Need Advice on Biking tour to Ooty/Wayanad/Madikeri

[Roi_21]

Dear Bikers,

My friend & I will be starting our tri-state biking tour from 29-April
in my Trek 4300D & my friend with his RockRider 5.2, completely self-
supported with no Car to ferry us around. The route we plan to take is
(all of them during day-time):

1. Bangalore to Mysore by Volvo Bus (hopefully the Bus Driver/
Conductor allows us to put our bikes in the luggage area)
2. Start Biking from Mysore to Bandipur (halt at Bandipur)
3. Biking from Bandipur to Ooty via Masinagudi & the tough 32 KM Climb
(halt at Ooty)
4. Biking from Ooty to Wayanad, near Sultan Bathery (halt at Wayanad)
5. Biking from Wayanad to Madikeri, via Ponnampet/Gonikopal (halt at
Madikeri)
6. Madikeri to Bangalore by Volvo Bus (hopefully the Bus Driver/
Conductor allows us to put our bikes in the luggage area).

I kindly request your advice on:
- Would the KSRTC Volvo Bus allow Bikes to be stored in the luggage
compartment. Should I request/plead the Driver/Conductor to allow
carrying our bikes?
- Are cyclists allowed to ride in Bandipur & Nagarhole Forrest area
(during day-time)?
- Any word of precaution/look-out-for tips for this ride?
- Road conditions between Wayanad & Madikeri: I have heard that this
route has very bad in road conditions. Any recent experience of your
rides on this route will be of great help.
- Any other pointers to keep in mind for such relatively long rides.

Thanks for reading & please post your suggestions/experience.

Kind Regards,
Raghu

[murali hr]

Permission is required to enter the forest !
VOLVO allows the cycles in the buses. u can also take rajahamsa.
 
murali

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[Roi_21]

Dear Bikers,

Just to add/update my queries in the post:

- Are cyclists allowed to ride the downhill from Ooty to Masinagudi/
Gundalur (as this is the route we will be taking towards Wayanad). A
couple of years back, I recollect that they did not even allow cars on
the downhill road as its very steep.

Please share your experience on this as well.

Thanks!
Raghu

[Nayan Patel]

You ARE allowed to cycle through Bandipur and Mudumalai forest during day time. We did it recently (Good Friday weekend) and its pretty safe and fun ride..

We took the Kalhatty route for the uphill to Ooty and the Gudalur route for the downhill. Cycles are allowed both ways on both these routes. But you need to be really careful during the downhill. Its very easy to get carried away and over speed.. 

If you want to really enjoy the downhill, you should take the via Gudalur one.. Its a really beautiful route with wonderful tea gardens on either side and nice thick forest covering on top to avoid sunlight.

Cheers,

Nayan

[S Chidambaran]

Did you ride all the way from Bangalore or did you park near Bandipur and then cycle?

--

[kartoon]

Raghu,

> - Would the KSRTC Volvo Bus allow Bikes to be stored in the luggage compartment. Should I request/plead the Driver/Conductor to allow carrying our bikes?

...............Get a luggage ticket for your bike. If possible remove the wheels and put the frame in a bag/cover securing the rear derailleur and putting some pad between the calipers of discs if they are hydraulic brakes.

> - Are cyclists allowed to ride in Bandipur & Nagarhole Forrest area (during day-time)?

..............Yes. They do allow but they close the area by 6PM.

> - Any word of precaution/look-out-for tips for this ride?

..............Since you say its a self support ride. I guess its really going to be tough for the carrying your supplies! How trained and equipped are you. You don't get water in the middle of forest! and its peak summer.

Cheers!
Karthik

--

[Nayan Patel]

We drove till Gundlupet and started riding from there.. Gundlupet --> Bandipur -->Masinagudi --> Ooty--> Gudallur. One of the riders had a fall during the return downhill trip so we stopped at Gudallur and took a truck to Gundlupet. 

A detailed blog post is coming up shortly :-)

--
Nayan B. Patel

[Yateesh Kumar]

Hi Raghu,

I have added the info i have inline with your queries... have a great & safe trip :-)

cheers
yathi

On Tue, Apr 24, 2012 at 8:05 AM, Roi_21 <raghu...@gmail.com> wrote:

Dear Bikers,

My friend & I will be starting our tri-state biking tour from 29-April
in my Trek 4300D & my friend with his RockRider 5.2, completely self-
supported with no Car to ferry us around. The route we plan to take is
(all of them during day-time):

1. Bangalore to Mysore by Volvo Bus (hopefully the Bus Driver/
Conductor allows us to put our bikes in the luggage area)

    Go to KBS(Majestic) & make a reservation with luggage ticket. its rather simple.
     it is not possible to book with a luggage ticket from any other TTMC. do not waste your time inquiring anywhere else

2. Start Biking from Mysore to Bandipur (halt at Bandipur)

        Just make sure you have made bookings for stay here. its peak season.

3. Biking from Bandipur to Ooty via Masinagudi & the tough 32 KM Climb
(halt at Ooty)

        Biking is allowed in Bandipur/ Mudumalai/ Wayanad only from 6AM to 6PM.
        Also Kallatti road is open both ways

4. Biking from Ooty to Wayanad, near Sultan Bathery (halt at Wayanad)

        Its possible to cover this distance of about 90km if you stick to this route only & no other inclusions
        IMHO, you must also explore
        a. Ooty-Coonoor,
        b. Ooty- silentvalley,
        c. Doddabetta climb also
        you can plan for (a,b) one day & club Doddabetta climb & your ooty- wayanad through gudalur on the next day

5. Biking from Wayanad to Madikeri, via Ponnampet/Gonikopal (halt at
Madikeri)

        You may want to reconsider this plan. Typically this needs more than one day. climbing up Madikeri after Virajpet may become taxing .... Alternately, you can opt to stay at Virajpet & then climb madikeri early morning next day

6. Madikeri to Bangalore by Volvo Bus (hopefully the Bus Driver/
Conductor allows us to put our bikes in the luggage area).

        No other way out other than exercising your Bargaining powers. your task becomes easier if you opt for a Daytime journey

I kindly request your advice on:
- Would the KSRTC Volvo Bus allow Bikes to be stored in the luggage
compartment. Should I request/plead the Driver/Conductor to allow

carrying our bikes? Bargain Instead

- Are cyclists allowed to ride in Bandipur & Nagarhole Forrest area
(during day-time)?

- Any word of precaution/look-out-for tips for this ride? Complete too kit, one set of spare tubes, chain lube, & a firstaid kit (mandatory)

- Road conditions between Wayanad & Madikeri: I have heard that this
route has very bad in road conditions. Any recent experience of your
rides on this route will be of great help.

- Any other pointers to keep in mind for such relatively long rides. keep a relaxed distance after 2 days of ride. just a suggestion 

Thanks for reading & please post your suggestions/experience.

Kind Regards,
Raghu