Call it either excursion or
expedition or circuit run at first, but it’s like cheesy crust with diluted
sausage on a granular bread base till end......an unlocked secret of six souls
who were so excited that they even forgot to ask their base before tasting it.
It all started with a hot tea in
winter evening when three from six of us just planned and asked others to move
in. Without giving any second thought it was just all in move asking for the next
moves where the best part comes because neither a plan is executed nor is
framed, a straight thought giving you to just pack and move with the first
light of the morning, the other day.
An unplanned long weekend in the
flake-freezing winter of December and our itch to go someplace took us on a
long road trip from city of nawabs to the queen of hills. So we fuelled up our
little babies and hit the roads. The distance of 1380 km both ways and each
other’s goofy company. It couldn’t have gotten better than that. Many
destinations were covered in between but the black tar road with white strips
was the main thrill. Route map includes-
Lucknow →
Bareilly → Moradabad → Haridwar
Kempty falls ← Mussoorie ← Dehradun ← Rishikesh
So, speaking of the shadows of
our mischief, it all started on 22nd december,’2016’ booking the
early birds at sharp 6am. When our 3 roadbusters carrying 6 nomads started with
the slight self-start, headlights on & engine on roar, the wanderers just
started to scream & yell throughout the way passing from our township.
Since it was December morning, stage 1 just started from fog & mist after
25km on main NH freezing the hell out & giving doubts of back off, as there
is no clear vision of road after 1-2m, but we passed the black brownie road
collecting the hot cup bounties at check points. Stage 2 comes at 100km, ohhh!
The insurance policy breakdown for long run. Yes you heard right change of
tyres and fill ups were done for the smooth run, because after this the NH24
diversed our challenge, the stretch of whole 270km is full of breakdowns and
diversions of the roads but was easily covered, Maigalganj our first safehouse
after 6hrs of ride, the chai samosa with
roshogulla in kullhad -was a perfect stop. Charged and loaded, we kick
started again on our route covering tolls plazas, fuel stations and
experiencing the serenic beauty of our towns. The thrill and excitement in all
is above buoyancy mark. Crossing our way through Bareilly from basic city
traffic and market we crossed the barrier of 400km mark and many check points
concluding it to be the most dangerous level of our route from the morning
sessions.
Now is the time when we get to
hear the perfect sound of our bikes buzzing all around in our ears from past
7-8 hrs. After crossing Bareilly our stage 3 started, the expressway from
Bareilly- Moradabad which is full of speed and velocity, say flashpoint. The
road is like grip to the wheels, speed got momentum, and thrill went to just
double trouble. The speed was boosted to 110-120km/hr throughout the circuit
with a bypass hault on second safehouse at Moradabad. The best part includes
the free passage at every toll plaza and the chase, yeah the chase!!! Our
riders are just killing the streets to every inch of it crossing every
wormholes. After the whole tiring day to eve ride for almost 14-15 hrs
continuously, we just chose a spot, a spot to eat, to rest and fill the flesh
lost on our asses, give rest to our bikes since they have achieved much
respect.
A huge respect to our pulsar,
avenger and twister and our legends including ankur, prasoon, Khalid, Gaurav,
kushagra and myself samya.
Riding during a day is a
day-dream come true but during nights is like you are the only one moving for
invasion. Night ride is the best experience for me when I and my mates just put
the earphones ON listening to old classics and 90s romantics while crossing the
dense forest route with no street light and sky full of stars. The challenge
has started again, stage 4 has taken its form, its Uttrakhand now!!! Route is
dark, cold is approaching us like beast and less vehicles on the route, reminding
of some shady movie, and still we beat the heat out of us and explode our
engines towards Haridwar. Around
11pm (80km before Haridwar) comes a destination named Nigoha, here we settled
for cup of tea and huge plan for next day. Reaching around 1am on 23dec,’16’ at
haridwar checking for the first time at hotel after long run for almost 20 hrs-
a moment of silence was there when we laid first and then suddenly comes a huge
smile and suddenly silence went on violence of smiles thinking, what the fuck actually
we have done!!!!! It was like a moment on moment. We came out to eat and
enjoyed the current of Ganges and
then silently went on sleep mode. The day started with a bath on currents of
Ganges and then after huge breakfast we move on for our next spot Rishikesh.
The perfection and beauty of
nature is at its best, hills have started, valleys are appealing, rocky bridges
and some flow of Ganga all around was way worth a watch. The thrill and blend
of adventure is at its best with our roadbusters giving clear shot of every
spot inch by inch, it’s like entering Earth-2. Roads are way to smooth to ride
with mixture of cuts and diversions, scary highway buses, slopes and uphill
stretches are far more beautiful when covered. Covering Rishikesh and then Dehradun
bypass it clocks us around 3-4 pm of 23rd, from here on the road was
a dream to ride on.
The Queen of hills, Mussoorie at
elevation of around 6700ft at 32 km from Dehradun is so perfect for ride with
its scary diversions and slight edgy curves merging in valleys perfectly, the
uphill ride was the perfect ride throughout the trip, so scary and scenic at same
point that it gives us bang-bang feeling… To go on and on. At perfect 6:45pm we
landed on top, it was a place worth a watch, perfect shops, girls, hills, cold
and maggi- a perfect mixture of every leisure and luxury. Our luxury got on
7star when we get the suite booked for us- at so economic rates. We then after
refreshing and charge up get on the walk for hills, the mall road, the weather
was at its peak as perfect, the sky appears exactly clean and awesome full of
stars, the mall road is filled with elements for leisure and is maintained
well- a walk to remember.
Next day on 24th
dec,’16’ we left the hotel and headed towards our last destination i.e., kempty
falls. The early bird was again booked as the traffic on the road is very less
and we just went through it. Reaching the arena, we decided to just trek the
cliff in search of its origin. The trek was awesome with no gears and safety
cares, since the plan to trek the cliff was random- it just became a moment
again. On the way back, we just landed in the pool out of our excitement, we
stayed, we played and just nailed the clock- tick tock tick tock. One best
moment also include the saving of 150km petrol of all bikes- yeah we just did
that, the best profit of hills.
At our way back to home covering
all the round routes, the best memory is between Bareilly to Lucknow- a perfect
light crime in deep shadow. After leaving the dhaba from Bareilly around 1:30pm
on 25th dec,’16’ in deep fog blanket we headed with an aim to reach
Lucknow at 7am. The riders just started with all ghost lights on and sirens on
loud with a constant speed of 60-70km/hr. The blanket was so thick that even
the beast buses are our back and we are their guides on the roads, oh man that
moment was like sniper on head, looking for a perfect trigger, after long
excursion through the whole way, the sniper got us out but from the different
spot. We got ourselves knocked out at a diversion and then the moment where
whole NH of 77km at end we just covered on eyes closed.
A perfect trip to remember, the
map of this ride will always be there in my mind- our first road trip…This trip
for me is far more than visiting some far-flung exotic destination. It’s about
exploring the unknown. It gives every means of a trip from disconnecting to
connecting from people to place and places to adventure. Other times, it simply
means to me like exploring my own country and learning to appreciate where I
came from.
Great
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