A bike trip to Coffee Valley, Hosamane
Well, yes. After many unsuccessful attempts to go on a bike ride, I finally did it. Of course, I still can’t ride one, but I found the second best thing : riding pillion. And I must congratulate my back and the other more sensitive parts (ahem) for lasting it out the more than 500 kms we covered to Sakleshpur and back.
Coffee Valley turned out to be a nice chilled out place tucked in a coffee plantation in a small town called Hosamane. “Leave the blackberry behind, experience pure magical beauty of this coffee country and the famed hospitality of the Hosamane family†it promised. And it was a promise they took seriously we were to realize, when we staggered out after the weekend, a few kilos heavier! The hosts are lovely people and make sure you don’t leave till you feel like stuffed potatoes.
Sit back, relax and drink coffee!
Coffee Valley is a place you can choose to do pretty much nothing at all. Just enjoy the weather, the chirping of birds and snakes darting in and out occasionally in your path. Have large breakfasts, large lunches and large dinners (the very thought of all the food I consumed makes me feel guilty about the diet that I’m not on!). And sleep is another good pass time. And of course, drinking copious amounts of… you guessed it… coffee!
Ooh! Aah! Ouch!
And oh! I fell twice. Once, taking down a rather heavy-framed S with me (and his 80+ kgs falling on my tiny frame, ouch!) when trying to negotiate a slippery slope. An important lesson was learnt there (try staying at the front when climbing down! :)
But falling is an essential part of my routine. I even fall and trip on the road, when there’s absolutely nothing in my path.
On the way back from the trip, over dinner at Mayura hotel, I was laughing over something and grabbed A’s sleeve enthusiastically. The result: I swerved on the rather unstable plastic chair, which wobbled violently and then went down. Along with me I generously took along the 6-foot long A.
So there we were sprawled on the floor, with S watching us very amused (with no signs of even trying to help us up on our feet). We laughed buckets at our own embarrassment. Everyone else it seems wasn’t amused. They all looked at us with the curiosity reserved for little bugs and unimportant creatures and then went back to their more important task of filling their stomachs.
The power of a nylon rope
The other interesting development was that A’s bike failed somewhere after dinner. We stopped at a small town and found an even smaller mechanic shop. The mechanic smiled when he saw the Bullet. I’ve never handled anything that big, he told A and literally ran in the opposite direction! So we were back on the road with A going in fits and starts, the bike making strange burpy noises and emitting loud bursts, threatening to scare all the wildlife (thankfully we had left them far behind in Sakleshpur).
We did manage to cross the Neelamangala junction. Around 10 kms to Bangalore, A’s bike finally called it a day (or night). On the fateful evening, we realized that we should never again underestimate the power of a nylon rope.
The rope had served us well by helping us fix the backpack to the bike for the journey. It was the same rope that was used to tow A’s broken down bike with S’s still functioning bike! 2 Bullets coughing along at 20 kms per hour across North Bangalore in the middle of the night, tied together with a nylon rope. You can well imagine the sight. But stranger things have been known to happen I guess.
Like I said, there’s a first time for everything!
Getting There: Coffee Valley is around 25 kms from Sakleshpur. Take NH 48. After Sakleshpur (250 kilometres) you need to take a right on the road after 2 kms. After 18 kms, at Hanbal, you need to take another left. Go down the road for 5 kms and you get Coffee Valley on the right. Look out for the sign!
You can find more details on www.coffeevalley.net
Ph: 080–26565638
Mobile: +91–9242614856
You ROCK Anita!!
Am just amazed by the number of trips & adventures you take up.…This is def ONE place I need to visit when I move back to Bangalore.
Pics as usual are FAB!!
Posted by Mehak | February 16, 2007, 5:10 pmLovely pictures, Anita. I see a definite improvement in the quality. What camera are you using?
Posted by Patrix | February 17, 2007, 7:44 amThe first picture is excellent! I like the composition and the contrasting colours! The paddy field picture is lively..
The pirate’s picture is good. But, Do you guys travel on highway without wearing a helmet?
Posted by Simba | February 17, 2007, 9:47 pmnice snap…
Posted by Invincible | February 18, 2007, 3:08 am@ mehak: thank you! and when are you planning to move back? :)
@ patrix: thanks! the same one i’ve been using since may 2006. it’s a nikon d70s.
simba: thanks! we were wearing helmets, especially on the highway! this was when we were riding around the homestay and the small town. visited a temple on the hill. so no helmets there :)
thanks invincible!
Posted by Anita | February 19, 2007, 10:56 amAnita, moving to b’lore in March..& Hope to meet you!!
Posted by Mehak | February 19, 2007, 1:29 pmmehak: definitely!!
Posted by Anita | February 19, 2007, 2:04 pmBeautiful pics!
Posted by Jo | February 19, 2007, 2:20 pmWhat a wonderful place! :)
Posted by Alex | February 19, 2007, 7:47 pmIs it ThunderBird bike??
Finally you made a motor bike trip too!! Next is cycling??
Posted by kris | February 20, 2007, 3:17 pm“.…falling on my tiny frame, ouch!”. Ha, who you kidding? Not me! ;)
Posted by Ravi | February 21, 2007, 2:39 pmLovely pictures Anita… specially the first one!! BTW, bike trips are always fun :)
Posted by Manpreet | February 22, 2007, 1:11 amAnita,
I came here from desipundit because of the gorgeous orange in the photo, and I’ve completely lost myself in your blog. I just wanted to say that I’m going through your archives and am enjoying myself thoroughly. I even read the 21 questions about yourself, but would definitely like to know more, so I’ll keep reading.
Posted by terri | February 22, 2007, 3:28 amjo, alex: thanks!!
kris: no, it’s the bullet electra (not mine, of course ;) cycling? hehe. one can hope and dream? :)
ravi: it was comparitively speaking ;)
thanks manpreet! except for a few moments of discomfort, it was great fun!
terri: thanks! glad to know you’re enjoying yourself!
Posted by Anita | February 22, 2007, 4:23 pmAnita,
How on earth do you find time to do so much travelling??? I really envy you man!
Posted by Ramesh | February 25, 2007, 12:56 pmramesh: i take advantage of every opportunity, that’s all ;)
Posted by Anita | February 27, 2007, 12:26 pmI love that first picture so much. Damn, it is magnificent!
Posted by Roshan | March 5, 2007, 1:37 pmNice write up and nice pics :)
Posted by mIm | May 17, 2007, 3:17 pmWonderful pictures…I am also from North east..good to see somebody really having such a free spirit .….sometimes I wish I can do that so often .….….….….
Posted by bobby das | July 13, 2007, 12:56 pmhey anita :) this is simply superb :) thanks for the blog..i am associated with coffee valley and hosmane since the time i am born.. would like to notify people here… coffee valley is back and expects lot of u all out thr…
and the contact number is changed to 9242614856…
looking forward to see u all atleast some of u all.. anita would like to talk to u in personal where can we have a chat
Posted by sameeksha | November 16, 2010, 1:08 pm