Do Anna Blog

The Vagabond

One of my favorite poems from class 9/10 school book:

Give to me the life I love,
Let the lave go by me,
Give the jolly heaven above
And the byway nigh me.
Bed in the bush with stars to see,
Bread I dip in the river -
There’s the life for a man like me,
There’s the life for ever.

Let the blow fall soon or late,
Let what will be o’er me;
Give the face of earth around
And the road before me.
Wealth I seek not, hope nor love,
Nor a friend to know me;
All I seek, the heaven above
And the road below me.

Or let autumn fall on me
Where afield I linger,
Silencing the bird on tree,
Biting the blue finger.
White as meal the frosty field -
Warm the fireside haven -
Not to autumn will I yield,
Not to winter even!

Let the blow fall soon or late,
Let what will be o’er me;
Give the face of earth around,
And the road before me.
Wealth I ask not, hope nor love,
Nor a friend to know me;
All I ask, the heaven above
And the road below me.

– Robert Louis Stevenson

Link The Wondering Minstrels

Tags: Reading

Bike Ride (New Year) – Jan 2012

Welcome to the 1st morning of the year

Last moment plan to greet the new year’s sun from the saddle. Keeping the goal of reaching home by 1000hrs in mind I planned to head straight down NH4 and take a U-turn somewhere along.

Route Map

0530 and I was on the road. I would be just past Hoskoke for the sunrise. Unlike the Chikmangalur ride a few days back, the morning was unusually warm. Warm enough for me to lower the zipper and create some air vents between the helmet and the jacket. Passing Hoskote was a breeze and then I settled down for cruise.

Positive start to the year

From Bangalore to Chennai, NH4 rides directly into the sunrise. It was an enchanting experience to ride by the landscape illuminated by the ever brightening sunshine. The hills surrounding the Narasapura bypass gave some good photo opportunities (including the top photo).

Sun peeking over the horizon.

Tea shop. This one will survive the summer, for the tree will provide shade and mosque visitors.

Once the sun was solidly up the horizon, I scouted for a place to have tea. With the construction of the divided highway, many of the traditional tea shops have disappeared along with the trees that shaded them. Newer ones are just starting to crop up, but without the supporting trees for shade or the stone benches. I doubt most will survive the summer heat.

Fog

A little while later, I entered a cloud of fog. Visibility went down and so did the speed.

Divided highway ends

At Mulbagal the divided road ended. And so did my onward march. I decided to head back.

Breakfast

Somewhere on the way back I found a place for breakfast. The idlis were yummy soft and puris crisp. I would have preferred the large white Tamil Nadu style puris though.

Home before 1000 with 180Km on the Odo.