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…