[GolakaGo]

Back in 2016, I went for my first inter-state ride to Mizoram. These were days when Vega Helmets and Army Boots made us feel invincible. I still remember the boots that I specifically bought for this trip from the Army Canteen, it was a brand called 'Japaan'. This is my story:


Day 1:
Shillong to Aizawl


After much planning, canceling, planning again, and then postponing, a group-turned-solo ride, I was finally off to Aizawl, 450kms away, and the first leg of the Mizoram Monsoon Sweep Ride, on July 14th at 7:30 AM from home.

Before we proceed, I’d like to tell you that this ride was almost choked off before it started. As I mentioned, this was supposed to be a group ride and that’s what I told my family. But, as the dates got nearer, people started backing off. And eventually, everyone backed off. I didn’t want to cancel the plan, but I also didn't dare to tell my parents that I would be going alone. They would have told me to cancel the ride or cut ties with them. Hence, I told them that my good buddy *name(s) with held* was going along. I thought I would tell them the truth when I was halfway to Aizawl or something. That way, they can't tell me to come back home, I would be too far off.

But just when I was about to get on the bike and start from home, I saw the same buddies coming towards me, to see me off, with big smiles on their faces. The moment Mei (mother in Khasi) saw them, in shorts, she was even more shocked than I was! “Aren’t you going along?!!’ “No Aunty errr…ummm…. Mumble mumble…” and Mei got it. But surprisingly, she was cool about it. Pheewwwww!! So before any more surprises sprang up, I got on the bike, bid farewell to my family and friends (yes, we’re still friends even after the ride ) , and started off.

As I was riding away from home, my mind started playing tricks on me. I started questioning myself. The voices inside my head were making me doubt that I would be able to ride alone. "Wow! You're going alone?", "What if your bike breaks down?", "Are you crazy? Go back home!" It was like a rap battle going on in my head. These questions kept playing back and forth and I had almost turned back home.

It was drizzling the whole morning and by the time I got off the busy main road, I was in the outskirts by 8AM. I had hoped and prayed that at least when I left for the ride, it would be a sunny morning but it turned out otherwise, and in a good way too. With the wet roads I was taking it easy and it calmed me down to take my time on the road rather than rushing to get to my destination.

I stopped at a bus shed on the outskirts of the city to put on my rain gears. That's where i sat for a while and calmed myself down. Andy also called and advised me to take it easy, so I told myself I'll take this slow and easy and up to my capacity. I felt much better after that and started enjoying the ride.

With all the unfolding events in the morning, I was already hungry even before I reached Jowai, which was just around 62 kms away from home. I stopped by the roadside and took out the snacks which my sister had lovingly prepared for me. I finally understood what Mojo Walle Bhai meant when he said: you feel so lonely and emotional when you eat by the roadside, on your own, so far away from home. I was very near to my home, but the thought of being away from my loved ones and on my own, kind of struck me at that time. Or maybe I had been reading too many travel stories.

Anyway, so for the next 110kms approx. I was riding in the drizzle and rain until I reached Umkiang Bridge in East Jaintia Hills. I had always wanted to see the Lukha River which is Blue but sadly because of the monsoon, it was running red with fury. I took a break before the Sonapur Tunnel to fuel my tummy again and to absorb the surroundings – the river, the bridge, the hills, the truck drivers waving and smiling at me; Man! The feeling was overwhelming, not just because of the sights but also because the gravity of the ride finally hit me. My first solo ride was finally underway.

After some snacks, the sky cleared up and I was back on the road. The Rynox Tornado Pro Jacket did its job very well in keeping me dry in the rain but like any rain gear would do, it also made it very humid inside the jacket with the rain liner on. I took off my rain gear, rain liner, and the cool breeze circulating through the vents of the jacket made for a refreshing ride. But boy was I in for a surprise!! This 75 kms stretch from Sonapur to Silchar was like an all-you-can-eat buffet, but not in a good way. Mud, Slush, gravel, sand, potholes, craters… you name it and it’s there. There was one stretch that passed through beautiful tea plantations on both sides of the road. Sadly, the deplorable road conditions drew away all the beauty of the plantations.

I was advised to take the Kalain shortcut to Silchar as it was shorter and the roads were far better. I kept riding through the crater-filled shortcut cut wondering when the good road would start when I realized I had already reached Silchar.

Dildar met me at a Junction at the end of the shortcut and showed me a little bit of Silchar where we met Raj too. I got my bike checked for some electrical glitches after which Dildar took me to his Helmet Shop. He’s got some cool helmets. It was dry and humid when I entered Silchar and it was a nice break to sit in his shop with the AC running. I could cool off for a while before I got back on the road.

Saying farewell to Dildar, I pushed off to Vairengte where I was supposed to meet Hruaitea at the interstate border. I had been using the phone to view my route and the Rynox 5.5” Croc Mobile Mount worked excellently! No drop of rain or any dust particles got inside the case. I rode for about 20 kms from Silchar and met Hruaitea at Bhaga, who had already acquainted himself with another biker, Riki Jackers, on the road. Riki insisted we stop at Bhaga Market for a cuppa chai and some cold drinks before we hit the road again.

Hruaitea is the ‘my-brother-from-another-mother’. We had been Facebook friends for quite some time but I met him just last year when he came to Shillong. Being driven by the same passion for offroading, the online discussions and interactions we had made us closer as buddies. He started the offroad revolution in Mizoram with his offroading club – Free Tracks Moto Mizoram. They go for rides exploring the interior reaches of Mizoram and often take the road less traveled He goes by the name Hruaitea Imp Sixtyfive on Facebook.

We then headed for Aizawl, another 140kms away. After riding in the Barak Valley and Cachar Hills’ flat wide roads, it was back to corner carving on the Aizawl Highway. On reaching Vairengte, there are check posts for checking/issuing ILP and also a Customs Checkgate which we passed through without any problems. Non – tribal Travelers though, will need to get an Inner line Permit (ILP) for entering Mizoram.

I thought I was quite good at riding in the hills as being from a hill station myself, all we have ever ridden on were hills. But man, Mizoram is much hillier than what I had been used to riding on. The turns were hairpins at almost every turn and they take a toll on you if you’re rushing through them while doing long-distance touring. 5kms felt like you had been riding for 15 kms. But the good thing about Mizoram is that the roads are well-maintained and you can enjoy the turns without riding into a crater in the middle of the road.

