Roads only riders talk about

Chennai → Kolli Hills · best Oct – Feb

Left before the city woke up. Seventy hairpins, one flask of coffee.

Manali → Jispa · best Jun – Sep

Flew up with nothing but a helmet. A friend handed me his keys at the bus stand.

Bengaluru → Nandi Hills · best All year

Left home at 4am. Nandi was above the clouds.

Bengaluru → Kanakapura · best Sep – Mar

Bengaluru drizzle, empty flyover, one long charge to spare.

Panaji → Gokarna · best Oct – Feb

Was already in Goa for work. Rented something small and kept driving south.

Manali → Leh · best Jun – Sep

Quit my job on a Friday. Drove this on the Monday. Haven't regretted either.

Mumbai → Panaji · best Oct – Feb

Dad taught me to drive on this road. Did it alone for the first time last week.

Shimla → Manali · best Jul – Sep

My wife slept through Chicham bridge. I've never been more awake in my life.

Guwahati → Tawang · best Mar – May

Sela was pure white fog. We sang badly for two hours just to stay calm.

Chennai → Pondicherry · best Nov – Feb

Same 5:30 AM run every birthday since I turned 22. This was the eleventh.

Bengaluru → Madikeri · best Sep – Mar

Took my mum. She hasn't left the city in six years. She cried at the coffee estates.

Jaipur → Jaisalmer · best Nov – Feb

Nine hours of nothing, and my brother finally told me what's been going on.

Munnar → Alleppey · best Sep – Mar

Tea hills for breakfast, backwaters by dusk. Best day of a rough year.