The Bikaner Boomerangs were:
1. Ajit on his Blue Thunderbird
2. Dips on his Black Electra
3. Tomar on his Red Electra
4. Vibhor on his 500 Machismo(debut BOP Rider)
5. Amit Mukherjee on his Blue Standard(debut BOP Rider)
6. Vihans on his Orange FZ-16
7. Gyan on his Red Karizma
8. Doley on his Red Avenger
9. Sunny on his Black Pulsar 180(debut Rider)
10. Che on The Mighty One
The Chilled Beginning
The 10 Boomerangs gathered at the Leisure Valley Park and started the ride with a big aplomb…zipping our engines and leaving behind the mundane city life and starting on the open highway roads- the place where we all really belong to…it was extremely cold considering the December Winter was starting to set in and we were all ready with our Winter Riding Gear…
The (MIS)navigation
I always try my best to go through the accurate route but as they “Man proposes but God disposes”…I can not agree more…I had my trusted map from the Eicher Road Atlas with me but somewhere in the middle it all went wrong and we didn’t take the correct turn towards Narnaul and after passing through the Haryana Village roads and witnessing a gorgeous sunrise through the Mustard Fields we hit the NH-8 again…luckily it all ended in a laugh as I was expecting loads of abuses flying my way…maybe the early morning chill didn’t let the mouths open up…what we all really wanted after the big miss & the laughs was some much-needed hot tea & paranthas dripping with butter…and our wish was granted as a Dhaba was right across the road and we had a really heavy breakfast…after all God is never always harsh on me!!!
The Decorative Motorcyclist
Who says that motorcyclists are harsh & ruthless human beings as even we have some emotions and also some creative juices flowing in us apart from the endless beer running through us…we stopped for our first Theka Pit-Stop, enjoyed some Child Beer and I gorged on some unexpected snakes to go with us- The amazing pink Sugar Candy Floss!!! I just love the flavour…my childhood days just come running back to me whenever I eat it. And the best part was that the vendor was also selling some balloons…one magnificent idea struck my golden mind and I decided to embellish The Mighty One with some coloured balloons!!! To give it a decorative look…
The Love Affair continues…
With our tummies & throats satisfied our heart was also looking for some satisfaction of its own and what better way than to ride through some amazing roads and as always the heart got its wish…we were soon riding through the smoothest tarmac roads of the country…the NH-11…believe me some of the most amazing roads you would ever find…it’s a rider’s dream…no vehicles on the road, just you, your bike & your buddies…we had the desert on both sides & the beautiful sky for company which was changing it’s colours every five minutes…just could not stop myself from raving about our Country and thanking God for giving me the opportunity to explore it as well… and as always I didn’t let the golden opportunity pass me by…I had never dumped in the Desert Terrain so off I went behind the bushes and this time Tomar & Vibhor also accompanied me…with no tissue papers with us we found an indigenous idea…I tore my handkerchief into 3 pieces and it was duly used as the tissue paper!!! What a discovery…I am soon going to get it patented…I hate cheap imitations…
The Breakdown Stop
With some 30 odd kms left for Bikaner, I got a call from Dips that his bike had stalled…I rushed back to him and found out that he had some trouble with his new big tank which he had recently installed…the primer coat on the inside was coming off and was reaching the engine which had resulted in a clogged carburetor and the engine stopping finally…I got my torch & Leatherman knife out and opened it up, cleaned it and fitted it back again and soon we were up & running…all this while Zaheer Bhai was a great help as he guided us through…the bike started again but sadly after some 10 kms the same trouble happened again and the same corrective measures were followed…luckily we reached Bikaner & our Guest House without any further stops…how can a BOP Ride be complete without some breakdowns…they are like what Chutney & Pyaaz is to Tandoori Chicken…have to go together!!!
The Camel Man
We reached our Guest House quite funnily named “The Camel Man Guest House”…you can find more about it at their website http://www.camelman.com/ , the rooms were extremely cozy and we got a rousing welcome to boot…the next POA was plain & simple…a long BBB Session…we had been waiting for it for the last 500 odd kms!!! and it was expectedly a fun-filled one…believe you have to attend one to find the heights of Bakchodi we attain during these sessions…they get as high as the Mt. Everest itself…and that’s 8848 metres high!!!