We stopped at Bilkhawthir for some refreshments at Hruaitea’s Sister’s place and we got back on the road right away. It was a nice ride with the moon shining bright and two Impulses whizzing on the road. There was a massive landslide 2 kms before entering Aizawl and we had to wait there until they cleared some parts of the road. When they allowed us to proceed, I followed Hruaitea through the slush but since my bike was loaded with luggage, it got bogged down and the rear wheel was a good half buried in the slush. It came out after a little struggle and we headed straight to Hruaitea’s place where I put up for my stay in Aizawl. So after almost a whole day of riding, i reached Aizawl at 11:30PM. That's about 16 hours with all the stops.

After unloading the luggage, a good hot bath and some good food, I called it a night. It has been a good ride and I couldn’t stop grinning from ear to ear. I was finally in Aizawl on my own bike!! You just can’t explain that awesome feeling when something that you have been dreaming for so long actually becomes a reality. But if u asked me how my first day of the ride really went, I’d say, it’s not as easy as it looked on Google Maps.

[GolakaGo]

Day 2
Aizawl


Would you believe it if I told you that there's a state in India that practises honking only if there’s an emergency?! Well, that’s Mizoram for you. Riding here was a pleasure as fellow riders, drivers and pedestrians were exceptionally disciplined. We are so used to using our horns right from overtaking vehicles to acknowledging friends, a beep for hi and hello, a beeee@#$#@eeepp for unnecessary delay. The feeling of not hearing the choirs of horns blazing in the streets was uncomfortable but peaceful.


I had to adhere to a very different meal time here. Breakfast is simple tea that is served before 8 AM and at 8 AM, lunch would be served. Oh, man! I just love the food here. Most of the dishes are boiled and a little bland but I enjoyed every dish I tried, one of them was Boiled Snails. Dinner is served very early too at 6PM. Hruaitea’s mum makes excellent food!!

Day 2 was spent around Aizawl. My bike was covered in mud because of the landslide incident, so the first thing we did was take the bike to a Car Wash Center. The Car Wash was located at the foot of the hill and I was looking around in awe of a certain part of Aizawl city which was surrounding me. The houses are very close to each other and they look like toppings on a cake.

Peter, the owner of the Car Wash and a track racer, got his boys to wash the bike to a sparkling clean. After which he refused to take money for it and instead offered us tea and snacks. I was taken aback by this kind gesture and it was a nice reminder that I was in Aizawl.

After the wash, Hruaitea took me to Johntea's 2 Wheeler Workshop which he calls, ‘Office’, to get my bike checked and serviced. The main drive chain had dried up completely especially after the landslide incident and was making a lot of noise. Johntea serviced and checked my bike for which he didn’t allow me to pay no matter how much I insisted on it. These guys are just too kind! It was here that we met up with my friends from Aizawl. Johntea and Ben have their own Race Team in Mizoram named, ‘Mission Venthang Racing Team’ or MRT in short and their team seems to have won quite many races.

The guys took me around Aizawl and also to visit a few of their Tuner/Mechanic friends. We met Totoma Toma from Fast Performance System and saw his beautifully modified Hero Impulse and also checked out his one-stop performance shop which had almost everything you would need, and also to make u crave for more.

We also met Rema Ralte, one of the more senior Tuner/Mechanic who is famously renowned for his chai-rounds which I got a firsthand experience of. Rema also has a racing team called Aizawl Racing Club. He is all for Motorsport and to uplift the budding racers from Mizoram. Apart from the professional line, he has been very helpful to me even after the ride and guiding me on how to go about with my bike.

The guys here are crazy about bikes. Their technical knowledge and skills put them right at par with the guys from other parts of India. Aizawl is the only city in the North Eastern States that host Motorcycle Track Racing. They have an abandoned airfield which they use as a track and they have an annual Championship Racing Season.

I also visited the Mission Venthang Church which has the highest seating capacity Church in Aizawl. It is a beautiful Church and once inside, one could really feel the peace and calmness inside the Church.

The rest of the day was spent riding around Aizawl and then out for a lovely dinner. We tried a couple of places for Mizo dishes but sadly all those places were packed, so we ended up at Pemarin (thanks for correcting the spelling U-a ) for some Chinese Dinner. After dinner we went to the outskirts of Aizawl to get a glimpse of how Aizawl city looked at night. The sight is just spectacular! With the lights on, it reminded me of Cold Play's 'Skyfull of Stars'. The hills around me were all lit up and it just looked amazing! I can't describe how beautiful it looked, you need to see it with your own eyes. Hope the pictures below do some justice.

[GolakaGo]

Day 3:
Aizawl to Champhai

We started off at about 7:30AM to Champhai. Andy Vee was my ride partner for this ride. This was his idea and he planned everything.

Andy

Met David, my senior from College, and his dad

You may wonder what the Sweep Ride is all about, and no, it’s got nothing to do with the Swachh Bharat Movement

The Ride will take us from Aizawl-Champhai (East Mizoram) - RihDil Lake (Myanmar) - Champhai - Khawbung - Biate -Darzo - South Vanlalphai (South Mizoram) - Sangau - Siaha - Lawngtlai – Lunglei- Thenzawl - Aizawl. So if you look at the map, we will be covering North (you enter Mizoram from its Northern side), East and South Mizoram, and hence the name - Sweep Ride, as we will be doing a long-way-round ride and we will be riding in the monsoon so, Mizoram Monsoon Sweep Ride. We couldn’t go to the Western side because this part is a little hard to ride in the Monsoon as most of the road will be very slippery and as told, the roads are like steps. Come winter and West Mizoram will be conquered too.. hehe

The route:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/7xEB62R44JT9bArV9

About 20kms outside Aizawl in Tuirial, we encountered a Landslide. We passed a long queue of stationary cars until we saw the landslide. The trucks ahead were stuck but our bikes could go through. I have ridden over mud and slush before but this was different. Man, was it slippery! The bike was sliding from side to side and I felt like I was in Shakira’s ‘Hips don’t lie’ video. We slipped and slid our way through and thankfully we didn’t drop our bikes. That was quite a preview of what the ride had in store for us. We stopped at the Tuirial Market to catch our breath and off we went again.

Heading onwards, the roads became narrower and the turns, sharper. The road condition was good and we had a good ride. We stopped at Seling for a Lal-chai break and then were on the road again. The views and sights along the road were just amazing. It looked like it was straight out of a vacation postcard. And if that postcard had Andy, me and the bikes on it, it would have fetched millions! The hills, the clouds, the valleys made good company for the ride.

