The Bhangarh Berettas

Nostalgia was high on mind when I planned my 15th Ride…Bhangarh was the first bike ride of my life back in March 2008 with Negi & Pravin…and what a ride it was…I wanted to re-live the magic of Bhangarh all over again…also the fact that most of BOPians could not ride in the August Binsar Bazookas Ride ensured that we had lots of riders signing up for this ride…finally we had 13 confirmations and 2 pillions as well…15 was the biggest count BOP has ever had for it’s rides…

The Bhangarh Berettas were:

1. Dips on his Black Electra
2. Gyan on his Red Karizma
3. Vihans on his Orange FZ-16
4. Verma & Sharma on the Udhaar ki 5S Machismo
5. Sandy on his Silver 5S Electra – The Debut Rider
6. Pravin on Marco Polo
7. Veeru on his Black Pulsar 220
8. Deepak on his Black Pulsar 220
9. Katar on his Red Birdie
10. Zaheer on the Udhaar ki Standard
11. Ashok on his Red Electra
12. Rishi on his 535 Lightning
13. Kunwar Paaji – The Indomitable Pillion
14. Che on The Mighty One



The Ride started at 5:30 AM from The Leisure Valley Park in Gurgaon with the Sun breaking out, birds twittering and cool breeze flowing…when the 13 bikes were ready to rock & roll the noise created quite a ruckus and blew the sleep from the minds of morning-walkers who swarm the park every morning…not the peaceful surroundings they were hoping for on a sleepy Saturday morning!!!

We made our first stop at 6:45 AM on a NH-8 flyover after 70 kms of fast riding…actually we all wanted to pee…that’s why we actually stopped!!!



After the open-air spectacle we all stopped for Breakfast at a decent-looking place…neither a Dhaba nor a Restaurant but looked clean and with well-designated wash-rooms as well...Ordered for Paranthas & Tea without asking for the Menu-Card and that was a cardinal mistake we committed…both the things were not gastronomically divine but the bill was worth Rs. 1950 bucks…jaw-dropping and we were all dumbstruck…but could not do a thing about it…paid it while abusing left-right & centre…one big learning for life…never order for food without looking at the menu & checking the prices…



I was the last rider to start after seeing everybody off with Katar Bhai and soon realized that the front Tyre was punctured…managed to ride at 50 kmph till I found a repair shop…got the air filled and started again but soon the Tyre completely gave way and I had to stop to get the puncture repaired…the 2 guys manning the shop were royally sleeping and I had to vroom the bike to wake up from their deep slumber…he gingerly woke up and came out to assess the damage…his 1st response was “NAHIN HOGA- Bullet hai Saahab”…I told him that I know how to remove the Tyre and he just needs to repair the puncture…he found out that the tube was damaged and had to be removed…luckily Katar Bhai was carrying a spare tube and it was duly replaced…thanks a ton Katar for helping me out…



But while putting the Tyre back he hit the Axle Rod really hard with his hammer and the grooves of the rod got damaged and the nut refused to be wound…next 20 minutes were spent in fruitless tries with all 3 of us trying…finally he called an expert who took his time but ensured that the Tyre was set though it was a Jugaad…I heaved a sigh of relief and moved on with Katar Bhai in tow…the front Tyre was bubbling vigorously and I had to maintain a low speed of 60 kmph for the next 35 kms…the rest of the gang was waiting for us at a Dhaba and were all excited to see me after the breakdown…I enjoyed a much-needed Sutta and then started again for the Intersection point for the Bhangarh Fort where Dips & Kunwar were already waiting for us…The Bhangarh Fort was still 75 kms away and the weather was transforming into amazing…cloudy & not at all warm…we entered the Real Rural Rajasthan in our 13 bikes and invited awe-struck looks of surprised villagers…by now we are used to such likes and the adulation never seem to end!!!

Stopped at 12 PM when we reached the Ajabgarh City Gate and clicked pics…the scenery was superb and the fort beautiful…



I remembered my last year’s ride and this was the exact spot where we had stopped…soon a long picture session followed…and the nostalgia was not getting over soon…I went ahead and stopped at the same Theka where the 3 Haunted Spookies had beer on 21-March-08…a long BBB session followed with beers getting gobbled up in no time…I called up Negi…my Riding Comrade who was in Kinnaur-his native place and told him that I was really missing him and wish he was with us…and took a swig from the beer bottle in his name!!!



Finally we reached the Haunted Bhangarh Fort at 1 PM…and it had transformed…it was extremely crowded…there was a new designated parking spot…loads of vehicles parked…sadly another peaceful & tranquil fort taken over by commercial interests…I sadly entered the fort premises and the crowds had rammed the fort inside as well…but I thought how long this beautiful fort could have stayed safe from the eyes of tourists…plus there was some Pooja also taking place…that was also a probable reason…

We went to a temple and sat on the chilled marble floor with cool breeze flowing and down below we saw a man just falling down and experiencing fits…an epilepsy attack…Pravin, me & Dips rushed to his rescue…took him to a shady place…gave him water and comforted him…he fell down on concrete after the attack and had a big wound on the back of his head which was bleeding…I used my first-aid kit and bandaged his head…soon he got up and went away…his right body was paralyzed and he was blabbering something which we could not understand…I prayed for his quick recovery and went ahead to explore the rest of the fort with the gang…