Laal Maas beckons…
After the long ride & the ever enjoyable BBB session all we wanted was a very heavy dinner and here also I had planned well in advance…I had pre-ordered the native Rajasthani Dish simply named Laal Maas…cooked with just Pungent(very pungent) red chillies, Mutton & Salt and with lots of love thrown in for some good measure!!! believe me it was the spiciest delicacy which I had ever eaten in my entire life but at the same time the most delicious as well…Mutton never tasted this good…and the best part was the moment we started our dinner there was a thick blanket of silence which engulfed us…see we have priorities in the right place…we enjoy what we do and focus on it whole-heartedly…
Fire in our souls and around us...
What would one need after Meat, Beer & a long ride on a cold winter night…yes the answer is a Bonfire…it was duly set up by the hotel staff and then another dance session started with me blurting out my signature pelvic & body thrusts !!! our newly christened Tauji was also in a festive mood---yes you got it right…the ever lovable Vihans…he also danced merrily with me with gay abandon…the memorable day was coming to a glorious end and we called it a day at 1 am finally after a fun-filled day of revelry & brotherhood…
Another Day…Another Fort…
BOP & History go hand in hand and we continued our illustrious stint of visiting forts with a visit to the historic & magnificent Junagarh Fort. And the best part about this fort is that unlike the numerous other forts which are dying a slow 7 painful death due to ASI’s apathy, the Bikaner Royal family has not donated their fort to the Indian Government and they still maintain it like their own baby which has ensured there are no ugly scribbling on the walls and no paan-stains as well plus we also got a free guide with our group at just a paltry entry fees of 10 rs per person…surely the Royal Family deserves a pat on its back…the interiors of the fort are beautiful and the history abundant with stories of adultery & royal revelry…we had a great experience and wish ASI spend some more time in managing our rich history rather than just ignoring it completely…I vouch for Capital Punishment for every a$$hole who scribble on any heritage wall…and yes I mean it…Capital Punishment…
BOP rides a new beast…
Another of my wish was soon to get granted…after a hurried lunch at a small dhaba which was not small when it came to the taste we rushed towards the starting point of our much-expected Camel Safari…all of us were excited to the core at the thought of riding a different kind of beast-The Camel…each one of us selected our camel from the lot and I went for one named “Kalu”-my home nickname, the name by which I am called by my Parents…and what a handsome beast it was…4 years old and very strong…it was a 8 kms camel ride which felt like a 80 kms one as the experience of riding a camel over such a distance is not a very happy one for the lower-rear of the Human Anatomy…and then the race began…the non-BOP riders had gone much ahead from the BOP Lot and they were raving about it and you very well know the competitive streak of me…I took it up as a challenge, took Kalu’s charge from it’s shepherd and zipped ahead and as expected beat the Non-Bullet Riders and reached the destination first!!! It was surely a sweet victory…
Sand Dunes & the Kings…
We reached our camp site and had a tea-pakoras breakfast…it was like an appetizer for the long evening & night which was in store for us…the tea gave way to some child beer & McDowells No. 1 Dark Rum!!! a Bonfire was set up again to keep us warm & safe from the very chilly night-out in the desert and the traditional Rajasthani Music session started…one vocalist & 2 kids playing the instruments…man they were simply out of this world and took us all to a totally different world-the one which exists in every mind but we travel to it only rarely due to some sheer brilliance we experience…after the musical brilliance we wanted our share as well and we left for a high sand dune and started our very own long-very long singing session…one can safely call it shouting as a singer would have died hearing our kind of music…each one of us was in his zone…but there was one partnership which was getting groomed…Che & Tomar Bhai…the real magic was just getting started…the clear favourite of this session was “Yeh Lal Rang” the famous Kishore Kumar song from the movie “Prem Nagar” picturised on the original superstar Rajesh Khanna and this time sung by the superstars of BOP!!! We kept on repeating this song till we were exhausted…and then another dumping session for me in the desert atop a sand-dune…wow!!! What a feeling it was…and when my tummy gets empty soon after it yearns for a meal…and this time it was the Laal Maas again…yes we wanted more of it inspite of its chilly properties…the silence was shattered by the song “Yeh Laal Rang” which was blurted out repeatedly with full fervour!!! We kept hogging till the last piece of the meat was over and after a tiring camel ride, a vocal chords checking session and a long bout of BBB we went inside our cozy & very comfortable tents to enjoy a well-earned long sleep…
The Tomar Show…
With sleep on everybody’s minds, Tomar Bhai had some plans of his own and I became his partner-in-crime…he had got the Dholak of the Rajasthani Musicians and also another instrument and came up with an idea to wake everybody up and not let anybody sleep through the night…the mischief streaks of my body also woke up and we started going to every other tent with Tomar blurting out his vocals and me backing him up my share of percussion brilliance!!! Sunny played the Lightman and used my torch for some very intelligently coordinated light moves of his own…it was time of 1000% fun and one which cannot be described as it had to be experienced to be believed and the best part was that Tomar Bhai was the brain behind it…he normally speaks on an average some 2.5 sentences in 24 hours but he shook all of us with his mastery and a time we would never ever forget…Tomar Bhai this one is for you…Jai Kunwar Ji!!!
