COTIGAO NATURE RESERVE RIDE OUT
One of the best things about Goa, is now many amazing people ride motorcycles. I always feel extremely lucky to meet such extraordinary people from all different backgrounds with the same passion for all things two wheels.
One morning back in December 2018, around 8 of us met at my friend, Paul's house. Paul lives by the river and is basically one of the coolest dudes I have ever met. He is a bad-ass personal trainer with a heart of gold. He spent years training some of the top talent in the entertainment industry. Living most of the year in India, he has found a pretty great group of friends.
We all set off, all on Enfield’s bar one, and fuck me it's loud. It’s been a while since I have had a proper adventure, this already has the making of a good one. Our plan for the day is to ride up into the nature reserve, Cotigao. The ride there and back is around 4 hours long. Luckily for us, once you get off the main roads there are very little vehicles, just hills, wildlife and a LOT of hair pin bends. I was still getting used to riding a bike which doesn’t forward pedals like my Harley, so I knew I would have to take the first hour easy.
As we start to ride up into the Mountains, the light coming through the trees is one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. Having spent a long time of the beach the VAST amount of green fills your view from ear to ear and is pure delight. There are eagles everywhere, following you make your way up the mountain, just in case you come a cropper 😉. The sun is beaming down and the air is super dry, this is the one day where I wished I has worn shorts ( a massive no no for me normally but I have SUCH A SWEATY BUM!)
About 5 hairpins later, one over filled bus, an oil leak and very rumbly stomach; oh I forgot to tell you, I have spent the last 3 days with the most horrendous deli belly, we make it to the top! A tiny little village with a refreshment shack awaits us…..