AmediKallu & EthinaBhuja

It was quite some time since we really trekked. Its always fun to trek as it really tests once mental strength to reach the peak. I started up the mail chain of going for a trek, even though the plan was to trek with CSP and then make it a send off trek for CSP, he backed out at the last moment due to some issues. Our initial plan was to trek in Kudremukha but then we found that we will not get permission to trek if it rains. Finally we were 7 of us who decided to trek Amedikallu and EthinaBhuja in the rains.

Rains in westren ghats are pretty hard and also it would make the trek lot more slippery and the worst would be, you would dare not take a break with fear of leeches in the forest. You need good fitness levels to trek in the rains. This was the reason we picked up a small team . We booked a Tavera and started around 10pm on friday night. We reached Gundya check post around 6 in the morning. Our cab driver was very tired and even though he collected full bata it was Sripad who drove from Kunigal to Sakaleshpura. Well I had an outing on friday and was dead tired playing football and cricket the entire day. After dinner at a Dhaba near Kunigal I slept till Gundya. However rest of the team had great fun watching Jaggesh and Kashinath movies almost the entire night.
We reached Sishila village and we were received by Gokale at their home. After freshening up and having our breakfast we met our guide Chennappa. We started to head towards the starting point for our first trek to Amedikallu. Sripad dropped within few minutes due to sprain in his back and headed back. So it was 6 of us who were trekking towards the peak. Without baggage and with just few water bottles and food it was not very difficult to begin with. We were maintaining good speed and this helped us to catch up BMC group who started one hour before around half way. Most of their team stopped there and had no plans to continue, only 3 guys joined us till the peak. The forest part of the trek was infected with leeches all around and there was no way you could rest even for a min. But then once you get grasslands the terrain was pretty steep as well. We even had a small water falls en route, took a small shower under it and wow what an experience to stand below a falls during rains. We stopped near a huge rock rested for some time and had our lunch. From here the terrain is very difficult and slippery . It had a bit of rock climbing as well . Due to rains rocks were slippery and it was pretty dangerous . We covered Amedikallu in around 4hours and it was amazing to sit on top of a huge rock when it rained heavily. We spent some time on top and then we started heading back. We took around 3hours to come back and every one were dead tired by the time we reached the starting point.
We had some food at one and only hotel of Sishila village opposite bus stand, it was not good though. We had great dinner at Gokale' s house and spent the night there . Most of us were badly cramped and dead tired. Next day Vikram and Sumanth dropped out for Ethinabhuja due to cramps. However Sripad felt lot better and was ready for the trek. We had to cross kapila river which was around waist height with good force. Chennappa had warned us that if it rains heavily then it would be impossible for us to cross it back and we would have to walk another 7kms extra to reach a bridge.
Most part of the trek to Ethinabhuja from Sishila village is through thick forest. Due to heavy rains the trail was covered with fresh green plants all along and was full of leeches. It was a bit difficult to walk through this forest as we had to walk together all the time, it was very easy for one to get lost in this forest. Worst thing about this trek i would consider is, my camera batteries were dead. Due to rains most part of the time the peak was covered with mist. However at one point i did get a look of it and it was amazingly beautiful one huge rock. Even today we covered the peak in around 4hours. The last trail to the peak was very challenging, covered with mist completely and also very slippery and dangerous. We had our lunch at the peak. Peaks are only place were we get signal for our airtel and vodafone service providers, we called up our homes telling we are safe. Walking back was not easy for me and Sripad. I got rashes and Sripad's slippers came off making it worse for him to walk. We took a bit more than 3 hours to come back.
We went to the Sishila temple had a glimpse of huge fishes in the river and then had hot water bath at Gokale's house and headed back to bangalore. In 10years of Chennappa's experience he had not met a team who did both Amedikallu and Ethinabhuja during rains in consecutive days. He did appreciate our fitness levels and spirit. However we did miss our team members CSP and Gilli a lot.