And then we experienced a memorable scene…we all have heard that monkeys are scared of Langurs…but we saw something totally against the heard facts…we saw a solitary monkey moving towards a big herd Langurs and looking straight into their eyes…and scaring them away…also stealing their food…one amazing sight…just proves a fact…GAAND MEIN DUM is all which is required to stay ahead and scare the competition!!! Would never forget that scene of unabashed bravery…

Soon all our eyes were transfixed on a Hill-Top sight which was the perfect place for the all-important BBB Session with the full fort-view in sight…we all huffed & puffed our way to the top and the view didn’t disappoint us at all…



Soon beer bottles & Namkeen packets were opened up…there was also a new snack variety waiting for us…courtesy Deepak Bhai…Peanuts!!! Yes Peanuts as a Beer-Snake…a first for us!!! The Bakchodi session which followed was hilarious and filled with bouts of loud laughter whose sounds must have been heard upto Jaipur which was some 70 kms away…yes we were that loud!!!



We all left the fort at 3 PM and it also started to rain…little we had thought that the ride ahead would be wet…really wet!!! I made the customary BOP Ride Video in amazing weather with 12 bikes going past me…another video for the history books…

The ride back home started and some 20 minutes into it, it started to rain cats & dogs and we had to make n emergency stop…it was more of a torrential downpour than a rain!!! After staying out for some 15 mins. we all decided to keep in riding as the rains were showing no signs of slowing down…packed all our electronic gadgets safely in plastic polybags and moved on…

The next stop was also a nostalgic one…the same Dhaba which had served 3 famished riders last year…shockingly the Cook recognized me & Pravin instantly and remembered the fat tip we gave him…we ordered for our very late lunch and then kept on waiting till the lavish meal was served…passing our time munching away innumerable packets of Parle-G Biscuits and gulping tea…our anticipation was soon over…the meal was served and soon got over as well…Kadhi-Pakoda, Gatte ki Sabzi,Dal-Fry and Palak ki Sabzi served with Hot Rotis…quite a meal it was…

We started the ride back to Gurgaon in pitch-darkness and soon were hit by a bout of heavy rain but kept on moving as we knew waiting would have been of no use…the rain Gods were there to stay with us…my last 4 trips have been filled with non-stop rain…Bharuch, Mt. Abu, Binsar and now Bhangarh…Indra Devta surely loves me a lot…and for the next 250 odd kms it was all about fighting the elements…the rain kept battering us and we kept fighting it like brave warriors…never getting bogged down…

It was extremely tough riding in the heavy rains and with no lights on NH-8…it’s a pity that one of the most important highways of India connecting Delhi & Mumbai has no lighting whatsoever and inspite of the exorbitant toll-tax collected nothing much is done for the lighting part…Rain was surely playing hide & seek with us…we got dried up but to get wet again…the trucks were splattering away muddy water on us but our spirits were never doubted but surely tested…

We had to stop due to a problem with Katar’s bike…the electrical system screwed up and his bike just didn’t work…he decided to park it at The Bawal Police Station and come back to pick it up in 1-2 days’ time…he became the pillion of Dips thereafter and we made our last stop at the Manesar McDonalds for a dinner stop…by this time Gyan, Veeru, Zaheer, Ashok, Deepak, Vihans, Pravin & Rishi had left us and went straight towards their homes…

We wished Katar for his birthday and dropped him at the Gurgaon Toll Plaza where his friends were to meet him…Verma & Sharma also left for their home…but one final ritual was still remaining…you would guess what now???

Yes…we hadn’t made any beer stop in our return journey and we never end our ride without one final Beer Pit-Stop…this time as well we followed the rule and enjoyed a chilled pint of Tuborg: The Official Beer of BOP…just the 3 of us…me, Kunwar & Dips…some strange coincidence…my first Bhangarh Ride was with 2 fellow riders and my second Bhangarh Ride ended with 2 fellow riders as well!!!

My 15th Ride was finally over…after some 508 kms on the road and 21 hours with my riding buddies…

High Points of the Ride:
1. Veeru’s elaborate preparations each time we started…the bandannas…the gloves…the protective gear…the goggles…it was hilarious
2. Sandy-The Rookie Rider’s brave & fast riding…the power of the Youth…
3. Verma & Sharma Duo…their first ride and they were simply amazing…never ever complaining about anything…
4. Riding in Heavy Rains…very tough & challenging but a great learning experience
5. Kunwar Paaji- The best Pillion I would have ever wished for…some great conversations with him while riding…

Pics & Videos…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YD-CQ1utb4 - BOP @ Bhangarh

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZBzN7FgOC4 - BOP BBB Session on the Fort-Top

http://picasaweb.google.co.in/jha.nishant/TheBhangarhBerettas?feat=directlink – Che

http://picasaweb.google.com/mailtovivek.sharma/BikingToBhangarh?authkey=Gv1sRgCI32q Cd-fvs5QE# - Sharma & Verma

http://picasaweb.google.com/virendra22/BhangarhFortRideWithBOP# -Veeru

http://picasaweb.google.co.in/pravinmac/BhangarhBerettasRevisited - Kora

More about Bhangarh’s History & the Map:
http://ghostsofindia.com/bhangarh/
http://www.amanresorts.com/uploadedFiles/Aman/___Group_Website/interactive_map/AmanbaghMap.pdf

Che would be back on the road again…

Till then ride safe & have safe sex…

Hasta la Victoria Siempre…

The Binsar Bazookas

This was my first Bike Ride which started on a sad note for me…the number of 8 confirmed riders dwindled to just 4 a night before we had to leave and tragically my best biker buddy Dips dropped out due to some urgent work at his office…the ride could not have started on a more sad note for us but we gathered our spirits and decided to give it our best shot and leave the miseries behind…

Binsar was one destination which I wanted to conquer for quite some time having read a lot about it in so many Biking Forums and after seeing the pics my excitement grew even further!!!

