Tour2Chikbamaggalur - Plan

Dec 21 - Friday - Bakrid (Holiday)
Dec 22 - Saturday - Holiday
Dec 23 - Sunday - Holiday
Dec 24 - Monday - Bridge it. Apply leave
Dec 25 - Tuesday - Christmas (Holiday)

Hurray! We get 5 days of leave and that sets up and interesting long distance touring opportunity. Well, Shree this time is doing East to West India trip, and hence I thought of coming by with some tour plan.

Tour to Chikmaggalur

1. Bangalore to Kunigal - 68 km
2. Kunigal to Ch'rayapatna - 78 km
(146 Km, 1st Halt for Night on 21/11) - 9 hrs of cycling, No great sightseeing places as far as I know

3. Ch'rayapatna to Hassan - 41 km
4. Hassan to Halebid,Belur - 40 km
5. Belur to Chikmaggalur - 20 km
(101 Km, 2nd Halt for Night on 22/11) - 6 hrs of cycling and 4 hrs of sightseeing in Halebid Temple and Belur. If possible Yagachi Dam at Belur


6. Chikmaggalur to Mulliangiri - 6 km
7. Mulliangiri to Chikmaggalur - 6 km
8. Chikmaggalur to Baba Budanagiri Peak - 26 km
9. Baba Budanagiri to Kemmanagundi - 32 km
(70 km, 3rd Halt for Night on 23/11)
9 hrs of cycling which involves a climb to Mulliangiri which is the highest peak in Karnataka, 6000ft and a must visit place. A climb to the Baba Budanagiri peak also in on cards. 3 hrs of sightseeing.


10. Kemmanagundi to Lingadahalli - 20 km
11. Lingadahalli to Birur - 10 km
12. Birur to Tiptur - 82 km
(112 kms, 4th Halt for Night on 24/11)
7 hrs of cycling and 4 hrs of sightseeing of few places near Lingadahalli like Shivgiri etc..

13. Tiptur to Tumkur - 62 km
14. Tumkur to Nelamangala - 39 km
15. Nelamangala to Bangalore - 27 km
(128 kms, 5th Halt will be on your cosy bed in Bangalore Home). No sightseeing, its more of Home coming.

Summary
Day 1 : 146 km
Day 2 : 101 km
Day 3 : 70 km
Day 4 : 112 km
Day 5 : 128 km

Total Trip : 557 kms

Tour Loop : Bangalore – C’rayapatna – Hassan – Halebid – Chikmaggalur – Kemmannagundi – Birur – Tumkur - Bangalore

Yardsticks to assess whether you can do this trip:
1. You have atleast done a 80+ ride to anyplace.
2. You are a good team player, means that you can push yourself and pull others along with you.
3. You have a geared bicycle. Well preferrably 15 or 18+. There were few cyclists who manage it with 5 gears. But when you are taking on the highest peak in Karnataka... well gears matter.
4. You are patient, co-operative and understand the fact this is not an organised tour and neither we are tour managers. Most of the time we cannot execute the plan to the T. If plan A fails... then we will be choosing plan B.
5. You should contribute Rs.1000 to tour pool money to meet out the expenses. When the pool dries up, the treasurer asks and everyone has to top-up.
6. We would be starting everyday by 5:30 a.m. to 6:00 a.m. though it might be misty/foggy. If you have breathing troubles, please thinkover.
7. Atlast, No one leaves or is left behind. Because your presence or absence matters to the team, once you have started.

Now, who is ready put your hands up.