We took a break at a thatched house by the side of the road. It was the only house in that area and ‘Lone House’ was written on its door. That immediately triggered a slideshow of all the horror movies I have seen and maybe, we could..just.. be... in one right now. After a few minutes, it started raining. Thankfully there was no thunder and dark background music to add to the effect. We sat there for a while and then rode to Keifang for lunch.

One of my favourite dishes I had in Mizoram was San Piau. This is a Burmese dish of soupy rice added with chicken or pork and chips. I had it just once and the taste still lingers. I heard we can get it in some parts of Shillong too, San Piau hunting soon!

San Piau

After Keifang, every 5-10kms we would be crossing a landslide in deep slush. Only thing missing was Rambo coming out of the paddy fields.

It was along this way that we saw the ‘shops-with-no-attendants’. These shops are by the roadside and they sell vegetables. The vegetables are kept in the shop without any attendants and the prices are marked on the vegetables. There is a box or either a container in which you put the money for the farmer to collect later. I had seen a post on Facebook regarding this but to see them with your own eyes is something else. And it’s not just one such shop but quite a few. Honesty and trust still prevails, here.

The road condition was not so good in this stretch but enough to get your adventure mode on. We took our time and rode slow and cautiously. We stopped whenever we felt fatigue set in but mostly whenever we crossed bridges. I don't know why we did that, it was dark and we couldn't see anything around us, but we stopped at every bridge for a short rest. I guess it's the sound of the river and the insects .. The sounds which we were not used to anymore.

We stopped at Khawzawl for tea and it started raining again from there. The closer we got to Champhai, the harder it poured. That was quite a welcome we got. Thunderous claps and piercing high-fives on the face from the rain. We reached the Champhai Circuit House at around 11PM - drenched, cold and hungry. To add to that, the kitchen was closed. We had to make do with some biscuits and light snacks for dinner.

One thing I learned is that whenever you ride out, it's always good to carry some snacks. Especially if it's to a place that you are not familiar with. You might get stranded somewhere or might be too late to get any food. Dominos might be too far away too. So always carry some snacks or chocolate creamed biscuits; or like I like to call them - Power Biscuits.

[GolakaGo]

Day 4:
Champhai – Rih Dil - Champhai

The rain and fog kept playing intermittently this morning and it was affecting our mood to ride. We kept waiting till it would stop but then, it would start all over again. Andy wasn’t feeling well today but the view of the Champhai paddy fields from our room and the road to Zokhawtar made us headstrong to ride out. We started at 11 AM from the Circuit House to the Petrol Station but found out that it would open only after noon since it was a Sunday. Eventually, people started queuing for fuel and we got into conversations with them. Most of them were a little hesitant that we could go to Zokhawthar, which is the border village of Mizoram and Myanmar, as the road construction had been stopped, which meant many landslides, deep slush, and muck all along the way.

Champhai

The Petrol Station opened at 12:30 and we got our fuel. Andy wasn’t feeling too good so he sat this one out. It’s about 30kms to Zokhawthar and we were told it would probably take 3 hours to cover because of the road conditions.

I started for Rih Dil and kept asking for directions whenever I reached a junction. People were very helpful but I was surprised that everyone looked confused whenever I asked about the route to Zokhawthar, no one could tell me the way. I had to ask them about the Border and Rih Dil and that’s only when they could give the directions.

The road from Champhai to Zokhawthar is pure Impulse territory. It was all broken roads, landslides, deep slush, mud and muck. After riding through so many landslides the previous night, I was more confident now. And man, this bike kept surprising me on how much it could do and how much beating it could take. I didn’t slow down for the slush and the ruts, but it never complained, it just took them with aplomb and kept propelling me closer to Zokhawthar; smoothly and with a big grin on my face.

I met a guy riding those geared scooties here. No matter what I asked him, he gave me one reply - NO! Tried all my dumb charades skills to make him understand my questions but still, all he could reply was no. So finally I said thank you. And he said, No!

It was only when I reached the outskirts of Zokhawthar that I came to realise why people were confused and couldn’t give me directions . It was all my fault. I had been asking them for 'Zorakthar'. I don’t know why or how but I was asking for Zorakthar instead of Zokhawthar the whole time. I was too confident that I didn’t even check GoogleMaps for the route or the name of the place. I was just ready to get lost. Ahh the bad side of reading too much about wandering. I’m just thankful that there weren’t any villages or hamlets by that name Zorakthar or I would have reached somewhere else that day. Lesson learned.

Finally I was at the Indo – Myanmar border. I had to show my ID and entered my details at the check-post and was told to return by 5PM. A bridge connects India with Myanmar, half of the bridge is in India and the other in Myanmar. Once I crossed the bridge, I had to give my details at the Myanmar end as well before I could push off.

Wow! So I’m in a foreign country now! Yes, even though it‘s not filled with skyscrapers and flashy cars zooming by, It felt good. Riding in Myanmar means you have to ride on the right side of the road. I had to keep reminding myself to ride on the wrong side of the road. Yes!!! We get to ride on the wrong side of the road without being fined by cops! We can be our true Indian selves here!!

Rih Dil Lake is about 3 kms away from the border and is located in the northwestern Chin State. It is a beautiful natural lake covered with greenery all around. There are a couple of eateries where you can get some good snacks, drinks and food. The lake is about one mile in length and half a mile in width. It has a heart-shaped outline. Rih Dil occupies an important status in the traditional religion of the Mizo people. According to the ancestors of the tribals, it was a corridor to their heaven called Pialral. All souls destined to Pialral must pass through the lake. Due to its cultural importance it is often said 'the largest lake in Mizoram is Rih Dil, but is in Burma'.

The returning time was stuck on my head and I decided that I should be on my way to the crossing by 4PM at any means. One of the local guys befriended me there and he was giving me company while I was waiting for my snacks to be served. We were talking and when I checked the time it was already 4. The guy kept telling me it was okay and that I had plenty of time on my hand but I kept pestering that they should hurry with the food. After the snacks, I put my rain gear on and the guy kept asking me why am I in such a hurry. I keep telling him that I need to be at the crossing by 5PM. I rushed to the bike, turned the key and saw the time on the console, it was only 2:45 PM. The time on my phone was in 24 hour mode and I had been using that for a long time. I knew how to read it, really, I do!! I saw 14:15 when I first looked at the time and the sight of that ’4’ struck me that it was 4:15 PM. And that’s why the rush. I felt like the dumbest person that day. I felt embarrassed to go back to the food joint, so I headed for the border.