Another Musical Magic…
We woke up after a deep slumber and with shock & awe in our minds after the Tomar Show and he was back to his silent superstar ways…we had another heavy breakfast and soon were up & running on our 2 camel carts…another new mode of transport experienced by us…we reached a village where a jeep had to take us back to our Guest House, it got delayed and luckily we could experience another musical mastery…an old Rajasthani Couple were begging through the streets and were playing an authentic Rajasthani home-made instrument on the lines of a Sarangi and both of them were singing some Rajasthani Folk Songs…for the next 20 minutes nobody moved or spoke a single word…we were all stunned by the music…Surely Rajasthan has a very big bag of magic tricks up its sleeve and the state just keep pulling out one magic after another…
BOP prioritizes…
Some of us wanted to go to the famous Deshnok Rat Temple and some of us to the Indira Gandhi Canal…and off we went…Sunny, Ajit & Vihans went to the temple and the rest of us went towards the canal, I had wanted to visit this canal as this has transformed the barren desert lands of Rajasthan to a land which is green & very fertile…and en route we also experienced the Rajasthani Road Magic…even the local village roads are superb…and this road to the canal was straight out of every Biker’s Dream Book…the big-wide desert on both the sides made me go crazy and I zipped till the speed of 126 kmph…man that’s fast & scary but I enjoyed every piece of it…We did a long Desert-Style Photo Shoot and came back to Bikaner to do some Namkeen Shopping for our homes…see even we have our soft side which the world completely ignores…
Dance BOP Dance…
We went to the Suraj Restaurant for dinner where the Thali is the specialty and it was recommended specially by out GH Owner…but before the dinner we got to experience a new high…there was a marriage procession passing by and we all started to dance on the high-bass beats of the Brass Band…danced like there was no tomorrow and the girls in the procession gave us some thirsty looks-how much they wanted to join our jig but sadly the ugly traditions stopped them for becoming amorous!!! We wished the groom good luck and went inside the restaurant for our dinner…
BOP & Rain – The never-ending love affair…
We woke up to a rainy morning but luckily a very light drizzle and started our return ride in pitch-darkness with rain keeping us company for some 80-odd kms…Rain has been part of 3 of our 2009 rides- Mcleodganj, Binsar & Bhangarh and all of them had seriously heavy downpours but luckily this time God showed some mercy and spared us the troubles of riding in the rain which I personally don’t relish much…
My Calculation Error…
This is mistake-admission time…I am sure the Boomerangs would forgive me for my mistake…My bike reached the fuel-reserve point and I simply forgot, soon my bike just stalled due to lack of fuel but luckily Vibhor Bhai with his experience & the raw power of his Machismo 500 pushed my bike for some 30 kms and took me to the next petrol pump…I didn’t admit my fault there as I was really feeling very bad but I thought would own up when I write this blog post…sorry guys…
Another Milestone Achieved…
I have rode through Drass which is the coldest inhabited place in India and I always wanted to ride through Churu as well which is the hottest place in India and the opportunity came through in this ride…I felt proud on achieving another Riding Milestone and we all celebrated it with a Breakfast at a Dhaba just opposite the Churu Railway Station….had a satisfying one and started the ride again…
Regressive is the Word…
We reached Jhunjhunu where Vihans wanted to visit a Sati Temple made in the honour of a woman who became a Sati by willingly getting herself burnt to death by sitting on her dead husband’s pyre…it’s a shame that such a temple was made and it’s a bigger shame that people keep flocking such temples…I find it completely ridiculous and shameful…nonetheless India is a land of such shameless traditions and we can just play our part by not being a part of them and educating people not to repeat & respect such horrors…
The Final Breakdown…
We reached NH-8 after a long ride and then Ajit’s Clutch Cable snapped…I got a call and then me, Amit, Dips & Tomar rushed to his bike and tried repairing his bike and once again with Zaheer’s help were somewhat successful…he atleast could manage to ride his bike at 50-60 kmph till his home…once again a small breakdown solved in no time. All this while the rest of us were waiting for us at the Gurgaon Toll=Plaza to bid each other the final goodbye of the ride before leaving for our respective homes…another prime example of the rider bonhomie!!!
