[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by KarthikK

Until my next ride report

Which should come up pretty soon because the Ninja is once again out on tour.

I gate crashed the ride last minute to join for breakfast and since the Tiger Sport is not cleaned and lubed after the last ride - decided to take the Royal Enfield instead.

Found this size perspective quite interesting, how the beast looks in comparison to my RE.

[KarthikK]

Ride to Biccode, Belur and Halebidu (January 2024)

A new year begins and this year saw a nice start to the riding calendar with a nice short weekend ride to Belur in the beginning of January. While we have passed by Belur umpteen number of times during other rides in this region (it is also an important via-point for fuel stops on this route), we had somehow never stayed here and never spent time exploring Belur and Halebidu's archeological preserves from 800 years ago. This would just be a simple weekend overnighter trip, where we would explore Belur and Halebidu's ruins for a while on Saturday, then relax and spend time in the property and return home on Sunday evening.

While I had visited these architectural marvels from the Hoysala empire long ago during some other trips many years ago, my better half had not done so and was keen to explore these two places from a historical trivia perspective. Belur town somehow never had too many nice stay options as such until recently, and this time around the better half found a nice heritage mansion nestled inside a massive coffee estate, which had recently opened its doors to travel enthusiasts.

Our choice of stay this time around was the charming Biccode Woodside Heritage, a luxury bungalow property inside Sangameshwar Coffee Estates, 22 km Southwest of Belur town.

Compared to our other weekend rides, this one was relatively short in distance at just a simple and easy ~220km / 3.5 hours one way. We however wanted to reach early, dump our luggage in the property and use the bonus time to explore the historical sites in Belur and Halebidu. Anyway this still didn't warrant a very early departure from home. We left Bangalore at around 6AM and our good friend CrAzY_dRiVeR was kind enough to join us until breakfast point with his newly acquired Hunter 350. Here is a shot from where we stopped for a sunrise picture on the Bangalore - Hassan expressway. This time of the year being peak winter, the sun didn't come out almost until 7AM.



On the Hassan expressway, just after Yediyur now a new MTR branch has come up on the left side (when going from Bangalore). MTR being a legendary name for us Bangaloreans for their breakfast fare, became an automatic choice for breakfast stop this time. Fortunately MTR wasn't crowded at all on that weekend (neither was there much traffic on the highway too)



We had MTR's famous Masala Dosa, Pooris, Rava Idli and Vada



And washed it down with some Badam Halwa and piping hot Filter Coffee



We then bid goodbye to CrAzY_dRiVeR who returned home from there, while we proceeded onward to our destination. After getting off the Hassan - Belur road and entering the final 20km single lane road from Belur to Biccode, traffic reduced to almost nil and it was a peaceful morning among meadows and cows grazing.



We reached our destination at roughly 10AM despite deliberately riding at a relaxed pace . The property had well marked signboards to enter the estate and reach the bungalow



The last 500 metres leading up the bungalow was this mud and stones pathway through coffee plantations. Not a problem since it was almost flat everywhere, no sharp stones jutting out anywhere.



The Ninja in front of Biccode Woodside Heritage bungalow after reaching



Entering our room in the property - it was a 120 year old British Bungalow and the antique touch was evident in every part of the room - large and expansive room area, lovely soft lighting, antique wooden furniture, chandeliers, warm colors, tastefully chosen color combinations, sky-high ceilings and in general a lovely airy feeling everywhere







The room even had a working fireplace and a tiny dressing table and mirror in a corner of the large room.





The bathroom was also large and felt well designed



We freshened up quickly, took the help of the bungalow's caretaker to help us book a cab to take us to the Belur and Halebidu heritage sites. This method (of using local transport in lieu of big bikes for intra-town commutes) is way easier than struggling with parking a large bike in public spaces, having to carry gear and helmets with us, attracting unnecessary attention, etc. The cab driver turned out to be a localite from Belur who knew a lot of trivia himself and almost turned out to be a local travel guide . With his help we spent 3-4 hours visiting Belur and Halebidu's 800 year old temples and exploring the architectural and brilliant stone sculpture structures in both these sites. I won't delve into the specifics of the history trivia of either of these sites, I will instead leave some pictures in no particular order, of the exquisite stone sculpture work from the erstwhile Hoysala empire of the 13th century which ruled this region and created these architectural marvels, preserved to this day.



