The Binsar Bazookas were:
1. Doegar on his Black TB
2. Tomar on his Maroon Electra
3. Gyan on his Red Karizma
4. Che on The Mighty One



The Bazookas never knew that the ride would be trouble-filled and full of breakdowns but as you know by now BOP is one helluva Biking Club…always ready to face whatever challenges which are thrown at us…so read on to find out what all we went through and the moments of victory !!!

Day 1 – 13th August 2009(Gurgaon – Hapur – Moradabad – Tanda – Bazpur – Nainital)



Started the Ride at sharp 5:25 AM from South Extn-1 Market with some seriously stifling humidity all around us…kept riding all the way till Hapur where we stopped at the Shiv Tourist Dhaba at 7 AM after riding for some 100 kms…had some hot stuffed Paranthas with Maazaa & Tea…after stuffing our tummies and getting ready for a long ride ahead we started again…some 50 kms into the ride my accelerator cable broke…I knew how to change the cable and was carrying all the spares…one mechanic was also close-by who offered his help but in reality was of no use so did the entire thing myself with Tomar helping me out…in half an hour we were all set to start…the weather was humid with cloudy sky all over the place…the lucky part was no sunshine hitting us…that was the saving grace…we never knew that we were not to see sunshine for the next 4 days!!! Yes the clouds were to stay with us for quite some time…

At 10:30 the first breakdown hit us…Tomar’s bike just simply refused to start after we had stopped to wear raincoats due to the light & steady drizzle…luckily some Bullet Mechanic was close by….quite strangely named INTEZAAR which translates to “Wait” in English…he pushed the bike towards his shop where he tried all his histrionics till 1:15 PM when the beast started again…we all heaved a sigh of relief but our plans had been badly screwed…



We were some 300 kms away from Binsar and by no means we could have reached as he was advised to ride at constant 40 kmph for the next 100 kms…we abided by the advice and kept motoring along…the bike was making some strange sounds and I am sure Tomar was not feeling good one bit as he rides really quickly…but nobody of us complained…we knew the ride was jinxed…4 dropouts, 2 breakdowns already & plans were going haywire just 7 hours into the ride…
After crossing Tanda we stopped for Lunch at 3 PM at a non-descipt Dhaba only serving Dal,Kadhi & Egg Bhurji…just about the food to satiate our hunger...nothing much in the food which was not enjoyed a single bit by either of us but still was gobbled up pretty quickly…not to miss Gyan proved his real worth by falling here...a still bike but he found out a way of getting imbalanced…in this easy process he broke his Front Brake Yoke…he never ceases to amuse us by his happy falling ways!!! I am sure he loves the smell of dust-laden roads that’s why he finds every opportunity to get up-close & personal with it!!! We also called up Zaheer Bhai for his advice…he advised us to put some engine oil in the petrol tank which we did and that really helped…another point in case to prove that Zaheer is indeed a RE Genius!!!



After starting again we soon hit the hills which forced us to stop at the same point where the BOP Corbett Riders had stopped in the January 09 ride…Doegar got to his camera clicking ways…Tomar brought out his Old Monk Rum Hip-Flask…I got into the Bakchodi mood…the sorrows of the breakdowns were over & we were back to our normal BOP traditions!!! We planned to reach Nainital by 6:30 PM and then reach Almora by 8 PM(some 55 kms from Nainital) and then stay overnight and then start for Binsar at sharp 6 AM the next day so that we could spend some time in the KMVN Guesthouse which we had already booked…but this was to happen in normal circumstances…the moment we reached Nainital I kept waiting for the rest of the Bazookas but they were nowhere to be seen…the Naini Lake was looking beautiful in the twilight…with fog flowing over it…it was the first time I was there and I was getting soaked in the picturesque scenes but the scene was shattered by Gyan’s call and the bad news that Tomar’s bike had stalled again and no way it was starting as the last few kms before Nainital were quite steep and his engine had heated up…we got to know that the only RE Mechanic of the town would be available the next day at 9 AM…with no options left we decided to book a room for the night and then get the Bike ready the next morning…surely a sad news but we were not shattered…Binsar was still some 90 kms away and the Bazookas’ plans had been badly hit…

We found a decent Hotel Room @ 1200 bucks with 2 Double Beds and overlooking the Lake from the Balcony…some solace!!! We all freshened up and left for some time pass on the Mall Road followed by dinner @ Sher-e-Punjab Restaurant…the dinner was damn neat which was followed by ice-creams!!! Just to note it being a Thursday and the day when Tomar Bhai is off Alcohol & Non-Veg!!! Basically off all-toxic stuff and coupled with the Breakdown mess he was surely getting disillusioned…but he had his plans ready…he was to gulp down the sorrows with Rum which he was carrying…the countdown started at 11 PM and then it was an endless wait for 60 minutes!!! He duly made the 2 pegs for himself & Gyan at 11:45 and then every minute was spent like the New-Year Countdown except the hysteria…he was quite calm & collected all this while!!! T 12:03 the look on his disheveled face transformed to a happy & relieved one…Cheers sound echoed in the Hill City and the first few gulps were made…must say a happy ending to a tough day…after 2 really heavy drinks we were all eyeing the beds just the way people look at their watches every Friday Evening at Office!!! Anticipation of relaxation was quite palpable to say the least…we slept with a prayer on the lips that the next day is better than this one and Tomar’s bike gets all right…with these prayers we went to a deep slumber…



