[nanduchitnis]

Originally Posted by gd1418

2nd Sept is when you return from Jammu on your way back? And would that be T 3 or 1 C at the IGI Airport. Flight number would be of help Sir.

Guru Sir

Will mail u all details by this evening.

Rgds

[Jignesh]

Originally Posted by nanduchitnis

Keep The Faith> Bon Jovi. Yet she wants to do the ride.Hastily I have made a WILL

Hello Sir,

As the D-day is nearing, let me once again wish you both all the very best for the upcoming adventure bike tour.

Hats off to your & Madam's spirit. Please do not worry, you both will definitely return successfully.

I just presented this thread to my office colleagues (typical IT workers in their 20's & 30's) & most of them were absolutely spellbound (with most of them shaking their heads in disbelief). Our prayers are with you & no matter what happens, I am sure you both will complete the tour with no issues whatsoever.

Thanks,

[Vihari]

Commander Sir,

My Apologies for the earlier salutation. I stand corrected.

Originally Posted by fazalaliadil

It is Commander.
It has taken him atleast 25 years of dedication, integerity, sacrifices to earn that rank.

^^^ Earlier missed this post from my senior in Hyderabad!

Originally Posted by nanduchitnis

Hastily I have made a WILL.

Yes. we should make a WILL even while entering a slippery toilet in our home.

Originally Posted by nanduchitnis

Meanwhile I am pumping my self listening to songs like:

a) Summer Wine> Nancy Sinatra
b) The Final Count Down> Europe
c) Keep The Faith> Bon Jovi

Music helps shape up tough rides.

Sir, In my humble opinion, you both should be humming THIS song:

Islands of the stream,
That is what we are,
Nobody between,
How can we be wrong,
SAIL away with me,
to another world.....

Especially, at 00.53 secs...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lixDK_tMEhE

Wish you both a Happy and Wonderful Journey! Allow us to be part of it, by bringing back loads..err...reels...oops, many GBs of pictures.

- Sai

[nanduchitnis]

Now these posts by Jignesh and Vihari is embarrassing me, not Medini. Can I pull off this ride?

HV Kumar page on face book says> Heavy firing and shelling in Kargil-Drass sector, landslides in passes, rocks falling on NH! Jammu Srinagar Highway.

A Face Book conversation with Col Rohit Parhee who is co ordinating the Accommodation for me on the Ride with the Army. Just a few minutes ago.

Nandu Chitnis> Srinagar Drass Kargil like war zone now. Firing started.

Rohit Parhee> Yeah - but not to worry - its just a passing phase !!!

Nandu Chitnis > Sure. Do the shells from Paki side sail over the Mountain top and hit the Drass to Kargil Highway? That will be fun when we ride there, with bombs blasting around us!

Rohit Parhee> They did in 1999 - not anymore - we recaptured all our posts!! But right - that would have been fun - shit, wish I could ride with you!!!
Have done the road trip in an SUV in 2009...

Nandu Chitnis > So now the shells will not hit the Highway?

Rohit Parhee> Afraid not....!!!

Nandu Chitnis > (-: I was planning to take my Air Gun with me to fight the Pakis!

Rohit Parhee> There are village melas on the drive - shoot balloons there for practice and then have fun with your Air Gun in Drass/Kargil.

End of conversation

[nanduchitnis]

Originally Posted by gd1418

2nd Sept is when you return from Jammu on your way back? And would that be T 3 or 1 C at the IGI Airport. Flight number would be of help Sir.

Guru Sir

My flt booked as follows

1. GO AIR flight Leh to Delhi on 02 Sept: Dept Leh at 10:20 hrs. Probably arr Delhi 12:30

2. Delhi to Pune Go Air G 8179 02 Sept dept at 18:15 hrs. Check in at 1645 hrs.

I will not leave the Airport.

Will be delighted to meet you at the Airport.

Cell # +919890408878
+919422004706

Rgds

Medini and Nandu

[Judemayne]

Dear Sir,

As already informed had to abort our drive just short of Indore on NH 3, just near Malegaon because of a medical emergency in the family. Wish you both all the best and may your ride be completed successfully.

The road after A' Nagar to Shiridi upto Kupargaon is just one "nightmare" had to do it twice as turned back and came via Solapur and not Pune. the road after Kurpargaon and till Malegaon had a smooth surface.

Regards

Jude

[nanduchitnis]

Ladakh Ride # 3

MEDINI'S "LAST DYING WISH"

We arrived at Jammu around lunch time on 20th Aug 2013.

We were booked in the SAPPHIRE COTTAGES of the Army a few kms off the Airport.

Ashim Ranadive, my nephew had arrived earlier from Brazil.

We retained the auto rickshaw for the day and moved on to GATI Express to collect our Motorcycles.

There was some minor damage to the Duke 200 which was sorted out by Bajaj.

Summer Wine was perfect. Ashim and I spent some time discussing our Ride Plan.

