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Sunday, June 09, 2024

Sikkim & North East Bike Odyssey - 01 to 19 May 2024

The 'Whimsicals Veterans' Sikkim and North East Bike Odyssey ended on 19th May with their return to Dehradun. The ride started on 01 May 2024 at 0500 hrs from Darshan Lal Chowk near the Clock Tower, flagged off by the 4th member of our group (who could not be a part of this ride owing to personal reasons), and a fellow 'Upsainian' Mr Anand Kr Singh (whom I was pleasantly surprised to see at such an early hour). 
My bike clocked 5657 kms from start to finish and that translates to riding nearly 300 kms per day on an average (not counting the two halt days, one in Sikkim and the other one at Guwahati). This was the longest ride that any one of us had ever undertaken earlier. Riding through Uttarakhand, UP, Bihar, West Bengal, Sikkim and Arunachal, we experienced extreme weather going from one place to another, be it heat, cold or rain. The riding conditions were no less daunting - from smooth highways to 'potholed' roads to ones with large craters in them, and with no roads at some places, we rode in the plains, hills and high altitude areas without any acclimatization. 
West Bengal had the worst roads and it was quite common to see speed breakers without any markings made on toll roads/highways which was exasperating to say the least. In Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh, we encountered rains at some places and roads severely damaged by landslides and soil erosion. Riding downhill through the 42 loops in slushy conditions from Lachung to Gangtok in Sikkim will give the shivers to any experienced rider, and we were no exception. On the return trip we experienced the severe heat of May which started the day we left Tenga and reached Rangia. 
Thereafter, it was hot throughout and our riding gear added to our woes. One way to beat the heat was to start early and aim to reach the destination before lunchtime which we managed to do almost every day during our ride, particularly in the plains. 
 The highlights of this ride for me were : 
 1. Visiting the Ram Mandir at Ayodhya. This is going to be a spectacular place of worship which devotees and tourists from all over the world will jostle with each other to behold, once it is completed. As of now only a portion of the complex which houses the 'sanctum sanctorum' has been completed and hordes of devotees are flocking to have a glimpse of the 'Ram Lalla' idol. 
2. Catching up with my cousin at Gangtok whom I had not seen for the last 32 years (though we were in touch off and on). 
 3. Seeing the pristine landscapes of Sikkim for the first time. 
4. Visit to Kamakhya Temple at Guwahati. Had a very satisfying ‘darshan’ and ‘puja’ at the sanctum sanctorum. 
5. Déjà vu moment at Jang and Tawang where I served with 5 Assam Rifles 37 years ago. Much has changed at both these places but the locations where the unit was stationed are still recognizable and I was able to identify most of the landmarks around these places. 
6. Paying obeisance at the Jaswantgarh, Tawang and Nyukmadung War Memorials
7. Seeing the newly inaugurated Sela tunnel at 13000 ft which is 700 ft below the Sela pass and saves around half an hour of journey time. The two tunnels are still being repaired and work is going on to make them fully functional though they have been opened for traffic. Only tourists now visit Sela top to have a look at the pass and lake and click photos. 
8. No breakdowns to any bike or illness/falls to any rider during the entire odyssey. Not even a puncture. This must be a record of sorts! 
9. Witnessing two fatal accidents on the road, both involving bike riders without any safety gear over-speeding on the wrong side of the road. This has become a menace all over and requires stringent action from the law enforcement agencies. The importance of safety for all road users cannot be over emphasized.

Following are the links for photos and videos of the ride:



Tuesday, April 30, 2024

Whimsical Veterans' North East & Sikkim Ride - May 2024

 

Three members of the 'Whimsical Veterans' group (a group of 4 Dehradun based 'Fauji' veterans) are leaving Dehradun astride their Honda H'Ness CB 350 motorcycles on a road trip which will cover around 5500 km. The ride starts on 01 May and will end on 19 May 2024. The bikers will be riding all the way up to Tawang (Arunachal Pradesh) through UP, Bihar, West Bengal, Sikkim, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and return to Dehradun. Highlights of the trip are a visit to Gurudongmar Lake (17,800 ft altitude) in North Sikkim besides Lachung and Gangtok, a visit to the Ram Temple at Ayodhya, Kamakhya temple at Guwahati, the newly constructed Sela tunnel and the famous Buddhist Monastery at Tawang. The members of the group are :

1. Col Rakesh Singh Sidhu (68 yrs)

2. Self (68 yrs)

3. Capt (Indian Navy) Anoop Chauhan (60 yrs)

The detailed itinerary is as follows:

Date

From

To

Distance

Time

Remarks 

01 May 2024

Dehradun

Shahjahanpur

408 km

8.5 hrs

Via NH 734 (Haridwar-Bareilly)

 

02 May

Shahjahanpur

Faizabad

300 km

6 hrs

Via NH 30 & NH 27 

03 May

Faizabad

Muzzafarpur

406 km

8.5 hrs

Via NH 27 

04 May

Muzzafarpur

Siliguri

388 km

9 hrs

Via NH 327 & NH 27 

05 May

Siliguri

Lachung

228 km

8 hrs

Via Gangtok (For  Permits) 