Day 2 – 14th August 2009(Nainital - Ranikhet)

Started the day lazily and packing our stuff…had to check out at 10 AM and start the Bike Service at 9 AM…the mechanic was late…he came by 10:30 AM and we used this time to have our breakfast and enjoy some lakeside revelry…the mechanic finally came amd told us that it would take atleast 2-3 hours to get the bike ride-ready…so we decided to enjoy a Boat Ride for some masti…hired a paddle boat and started…the weather was serene…the clouds were just flowing infront of us…and it started to drizzle,…a scene straight out of a dream…but some 30 minutes into the 60 minutes boat ride it started to rain really heavily and we were also panting for breath after the paddling!!!



After this we went back to check the latest on the Bike status which luckily had started and had stopped making the strange noise as well…Jawed, the mechanic was damn sure that the bike won’t give any other trouble till Delhi…we had no other option but to trust him and he surely was a messiah for him…our ride was soon to get back on track…it was already 1:30 PM…

With this wish we started the ride towards Ranikhet…some 9 kms into it my bike stalled!!! I shouted loudly and abused left-right & centre not at anybody particular but our collective bad luck…The Mighty One was riding smoothly and without any reason it just stopped…after checking the fault we found out that the power was not coming…I called up Zaheer and asked for his help, he once again showed us the way…we found the fault…it was a wiring fault in the Battery Charger below the seat…we fixed it but still called up Jawed to check it completely…he came and found everything else perfect…so we started again at 3 PM for Ranikhet…



We stopped enroute at another viewpoint where I fulfilled a long time wish of mine…getting a pic clicked with me lying down on the road!!!



At 5 PM we reached Ranikhet and enjoyed a late lunch at Moon Restaurant…the Tandoori Chicken was superb and the superb weather around us made it even more superb…we had to stay ay KMVN’s Monal Guesthouse at Ranikhet which in the website pics looked quite gorgeous…



We reached the place by 7 PM and boy it was one amazing small little place…the caretaker was quite hospitable and welcomed us like a good & hospitable host…he took the order for Dinner and also prepared some amazing Pakodas for Snakes to be enjoyed with Rum and the Pepsi session!!! This session was to run really long…really long…ding-dong!!! The mosquitoes started to get attracted towards Tomar’s sexy & hairy legs so he sat in the weirdest poses you would ever see…





But his alcoholic body soon warded away the threat of the small parasites and he was back to his normal self…Doegar got to his Camera Work and we sat under the cloud-laden sky…at 1 it started to rain heavily so the BBB session had to move inside the room…it went on till 3 AM and then finally we called it a day…the sleep demons were hitting us like Sachin used to hit Warne for sixes over his head!!! There was no option of ducking under it but to see them coming our way and entering us!!!

Day 3 – 15th August 2009(Ranikhet – Binsar - Chilliyanaula)

This was going to be the big day of the Ride for the 4 of us…finally we planned to conquer Binsar and truly adorn the name of “BINSAR BAZOOKAS”!!!...we woke up lazily by 11 and got ready by 12 after enjoying a nice breakfast of Aloo Paranthas…it was raining since the night and the weather was perfect to ride through the foggy hills…we started by 12:30 and stopped enroute for a Sutta break…

I dumped for the first time in the hills and I knew this was the sign of good luck the Bazookas were anxiously hoping for…Gyan & Tomar had asked this question so many times till now “tu dump nahin maarega?”…that’s the main reason why we faced so many breakdowns…and deep inside my heart that our luck would change from now on and we would simply sail through from here!!!

It was raining steadily and the roads were completely deserted due to it being India’s 63rd Independence Day…finally reached the Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary Gate at 3 PM where so many people got awestruck to see bikes coming from Delhi…we shrugged it off as we are used to those kind of looks by now!!! Everybody thinks we are the sort of rowdy guys high on Weed & Beer and just riding to create an impact…but the truth is miles away from this…we enjoy riding…period…



At 3:30 PM we saw one of the most amazing scenes of our life…cloud laden mountains and the clouds were well below us…it was a scene which I had not even dreamt of…stopped to click pics and pose with the BOP Tee…finally Bulls on Parade had conquered Binsar after going through so many hardships in the ride but in the end & as always we were the clear winners with God’s Grace…after the breathtaking stop we reached the KMVN Guest House where we had intended to stay on the 13th August Night but for the breakdowns…clicked some pics in front of the main gate for memories sake…we could not visit the famous Zero Point due to paucity of time but I promised myself that I would be back soon with more BOPians one day and conquer the Zero Point for sure…



By 5 PM we were hungry like famished Somalians and had to take a Lunch Stop which we duly did at a cool little place…the balcony view was superb and the food was also damn neat…but for the slow service it was a great experience…soon our eyes were transfixed on a solitary blood-sucking leach slowly moving away from our table…we prayed for the poor soul whose blood it must have sucked…I smashed under my heavy Shoes and fresh blood came oozing out of it…we checked amongst ourselves but nobody had no pain whatsoever…so we heaved a sigh of relief…but but but…things had to change(more details later!!!)…



Enroute to Ranikhet I stopped again for a much-deserved Dump after the sumptuous meal!!! The bad demons were finally off our back…we also acted as good Samaritans and offered lift to 2 Jak Rif Regiment Soldiers who asked for a lift…2 brave soldiers they were…they were here to start the mountaineering expedition to the Nandadevi Peak…we wished them good luck and they thanked us as we had saved them from a 30 kms walk through the jungles where leopards are a common sight!!!

