[Vikvkv]

Originally Posted by J.Ravi

Me and Blue Bird are in Nagpur now.

Attachment 1551578

Sir greetings and I guess this is your proposed Leh trip. Hats off to you sir I admire your enthusiasm I hope to emulate you every time I go for a long ride. I guess I missed you by a couple of days because I was on the Bangalore Hyderabad highway two days ago. I have frequented on this route for the last year in a car and I must say your endurance and fitness is commendable. My dad still thinks you are crazy..no disrespect sir. Ride safe keep us posted.

Originally Posted by hamster

Anybody approched you on this regard ?

Not yet. Thanks, hamster.

Originally Posted by hothatchaway

Are you going farther than Nagpur?

Upto Sach Pass, HP.

how did you bypass Hyderabad?

As ku69rd answered correctly, by riding through the twin cities. Actually, it is shorter by 20 km than the ORR route, according to Navi Maps. All along, my navigator was showing 1,089 km. When I started riding avoiding ORR entry, it quickly changed its route and maintained 1,066 km till the destination.

Originally Posted by ku69rd

Why Nagpur? is it see the junction of the railway tracks there?

No. Haldiram's.

Originally Posted by arulpeem

Have a safe ride sir.

Thanks, arulpeem.

Originally Posted by Vikvkv

Sir greetings and I guess this is your proposed Leh trip.

If not Leh, atleast Sach Pass!

Hats off to you sir I admire your enthusiasm I hope to emulate you every time I go for a long ride.

Thanks for the compliments and appreaciation, Vikvkv.

My dad still thinks you are crazy

I take it as the best compliment ever received!

[ku69rd]

Originally Posted by J.Ravi

No. Haldiram's.

You must try the orange burfi...the only place you get. Yummy stuff

My bird brought me safely to Bansi Home Stay, Agra at 11:30 pm yesterday. We had left The Nagpur Ashok at 9:30 am. 833 km in 14 hours. Average speed worked out to 59.5 kmph.

[navin_v8]

Originally Posted by J.Ravi

My bird brought me safely to Bansi Home Stay, Agra at 11:30 pm yesterday. We had left The Nagpur Ashok at 9:30 am. 833 km in 14 hours. Average speed worked out to 59.5 kmph.

Hey Cap'n your riding really puts riders like me to shame. I am in awe of your endurance riding skills and really salute your spirit at this age. This makes the saying, "Young at Heart" so true.

Keep us updated with your posts and pics as well.

We reached Dalhousie at 1 am today. We had left Agra at 9 am yesterday. 785 km in 16 hours, translating into an average speed of 49 kmph. I am unable to upload any image due to poor connectivity. My Photon+ is lifeless here. BTW, did anybody stay at Agra and leave without visiting Taj Mahal and/or the Fort? Yes, I did yesterday. Today is rest day. No need to wear the jacket and the riding pant!

Somehow, I got some connectivity at last!



Here are some highlights of the ride so far:

* It rained cats and dogs, when I was 86 km from Sagar including hailstorm, which continued for the next 2 km. I was the lone rider on the deserted highway! I was afraid that hailstorm might break the instrument cluster glass cover of my bird, which was already replaced once under warranty! My Wildcraft raincoat saved me from getting drenched totally!

* The Jhansi-Gwalior stretch is still in the same pathetic condition. Add to that the evening peak hour traffic, cattles on the road, it was a total mess one would like to avoid. Thankfully, I will not be returning on that stretch again!

* My host at Bansi Home Stay, Agra insisted on my having more puris. So, I overate, felt like sleeping again, but left at 9 am with half mind.

* The heat was unbearable when I was riding on Yamuna Expressway and through Delhi. My wrists have become darker due to sun-burn, necessitating removal of my jacket. At 2 pm, I could not ride any more due to scorching heat. So, I halted at Pahalwan Dhaba, Murthal, had sweet lassi, slept for an hour on a rope cot, had tea and left at 3 pm only.

* There was a big evening peak hour traffic jam near the Ludhiana bypass, so I rode through the city.

* I informed Hotel Grand View, Dalhousie in advance of my arriving beyond the midnight. I was told that my dinner would be kept in my room! When I entered my room after checking in, I found a 10-course meal, comprising many rotis, parathas, naans, paneer butter masala, peas, kheer, rice, dal, kadi, etc. waiting for me! That was the first time - and perhaps, the last time too - that I had my dinner at 2 am!

* Many people enquired about my Thunderbird 500 at petrol pumps, signals, while waiting in queue in traffic jams, regarding the price, kitna deti hai, where from, where to, etc.

My Thunderbird 500 brought me safely to Jaipur after gruelling 21 hours including the visit to Hussainiwala border near Ferozepur. I dropped Sach Pass from my itinerary and started the homeward ride yesterday at 10:45 am from Dalhousie.

[ku69rd]

Originally Posted by J.Ravi

I dropped Sach Pass from my itinerary and started the homeward ride yesterday at 10:45 am from Dalhousie.

Attachment 1553139

Chief,
Any reason why you dropped the Sach Pass? It would have been very wonderful to see it in your eyes...
Anyways seems a fantastic ride. Would you be in bangalore for some time?

Originally Posted by ku69rd

Any reason why you dropped the Sach Pass?

I was very tired and exhausted. Didn't want to take a chance on the hostile terrain. So, Sach Pass is gone for now. By this weekend, I will be in Bangalore. My bird will return to its nest after some days.

[ku69rd]

Originally Posted by J.Ravi

By this weekend, I will be in Bangalore.

Dear Sir,
With ongoing Cauvery issues, suggest you to adopt a wait and watch policy whilst entering the city. It was a similar situation for us when we were riding back from Thimpu and we got stuck due to the Telangana riots. We had to do the majority of the ride during night times only. So please adopt some caution.

Have a safe ride and do keep us posted on your finer details.

Originally Posted by ku69rd

With ongoing Cauvery issues, suggest you to adopt a wait and watch policy whilst entering the city.

I will be reaching my home at 6 am after riding Hyderabad-Bangalore stretch in the night, when the trouble-makers are fast asleep.

Blue Bird and me arrived at Haldirams, Nagpur at 9:45 am today. Breakfasted, I rode to The Nagpur Ashok and checked in at 11 am. We had left Hotel Kalyan, Jaipur at 12:45 pm yesterday. Took the E W Corridor to join N S Corridor via Tonk>Kota>Shivpuri>Jhansi>Narsingpur>Chhindwara to reach Nagpur in 21 hours over 1,176 km [GPS] that works out to 56 kmph of average speed.

The road inside Kota is very potholed. Apart from that, it's a beautiful 4-laned NH all the way with less traffic. The petrol pump attendants at Lalitpur BP COCOO remembered me and my bird even at midnight!

Blue Bird brought me safely and comfortably to Bangalore Basaveswara Nagar home at 4:25 am today. We had left The Nagpur Ashok at 10:35 am yesterday. 1,068 km. 18 hours. 59.33 kmph average speed.

Rain accompanied us from Adilabad with varying intensity. At Kurnool, it rained cats and dogs for more than an hour. From Anantapur, biting cold greeted us. I passed through Hyderabad between 6:30 and 7:30 pm without any rain.

The attendants at Adilabad Reliance Petroleum outlet recognized me and my bird and enquired about the trip.

I will ride the last leg, the shortest and sweetest Bangalore to Chennai after a few days.

[ku69rd]

Originally Posted by J.Ravi

I will ride the last leg, the shortest and sweetest Bangalore to Chennai after a few days.

Fantastic Sir, welcome back

Hopefully you will be putting up a detailed write up of your ride?
Honestly after you have done the GQ, this seems to be a vagabond's ride