Anyway I left Rih Dil and spent some time at the market near the crossing.

As I was heading back to Champhai, I reached a place where a landslide had just taken place. The road was covered with with mud, rocks and what not. At the edge, the accumulated mud was about two feet high. I was left with two choices: go back to Zokhawthar or take the risk of climbing over the edge of the landslide and carry on to Champhai, if the bike doesn't slip and fall off into the valley. I waited for a few minutes for other cars to come by but there was none. I guess the bad roads got some more screws loose in my head, and I decided to go over the landslide. So, I had a landslide in front of me, a deep valley to my right and a mind trying to push fear away. I went over the line that I would take to get over the landslide a thousand times in my head, what I should do in case I get stuck and how to bail in case the bikes slides into the valley. I thought about all that so much till I decided to not think at all and just go-la-ka-go. So, I cranked the self-starter, tapped into 1st gear and gave it a go. I proceeded towards the Landslide, eased on with the throttle and ...... it was over and about in just around 5 secs. I stopped to check if my mind was playing tricks on me while I was free-falling down the valley but no, I was really over the landslide. My loud shouts of Yahooooos almost caused another landslide so I rode on feeling all gung ho until I rode into a slush that almost swallowed the bike and I. Gung-ho feeling washed down and I was back to being myself. But really, I don't know how I how got over the landslide so easily. It was all God's Grace. Thank you Jesus.

I reached Champhai at around 5:30 and as planned, we decided to eat out for dinner. The rain stopped and we took a walk to the market. It was a nice refreshing walk but we couldn’t find any place to eat. Andy was saying that this town used to look like a typical cowboy town back in the days, with horses and carriages tied outside the shops since it was the main town close to the border. Thankfully we found a bakery that was opened and we bought some bakes from there. The owner was kind enough to give some on the house.

[GolakaGo]

Day 5:
Champhai to Rawpui

It was a misty morning and it stayed that way for a good part of the day. Leaving Champhai, we hoped it wouldn't pour down as much as it did when we arrived. It was a cool breezy morning with a slight drizzle, on and off. All in all, it was a fresh start for the day.

On the outskirts of Kelkang, we met a modern day cowboy on the road. Yes, with his four horses meant to carry the veggies from the fields to the market. It was a really nice encounter, us meeting the ‘cowboy’ and the bikes meeting their 'original' inspiration.

The road from Kelkang to Kaulbung was a broken road winding through forests. The green surroundings, the gravel road and the two of us riding side by side was a spectacular feeling. When you ride outside of Aizawl, there are waiting/resting sheds after every few kilometers. These sheds have been most of our stopping breaks where we can just sit down, lie back and relax.

We reached Khuangleng by afternoon and had our lunch there. Lunch was always good; Good Food! From there we rode on to Khawbung where we stopped for a 'Thingpuisen' (Red Tea without Sugar) break and were suggested to take a short cut to Biate. This short-cut turned out to be one of the best trails I’ve ridden so far – mud, slush and gravel through the middle of nowhere. Being an offroad enthusiast, the sight of bad, broken and no roads gets me real high. And riding through these trails was a treat for me. It is such a good feeling when you are riding in lonely places. Yes, the silence does creep in but more than that, being amidst nature and riding along with a good buddy brings about a sense of serenity towards one's perception of things. That's why after a long ride, you keep longing for more. Or might have already planned for the next trip while on your way back from the current ride that you are on. It's like meditation, but extended for days.

After 5 hours of riding in the forest trails, we finally reached Biate in the evening and re-connected with the Old Lunglei Highway. It felt so good to see a hamlet after riding for almost half a day through lonely trails. The kids (neither mine nor Andy's) who were so excited to see the bikes made all the tiredness disappear; yeah, much better than redbull.

My bike’s chain was really dry and we found a Workshop in Biate where we could lube the chain. I learnt that when you’re riding long distance in the monsoon, it’s better to carry an extra can of chain lube as the chain tends to become dry after every two days. The rain, puddles and muck keep washing the lubricant off and leave the chain dry.

Leaving Biate we rode towards Keitum. We took our time on the road, stopped for pictures, took breaks and just sat on the road with music blaring from Andy’s Bluetooth Speaker Bar. I realized these breaks are more enjoyable than the ride at certain stretches. Riding long distances is more about riding with your heart rather than with your mind. Like Andy said, too many calculations kind of takes the fun away from the ride as you tend to become tense and overthink. It’s nice to just stop when you are tired. It’s better to reach 1-2 hours late rather than keep stressing yourself. That takes all the fun away from the ride.

We were riding in the night and the LEDs were doing a great job illuminating the road ahead. I had just one of each but a pair of Flood and Spot LEDs is a boon for night riding. A good illumination on the road means a cooler head to ride with.

Andy rode over a snake and was feeling bad about it until he realized that his phone had fallen out of the side-box. We turned back in search of the phone but thankfully it fell off just a few turns away. I failed to see both the snake and the phone though I was riding in front, hence, Need better lights!

We reached Keitum around mid-night and were trying to find a place to eat. All the shops were closed but we came across a person who called up one of the owners of the shops and they opened it just for us. People here are very friendly and helpful, if they see you stop by the roadside, they will stop to offer their help and if needed, they will wait and help till your bike/car is fixed.

Our plan was to reach South Vanlalphai but it was still a long way to go and we were tired after riding the whole day. So we decided to stop at the next Waiting Shed for the night. We rode till Rawpuii and stopped at the waiting shed there, happy to finally get some rest for the night. But man! We were in for a rude surprise visit. It seems the wild mosquitoes, or commonly known as Vaihmite (Vai-mee-tae) in Mizoram, were quite fond of bikers too as they gave us unwelcomed tags through-out the night. We slept for 2 hours after which we couldn’t take any more of the high 5s and tags of the Vaihmite. Got up and hit the road again at 5 in the morning.

[GolakaGo]

Day 6:
Rawpui to South Vanlalphai

Our Stay for the night

A few kilometers off from Rawpui, we stopped at the Pangzawl Market for tea. It was 6am in the morning but people were already up and about.

After tea, we were on the road again riding through the hills with deep gorges on one side and tall hills on the other. The clouds covering the valley below were a spectacular sight and we stopped for many Kodak moments. The roads were small, narrow and with the overgrown bush protruding to the road, it became even smaller.

