Bike Trip to Leh – Ladakh – Khardung La: Finally Dream Ride turns into Reality – Mumbai to Leh (Khardung La)

June 26th, 2008

Day 1

Story:

A day before the meeting point was decided, somewhere in north mumbai at a famous Sai Baba temple. But the time was early morning 5am, means most have to get up at 4 in the morning. Sounds like a big challenge, not the ride but getting up early and this is a challenge that I will never complete successfully. I slept at 1 am and when I got up it was already 5am. Sandeep called me up (thank god he called otherwise I would have got up after sunrise) and I told him to carry on. I will catch up somewhere at Manor.

Some how got up from the bed, everything was packed and started moving to Manor. There were light rains but within couple of hours I was at Manor. Met the gang for breakfast. Also I was meeting few guys for the first time.

Soon we were back on the road and some heavy showers started. Riding condition was little difficult but riding in rain is fun too.

Just as we crossed Daman border we came to know Pratas had met and accident. Locals helped us to take him to a near by Hospital.

Till the time doctor looks after him we found some mode of transportation that will take him and his bike safely to Mumbai. Luckily we found one such transportation in a jiffy. His hand got a plaster and some wounds were on the jaw. He and his bike then were off to Mumbai. Also loading his bike on the van was a tough thing.

After some tea we started back with the ride. Some how we wanted to across Baroda by evening. For a late lunch we took a halt at a restaurant on the highway, don’t remember the name. But the food was delicious.

Some guys took a small nap and then we were off to Baroda. Till Surat most of us we riding near by but after Surat I and Rohit speeded up and took halt few kms before baroda bypass to wait for the rest. We took night halt at Baroda bypass. Here too I don’t remember the name of the hotel but it was a good place. Food was excellent and there was a lake view from the room. Room was big enough to fit us all in it.

After Dinner around 11pm we were flat on bed. It was a hard day but it was fun.

Log:

Total kms done: Around 480

Best Road: Manor to Surat.

Worst Road: Surat to Baroda.

Speed: Average 90km/hr

Rains: Light showers to continues pouring.

Incidents: Pratas’ accident. Ashish’s bike silencer comes off. Shivprasad slips on Rohit’s thunderbird.

Info: Vapi to next 20km is supposed panvati patch as termed by locals as most accidents take place in it.

Highway: Total trucking type. Very few cars on highway.

My Expenses for the day: Rs 600 Petrol, Rs 30 Breakfast, Rs. 150 Lunch, Rs. 80 Dinner, Rs. 20 water.

Average: Average given by my bike (Karizma 2003 model) was 52km/litre.

Photographs taken: Around 80 shots.

Funny Incidents: Shiv slipping in a funny way.

Memorable Events: Dinner time.

Any new thing learnt: MRF Zapper Q is excellent for riding on wet roads. Too much luggage no good.

Total hours of riding: 15

Today’s ride had series of events, a few tragic but all is part of motorcycle touring.