Finally we bid goodbye to Binsar and reached our Monal Guest House at 8 PM where we had left our luggage…the final stop of the ride was the KMVN Guest House in Chilliyanaula…finding it was one tough task in the dark and somehow we reached…the place was full of cars from Delhi…not the place for Bikers…it was a family hotel and we also were treated like outcastes by the hotel staff…limited food options and bad service…the final BBB Session started by 10 and ended by 12…the next morning we had to start at 5 AM sharp to avoid the mad rush of Delhi Holiday-goers who would be returning after the long weekend…

Amidst the ride-ending revelry Tomar Bhai removed his shoes and to our utmost shock found out a mark on his right foot where there were dry blood stains…he rubbed it and blood came oozing out…now we knew whose blood was sucked by the leech which was ambushed by me in the afternoon…I am sure the leech left early as Tomar’s blood would have tasted of alcohol and it must have been sued to simple Uttarakhandi Blood!!! We all made a good laugh out of it but surely he had a close shave…

Finally the ride was almost but over…3 tough days and 4 tough riders…braving the rains…facing the breakdowns like true bikers…down but not at all out…at no time our spirits were down…we were always ready for more!!! The atmosphere was sad and we were ready for the last leg of the ride…which was going to be tough as we knew we would have to ride in the rains…

Day 4 – 16th August 2009(Chilliyanaula – Nainital – Bazpur – Ghaziabad – Delhi - Gurgaon)

As per the plan we were ready to rock & roll at sharp 5 AM…in thick darkness and heavy rain…the 56 kms ride to Nainital was the toughest of the trip as it was extremely foggy with limited visibility and land slides through the way…at time small stones on the roads and at time huge boulders welcoming us!!! And the rains made it tougher but by now we had got used to it and went non-stop till Nainital where we had to stop due to the heavy rains and specially the wet clothes of Gyan Bhai who was unceremoniously not carrying any form of rain gear except for his wind-cheater jacket!!! He wanted to change as he was feeling uncomfortable…I used this opportunity to go for a dump…this time in a Public Toilet for a change!!! Also enjoyed Bread-Omelette with piping-hot tea…the perfect companion for a rainy morning…we started the ride in rain as we had no other option…we knew the traffic would get worse soon when the people would start for Delhi…

At 8:30 AM we again stopped to capture another beautiful scene…clouds were flowing below us and I made a video…I knew this would be last good view of the mountains we would get in the ride as the plains were going to hit us soon…we kept riding non-stop but for the sutta breaks…and stopped for lunch at 3 PM near Moradabad at a restaurant which was recommended by Tomar…and he was duly thanked…the food & the service rocked…I finally ate Noodles which I badly wanted but never got a chance to devour…after a good meal & drying off our clothes & socks we started the ride again for Delhi…



This was the stretch where for the first time in the ride I zipped ahead leaving behind the 3 riders at 110+ kmph speeds and then waited for the rest of the gang for some 40 minutes whiling away my time watching cars zipping by and having frequent suttas…the roads were changing from bad to worse as we approached Ghaziabad…I am sure everybody would have experienced the considerable difference in the quality if roads when one moves to UP from Uttarakhand…I am sure the reason is the wastage of public money on statues rather than spending the money on basic Infrastructure by the worst CM the country has ever seen…I am sure all of you would heartily agree to this fact…

All of us unanimously decided to make the first & only Beer Pit-Stop of the ride before we finally hit Delhi…as all of you know by now the club motto of BOP is BBB-Beer, Bullets & Bakchodi…but this ride had not seen any beer till now…as the B of the Beer had been replaced by the dreaded B-Breakdowns…so we made this stop to follow the tradition of our club and to our surprise found the official beer of BOP in the Highway Theka as well---Tuborg…unfortunately it was not chilled so we had its elder brother Carlsberg…Tomar Bhai went for a more potent one-Tiger Beer(as expected!!!)…



We hit Delhi amidst some mad & crazy Traffic Jams due to the heavy rains & bad roads…bid goodbye to Gyan & Doegar on the way to Zaheer Bhai’s Bullet Point where Tomar had to give his bike for an overhaul…shared the ride stories with Zaheer and then I dropped Tomar at his home…

The final count of the ride was 907 kms as per my odometer…the 4 Bazookas were finally successful in their tryst with Binsar…we gained rich experience of riding on slippery mountain roads through some heavy rains and also in the constant fear of landslides…

I completed my 14th Ride….just a statistic for me as I am not gonna stop soon…as they say “Miles to go before I sleep!!!”…

Pics from the Ride:
Che- http://picasaweb.google.co.in/jha.nishant/TheBinsarBazookas?feat=directlink

Doegar - http://picasaweb.google.co.in/varun.doegar/BinsarBazookas?authkey=Gv1sRgCILZwZnusaTGGQ&feat=directlink

Tomar - http://picasaweb.google.com/sankettomar/Binsar?authkey=Gv1sRgCJq7-ui-4YHF1wE#

Ride Videos:
http://www.4shared.com/dir/18954596/21d4cb10/Binsar_Bazookas_Videos.html