Sadly, most of the pictures and videos taken on this trip got corrupted and I also lost a good 80% of the videos. It’s the same feeling that you get when you realize that you have a puncture in the middle of nowhere; with no tools to take off the tyre nor did you carry any pump/sealant. Yes, that helpless, frustrating, heart breaking, mind boiling feeling that engulfs you; yet with that slight hope of some help coming along. That’s how I felt, too. I could recover some of the files with the help of a friend, but most are lost. Lesson Learnt. Next time, back up the files on the move.

Veering off the highway, we were on the backroads again. This was a lovely stretch with many mini-waterfalls flowing across the road. With South Vanlalphai not far away, we took our time on the road and Andy and I took turns in riding around and taking photos and videos for each other. I think we could have made a neat documentary, especially with all the good old songs from Andy's playlist.

On reaching Hnahthial, there was a bird sanctuary just next to the Petrol Pump. We couldn’t visit it then but hopefully soon again. We stopped for lunch and a bit of power nap at Hnahthial. The eateries or food shops are very differently set up in Mizoram. The shops are not crowded with tables and chairs but are roomy with only a couple of tables and chairs with wooden sofas on the sides of the room/shops. In the interior parts, I was confused on which was a home and which was shop. They look just the same.

Riding on, we reached Darzo, my most awaited point of the ride. There was a big river that we had to cross by either a hanging bridge or a ferry. The path going down to the riverbank was muddy and of deep ruts. When we reached the riverbank, there was no one around. We could see the ferries, but no people around us. It being monsoon, the rapids were flowing ferociously and we were of the thought that maybe the ferries would not be functional. We didn’t want to turn back either because going back means riding uphill on the slippery and deep rutted path. If the ferries weren't working, we would have no choice but to ride back up again and cross from the suspension bridge. Being a little worried and a little skeptical about the crossing, we did what we could do best to take our minds off it - started posing and clicking pics. Thankfully, after a few minutes, the ferry guys showed up. Phewww!! What a relief! They helped us push our bikes onto the ferry and were also kind enough to take videos for us. I was holding on for a bumpy ride across the river but it turned out to be pretty smooth. Riding off the ferry felt like we were Ewan McGregor and Charlie Boorman on their Long Way Round ride.

From the other side of the river

I still look back quite often to this part of the ride. It was such a good moment for me. The sight of the ferries on the riverbank, the ferocious muddy river, the suspension bridge, and the thick forests was an experience on its own. And it also made us feel like Rambo would come out anytime with a Bazooka from the other side of the river.

Leaving Darzo Kai, we kept riding uphill to South Vanlalphai. The road was small and narrow with the bushes brushing your arms in the corners. You could hardly see two turns ahead, most of them were blind turns and two cars can hardly pass each other. We saw a huge rock on the road which had just tumbled down from the hillside. Hmmmm I guess the ferry guys were late for a reason.

On reaching the top of the mountain, there was a viewpoint from where you can see the endless chains of hills and mountains with the river deep between the valleys and the clouds hovering above the hills. Mizoram is full of these views and they get even better in South Mizoram. These are things which words can’t really describe. You have to see them for yourself and feel what it’s like to experience such great sights and amazing views.

We met Andy’s friend on the outskirts of South Vanlalphai and spent some time at his farm. After that, we headed to the Rest House which Andy’s friend had booked for us.

The view from the room was just amazing: the field, the hills, the fog, were a sight you will never get tired of seeing. The tap in the bathroom had a mind of its own though. We waited for warm water from the geyser but finding the tap-combination for the warm water felt like trying to open a vault. No matter how much you try to turn the water levers, warm water would just not pour out. I could feel the water pipe from the geyser was warm but the water would not just come out. I never knew it could be so hard and we ended up having a cold bath again. I finally understood the saying, ‘So close yet so far’ in its truest form on this day.

We had dinner at the friend’s place with his family. They cooked fresh fish from their farm. It was a good meal and we came back for a good rest

[GolakaGo]

Day 7:
South Vanlalphai to Saiha

The Rest House we stayed in didn’t provide food, thankfully we always carried snacks with us before setting off for the day. We still had snacks from the previous day and a can of beef curry. Andy lit a fire, warmed the curry and it was a good breakfast of bread, buns, beef curry and cucumber.

Andy preparing breakfast

Leaving South Vanlalphai, we stopped at Sangau for tea and bought some sweets for the kids along the way – Andy’s idea The route from Sangau to Phawngphui was just majestic. Beautiful landscapes,waterfall crossings, uneven terrain and mossy roads. This was the most beautiful stretch of the ride for me. We stopped many times to admire the view around and before us. We took many videos (which got corrupted, still trying to recover them) and many breaks as well.

Andy's Electric Pump came into use

We had planned to go up the Blue Mountain but sadly it was too slippery and muddy for this time of the year. I will definitely come back for this. We had lunch at this little village, Siachangkawn, which was at the foot of the Blue Mountain. We could see only a portion of it as it was foggy and covered with clouds. The funny thing was that I wasn’t so much in awe of the Blue Mountain, or commonly known as Phawngphui. This was one of the places that I had really looked forward to ride to but it didn’t feel special and I was wondering why. After our lunch and some pics, we started off for Siaha again. While riding towards Siaha, we went further away from the Blue Mountain, but it could always be seen in the RVMs. And the further we rode from it, the more majestic it looked. Then it struck me. When we were at the foot of the Blue Mountain, I could only see the sheer width of it and I couldn’t really see its top or its beauty. It was only when I looked from a farther distance that I could really see the Majestic Phawngphui rising high into the sky and romancing with clouds. I guess that’s how life is too. When we have hurdles or dips in life, all we can see is the big wall in front of us. But if we can take a step back, look at them from a different perspective, they actually make life more beautiful and worthwhile. Guru mode on :P

Ever since we left Aizawl, the roads had been narrow and windy. After leaving Siachangkawn, the roads started becoming wider; I could see the road and a couple of turns in advance so I started letting my guard down. And right at the next turn, I almost went head on into a truck. I had let off my concentration for a minute, took for granted of the wide road (by wide I mean enough for two cars to pass each other), didn’t look ahead, took the turn too wide and all I could see was a big blue wall coming towards me. I froze for a second and then swerved back; thankfully the truck driver swerved too and I could hear his truck go clanking on the uneven shoulder of the road as he shouted, hopefully not but definitely explicits :P , at me. That was close. Whew! Ka Lawm e Unaupa (Thank u brother in Mizo). I’m sure if it would have been somewhere else, that truck would have never moved and come barrelling down straight at me. Thank u Jesus !

