Torture ride: Pune-Karad by bike and Back | 2006

This is the very first ride that was known and done with the granted permission of parents. Thank you for permitting me..

In 2006, my uncle who is a Station Master at Pune was transferred to Karad shortly after he bought his very first bike, the HH Passion, air cooled. I was still learning to ride a bike, atleast that was the picture in front of my family. It was decided that all the transportation was to be done by a tumtum and we would be riding down the brand new bike to Karad. Me & uncle would take turns in riding the bike due to the 'long route'.

One of my first selfie - As Pillion

At those times, I din't wear any safety gears. Only helmet - a black Autogreen helmet.

We started in early morning. Those days, the new Katraj tunnel was being built. We had to go up the winding roads on the new Alba to the Katraj Old Tunnel. As my uncle was riding, I never dared to take out the phone camera until the tunnel.

PS: I still dread his riding and driving skills!! Last time I lent him my bike (220Fi) he returned with a burnt clutch plate. He has long desires to ride my bigger bikes, but I still can't give him to ride. His riding skills are below average and the bigger bikes aren't as forgiving as the smaller capacity bikes are.

Our speeds never crossed 30-40kmph when uncle was riding, and never went below 50 when I was riding although I was on a constant leash of not speeding. You can imagine my state when the you are riding at 30-35kmph and the entire highway is completely empty with absolutely no vehicles whatsoever. I was literally going crazy.

The sun was shining too brightly an the summer heat was getting unbearable and I was getting tortured to such extent that you can't possibly imagine.

Barren Landscape

Entirely empty roads - People din't like to travel by roads then it seems

Little greenery amidst the barrenness  

Empty stretches of huge highways

However we finally reached Karad at around 5PM. Had my first ever Chicken Malwani.... and I am a huge fan of those white and red curries! I can't resist it now its so tasty.

After dropping the bike, did some roaming around and sight seeing of the Karad city and station.Later at night we were scheduled to return via train. It turned out that it was a passenger train and took a very long time to reach Pune.

My slumber broke when the train jerked to a halt at Pune. It was near dawn. All I can say, no matter how much the torture of riding with my uncle was, the excitement was never the less. It was this ride that pumped in the confidence in me of riding longer distances. It proved my mettle nevertheless.