Amedikallu

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Ettina Bhuja

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Team : Loki,Sripad,Diwi,Vikrum,Sumanth,Prabhanjan and Poorna
Route: Bangalore - Magadi Road - Kunigal - Hassan - Sakaleshpura - Gundya check post - 20kms from here take a right towards Kokkada (there is home stay out here stream of joy) -- take a right again and reach Sishila Village.
Contact : For stay and food -- Gokale : M- 9483211246 , Guide: Chennappa : M- 9379081785

Canon Beach

Chandru and Sahana knocked at my room door at around 11.30 to drop their things which was supposed to be carried back to India. We were really very hungry and yes Sahana our chief Chef had Bisibele bath and Curd rice for us. I was a bad host though even the potato chips in my room was emptied the previous night. After a quick lunch we decided to go towards Canon beach. Boby was not interested to join us for Canon Beach, well he did regret for not joining us the next day.

We didn't know that we had to drive through Chandru's house, we did regret that we had to waste a bit of fuel. But the drive to Canon Beach is very scenic with thick forest along both the sides of the road. We really can't make out that we would be reaching sea until the end. It was a bright and sunny day, saying so one good thing i did was not forgetting my jacket in the car. Chandru did regret for doing this mistake. Even though it was a bright sunny day, breeze from sea is very chilled. You would be shivering of cold with in few minutes of walk.













It was a perfect day for me and chandru with bright light and beautiful landscape for me and chandru to do some photo shoot. We had a bit of extra light though, probably we should have waited till the evening. But then its summer time and it was a long day. We waited till almost 6 and still sun was in no mood to set. Usually during this time sun sets by around 9 and it gets dark by around 10. We didn't have so much time and we were even getting tired and feeling cold after the long long walk along the beach.

Major attraction of Canon beach is huge rocks along the sea, Haystack Rock is the biggest of all and is the main attraction of all. It was great to sea a huge rock and it was home to thousands of sea birds sitting all along the rock. Probably it was breeding time.Haystack Rock, at 235 feet high, is the third largest coastal monolith in the world. Haystack Rock is protected as part of the Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge as well as a designated National Wilderness Area.

What caught our attention the most was the low tide, while we were about to return in matter of minutes we could see that the sea went back by atleast 100-200meters back. I had never seen it happening so fast, I did scare chandru about Sunami :-). But then read that this beach area is under extreme high tide and extreme low tide line with almost 300 yards radius.

It was a pleasant walk, I really don't know what exactly to write about this place, can only say that its a place to be visited with loved ones and then just go for a walk holding hands. One thing about places in US is you can get all the details in an organized manner, so i should really be trying to give details about the place in a stupid manner. I would just point to the right link http://www.cannon-beach.net/cbtranspo.html

BackLogs

I have been wanting to write for quite some time, but for no reason i know off i am unable to update my blogs. Keep watching for these travel logs which will be updated pretty soon

1) Bird watching in Bannergatta
2) Drive to Nandi Hills
3) Drive to Kukke and Bisle Ghat
4) Silver Falls
5) Trip to Trivendrum
6) BhadraRiver Camp Trip
7) Canon Beach
8) Mount Hood Drive

I may not update the same in an order but will try to write up at least a few words at the earliest on each of my outing.

Silver Falls

It was a beautiful accidental trip. I got up around 6 and then was checking my mails all of a sudden I saw Chandru online, bugger he wanted to stay in invisible mode and wanted to travel alone with Sahana leaving me but then I tracked him down and forced him to tell the plans for the weekend. Poor guy was left with no choice but to disclose his weekend plan of visiting silver falls.

I called up Boby my colleague to get ready in 15min and then we started to Chandru's place in Beaverton. After a quick break fast we started driving towards Silver Falls.