There was a landslide at one point and the JCBs were clearing the way so we had to wait for a while. I had one last look at the Blue Mountain and took a mental picture of it. Mental pictures make a lot of difference from the virtual pictures that we normally take. Whenever we take a mental note of anything, Pictures in this case, they stay in our minds longer and we tend to absorb more from them than from the digital pictures. I had just realised that. Thanks Batman After the landslide was cleared, we were given the signal to go. With all the enthusiasm of a kid we started our bike and throttled off to Siaha.. but............Just a few metres from that point, my bike stopped responding. It was just like a power cut in the middle of a good movie. The Accelerator Cable broke. It was long overdue for a change but I just wanted to see how far it would go. Took out the spare cable, fixed it and we were back on the road with blaring music in the back of our minds.

The stretch just before reaching Siaha felt like I was In a dream. Serpentine roads, foggy atmosphere, green hills on one side,a view of the fog covering Siaha on the other, humming ’Wild Angel’ and a much wider road; what a feeling it was. That stretch of road took all the fatigue of the day’s ride away.

We reached Siaha at around 6pm and were taken to the Government Tourist Lodge where Andy’s friend had made some reservations for us. We checked into the room, had bath, a good dinner and the snoring war began. Mangtha! (Goodnight In Mizo).

[GolakaGo]

Day 8:
Siaha – Lawngtlai – Lunglei

It was a bright sunny morning as we left Siaha and started riding down to Zero Point, our stop for breakfast.

I forgot the name of the bridge halfway to Zero Point but the road from Siaha to the bridge was fun to ride on. Its corners were much gentler and I could see ahead in the turns. After all the slow riding, I throttled to my heart’s content. It was the first time I crossed 50kmph after riding within Mizoram for the past 5 days. And it was also in this stretch that my speedo stopped working. I think it got a shock!

We stopped at Zero Point for tea and got some eye drops for our eyes. It started raining before we left Zero Point and we kept riding in the rain for almost the whole day.

We crossed the mighty Chhimpuitui River again which separates the Mara Land from the Lai District.

We reached Lawngtlai at around midday and the road just before entering Lawngtlai was fantastic. Andy thumped on at full blast as i tried to keep up. We took some pictures at the Areopagus situated in the middle of the town. The Areopagus was built as a memorial for Paul's Areopagus Sermon from the Bible. There was a family that Andy knew in Lawngtlai and we visited them. We spent some time there and then left for Lunglei.




The Areopagus

We filled fuel from a petrol station that looked like it was part of the Rain Forest Challenge. The surface of the Petrol Pump had mud and ruts, but it looked, really good in all the wrong ways.

It rained the entire way to Lunglei. The closer we were to Lunglei, the heavier it got, coupled with the thick fog that welcomed and embraced us enthusiastically that we could not see anything that’s a bike’s length away. The Spot LED made riding in the fog even worse, as it was like riding in high beam. Hence, I covered it with one hand. The Flood LED was much better in fog. That’s why a pair of both is essential if you’re doing night riding and they should be connected separately. Oncoming traffic made it harder and there were times when I was riding with just guesswork. Fortunately, my guesses were right.

We reached Lunglei at 7pm and met Valpiuia, Andy’s friend from Lunglei, and his friends at his Bike Spare Parts and Accessories Shop. They took us to our lodge and dined with us. No geyser here so it was another cold bath after getting drenched in the rain. This just keeps getting better.

**Sadly, Valpuia passed away a couple of years back after a brief illness. May his soul continue to ride in peace.

[GolakaGo]

Day 9:
Lunglei – Thenzawl

Today's ride would be the shortest of the entire trip. Lunglei to Thenzawl is just around 78kms. Andy suggested we take the ride as slow as we could.

Lunglei is one of the main towns of Mizoram. I have always heard of this town and had always wanted to see what it looked like. Thankfully, we woke up to a sunny morning and could see a part of the town as we rode through it.




Andy with Valpuia





Just outside of Lunglei, Andy made a quick ATM stop. While I was waiting for him, the Serkawn Christian Hospital was just across the road and its glow board read, ‘Serkawn Christian Hospital – We Treat, God Heals’. That’s as simple as it gets. Sadly, I could not recover that picture from the lost files.



We left Serkawn and rode for about a kilometer or so when Andy stopped and remarked that he had forgotten his specs in the ATM Booth. I volunteered to get it so I rushed back to the booth and looked for it everywhere, even in the dustbin, but I couldn’t find it. I asked the shopkeepers next to the booth if anyone had found the specs, but they replied in the negative. Being dependent on specs myself, I knew how much they mattered and how much they could ruin a ride, or even a walk around the house, for that matter. So, I disappointingly head back to Andy to tell him that I couldn't find his spectacles. The moment I stopped the bike, he looked at me with a very serious look and remarked again, ’You should have seen it on my face!’. I didn't get him at first. And then, he pointed at the 'thing' on his face. Yes, he was wearing them the whole time. He didn’t realize it; I didn’t realize it nor saw it well rested between his ears either. And I went back to frantically search for them. We had a good laugh and then got back on our bikes laughing for most of the way. Oh, and it started raining again

One more thing, Andy and I have been riding together, whenever we can, for a few times now. And whenever we ride, it always rained. Not the drizzle kind or the 5 minutes heavy downpour followed by a bright sunny day. No, it always rained like crazy and would last for atleast 80% of the ride. So if you ask me why we ride in the monsoon? Well, it was just destined to be so.





We stopped at Tlawng kai for lunch and we spent a good amount of time here. We had a good lunch and rested there for quite some time. Andy bought some veggies for home and we set about on our bikes again.







Our breaks were just as important as the ride. We were very close to Thenzawl so we took our last stop before Thenzawl. Parked the bikes on the side and Andy’s Soundbar came out again. The speaker box had become a very important accessory of our ride and thanks to Andy for that. No sooner, old rock music was playing from the ‘bar and we were dancing our fatigue away on the roadside. Andy’s got some killer moves, by which a truck driver who was so awestruck by Andy’s performance almost rammed into two sumos who were coming from the opposite direction. Realising that our talents were better off in a closed arena, we pushed off again.