After this short excursion to Belur and Halebidu's ruins, our friendly cab driver dropped us back at the bungalow just in time for a scrumptious lunch. This Chole Bhature was a stand-out dish from the lunch menu



There were some more simple dishes but the stand-out dish was Chole Bhature followed by this homemade Banana ice cream



A vintage-design set of salt and pepper shakers

[KarthikK]

Ride to Biccode, Belur and Halebidu (January 2024) continued...

Post a sumptuous lunch, we had the rest of the day free to explore the property and relax. Fortunately, this being a new property and not yet so well known, we were the only ones in the entire place that weekend. There were three more rooms apart from ours, but none were booked that weekend.

This was the entrance to our room. Our room was called Sapphire Lake



The main entrance corridor



One end of this corridor housed the main door and this relic of artifacts preserved from the original British owners of this mansion, dating back to almost 120 years ago



A close-up of some well-preserved artifacts from the owners of yonder



Actual pictures of the original British owners of this mansion (apparently called the Biccode Lake Family) when they owned and managed Biccode coffee estate in the pre-independence era.



An indoor pool, not a plunge pool but more of an aesthetic element inside the house



Large windows overlooking the vast expanse of lush green gardens outside, meant there was almost no need for any lights inside the house during daytime



The front door entrance part of the passage



The outside part of the long corridor had an open-air sitout overlooking the garden, which the better half was admiring



The dining table and dining area had a lovely antique table and a working fireplace



Another part of the dining table had these bar-stools-type setup



Since this property is managed by a coffee estate group, they had a nice coffee trial section filled with various varieties of coffee beans and different types of press machines and filters in case we wanted to taste some of their home-grown produce brewed fresh.



Needless to say, we did end up trying many of their offerings and enjoying the taste of specialty Arabica coffee.



A large map showing the estate markings from a bygone era



After exploring the insides of the property, we decided to take a stroll in the garden. Here is the view of the bungalow from the garden, with that cobblestone passage leading to the bungalow entrance porch. Apparently this design was present even in the original 120 year old bungalow.



That black pot in the centre is actually for lighting bonfires, and I was told they do organize barbeque evening sessions for guests there. They offered to do this for us, but we politely declined this time





The better half admiring the 120 year old history of this old colonial bungalow from a bygone era.



A picture-ready spot for the gen-Z photogenic guests visiting this garden, lol!



A stone table and bench setup with beach umbrella setup in another corner of the garden, apt for a nice chai or coffee session in the winter weather



The large and expansive lawn and garden



Another frontal view of Biccode Woodside Heritage bungalow



Enjoying an evening cup of coffee with a view of the garden, amidst the peaceful outdoors and chirping of birds



After some time we set out for a short stroll through the adjoining coffee estates



The backyard of the mansion had a swing and some activities for physically enthusiastic folks

[KarthikK]

Ride to Biccode, Belur and Halebidu (January 2024) continued ...

We played some Badminton against each other to pass time until the sun went down



We then made our way to the property's standalone 'clubhouse', which was a small room with cards and many indoor games, probably useful when guests visit in sizeable groups.



They served some delectable evening snacks by 6 PM, which we savoured in the winter cold



Strolling around the property with the soft, yellow lighting highlighting the antique beauty of this place even more



The outside of the bungalow was equally beautiful when all the lights were turned on







While the mercury dipped to 13 degrees in the night, the staff prepared our room's private fireplace for us to enjoy some cozy warmth from burning timber



Dinner was a simple affair on request - just some simple Aloo Parathas, Fried rice with Manchurian gravy, Dal, curd and a simple Kheer to round up meal 3 of the day.



After dinner, we requested for a refill of firewood at our fireplace. While we retired for the night, we enjoyed the warmth of the fire in the room until we were in dreamland territory, apt for the winter chills outside.



The following morning we woke up leisurely to a mild drizzle and thick fog outside. After it slowly started clearing up, I stepped out into the garden to shoot some more pictures for the memory books











Some pictures of the Ninja in front of the property





Soon it was time for breakfast. Breakfast was a simple affair, just some Puri Bhaji, Rava idlis, Sevai and cut fruits



By half past noon we left the property, not without some pictures in front of the property as usual





We made our way through the winding roads leading to Belur and Hassan, it was a cloudy day with almost no sun at all



Not many stops on the return route, barring one at a roadside shack near Hassan for the sake of this Goli Soda (also called Fuljhar Soda)



Lunch stop was leisurely and at Paakashala restaurant, Yediyur for some simple north Indian fare



They had a nice flavoured Paan counter, where the better half and I tried Dairy milk Paan and Alphonso Mango Paan to wash the lunch down and head homewards for the final ~100 km.