06 May

Lachung

Gurudongmar & Back

228 km

9 hrs

One way -114 km ,Gurudongmar Lake (17800 ft)

07 May

Lachung

Gangtok

116 km

4.5 hrs

Halt at Gangtok – Local sightseeing

08 May

Gangtok

Binnaguri

165 km

4.5 hrs

 

Via NH 10 & NH 17

09 May

Binnaguri

Guwahati

349 km

8 hrs

Via NH 427

10 May

       ---

   ---

 

  ---

  ---

Halt at Guwahati. Visit Kamakhya temple etc

11 May

Guwahati

Bomdila

335 km

7.5 hrs

Via NH 27 

12 May

Bomdila

Tawang

177 km

171 km

5.5 hrs

4.5 hrs

Via NH 13

Via Sela Tunnel (opened 09/3)

13 May

Tawang

Tenga

194 km

6 hrs

Via NH 13 

14 May

Tenga

Rangia

221 km

6 hrs

Via Arnatulla Kalaktang Rd 

15 May

Rangia

Siliguri

390 km

9 hrs

Via NH 27 

16 May

Siliguri

Muzzafarpur

388 km

9 hrs

Via NH 327 & NH 27 

17 May

Muzzafarpur

Faizabad

406 km

8.5 hrs

Via NH 27 

18 May

Faizabad

Shahjahanpur

301 km

6 hrs

Via NH 27

19 May 2024

Shahjahapur

Dehradun

410 km

8.5 hrs

Via NH 734 

Total 5410 km (19 Days)

Tuesday, January 10, 2023

 

“Biking cum Hiking Trip - 2.0”

Barely a fortnight after the “Mission Mana” trip (25 to 27 Oct 2022) the ‘tripping’ bug bit us again with an added participant in yet another crazy adventure. On 12 Nov 2022, myself, Cmde Ravi Nautiyal and Capt (IN) Anoop Chauhan started off from ISBT Dehradun at 0630 hrs with the intent to reach Badrinath, 350 kms away, before last light. It was Ravi’s idea to trek to Neelkanth Base Camp which is 10 kms from Badrinath at an altitude of 16330 ft on 13 Nov, when the weather was supposed to be clear. The trail starts from Badrinath temple so we had decided to stay the night at a hotel in Badrinath, a decision we were to rue later. The logic behind this choice was to save some time before and after the trek as Mana (where Army accommodation was available) is 4 km away from Badrinath and we wanted to proceed to Joshimath immediately after the trek so that travel time back to Dehradun on 14th Nov would be reduced by a couple of hours. Another reason was the unknown state of the road between Badrinath and Joshimath during morning hours owing to the freezing night temperature in and around Badrinath (numerous water crossings en-route would be frozen and riding bikes would be hazardous).

With packed breakfast in our saddlebags we started off at the appointed hour and with small halts for breakfast (at Devprayag) and late lunch (at Joshimath), reached Badrinath exactly at 1700 hrs as dusk was just setting in. Everyone was saddle sore owing to the 10 hour ride (not counting the halts) over bad hilly roads. Since Anoop had not been to Mana during a previous trip to Badrinath and we had also missed a photo-op during our earlier jaunt, we proceeded to the entry gate at Mana for that purpose. Having clicked some pics and selfies we rode back to Badrinath and started the hunt for ‘Hotel Decent’ where Ravi had booked a room online for our night halt. The so called hotel was located in a cramped up bylane near the main bazaar of Badrinath which is very close to the temple. The temperature was minus 4 degrees at 1800 hrs and it was our luck to have been allotted a triple sharing room on the top floor. Accommodation was scarce owing to the last minute rush of tourists and pilgrims as the temple was closing for winters on 19 Nov 2022. After dumping our baggage in the room we went for a stroll in the market and also visited the temple which was overcrowded. Even the freezing cold had no effect on the revelers and one had to jostle for space. On the return trip we stopped at a makeshift ‘café’ which was offering hot milk and jalebis - an incredible sight in this remote corner of Uttarakhand ! This was yet another ‘unfinished agenda’ from our previous trip which was duly completed. Dinner was skipped as a result of this indulgence.

The worst experience of the trip so far was about to begin. Hotel ‘Decent’ had no heating arrangements. The attached bathroom had a water heater with the hot water tap leaking. The WC cover was hanging on one support and the cistern was also leaking. The icing on the cake was that there was no false ceiling and water droplets were falling from the CGI sheet on top owing to condensation. They had provided a flea-bitten quilt and a blanket each for all the three beds. By 2000 hrs we started to shiver and decided to wear layers of clothing including socks, caps and gloves and go to bed despite our reluctance to use the soiled bed linen. The night was spent in tossing and turning and sleeping in snatches even though we were tired after the day’s ride. The temperature at midnight was minus 6 degrees Celsius and we just could not get warm enough. Decent Hotel charged us an ‘indecent’ tariff of 4000 bucks for one night’s stay with super ‘indecent’ amenities. Getting through the ‘morning routine’ was another nightmare which I will not dwell upon as that is another story.