Che would be back on the road again…

Till then ride safe & have safe sex…

Hasta la Victoria Siempre…

Gaurav Jani : The Man of Steel

I have been inspired by many people in this world, first & foremost by my mother; the list also includes Che Guevara, Bhagat Singh, Michael Jordan, Sachin Tendulkar & my brother…

The list got a new addition yesterday…Gaurav Jani…



For the uninitiated he is the founder member of 2 great organizations… www.60kph.com & www.dirttrackproductions.com …I had heard about him from a fellow biker named Dipesh Shah aka WildChild who is a 60kph member himself during our chats and later when we met in Ooty during the RM-09…

Gaurav can best be described as a wanderer. He used to work as assistant director to Bollywood director Ram Gopal Varma but soon realized all he wanted to do was ride the highways. So he purchased an Enfield and set off and rest as they say is History…

He is the critically acclaimed Director of 2 Biking Movies/Documentaries named…”One Crazy Ride” & “ Riding Solo to the Top of the World” and I had the privilege to watch these 2 movies in the Siri Fort Auditorium in Delhi yesterday with fellow 500 biking enthusiasts and my BOP club members…

Both the movies are full of inspirational stories, bike breakdowns, riders’ bonhomie, farewells and re-unions, tough roads or at time no roads!!!, lost directions, meetings with strangers, exploring the unexplored, eating the weirdest of things, snakes on the roads, landslides and what not…but most importantly atleast for me both the movies are all about the indomitable human spirit and a never say-die attitude…




Gaurav displays both of them in tonnes & tonnes…be it completing the Arunachal Ride all-alone after bidding farewell to 4 of his buddies who had to leave the ride midway or not listening to the locals in Ladakh and reaching the southern-most point of the Changthang Plateau…some might call him a crazy vagabond but for me he is what a real biker is…not following the treaded path but charting out roads on his own…



And the best part about Jani is that he smashes the much publicized & glorified image of a Biker to bits, the ones people think wear leather jackets, sunglasses & a rugged-rowdy image…he is one of the most simple & down-to-earth human being you would ever find and doesn’t have a single self-pride streak in his body…

I am sure he is an inspiration to loads of people out there and these movie screenings would slowly but surely change the mindsets of people who think Bikers are irresponsible citizens of the country who transverse the highways without any rhyme or reason…no guys we are not even remotely close to that…watch the movies to see what fellow bikers have achieved…

I have already planned a North-East Ride in 2011 and let’s see if I can follow in Jani’s footsteps…still loads of time away but you never know…even I have a crazy mind!!!

You can know more about Gaurav & his adventures at:
1. http://www.rediff.com/news/2003/dec/23spec.htm
2. http://twitter.com/dirttrackprod
3. http://www.facebook.com/people/Gaurav-Jani/521331390
4. http://www.dirttrackproductions.com/trailers/ridingsolo/index.html
5. Phone : +91 9833013039
6. Email : gaurav@dirttrackproductions.com



I am anxiously waiting for his 3rd Movie to be released in 2010 and hopefully to watch it again on a big screen!!!

Till the next time we meet again…

Che would be back on the road again

Have safe sex & ride safe…

Hasta la Victoria Siempre…

The Abu AlphaMales

I had taken a break from Biking for July-2009 after riding for close to 12,000 kms from January to June in 7 Rides…West Coast, Rakhigarhi, Kurukshetra, Mcleodganj, Chakrata, Lansdowne & Jalori Pass…but owing to my undying & passionate travel streak which runs in my veins, I had to travel out of Delhi in July, there was no second thoughts about that…all the possibilities collided and the plan was made, our buddy Nilu aka Sinha Sahab had recently bought a swanky Ford Fiesta and we wanted go for a drive to celebrate his new buy…

Rajasthan had been in radar for quite some time so we closed on Mt. Abu as our destination, 750 kms. from Delhi. Our plan was tight as we just had 2 days with us and some 1500 kms. to cover, I did the planning for the route, food & itinerary and we were all set then to conquer another destination…

The Abu AlphaMales were:
1. Nilu Hazarika aka Sinha Saahab
2. Diptinder Singh Chhabra aka Dips aka Kenny aka Ken Slayer
3. Vihans Gupta aka Vihans Paaji
4. Himansh Martoliya aka Himanchhhhhu
5. Nishant Jha aka Che

24th+25th July 2009 – Friday-Saturday (Gurgaon – Ajmer – Pali – Abu Road – Mt. Abu)
I left office at 5 PM, picked up Dips and reached my home where Vihans & Nilu were coming, Papa went to get our Ice-Box filled with some crushed ice to keep our Beer & Water stock chilled through the way, I prepared the Seekh Kebabs & Chicken Wings, packed our stuff and after bidding goodbyes to my parents started our trip at 7 PM. The next stop was some 5 mins. later to pick up Beer…we stocked it up…a carton of Tuborg and 3 pints for Nilu, yes just 3…as we had imposed a quota on him for him to drive safely through to Abu, he was to decide the timings of his gulping acts, 3 in one go or slow n smooth…like Anupam Kher said in the movie “Khosla ka Ghonsla”…Hold the Drink!!! And Nilu took this dialogue 2 steps further…750 kms…15 hours and just 3 pints, hats off to his controlling…even before hitting the NH-8 the first Cheers were made in the car, the snakes were opened and started to get gobbled up very quickly…we kept zipping along the fast lanes of NH-8…kept making our frequent Piss stops and our beer-refueling stops…in the meanwhile Vihans Paaji shifted to his Trip/Ride attire…the Blue Flowery shorts which would soon be a worldwide Fashion rage…it has to be seen to be believed!!!