This trip clocked a simple ~500km for the weekend.



That's all I had for this trip! The next ride should be a rather cold winter one to the mountains in February, followed by an equally opposite hot summer ride to a beach destination in March to round up the first quarter this year for the Ninja. Until my next ride report, thanks for reading!

[Kashief]

Dear Karthik, Once again a wonderful travelogue man. You are decoding the Heritage sites in every trip. Kudos to your better half! Your travelogues are the first place to refer, if I’m going to plan any vacation in future.

[Turbosailor]

Originally Posted by KarthikK

Ride to Biccode, Belur and Halebidu (January 2024) continued ...

Thanks for sharing your lovely travelogue with us Karthik. All your travelogues are well written and photos are class apart. Eagerly waiting for Feb ride travelogue.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by Kashief

Your travelogues are the first place to refer, if I’m going to plan any vacation in future.

Absolutely true...

When someone from friends or office circles (Bangalore based) asks me for any recommendations - this thread is usually my first resort.

Can't go wrong with the list of places he has meticulously researched and documented

[AKSO]

Well done. Beautiful pictures as always. How is your N1K doing?

[KarthikK]

Originally Posted by Kashief

Dear Karthik, Once again a wonderful travelogue man. You are decoding the Heritage sites in every trip. Kudos to your better half! Your travelogues are the first place to refer, if I’m going to plan any vacation in future.

Thank you for your kind words Kashief sir!

Originally Posted by Turbosailor

Thanks for sharing your lovely travelogue with us Karthik. All your travelogues are well written and photos are class apart. Eagerly waiting for Feb ride travelogue.

Thanks a lot Turbosailor! Glad you liked it.

Originally Posted by AKSO

Well done. Beautiful pictures as always. How is your N1K doing?

Thanks a lot AKSO sir! N1k is doing great, running like clockwork as usual, just piling on the miles and enjoying monthly tours and trips until the next annual service in August

[KarthikK]

Ride to Kodaikanal (February 2024)

After the ride to Belur and Halebidu in January, the better half and I decided to try a weekend ride to a place with a bit more (cold weather) sting for the ongoing winter season. Since we already visited the Nilgiris (Ooty / Coonoor) in July last year, this time we decided to visit the princess of hills as it is called in the South - the cold mountains of Kodaikanal. Situated roughly ~450km from Bangalore, this one was going to be another ~1000km extended weekend trip. This time of the year is off-season in Kodaikanal, the weather can touch extremes of cold, and it is usually exam season for families in most places of south India. Time to make the most of off-season benefits . We wanted to club some touristy places in our itinerary, as well as explore some hiking trails through the jungles and of course as always, try out some lip-smacking food in famous eateries in town. Kodaikanal is famous for quaint cafes and continental food is pretty famous there, owing to its European history (used to be favoured by the British in the pre-independence era). Both the better half and me love our continental food, so even better!

Our place of choice this time was Villa Retreat Kodaikanal, an old and established heritage hotel in the heart of Kodaikanal town. This property has been around for donkey's years in Kodaikanal, so this wasn't a new or offbeat property we were exploring as such. Anyway, booking this place helped ease our exploration of the town by foot on some of the days because it is centrally located. It also allowed us to enjoy the majestic views that this property offers, owing to the fantastic location the resort is at, bang outside Coaker's walk viewpoint overlooking a valley.

Fast-forward to the day of travel - we started off at around 4.30AM to get a headstart into the ~500km journey and make the most of the wee hours of the morning sans any villagers or animals on the highway. It was still pretty dark when we reached our first checkpoint at the ~90km mark - the Krishnagiri toll plaza



An hour later and we were almost into daybreak when we decided to break again at the next toll plaza



Breakfast stop was at our usual haunt for trips on this route - Radisson Salem. This place is just so no-nonsense and perfect in every way - we never get bored of the food and the exemplary service levels here.