As expected most of the places in and around Washington and Oregon are really beautiful and scenic. One surprising thing was I thought all roads in US were like 6 lanes but then once you enter the smaller regions roads are very much smaller with lots of cross roads as well. As soon as we reached Silver falls we thought of starting our 14mile trail hike but then thought lets first finish our lunch rather than carrying it. I would say that was the wisest of the decision for that day :-). Sahana had prepared amazing pongal and curd rice. But well myself and chandra had some contributions for curd rice as well probably that's what made it the best.
Silver Falls really spectacular, the best part of the trip though was a bright sunny day which is very much unusual in Portland area. Also what i liked the most was the trail which goes under the rocks and behind the water falls, which gives one the feeling of standing behind the water falls and feel the beauty.
It was really a good feel, to walk in bright sunlight watching 9 out of 10 good waterfalls on a single day. Still unlike India what I missed the most was getting into water and play under the falls. Neither its warm enough to get into water nor its allowed. Probably we might be fined here if you get into water :-). As a result I ended up feeling like walking in a man made forest with man made water falls. But no question on the beauty of the place its just spectacular its just that i couldn't feel it wild the way you get to feel it in India :-). At times you can say like too much organized makes life so boring, there has to be thrill to explore that's when you get the rush in adrenalin.
We laughed a lot the entire day there were quite a few funny moments, few of them were a joint venture say a business proposal b/w me and chandra to create Minchi falls beside Frenchi falls with Sahana being the toll collector. And then embrassing moments for Boby to find a restroom and being caught by fellow hikers when Boby tried to tresspass for a nature call :-)
After we returned from covering 9 out of 10 falls we were like dead tired from walking almost 10kms on a single day and were really hungry. What came to our rescue was again Pongal and curd rice. We dropped back chandru and sahana at their home, had a nice dinner and headed back to our rooms. End of a wonderful weekend in Vancouver,WA.
I didn't write much about the place becuase there is already lots of information about the place in the offical website so me writing in bits and pieces doesn't really make any sense. Find more details about the state park under the link http://www.oregonstateparks.org/park_211.php

Some of the Best Movies I Enjoyed

I keep loosing track of some of the best movies i have ever loved watching. This is a small attempt to put up a list so that many more can enjoy as well. There are a lot of good Hindi and Kannada movies I just love to watch but here I am only trying to give a list of some good English movies. Every time i watch a good movie i will try to update this list. If I start adding Hindi and Kannada the list is going to explode that's the only reason I have kept it aside.

English:

1. Into the Wild
2. Touching the Void
3. Munich
4. The Hurt Locker
5. Titanic
6. PS I love you
7. Blood Diamond
8. Catch a Fire
9. Reign over me
10. The constant Gardner
11. The Kite Runner
12. The Bucket List
13. Bella
14. Kung Fu Panda
15. Gladiator
16. Patriot
17. Top Gun
18. The Last King of Scotland
19. Brave Heart
20. Sixth Sense
21. The Last Samurai
22. Cast Away
23. The Terminal
24. Matrix Series
25. The Phone Booth
26. Taking of Pelham 123
27. Wild Hogs
28. Inception
29. Social Network
30. Sanctum

There are many more good movies, especially some of the action movies but this list is special as I can just watch these movies any number of times.

Hercules Ryders ACT 109

I had been postponing this for quite some time now. But i don't know i can't spend time in gym its so boring and time wasting, but i have put on 6kgs and have moved from 67 to 73kgs. What better way to reduce my weight? From now on i will try to go to office atleast 2-3 days a week in my new bike.
I have been hearing about changing the color of auto/bus a go green initiative i don't know was this a joke or is there any valid reason, but from now on i can work on the initiative i have started at least. I spend around 200Rs a week on petrol for my scooter but more than money i wonder how much pollution i might be reducing? I am not sure if there is a means to measure how much carbon emission i would be contributing for a week?
What surprised me the most was, i remembered my childhood days where in hardly we had 2-3 types of cycles available out of which BSA SLR, Hero Ranger were pretty popular i had a Hero Hamsa, but today we have hundreds and hundreds of cycles. I had paid 800Rs for my cycle then and now i paid 10,500Rs.
Today I went to office by my cycle felt good, enjoying the music but I also used to get scared when a bus or a lorry went very close to me. However from now on I will try to use my cycle for all the work in and around my house. Hopefully anything within 5kms I will try to use my cycle.

