Hi Bhataki Toli members,

Hope you are still remembering my Coastal Prowl trip last year.

We are in full swing with the bhatkanti season this year too. After exploring the Sahyadri mountain ranges let's once again explore the coastal area of the Arabic sea bowing at the feet of these mountains. We have already expedited few sea forts necklacing the coastal Maharashtra traversing the journey of 800km. We have proposed a 4 days' bike expedition to these forts starting from Sindhudurg fort through Anjanvel Fort near Dabhol (South to North).

This plan is to be finalized with the joint inputs from all of you members.

The dates are as below.

• Oct 1st, 2009- We will leave at night for Kolhapur (preferably try to tow bikes by logistics).
• Oct 2nd, 2009- Public holiday of Gandhi Jayanti.
• Oct 3nd, 2009- Saturday.
• Oct 4nd, 2009- Sunday.
• Oct 5th, 2009- Monday (approved leave). Return to Pune.

Refer the map for the tentative travel plan.

The tentative list of the forts (may not be in order, subject to minor changes):

1. Sindhudurg
2. Vijaydurg
3. Purnagad
4. Ratnadurg and Bhagvati
5. Devgad
6. Jaygad
7. Anjanvel (Dabhol)

More extensive list and info is at http://www.raanvata.com/kokan/index.html

This is the tentative list from the http://www.konkanyatra.com. Also along the route we have few scenic beaches and temples (malvan, Tarkarli, Bhatye, Ratnagiri, Ganeshgule, GanpatiPule, Hedavi, Guhagar, etc).

All of you and your friends, friends of friends are invited for this expedition. This expedition encompasses extensive travelling and site seeing for 4 days. Please express your interersts before Tuesday 12th Sept 2009, or well in advance so that this plan can be worked out more effectively.

Please not the following basic points beforehand:

1. The plan is finalized on bikes, so helmets are compulsory.
2. This expedition is truly on cost sharing basis and we will try to make it as cost effective as possible. Common accounts should be maintained transparent.
5. All expenses food, accommodation, travel (bike towing and ferry) will be shared amongst all members. The petrol expenses are to be shared per bike basis between and the pillion.
6. Self responsibility and personal adjustments are the keys to success of this expedition.
7. Alcohol is completely BANNED. If you cannot abide by this rule find other group.

Here are few pics from last year's Coastal Prowl:

http://picasaweb.google.com/pnvpratik/CostalProwl
http://picasaweb.google.com/Bhataki.Toli/CoastalProwl
http://picasaweb.google.com/shrikant5000/KokanCoastalBikingExpeditionSeasonIII



Cheers,

(map courtesy: http://www.konkanyatra.com)