Enjoying a Jugalbandi of sorts from the buffet counter with cheese platter, Hummus with Pita and an assortment of other delicacies



After breakfast we departed from Salem by around 8AM to proceed southwards to Dindigul. Vast expanses of dried out grasslands greeted us from both sides of the rather boring expressway.







It might be winter, but south TN winter temperatures are still quite hot in the daytime . We stopped for a quick sugarcane juice refresher break between Dindigul and Batlagundu



The road between Batlagundu and the foothills of Kodaikanal was a fantastic stretch of tarmac where I enjoyed putting the Ninja through its paces, to some extent



The mountains of Kodaikanal can be seen in the background



It was still around 11AM by the time we began the almost ~1.5 hour climb up the twisties leading to Kodaikanal through narrow roads inside the forests of the Palani hills forest range. There were some clearing zones made in places here and there, to admire the views around while ascending the hills





And those viewpoints allowed us to enjoy sights like these



As we ascended the altitude and started nearing Kodaikanal, the geography and topology changed to a more coniferous environment, the mercury levels dropped from the heat of the plains to the pleasant mountain chills even in bright noon! We stopped inside a Eucalyptus forest for a quick picture before proceeding.



We made our way through the meandering narrow twisties of Kodaikanal town and soon reached our hotel - Villa retreat Kodaikanal. We were the only ones that day, so the Ninja was the lone solitary vehicle in the parking lot! This was the entrance of the hotel. It is a compact and quaint property.



This property was located at a high altitude viewpoint, so even the parking lot had a nice view of some adjacent mountain



We finished the check-in formalities and were taken through this narrow passage to the other side of the property, where our room was located.



Entrance to the room - this room category was called Signature Suite. We opted for this since it had a nice sit-out area, was spacious, had a private fireplace, had a loft and windows with nice views, and directly overlooked the valley view through the lawn garden right outside the room.



The room was spacious enough - this was the living area with a fireplace



The picture of this area from their website was so well shot to tempt us to book this room. Definitely didn't disappoint though!



Attached bedroom with a large window overlooking the valley outside



View from the window



Attached bathroom was compact but sufficiently equipped as well



The room had a direct access to this lawn garden of the property adjoining their restaurant



After freshening up, we proceeded to the restaurant here which is called Wyckoff's Dining Room, supposedly a famous place in Kodaikanal even for walk-in (non-resident) guests to dine at. We chose a table with a view for a nice lunch spread



The chef of the place, Shadab Hussain personally joined us for lunch after customizing our lunch order with nitty-gritties of personal touches based on what we said we liked. Another memorable experience was that of chef Shadab personally strumming some lovely songs on his Guitar after lunch, totally changing the vibe of the place and putting smiles on our faces. What also helped was because we were the only ones there, we enjoyed this rather unexpected heartwarming experience, lol!

Here was our delectable lunch spread, apt for the lovely cold weather of Kodai - Tomato and Corn soup, Pickled sundried tomato Bruschetta, Mushroom and Spinach Risotto with smoked Gouda cheese, and a dessert called Drop, which was tender coconut jelly with palm jaggery and spearmint.



We spent some time basking in the lawn outside the restaurant, taking in the bursts of cold air and the afternoon sun, admiring this 100+ year old property with a British history



Since there was nothing much else to do that afternoon, we decided to stroll around this property just taking a look at things here and there. This was their sit-out area next to the reception desk





Another area nearby which they called as a Reading room of sorts. There were some books in the cupboard but nothing interested us.

[KarthikK]

Ride to Kodaikanal (February 2024) continued ...

This arch and passage led to another section of rooms and the restaurant and lawn area



This flight of stairs led to some compact and view-facing rooms at an elevation



The creeper-covered walls added to the antique look of this property on the outside



We relaxed in the room until evening and then stepped out into the town to take a stroll through the narrow bylanes. The temperature dipped to near single digits and added a lovely feel to the night. This being off-season time, most of Kodai's streets wore a deserted look, most eateries were also running empty. We tried Woodfired Pizza at this place called Cloud Street. This is quite a popular haunt in season time, but was completely empty on this evening.





After this, we casually strolled around and found another cozy cafe up the same street called Muncheez. We ended our dinner here with a lovely blueberry cheesecake and some hot chocolate to wash it all down in the freezing cold outside.