My mother had packed UP Style Poori-Aloo-Achar for the drive and it got over in 5 minutes flat and we were yearning for more, the non-veg. snakes also didn’t last very long…close to 1 AM in the night we made our Dinner Stop at Sanskar Dhaba which I miss-spelled as Sarkaari Dhaba and had a very average tasting meal but we didn’t mind much as we were damn hungry, Sinha Sahab didn’t eat anything as he never wanted the sleep demons to hit him after having dinner…

After that it was a smooth drive upto the point where a bout of very good luck bestowed on us, Nilu was zipping at 120 kmph, I was sitting in the front and Dips-Vihans were sleeping peacefully in the back, Nilu miss-judged a steep right-bend and the car took a perfect 360 degrees rip and stopped on the other side of the road, luckily no other vehicles on the road and Nilu was very calm & composed during the 2-3 seconds of mayhem, I sat still without uttering a single word(which rarely happens btw!!!)…after that there were sighed abuses all around…the behenchods, madarchods & Gaandu-bach gaye yaar…we went back and saw the tyre-signs on the road, thanked god & had a sutta before starting again…some 2 hours & a short tea-break later Dips took over the steering and then Nilu enjoyed a peaceful sleep…all this while I was awake and playing a DJ with Eminem, Euphoria, RATM, Country Music, Jagjit Singh & Punjabi songs playing out the musical symphony while we enjoyed the drive…

And then the Sun played a Light Symphony…the dawn was breaking…kids were going to the school…it was drizzling…scenes straight out of a dream…and the amazing roads to boot…loved the scenes…Rajasthan is surely one helluva amazing beautiful place…we also went through a village with 2 crossings having busts of Bhagat Singh & Chandrashekhar Azad…saluted the revolutionary spirit and moved along to the last stretch towards Mt. Abu…

Had to pick up Himanchhhhhu near the Abu Road station and that was a pain…driving through the slushy roads without knowing the way…after a 30 mins treasure hunt we finally found him waiting for us…and then it was the most amazing drive through the Rajasthan Ghats…some 20 kms of mountain driving through the heavy rains and lush greenery…this road can surely give tough competition to any Himachal or Uttarakhand mountain roads…we could not believe our eyes that we were in Rajasthan as we were in the Desert State of India but Desert was as far as the Public Distribution System is from the poor of the country…



Reached Mt. Abu and found a damn fuckin cheap hotel fitting our budget to the T…a room for 800 bucks…spacious & clean…with a huge circle-shaped bed…yes it was a first for us…a sleep on the circular bed was not to be missed for sure…we had a breakfast of hot & fresh Poha, Tea & Omellete and after that slept off…to catch some lost sleep from the night…





Woke up at 3 PM and then off we went to indulge in some local sight-seeing…first stop was the famous Nakki Lake and as expected we went for a boating fiesta…it was drizzling, the clouds were floating just above us and it was quite foggy…another amazing scene…the trip was moving forward in the perfect copybook style…after enjoying the boat ride we went for a small trek to the Toad Rock View Point and from there to the City Aquarium which was in shambles…a great place with which no justice had been done…amazing variety of fish but shabbily managed…lastly we visited the Sunset Point which was crowded like crazy but provided us amazing scenes…clouds were flowing in the air and sun was playing a silhouette game with the playful clouds…I also discovered a Savita Bhabhi look-alike who surely was voluptuous & hot like the toon online avatar!!! and also got real cozy with her husband(hope so!!!) and my camera measured all her curves!!!



While roaming around the market we could see so many Gujju girls roaming around trying their best to look hot but miserably failing in their poor attempt…tight tops, ill-fitting jeans and what not…we enjoyed their fail-show and then me & Vihans went to play a game of Snooker where I narrowly lost by a margin of 56-54…thoroughly enjoyed playing Snooker after some 5-6 years…



It was getting dark and we were getting thirsty…yes, you guessed it right…it was the time to engage in a Daaru session!!! We bought the stock just in the nick of time as the Thekas were closing, the best part was that there was a direct-selling session happening between the 2 thekas with both of them shouting at the top of their voice to pull people to their shops…another first for me!!! I mean you see the best of such sessions at Janpath but for a Liquor shop it was mind-boggling…



Reached our hotel, ordered our snakes and then started the long session…all this while it was raining heavily and the sounds were amazing…the rain gods who have left us dry & parched were blessing us like there was no tomorrow…we were singing rain-rain please don’t go away!!! And please come with us to Gurgaon on our way!!!



We finally called it a day at Midnight to sleep after enjoying one of the most amazing days…rain, great weather, good food; boating, trekking…we were indeed blessed on 24 & 25 July 2009!!!