Next morning after breakfast, we loaded the bikes and set off for Patni Top.

[nanduchitnis]

Ladakh Ride # 3

MEDINI'S "LAST DYING WISH"

The road from Patni Top to Jammu is much safer on S bends than in 2007.

Jammu Patni distance around 170 kms from the Army Camp.

At some places near to Patni Top Medini had to walk. as the bike had overheated.

I was riding the bike and also running in Summer Wine. She had only 300 kms on the odo at the start of the ride.

[nanduchitnis]

HER LAST DYING WISH: LADAKH ON BIKE

We stayed at Jammu Kashmir Tourism resort at Patni Top.

170 kms done without nay issues to both the Duke and Summer Wine.

Next morning of 22 Aug we loaded our bikes for Srinagar.

Note from Moderator : Posting pictures and discussing alcohol is not permitted on the forum. I request you to read the rules of the forum once again.

If repeated, next time you will receive an infraction. Thanks for your cooperation

[nanduchitnis]

MEDINI'S LAST DYING WISH: LADAKH ON BIKE

We departed from Patni Top morning 22 Aug for Srinagar. It was a smooth ride on twisting S bends right through to Anantnag.

Anantnag to Srinagar was a big pile up of vehicles, which took a while to negotiate. I saved time off roading off the High Way.

Evening we arrived at the Army Holiday Home at Srinagar.

Next morning we departed for Sonmurg. The road was nice and scenery spell bounding.

We met Ashim (astride my Duke) some 30 kms short of Sonmurg.

[Vihari]

Commander sir, Welcome back.

Nice appetizers. Waiting for the MAIN COURSE.

BTW, in the last TL, I saw sometimes and thought of commenting - that you sometimes forget to remove your helmet before taking a snap - but I forgot. This time also I see the same - and laugh to myself.

- Sai

[nanduchitnis]

We arrived at 3 pm and docked into the Army Transit Camp at Sonmurg.

Sad to say the 2 kms strip has been ruined by the JK Tourism Dept,

First 2 pics are of 2007 ride.

Now the river front is strewn with plastics, beer bottles.

The slopes have been ruined by ugly structures. No pics.

Originally Posted by Vihari

Commander sir, Welcome back.

Nice appetizers. Waiting for the MAIN COURSE.

BTW, in the last TL, I saw sometimes and thought of commenting - that you sometimes forget to remove your helmet before taking a snap - but I forgot. This time also I see the same - and laugh to myself.

- Sai

Here we go Vihari. Zojilla Pass.



Medini took ill at Sonmurg. Was it High Altitude mountain sickness at just 9000 ft ASL?

24th Aug morning she was fine and we started to ride up the Zojilla pass.

Medini held the Nikon Coolpix camera riding back seat.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1yGC...uwughdRGMyaydg

[rkhare]

Sir waiting anxiously for Zojilla Pass story. Keen on knowing whether avenger was the best choice?

[nanduchitnis]

After just 6 kms of Zojilla, Medini was severely stressed. I flagged a Traveller Taxi, Medini hopped on upto Drass town.

With a light bike, I overtook all the SUV's and MUV's , everything.

I ripped the bike down hill to Drass and waited for Medini.

A light lunch and we were both on the road again.

Here we encountered a land slide. A big rock had fallen on the road blocking 3/4th of the Highway NH1.

We reached Kargil well before Sunset.

It was decided that after Sonmurg, Ashim was free to make his own ride plan upto Leh. He is a fast rider on a Duke or any Super Bike. He skipped Kargil and halted short of Lamayuru in a Tented accommodation.

We stayed the night at Kargil.

Next morning we visited Suru Valley.

Some pics of the beautiful Suru Valley are here.

26th Aug, we started from Kargil to Leh some 240 kms, on the Lamayuru road. We had planned to stay at Lamayuru but got a call from Ashim that he was at Leh and unwell.

20% of the Kargil Lamayuru road is a wretched, 80 % perfect tarmac. This is because of glaciers melting on the mountain top and water cutting across the roads.

So Medini had to dismount many times.

Pic 1: Landslide at Drass

Pic 2,3, 4: Suru Valley and the Glacier.

Pic 5: Lamayuru roads, 20 % broken, 80 % tarmac.

[nanduchitnis]

Originally Posted by rkhare

Sir waiting anxiously for Zojilla Pass story. Keen on knowing whether avenger was the best choice?

Definitely. Avenger is a very reliable bike on Ladakh roads which is quite a lot of off roading. I had stock tires on both rides, 2007 (Avenger 180 cc) and 2013 (Avenger 220 cc).

The 220 cc bike is a hugh improvement over the 2007 Avenger only 180 cc.

Never had any issues on both rides.

Zojilla was a scream for me, just me on the bike.

I was lucky that for 2 days before I rode, there was bright sunshine and all the slush had dried up. Besides 21/22/23 Aug, Jammu, Srinagar was peaceful. No curfews .