Vroom Vroom: Heartbeat

The two wheels never came naturally to me. I was never on good terms with the two-wheels of even my first bicycle. They taunted me for being an imbecile, scared little loser; jeered and sneered at me for the first few years. I would look at the brand new bike sitting in my verandah and fancy myself riding it in the meadows, with the wind blowing in my face, but never did I take it out for even a walk. Riding the cycle, although fanciful, but was a scary thought for me till eighth standard of school. It was the small sleepy town of Chhatarpur (Madhya Pradesh) where I cocooned myself into the confines of my home. 

First Spring

I remember vividly, the way when my Dad, who is usually apathetic to such things, decided to take care of my plight. I was asked to take the bike out; because enough was enough. It was a Sunday morning. It was slightly embarrassing because kids my age could ride motored two wheelers by then, yes, in eighth standard, I had a friend coming to school on a scooty. I am sure that's illegal but I lived in a small town where traffic rules were non-existent. So, that Sunday morning, dad took me to the highest point of the road and asked me to go down the slope, it was scary, and fun! I lost balance but regained it! Only shaking the handle for a few seconds, I came down the slope quite nicely. Folklore had it that no one learns to ride a cycle without falling, and that was something that scared me for riding it for so long but, to my surprise, I didn’t fall! At least on that day! How I fell from the cycle and broke my wrist a few days later is another long story. More on that sometime later.

The Muse Almost Begins.

My transition from cycle to motorbike was a slow one. Bajaj Sunny was my first motored two-wheeler. The way it made me look like an ant on the road was amazing, nobody respected the Sunny, the speed-breakers are like hurdles on a steeplechase for it. My fear for the geared motorbike was still intact and so was my fascination with the vrooming and zooming! The smell of burning rubber on the road, the wind gushing past my ears, one foot on gear, one on brakes and hands revving up the engine- was the stuff of dreams.

Next city we moved to- was Gwalior (Madhya Pradesh). Next vehicle that I got was a Honda Activa. I started exploring the city, taking the road less traveled etc. Me and my friend would go to the fort, visit the hill-temple and eat out at popular joints. The cracking of the "shell" that had surrounded me for some good eighteen years of my life had begun. Not that now I am a true-blue biker now, but I had taken my first steps.
I was no longer afraid to race away on wide open roads, slanting my Activa 30 degrees on turns in the road, stealing glances from the school-going girls on the other side of the road. I still did loser-ish things like wearing jackets in summer and dark shades on evenings but that is besides the point.

The Muse Begins.

I joined college far away from home in the sleepy town of Davangere, Karnataka five years ago. That was that and this is now! In my second year, sometime in August, I borrowed a senior's Bajaj Avenger to go to a brunch party at a highway resort. I was briefed on the gearing and clutching basics and thought I was good to go! Jerking awkwardly, I somehow rode till the resort but, there were patches when I was riding smoothly, the wind blowing in my hair, the trucks whooshing past me and the green meadows dancing on the sides. Pure bliss! I was in love with bikes, cruiser bikes in particular!

Later that year, confident of being able to balance the two wheels and manage the clutch, gear etc, I borrowed another senior's Bajaj Pulsar 180. Too late to realize that the centre of gravity in this one was way different that Avenger, I was flat on all fours at the nearest speed bump. The bike was scratched and guilt and phobia surrounded me.

As the shell was beginning to build, my room-mate went on and bought a second hand Bajaj Pulsar 180. I just couldn't be a pillion rider; I had fallen once and the fear was less. In December that year, I bought a brand new Hero Hunk (erstwhile Hero HONDA Hunk). Then? Then there was no looking back from there.

Many Roles That My Bike Plays
1. Chick Magnet

Of course, this had to be on the list. Speed thrills which is one of the foremost ingredients that attracts the fairer sex. We as human beings have evolved to favour and adore the risk-takers because they mark new frontiers and take the race forward.
Holding hands sitting in a park brings two people close, but open highway, flowing hair, the thump of the road and a common sense of exploration- they all make the two souls unite into one.

A bike can take you to that sunset point from where the sky doles out all its shades and the horizons appear clearer than ever. Yes, I am talking romance in no man's land.

2. Nomadic Lifestyle

Without a bike, I couldn't have tasted the Punjabi Lassi on the highway Dhaba 50 km from Davangere toward Pune on Pune-Bangalore Highway; I couldn't have gone to the city interiors to the oldest food-joints serving authentic South-Indian food.

3- Clicking Away
Ever since I got a camera, I've been clicking sunsets, ponds, rocks, butterflies and what-nots. To be at the right place at the right time, not only do you need the inclination, you also need a vehicle.

4. Simply Trippin'

Singing along in chorus on the highway, to the funny tunes of Himesh Reshamia or Anu Malik is the demand of a cloudy weather in the rainy season. Think four bikes, eight happy faces and eight out-of-tune singers. These trips not necessarily need to have a destination. Sometimes we just go up to the "next U-turn" which comes conveniently after some good 20 kms on the highway. As Davangere is just 60 kms from Chitradurga, the fort city- trips to there in cool, breezy weather are a must.

5. Night-Rider
Returning from a late night movie show or coming after seeing off a friend to the railway station late in the night has its own perks. You get to own the road all to yourself. Ever danced your bike in the pale street-lights? If not, you're missing something.

So, that's my story from Mr. Afraid to ride a bike to Mr. Can't live without a bike. Catch you next time, till then...


VROOM VROOM!
The above entry is a part of Castrol Power1 Blogging contest by Indiblogger

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