See you on Monday

Before I plunge into my experimentation with the travelogue of my rain soaked weekend trip to Wayanad, there are a few terms that you will encounter over the next couple of posts that need to be explained to ensure you don't get lost in an acronym fest.

Xbhp - Officially they are India's most popular motorcycling community and portal that aims to

1. Promote safe riding and helmet awareness

2. Shape motorcycling as a lifestyle in India, especially on performance bikes

3. Support bikers in India to realise their dreams and potential on two wheels

Unofficially they are India's biggest biking portal that provides a great platform for you to meet and ride with other like minded biking enthusiasts and also to interact with them in an active online forum. When I joined the Xbhp group rides a couple of years ago, I thought I was a safe and due to my years of riding a bike, good biker. However there were several things which I learnt from the other experienced members which I try to pass on to newbie riders now that I have become something of a senior (I'm not that old, I've been claiming to be 23 for the last few years) rider. I infrequently attend Sunday morning rides that are the perfect antidote for all that's wrong with your Monday to Saturdays.

The parking lot of a Sunday morning ride

ISG2G (Inter State Gettogether) - This is what happens when you have had enough of 150 odd km Sunday morning rides and the itch to ride longer distances grows until it becomes unbearable. Planning happens on the forum and as excitement levels reach a fever pitch riders from 3 different South Indian states - Kerala, Tamil Nadu & Karnataka converge onto a small town or hill station and ride together as one in the spirit of true biking brotherhood.

Its the perfect place to meet old friends and relive memories of rides gone by as well as to meet new bikers (both young and old) and make biking memories to last a lifetime. It is amazing to see gentlemen who are dads and nearly twice the age of some of our members riding for such long distances with us and being an integral part of the group. Deep respect. As the saying goes "Boys will be boys".

Here's what the parking of the ISG2G (Yercaud) looked like. And this was just half of our total bikes. Yes half.

Wayanad - Officially Wayanad, the green paradise is nestled among the mountains of the Western Ghats, forming the border world of the greener part of Kerala. Clean and pristine, enchanting and hypnotizing, this land is filled with history and culture. Located at a distance of 76 km. from the sea shores of Kozhikode, this verdant hill station is full of plantations, forests and wildlife. Wayanad hills are contiguous to Mudumalai in Tamil Nadu and Bandhipur in Karnataka, thus forming a vast land mass for the wild life to move about in their most natural abode.

Unofficially, curvy roads meet unbelievably green forests meet mist clad mountains meet the ever generous in the month of June rain gods to make for a cocktail that provides a rush of blood to any true bikers head.

Now that the acronyms are taken care of, a quick note before I get on with the show. If you're a traveller and are expecting a proper travelogue, this isnt one. If you're an xbhpian and are looking for the usual 'The Tourer' post, Im sorry but this isnt one. I've tried to capture a different side of such rides both through the lens and through my thoughts.

Prologue

Friend - "So you and your crazy biker friends are going to Wayanad this weekend, is it?"

Me - "Yup."

Friend - "Ok (long drawn ok signifying something doesnt add up). But why? Its monsoon season and its going to be pouring and the roads will be wet and slippery."

Me - "Actually we are going because its the monsoon season and and its going to be pouring and the roads will be wet, slippery and hence a whole lot of fun."

Friend - "(Puzzled look on his face accompanied by a minutes silence as he tries to make sense of what I just said) Errr, see you on Monday."