At 0800 hrs we had a cup of tea at one of the café which was open and started the trek to “Charan Paduka” which is 3 km uphill from Badrinath. The serpentine trail starts from an area behind the Badrinath temple and is ‘pucca’ with paved stretches and steps leading to the first shrine ‘charan paduka’ which is a rock believed to have imprints of Lord Vishnu’s feet. A lot of devotees flock to this place after visiting the Badrinath temple as Lord Vishnu is supposed to have placed his feet here when he visited earth. A sight of the shrine is said to cure one’s ailments. We reached this rocky shrine at 0920 hrs and started clicking some pics but were promptly ‘shooed’ away by the priest for not removing our shoes. Begging forgiveness for this ‘sacrilege’ we started our onward journey after having some snacks. Neelkanth base camp from this spot is another 7 km of uphill trek. The going got tougher as we started climbing higher owing to the altitude and the condition of the track. We started having frequent breaks to catch our breath to obviate the high altitude effects and eventually reached the base camp at 1145 hrs. The base camp is at an altitude of 16300 ft above sea level and offers a breath taking view of the majestic Neelkanth peak (21300 ft). Neelkanth peak is also called the ‘Gharwal Queen’ and has great mythological value as it is believed to be an ‘avatar’ of Lord Shiva. We had some snacks and shot some beautiful pictures of the mountain and the area around. The scenery around the base camp was surreal and we were lucky to have reached this sacred place on a bright sunny day. The air was chilly and we started our descent towards Badrinath at noon.

The trek towards Badrinath was uneventful and we reached our hotel at 1500 hrs. After a quick ‘rig changing’ exercise we hopped on to our bikes and left for Joshimath. We reached Joshimath at 1630 hrs and checked into the Fd Wksp Guest House where we had independent rooms booked (thanks to Anoop and his connections) with attached washrooms, heating arrangements, clean linen et all. The first proper bath of the trip ensued followed by a sumptuous vegetarian (by choice) meal and we hit the sack early. With proper heating arrangements, clean duvets and blankets, all of us slept early so that we could leave for Dehradun the following day at 0700 hrs.

The ride to Dehradun on 14 Nov was enjoyable as there was less traffic on the road and other than the damaged portions of the road there was nothing to worry about. The sky was overcast and we encountered light rain at a couple of places but managed to scoot away before we could get wet. We stopped for brunch at Gauchar at Arjuna Hotel and Restaurant which is run by Capt Surendra Singh Kanwasi, who is an Arjuna Awardee (year 2001). One must stop at this place for delicious stuffed parathas besides a variety of other mouth-watering dishes on the menu. With a short stop for tea at Kaudiyala and refueling at Rishikesh, I reached home at 1700 hrs.

This was yet another adventure to remember where we pushed the boundaries as regards testing our endurance and physical fitness for riding long hours and trekking 20 kms in high altitude without any preparation. It seems we pushed our luck too as it rained at Joshimath on 14 Nov and Badrinath experienced fresh snowfall after 09 & 10 Nov when we were apprehensive about the weather prior to our onward journey. Some pics of the trip are as follows:

                                        Start of the ride from ISBT Dehradun on 12 Nov 2022
                                            Reached Entry Point to village Mana at 1700 hrs
                                      Pictured near Mana with new Ralco tyres on my bike
All covered up owing to -6 degrees temp at Badrinath. The temple can be seen in the background.
                                                        Badrinath temple up close
                                      Mt Neelkanth pictured from our hotel at sunrise
                                                            Sunrise over Mt Neelkanth
                                            Waiting for tea prior to the trek on 13 Nov 2022.
                                View of Badrinath town from the trail leading to Charan Paduka.
                                         Ravi and Anoop taking a breather on the uphill climb.
                                             A dilapidated waiting point for travelers enroute.
                                              Mt Neelkanth getting closer as we climbed up.
                       Water seepage from pipes frozen into various shapes on the way up.
                                               Neelkanth 7 kms sign (at Charan Paduka)
                     Sign proclaiming 'Narayana's "HOLLY " Foot - Charan Paduka cave
                                                        Footprints on the rock near the cave
                                       Taking a short break before the last stretch of climb.
                                            Ditto for Anoop while Ravi is busy clicking pics.

                      One of many 'Cairns' which we encountered enroute. These are made by                                                         travelers to indicate the correct route or trail lest one loses his way. 
     The guest house at Joshimath was luxury personified compared to our diggings at Badrinath !
          This reminded me of my dear friend Jogi (never knew there was a waterfall named after him)
                                          The weary traveler returns to home and hearth !
                  Pictured with Capt Surendra Singh Kanwasi at his restuarant in Gauchar.
                                                       Neelkanth base camp at last !
                                Enjoying hot jalebis and milk in sub-zero climes at Badrinath.
                  Raring to go - at a short distance from Badrinath when the going was good.
                                   High altitude 'Holly' with remnants of snow still visible.
                                                 Prior to the temple visit on 12 Nov evening.
                                            The descent after the trek was relatively easier !
                                                          Sunrise over Mt Neelkanth.