Along the way, a scooty overtook us with his Rossi’s style of cornering and I don’t know what happened but Andy got fired up. That was the first time I heard Mongkun (Andy’s Bull) being revved her heart out with the backfire in tune. It just went dhhhuuuttt dhhhuuuttt dhhhuuuttt dhhhuuuttt dhhhuuuttt pthaaaaaaaak pthaaaaaaaak pthaaaakkk dhhhuuuttt dhhhuuuttt dhhhuuuttt dhhhuuuttt pthaaaaaaaak pthaaaaaaaak pthaaaakkk.. man you should have heard it for yourself! It was pure music iron music. I'm sure the scooty guy was more of a pop music guy because once he heard the iron bull coming, he gave so much way that even a bus could’ve passed him.

We stopped at Haulawng for tea and there’s one thing which I want to share. The toilets in Mizoram have the best view ever! They are located in the back of the house/shops and the view is just breathtaking. You can just sit for hours on end. Most of the good landscape pics in this T'log were taken from the toilet


View from the ......

We took another break just before Thenzawl





After tea we headed to Thenzawl where we met our friends there. Hruaitea and Rinkima rode from Aizawl down to Thenzawl to spend the night with us so that we could hit Hruaitea’s Motocross track – Dirt Ranch 65 – the next day. We also met Rindika who was one of the first guys from North East India to take the Novice Trophy in the National TVS One Race Series.





We halted at the Thenzawl Tourist Lodge for the night. It was a nice big place that was made since the British times and it had smaller cabins around it. Co-incidently, Rindika’s friend’s birthday was on that day and we had quite a party before getting back to the JCB (snoring) competition for the night.

[GolakaGo]

Day 10: Thenzawl to Aizawl

It was a bright sunny morning as we left the lodge and headed to the market for our breakfast. Andy will be heading back to Aizawl, which is about 92 kms away, and the rest of us will be hitting Hruaitea’s Motocross Track and then leave for Aizawl later in the afternoon.


Riding out for breakfast



Hruaitea and his offroad buddies have a motocross track here called the Dirt Ranch 65 . Annual races and Adventure Motorcycle Meets are annually held here now. We had a few laps at the track and then stopped at a small stream to freshen up. Hruaitea and Rindika had a good time dipping in the stream.




















Traditional Weaving at Thenzawl

Bidding our farewell to Rindika, we headed back to Aizawl City. It started raining again and we stopped at Hmuifang for some snacks. Hmuifang is the venue for the annual Anthurium Festival and the Thalfavang Kut hosted by the Dept of Tourism, Mizoram. It also has a resort located at the mountain's peak with a few rooms and a cafeteria.

We also rode through the Black Man's Cliff, a very steep windy road which, if you happen to ride off the road; you can make a call to two of your friends, explain to them what is happening, hang up, take a couple of selfies and you might still have a few metres left before you hit the ground.







The Tropic of Cancer passes through three places in Mizoram. This is one of them between Hmuifang and Aizawl

[GolakaGo]

Day 11: Aizawl

My last night in Mizoram was finally here. Today was spent in packing up and meeting friends in the evening.


Zom getting impatient with too many photos taken


Anthony, Hruaitea, Casey, Ben and Johntea


With Hruaitea's Kanu and Kapa (Mum and Dad)

I lay down on the bed, i recalled all the moments and memories of the ride. The rain, the roads, the sights, the food, the experiences.. when i got a call from one of my aunties. She had just learned that i had rode to Aizawl alone and was freaking out! She told me that she will come and pick me up from Silchar!! I was feeling so accomplished and manly about the ride and riding all over Mizoram, and in one second, my aunty made me feel like a kid. I told her i'll call when i leave and that i'll be back in two days. I left the next day.


Last view of these cherry topping buildings


There was some Fuel Strike, had to get it in black (not fuel colour)




Attended the evening service, actually forced by Hruaitea, who slept for a good part of the service

[GolakaGo]

Day 12: Aizawl to Shillong

Naylin, a friend from Shillong was also in Aizawl and was planning to leave on the same day with me. Hence we decided to ride back home together. It was drizzling when we left Aizawl and it never stopped until we got home. We had to pass through the same landslide that I got stuck while entering Aizawl, but this time it was much easier as we were going downhill.

We were going at a steady pace and we reached Vairengte in no time. I wanted to visit this place called Mothurapur in Silchar but when we enquired about the place, no one could give us proper directions nor was it mapped on GoogleMaps so we went pushed on ahead.

Crossing Silchar in the rain was quite a task. The craters were covered with water and you just didn’t know which path to take because if u avoided one, you would go straight to the next one. We tried riding from the edge of the craters but there were instances where almost more than half of the tyres were under water. Sadly I couldn’t take any pictures as it was raining and I didn’t feel like stopping and taking out the phone. We stopped at Kalain for a quick lunch and got back on the road asap.

We reached the Tea Plantation stretch again and this was all muddy and covered in water as well. Stretches like these made me fall more in love with my bike. I had been riding it for more than 1500 kms till this part on this ride and it had never showed any signs of breaking down. 85+kgs rider with a luggage of about 10+kgs and I had never really slowed down much on any of the bad terrains. I just put it in 2nd or 3rd gear, stand on the pegs and just comfortably glide through the bad stretches. The suspension setup is just amazing and the bike takes everything that’s thrown on it with joy. This bike has got a lot of potential with adventure tourers, offroaders and Motocross guys. If only the big guys in the company saw these earlier. Yes, it lacks power but honestly I never really felt the bike being underpowered when I was riding in the hills when u can’t really go that fast. It’s only when you ride on the plains and the gentler hills, that you really feel the lack of power. A rear disc brake would have been a very welcomed option too as that consistent bite is much needed on long distance rides. The drum brake do work good too but after riding for a few hundred kilometers, I had to keep adjusting it; especially when it rains and you have to ride through puddles, slush and all, the brake just fades off.

We stopped for a quick break at the Sonapur Tunnel and just as quickly, got back on the road again. It had been raining continuously and the flooded potholes and craters made the riding all the more fun and disastrous at the same time.

About 10kms before reaching Jowai, there was a newly constructed road which comes out at Thadlaskein. We took this road and reached Thadlaskein Lake in about 10mins. It would have usually taken about 30-45 minutes if we had gone via the main highway. We had a short tea break at Thadlaskein and continued on our way again.