Post this dinner we walked back to the hotel and called it a night. This was apparently some light pattern made on the wall of the hotel entrance, supposed to signify the shape of a Wild Gaur, an animal which is found very commonly in Kodaikanal.



Day 2 was a bit more eventful. We woke up early in the morning to hit a hiking trail in the freezing cold. Hiking in the single digit temperature and the mist was a surreal experience in the pine forests adjoining Poombarai region arranged by a private property owner. Here are some random sights from the hike















A lovely little waterfall and stream inside the forest



A tiny cottage inside the pine forest



After the hike we headed back for a sumptuous breakfast spread laid out by the friendly staff at Villa retreat.



Post breakfast we freshened up and set out to visit some touristy sites around Kodaikanal. One of our stops was a Sheep research centre around 20km away from town. This was a government centre set up to rear and research sheep breeds apparently. We just hung around to get some nice snaps of the vistas around the place, nothing less of a European countryside





The better half takes a moment to admire the scenic mountain countryside from atop one of the hillocks



After the sheep farm visit, we proceeded to Mannavanur Lake, a scenic lake in a valley. There was a well laid out pathway to the lake, but fortunately there weren't too many tourists that day. The weather was just magical, the sun was beaming down yet the winter cold was gripping us tight, the hottest the day temperature got was 16 degrees that day. Here are a few pictures of Mannavanur lake.







After visiting this lake, it was time to start our return journey to the hotel. Our lunch stop was at a quaint little eatery called Passiflora Ristorante, set along a cliff top overlooking Poombarai valley. It had a lovely table with a magnificent view such as this



We had some nice hot chocolate and shared a plate of Spaghetti Aglio Olio, enjoying the views from our table before heading back to the hotel.



Back at the hotel, we had a short nap in the late afternoon and spent some time at the garden over a piping cup of tea





Later in the evening we set out for a stroll in the main town once again, this time checking out the Kodaikanal lake in the town centre. It was fun watching the sun go down while we strolled through the narrow bylanes filled with tourist-trap shops and shacks.



Enjoying some boiled peanut masala (think of it as a sort of Bhel puri with boiled peanuts) from one of the lakeside vendors. Ah the simpler pleasures of life!



After spending some time at the lake, we walked over to one restaurant called Truly Herbivore, named that way because it was a vegetarian fare restaurant. Nice and cozy ambience at Truly Herbivore



For a change we tried some Indo-Chinese concoction called Oriental Sizzler here, it was surprisingly yummy. That and a couple of doughnuts later, dinner was done. That brought the curtains down on Day 2.

[KarthikK]

Ride to Kodaikanal (February 2024) continued ...

We woke up relatively late on Day 3, it was terribly cold and we enjoyed the morning sun coming up and giving relief from the skin-piercing cold winds.



The breakfast spread was ready for us when we walked in to the restaurant at around 8.30AM. We had a nice array of mixed cuisine dishes for breakfast, with Pooris, Cheese Dosas (yes - in Kodaikanal one can never get enough of cheese ), hash browns, pancakes and assorted fruits, and hot chocolate to wash it all down



Post breakfast, we kitted up and took the bike out on a 25-30km circuit for 2-3 hours around the mountains near Kodaikanal. The Ninja ready to attack the mountain roads



The narrow twisties around and atop Kodaikanal



Stopping to admire some winter sights of this beautiful region



We stopped at another Pine forest to take some snaps. This one was larger than the one we visited the previous day, so large we could easily get lost if we entered and walked inside



The better half with the Ninja



Yours truly with the pine forest in the background



There was a touristy spot called Guna Caves near this Pine forest. The actual caves were out of bounds due to wild animal activities recently. It was largely a hyped place, there was nothing interesting there apart from this network of tree roots which have engulfed a large amount of land area on one section of the hillock



Proceeding further on this road led to a small viewpoint which overlooked a rocky cliff of mountains on the opposite side of the viewpoint. It was called Pillar Rocks Viewpoint, named so because of the three brown pillar-like rocks naturally carved out on the face of the cliff.





Some tourist photo-op trap set up at the same pillar rocks viewpoint.



It was still just around 10.30-11AM when we were done with this outing. We still had time to go for lunch, so we thought we should try a famous Israeli cafe called Altaf's Cafe situated on the Vattakanal road, around ~8km south of Kodaikanal town. Narrow concrete roads led us to Altaf's Cafe, a tiny hilltop cafe serving middle Eastern food.





