healthy riding as well since it wanted all the riders who participated to be in full safety gear. There was no compromise on that.

Once done with breakfast, riders were again eager to hit the open road and ride across the state border of Tamil Nadu. The ride took them through the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve and to Masinagudi. The setting was perfect for a long ride, and with no shortage of wildlife.

Past the Reserve, the roads got narrower leading to the day's destination, Wild Inn resort, Masinagudi towards the afternoon. Riders were allocated rooms for the night's stay; some went exploring the place while others felt laziness creep in after a heavy lunch.

After the sharp sun had gone down, everybody got together for the most important event of the day—hoisting the Indian flag and singing the National Anthem.

It got even more interesting after these tributes with a campfire set up to beat the cold mountain breeze. The barbecue and the good music got people moving to the rhythm, all amidst the wild. People began sharing their experiences too, in this beautiful setting. The music and dancing carried on into the late hours, but it was good to see there was respect given to local rules for a public gathering.

Early morning was a treat to wake up to, with the majestic Nilgiri hills and the Western Ghats standing tall, looking over the plains. The mountains seemed to reach the sky and the grey clouds were hovering above the day's ride destination, Pykara.

The ride was set to climb the unforgiving Kalhatti ghats, which had steep 36 steep hairpin bends that would test motorcycle and the rider to the maximum. Fortunately though, all bikers made it up the ghats safe.

The ride led the big convoy of Royal Enfields to the Pykara boat house, where hot chai and samosas were served. Bikers enjoyed a quick bite and carried on towards Gudalur, back through the Mudumalai sanctuary to Wild Inn for lunch.

Once done, it was a ride back to the bustling city of Bangalore and to routine life. The return journey saw a lot of rainfall, but that didn't seem to upset the riders, since the wonderful memories they carried seemed unlikely to be forgotten for a long time.