The Final Cheers…
As is BOP’s tradition we always end our rides with a final pint of beer at a new Gurgaon Theka each time and this time also it was no different; me, Vibhor & Dips enjoyed a Pint of Tuborg and wished each other for another successful ride completed and this ride was ultra special as this was the first 1000+ kms BOP Ride!!! yes we have rode together umpteen times but this was the first time we were together for more than 1000 kms and I am not counting my WCR or Ladakh Ride as they were non-BOP Ride…me & Dips shouted our War-Cry Jai BOP at the BOP Point as is our ritual and reached our home tired, happy & very dirty !!!
Important Details of the Ride:
Dates of the Ride: 12-13-14-15 December 2009
Total Distance Covered: 1120 kms
Gurgaon to Bikaner Route: Gurgaon – Rewari – Neem ka Thana – Sikar – Fatehpur – Bikaner
Bikaner to Gurgaon Route: Bikaner – Churu – Jhunjhunu – Narnaul – Rewari – Gurgaon
GH Website: http://www.camelman.com/
Owner(Mr. Vijay Singh Rathore)’s Contact No.: +919829217331
Maps: http://www.4shared.com/dir/18393763/2c1e01e0/Travel_Maps.html
Pics of the Ride:
Vibhor - http://picasaweb.google.com/destinyvb/Picture?feat=directlink
Ajit – http://picasaweb.google.com/ajitsingh208/Bikaner#
Che -http://picasaweb.google.co.in/bullsonparadeMC/TheBikanerBoomerangsCheSAlbum?feat=directlink
Special Thanks to Doley, Sunny, Amit & Vibhor who rode with BOP for the first time and were great riding partners…Vibhor with his never-say-die spirit, Doley with the cutest-of-them-all smile, Sunny with his fun-filled bakchodi and I would reserve my comments for Amit (better remain silent for a change!!!)
And wishing a speedy recovery to Dips who has recently undergone an Operation for a ligament tear…he would be out of the riding circuit foe some time to come and I am sure once he is back there would be no looking back….Dips Bhai we have to ride to Ladakh together in 2010…come what may…best of luck to you…
Che would be back on the road again…
Till then ride safe & have safe sex…
Hasta la Victoria Siempre…
7 comments:
bhai .... the whole blog was gud...but for me the interesting part is in the last..... ladakh in 2010....whats the plan
blog is nice n tight....but, it wasn't as elaborated as previous blogs......but still good....
Nice Pic -the first one in "Love affairs cntinue section .."..
Read and found it as interesting as the other blogs..!
Excellent write-up as usual Nishant bhai! Enjoyed reading it! I checked the website of Camel Man..weird name but it looks too good!
And really nice to see you standing up against ASI!
Great job and good luck for your Ladakh Ride! :)
FENIL
Your blogs are getting more and more detailed. nice to see that. adds so much more of your quirky sense.
man!!! so wanna go there now after reading this.. hopefully soon enough..
Nice pics & write-up.
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