26th July 2009 – Sunday (Mt. Abu – Gurgaon)

I woke up at 8 AM with my alarm ringing out loud and then I got ready before waking everybody up, then gingerly everybody was ready by 9:30 AM, had our breakfast, paid the Hotel Bill, packed our stuff, loaded it in the car and moved out and it was still raining heavily…believe it or not it rained heavily through the night. The weather out there was simply amazing, it was juggling between being foggy & clear with surprisingly infrequent intervals and it was green like I have seen Kerala!!! surely Mt. Abu is blessed and more than that the Gujaratis are blessed, it is some 20 kms from the Gujarat Border and the Prohibition-imposed Gujjus come here every weekend to drink all their blues away, it is also the good-old paradise for couples as well for they get into their amorous acts in the beautiful locales of the place…



We drove through the hilly & wet roads onto the NH-14 where the open roads were bidding us goodbye and asking us to come back here again, lets see when I would be in Abu again but believe me it’s a place worth going back again…

We dropped Himanchhhhhu at a Hotel where he was to rest before boarding a train back to Baroda, and then started our return journey back to Gurgaon…Dips & Nilu drove in turns and Vihans kept rolling & sleeping merrily, I find it very tough to sleep in a car so I was perched at the front seat and playing the good-old DJ and the navigator…



This pic was taken when Dips reached the top speed of 157 kmph !!! Don't rub your eyes...yes it was indeed 157 kmph and I was the witness to that...what an amazing exhiliration...Dips' excitement is quite palpable !!!

Sinha Sahab gave his diktat that he only wanted a non vegetarian meal and his orders were duly received by me and I was asked to keep an eye on any Dhaba serving the same…I kept looking and bingo…we found one Dhaba!!! Actually not me but Vihans…OK I won’t take his credit…I am in a benevolent mood today…it being a Sunday!!!

We stopped at the Dhaba and it was a specialty Non-Veg. one, he only served Laal-Maas (Rajasthani Mutton Curry) and Rotis, I loved the aroma and the look of the curry and the best part was that it was being cooked which meant it was fresh & piping hot…sadly Vihans doesn’t eat much Mutton so off we went to get some Veg. food packed…and got Kadhi Pakoda, Sev Tamatar and Rice packed…the biggest hit was the Chilled Kheer we could manage, it tasted like heaven and we got 3 plates packed…

We had our lunch on a Khaat underneath a tree and with some amazing weather to boot…and then the Mutton was served…it was fresh and tasted really amazing…rotis kept coming in and we kept on gobbling them up…enjoyed the Kheer and ended our lunch on the best possible note…



The next stop was an expected one but I played it safe…just out of the blue I asked Sinha Sahab…”Tea Break or Beer Break?”…quite nonchalantly & expectedly he replied…”Beer Yaar…Aur kya”…there was a uniformly loud laugh which followed his reply and then within minutes we stopped for a Beer Pit-Stop…quite shockingly we could find Tuborg Beer in the middle of nowhere in Rajasthan…just to make myself very clear…Tuborg is one of the best tasting beers I have tried…you have to taste it to believe it…Dips had a super strong beer aptly named BULLET!!! we clicked some pics, finished our beer and then started the last leg of the journey…




It was already 6 PM and we were some 300 kms from Gurgaon and the bad traffic on the roads was not helping our cause…the huge trailers took an eternity to give us a pass and the 2-lane NH-8 wasn’t a breeze to zip through…we kept tugging along and stopped at 11 PM for a dinner break…

Just before enjoying some pure-Rajasthani style dinner I indulged in an act which I love the most…dumping out in the open…amidst the lush grass and free-flowing breeze I enjoyed the flushing out!!!

The meal which followed was an equally enjoyable experience…Gatte ki Sabzi, Dal Fry, Sev Tamatar and piping hot rotis…after this gastronomical meal it was an endless painful wait through the countless toll junctions on NH-8, each of them took us 15-30 mins to cross, and Sinha Sahab’s bad judgment made it worse, he always used to get his car stuck in the right-most lane between the trucks and there was no other option than to wait…so we were left with no other option than to wriggle our way through to the payment point…

We hit Gurgaon at close to 3:30 AM in the night…and by that time I had become a zombie and was dozing off but being seated on the passenger seat didn’t want to sleep as Dips was driving and Sinha-Vihans were royally sleeping in the back…reached my home at 4 AM and the rear seat zombies were woken up finally from their deep slumber…nobody was talking for a change owing to the tired mind, body & soul…I gingerly picked up my stuff from the boot…took a bath and dozed off…next day had to reach office at 11:30 AM so the sleep was much needed and extremely crucial…

The trip was a huge success owing to all factors combining in positives for us; great weather, amazing place, delicious food, a near brush with death experience, an amazing car to travel in, chilled beer and a great company of buddies…all in all we spent 32 hours in the car and rest 25 hours actually in Mt. Abu!!! Many would call us plain idiots for trying to attempt such a hectic trip but surely we are not idiots…we are up and ready for any traveling challenge we are thrown up to!!!

This month I would be back to Bike Riding…am going for a 900 kms ride to Binsar in Uttarakhand with my BoP comrades and would be back with a bang on the wide-open roads…the place where I belong to…

For the benefit of people who want to travel, I have uploaded some Travel Maps & Guides and I am sure it would be useful for all…Heres the link: http://www.4shared.com/dir/18393763/2c1e01e0/Travel_Maps.html

The pics of the Abu AlphaMales Trip can be viewed at http://picasaweb.google.co.in/jha.nishant/AbuAlphaMales?feat=directlink

Till the time we meet again…Hasta la Victoria Siempre…

Ride safe and have safe sex…

Che would be back on the road again…

Plus before I finish I would like to mention one quote which I read at the back of a Truck which truly was an amazing one and definitely one of the best I have read...
"Ramyug mein Doodh mila, Krishnayug mein Ghee...Kalyug mein mili Madira...JEE BHAR KE PI"