Naylin took the Shillong Bypass Road from Mawryngkneng and I took the Old Highway to Shillong. It didn’t stop raining since we left Aizawl and we were both drenched. The closer we got to Shillong, the heavier it poured. It was a good thing that the rain was pouring heavily as the road was clear and clean and not as slimy as the effect that drizzle have. We could ride as we did when the road was dry. The Ceat GRipp XL and the Ceat Vertigo on the back have been working beautifully the whole ride. I had been using the Vertigos on my previous bike and had a lot of confidence in them. They never gave up on any of the terrain and always held their ground.

I reached home at 6PM, after being gone for 13 days, 3 states, 1 foreign country, 1700+ kms and fatter by a kg or two – it’s the Vawksa, guys! Mei (Mum in Khasi) had got a big welcome bouquet for me and hurried down the stairs to clap and congratulate me for the ride. The things that mothers do .

It had been a overwhelming ride which brought many of my dreams to reality. I had been delaying this plan for so long, because of my lack of confidence in riding out alone. I had always waited for my friends to go along to feel safer and for company. But somehow, this ride made me realized many things and one of them is that, when you want something so bad, go out and do it – of course it shouldn’t be a dead wish or anything illegal; just follow your heart. Don’t wait for anyone. Your dreams will come true only if you work towards it.

I’d like to thank God for being with us throughout this journey and for guiding and protecting us always. To everyone who has been of great help to Andy and I on this trip, for helping us out with the accommodations and for the valuable time that they’ve spent with us. It made the trip more worthwhile. Thank you so much. My Family who allowed me (not so willingly at first :-p ) to go for this ride. My riding buddies who have inspired me to take this ride. Zaheer Bhai who prepared my bike before the trip and gave me endless tyre changing tips, tricks and lessons. Last but not the least, Lallooney for the corrections and suggestions. Thank you.

So my ride has come to an end for now, but this is only the beginning. More to come. Till then, ride on and ride safe.

And sadly, my memory card was corrupted and i lost a good amount of photos and videos. I have compiled whatever i could salvage from the memory card into a short clip which you can find in YouTube titled 'Mizoram Monsoon Sweep Ride'. I tried linking it here but it won't work. I Hope you enjoy it. Thank you


Only one photo from today, most are etched in my memories

[Aditya]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!

[Red Liner]

What a beautiful log, of a true adventure ride to breathtaking places! This is absolutely what travel is all about - not staying in expensive hotels or munching expressway miles at great speeds nor waxing eloquent about all the latest and greatest features and comforts of one's superbike or luxury car.

Your first adventure has entered the hallowed annals of true expeditions on TeamBHP. Welcome to the tribe, my Unaupa!

[ringoism]

A great write-up, and considering how long ago it was, you must take much better notes or have a much better memory than I do - can say this having been up last night trying to recall which route we'd taken into Mizoram a mere couple of months ago!

You covered a surprising amount of ground on a single trip - our family has visited many/most of those place and some others too, but that's been over the course of the near 15 years since being blessed to marry into the tribe. Mizoram is a great state to explore, even if the twisting roads make it a bit grueling, and it's much better if you have a local friend to show you around, tell you the old stories and significance of all these places, and introduce you to interesting people, as you seem to have had opportunity for.

The enthusiast / tuning / racing / travel / offroad/ adventure communities are indeed thriving out here, within the past month or so they've had two major motoring events down at the abandoned airfield at Tuirial that you mentioned, including motocross, track racing, drag racing, stunt driving/drifting and etc. You can google MIMSA on YT/other social media to see some cool stuff, there are other organizations / clubs as well. I believe it's on the 17th/18th of this month at Champhai where they're having the Monsoon Challenge motocross event. There are some great teams out here and some very experienced tuners / builders / riders, I was able to pick up more in one conversation with a couple of them than I've been able to glean / figure out on my own in years elsewhere. They've got connections all over the place inside / outside India and really know their stuff.

I myself had written up a travelogue from 2013-ish that I've had sitting finished in my Assembly Line basically ready to post, but could never quite bring myself to doing, not being sure I wanted to encourage excessive incursions (not to overestimate my influence here !). A lot of the charm of this place has been that there aren't many travelers overrunning and mostly spoiling it, as I've seen happen in Ladakh, Spiti, Manali, Parvati, and as I hear has happened in most of Goa and other formerly pristine, peaceful places, as well.

Mizos have been able to assimilate the outside world on their own terms and in their own time till now, and while there may be a few negative aspects typical of insularity in there, it would seem a net positive overall. I suppose Mizoram is one of the final frontiers of Indian travel & exploration, and while influx for tourism, work, study, business is inevitable at this point, I am hopeful that Mizos, being a fairly tight-knit and very well-organized community, will be able to correctly discern what will be best for the place, and know how to implement things that will actually be effective in preserving the best of what the place represents and offers.

We ourselves are planning to set up something a couple hours east of Aizawl near (lake) Tam Dil, but it will be very low-key, low-impact, and very much fitting to the surrounding environment (think comfortable but authentically simple bamboo cottages in an organic permaculture homestead-type setup). We would aim to draw in the right types of people with the right vibe, and hopefully screen out / deter those who would make a general mess of things. That there is basically zero in the way of nightclubs, discotheques, and bars probably naturally helps matters a bit. Let the gentle, green beauty of the landscape, vast unpopulated spaces, the generally helpful, friendly, and relaxed people and the many intriguing elements of their culture and history/heritage, with perhaps a glass of rice beer added if it suits, all combine to sooth and restore the soul that needs it. We have found it such a wonderful place to spend time in - easy to love - and hope that a few others, inspired by stories such as your own, would also want to kick back and spend a little time just "being".

All in all, you've captured it all well - so many of your observations have echoed my own as a newcomer. And it's so cool that you managed it on an Impulse, a model I've also owned over a decade now, and have recently got back into running order and upgraded a bit, before carrying it from H.P. to its new home in Mizoram. The tuning community being what it is here, hope to make an even better machine out of it in the future.

Very sad about losing your photo/video - I know the feeling!

So did you ever come back? And do you by chance still have that bike?

Do get in touch whenever you're planning to be out this way again, it would be great to meet you here / do some riding someplace. Btw we came through Shillong last time and liked it so much that we stayed a couple days, will probably make it a regular stopping point if you'd rather meet up there.

We have taken thousands of photos along our way over these years, but it would take an enormous amount of effort to compile and edit them all, and don't see myself having time for travelogues in the near future, so hope you won't mind if I post a few here from our most recent travels; At this point do want people to be at least aware of this great a place a relatively few souls have been blessed to explore, and say thanks again for your contribution on those lines.

-Eric