The place was simple, the tables and chairs were simple and the whole USP of the place seemed to be delicious middle Eastern food served in the lovely mountain facing ambience



The Hummus, Falafel and Pita bread were some of the best I have ever had, of course the weather accentuated the taste too!



Post this second breakfast (if I may call it that), we spent some time there and then returned to our hotel to pass time inside the property post noon. The plan for the rest of this day was to laze around with no plan! The better half settled into a cozy corner inside our room to enjoy reading a book for the rest of the afternoon. Lunch saw us going to the in-house restaurant to enjoy the Chef's recipes once again. For lunch we tried Roasted Pumpkin soup, Spaghetti Pomodoro and went for two desserts to end things on a sweet note - Bitter Brownie and Coffee Brulee



The soup was so delicious we took repeat helpings of it



After sun down, we had the staff set up a nice dinner table next to their dining area fireplace, apt for the cold weather outside



An early dinner had us trying some Cheese Fondue with Camembert cheese, Macaroni with Pesto and the same tender coconut jelly dessert we tried on Day 1.



Post dinner we spent some time star-gazing in the lawn. The sheer amount of pollution that we have in our cities means we hardly actually see 20% of the star-filled skies that are visible in the countryside on a clear night .



The fireplace was something we really enjoyed in this room, very thoughtful feature to have for this kind of weather. We had that set up again for the third night in a row, in lieu of a room heater. That brought an end to Day 3 of the trip.





The following morning, we woke up early to catch sunrise streaming in through our windows. It was a totally clear morning sans any fog cover, and the entire Horizon was lit up by the orange hues of the rising sun



What better than an idyllic morning enjoying this view



One last sunrise morning at Villa retreat, this was the day we had to depart for home



Soon it was time to pack up and prepare to leave for home on the morning of Day 4. Post breakfast, we loaded up the bike and bid goodbye to Kodaikanal, not without a couple of departing pictures in front of the property as always





The descent from Kodaikanal to the plains was largely uneventful. We stopped once at this tiny shack to have some refreshing tender coconut water.



We didn't stop anywhere post this apart from one mid-way stop after Salem for a quick lunch. Fortunately the return was on a weekday, so there wasn't too much of traffic on the highway between Salem and Bangalore. We reached Bangalore roughly around 4PM, just before the peak evening (office returning) traffic was picking up. That brought an end to a lovely and memorable trip to wind up the Ninja's quota of travel for the month of February. This trip piled on another ~900+km on the odometer, and a bunch of lovely memories



That's all for now. Until my next ride report, ciao!
Thanks for reading!

[Cyborg]

Originally Posted by KarthikK

That's all for now. Until my next ride report, ciao!

Karthik

What can I say, out of superlatives to describe your travels! Kodaikanal, Villa Retreat (I want to go here right away) - absolutely beautiful, stunning places, food and experiences.

Once again, thank you for sharing your journey and look forward to more from you.

Take care and keep enjoying.

Cheers

[TheCelestial]

Originally Posted by KarthikK

Ride to Kodaikanal (February 2024) continued ...



One last sunrise morning at Villa retreat, this was the day we had to depart for home
Attachment 2574210

Thanks for sharing!
I recently visited Kodaikanal and coincidentally, the only place we went to was Coaker's Walk and I remember seeing the resort then. Looked great!

[KarthikK]

Originally Posted by Cyborg

Karthik

What can I say, out of superlatives to describe your travels! Kodaikanal, Villa Retreat (I want to go here right away) - absolutely beautiful, stunning places, food and experiences.

Once again, thank you for sharing your journey and look forward to more from you.

Take care and keep enjoying.

Cheers

Thanks for your kind words Cyborg sir!
Hope you get to visit Kodaikanal sometime, it definitely has a lot to offer travellers

Originally Posted by TheCelestial

Thanks for sharing!
I recently visited Kodaikanal and coincidentally, the only place we went to was Coaker's Walk and I remember seeing the resort then. Looked great!

Thanks a lot TheCelestial! Your 10R travelogue was fantastic and is a testament to how nicely one can use a supersport litre class bike to tour the country! Hats off to your meticulous planning and riding regime to pull off that awesome ride