North Kanara - Sirsi and Yellapura

I would rate this trip of mine as one of the best trips of 2009. Nothing like it was a difficult or challenging trip, but I would rate this trip high just because of the shear surprise it had in it. Again i was pretty much unaware of the finer details of whats this trip all about, but then it was Gilli who had organized the entire trip right from bus tickets to all the other bookings. We started on thursday night at 7pm from KSTRC bus stand on a direct bus to Yellapur.
We reached Yellapur bus stand at around 7am. We called up Nagendra Bhat and he was ready to pick us for a 2 day trip in his Maruthi Omni. After a quick breakfast at hotel Sambram we started heading towards our first destination Sathodi Falls.
We had to pass through the back waters of Kali river along the path. Since we had reached very early of the day probably we had avoided the usual crowd. Every time i reach such a place what i miss the most is swimming in such place, i plan to carry a life jacket from next time. Sripad was the only person who swam a bit there. It was pretty peacfull but i could see some plastics and beer bottles. All of us tried to carry back a bit of the garbage, on our way back we could see a huge crowd moving towards the falls. I could only wish that they wouldn't spoil the beauty of the place just to be seen on an other day.
From here we went back to yellapur and had our lunch at Geetha Bhavan, simple homely food for cheap rate i just love such eateries rather than the existing hotels which have a standard taste across the entire state. From here we started heading along the Yellapur Karwar highway for around 15kms and then take a left to head towards our 2nd falls Shirley falls.
This is more of a private falls behind a house. Its not big falls and its very easy to go down to the falls for a bath. It might be very good during rainy season. From here continue back on the Karwar highway for another 15kms and then take a right towards Magod Falls. This is a huge falls, but i couldn't find a way how to get down the falls. Hopefully there should be some rough way to go down will find it out next time. Very close to Magod Falls we have Jenakallu Gudda for sunset view. From here we can look at the beautiful valley while the sun goes down.
Nagendra Bhat dropped us at Nisarga Mane near yellapura for the night. It was not at all worth, even though we had to shell out a lot of money here it was a horrible place to stay and not worth the money at all. In our team we never mind sleeping down a tree under an open sky rather than a hotel which is not worth the money. Any way we got up very early in the morning and went for bird watching. This is the latest hobby my self and sripad have picked up identifying birds, i enjoy taking photos of these aswell.
Bhat picked us up took us to his house for breakfast. Here we had a feast enjoying the lovely country side food. I always wonder how the food served in a village is so tasty? Bhat's house is in the middle of the forest a few meters from the highway. Hopefully one can stay at Bhat's house if they permit rather than the hotel we stayed.
From here we headed towards the best part of this trip Shivgange falls. I am sorry i really couldn't make out much of the road but one thing i can say is we need to head towards Nellali Matta and Soragina Mane. From top we could only see a huge falls, but then we decided to go down and checkout. This was the best thing we did. One the way down we also found a "Asian Paradise Fly Catcher" (Complete White body and black head), even though it was a small 30min trek it was very steep and pretty difficult, but the view from the bottom is something i just cann't explain in simple words spectacular, pretty much untouched. We wanted to go towards the bottom of the falls but it looked more of impossible to go till the end of the falls. Climbing back to the top was very hard.
From here we went to Sirsi and had home food at a restaurant which didn't have a name though but unbelivable food for 22Rs. After lunch we had to drive around 35kms from Sirsi towards Unchalli Falls. This was the last falls of our trip. This was a beautifull falls but we missed the oppurtunity to go down and hence forth i would say its more of half explored. Best part of the trip was i never expected there were so many huge and wonderful falls in karnataka. Many have only known of jog falls and shivanasamudra falls. Its good that these falls are not much written off so its safe from human destruction.
Its not that i don't encourage people enjoying the beauty of these places, but i am against people not realizing the beauty of these places and spoiling it. Finally we didn't have time to head back to Yellapur and hence we had to call KSRTC in Yellapur and told them we would be catching the bus from Sirsi. Finally end of a fantastic trip, never knew there were so many wonderful falls in my own state. Best part is, there are 5 more falls in the same district plan to go again some time soon.
Team : Gilli, Sripad, Harsha and Poorna
Route : Bangalore - Shimoga - Sirsi - Yellapura

Falls Covered : Sathodi Falls, Shirley Falls, Maagod Falls, Shivgange Falls,Unchalli Falls and Jenakallu Gudda
Contact Person - Nagendra Bhat (Ph: 91-9980427640) - He will drive you around for 2 days showing all these places.

Wild Life Photography

I had been to Kabini and K.Gudi, best part of which was some of the best shots of wild life shooting i have done till date. Even though i have treked a lot i never had the experience of shooting wildlife in the wild. For the first time i realised how difficult it is to shoot birds and animals in the wild. I am just adding some photos rather than writing anything much. But the best part of the trip to kabini was my first sighting of a Leapord.








Route to Kabini : BANGALORE (220 Kms) – Ramnagaram – Maddur – Mandya – Srirangapatna – Mysore – Hand Post Circle (On Mysore - Maananthavaadi Road) – Karapura
Route to KGudi : Mysore-Nanjangud-Chamaraja Nagar-K.Gudi-B.R.Hills-Yelandur-T.Narasipur. Distance. 205 km