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: