The BoP Chittorgarh Cavaliers

BoP always does things in style & with grandeur and our 3rd Anniversary Celebrations were no different, Dips & I had decided on the destination quite early but kept it as a surprise till I sent the official Ride Invite in September and a surprise it surely was…our destination was Chittorgarh, a quaint little town in Rajasthan with a rich history of Pride, Valor & Bravery, our comrades were expecting Jodhpur or Udaipur but our choice blew them away…since my childhood I had a dream to see the Victory Tower or Vijay Stambh and what better way to achieve my dream with a Bike Ride and that too BoP’s 3rd Anniversary Ride…

We have been to Pushkar & Ranthambore on our previous 2 Anniversaries as is the tradition of our club that we would celebrate our Anniversary with a Ride to a Destination in Rajasthan. We had some avoidable & unfortunate incidents in both those rides & this time I was hoping for a smooth & trouble-free ride and boy-oh-boy God heard me right!!! The ride was as expected full of fun & drama but no tragedy!!! The only sad part was that we couldn’t have any of our non-BoP Comrades in this ride as this is a BoP-special Ride and only BoPians are allowed…

We kept this ride as a 3-days ride to ensure maximum participation but sadly in the end we had only 9 confirmed participants as we were expecting a minimum count of 15, we booked the hotel at Chittorgarh, I got the route & travel maps ready and also did the pre-ride celebration party at Adda in Gurgaon which was also the Farewell Party for Fagu who was leaving for Bengaluru to take up a new job there. So things were hot & ready for the Anniversary Celebrations…and we had a ball…

Read on to find out the story of The BoP Chittorgarh Cavaliers…

The Cavaliers were:
1. Dips on his Black Electra
2. Doegar on his Black TB
3. Asok on his Red Electra
4. Zaheer as Asok’s Pillion
5. Fagu on his Chrome 500 Machismo
6. Khanna on his Silver Electra (with Brand New Alloys!!!)
7. Vikas on his Maroon Modified Beast
8. Topgun on his Red Electra
9. Che on The Mighty One

A delayed start…

The plan was to start by 5:15 AM but we could only start at 5:45 AM as some of the riders were late and we waited for Khattri & Topgun to appear, and as expected when we called up Topgun he was still sleeping & we asked him to catch-up but there was no news of Khattri & sadly we didn’t have his number as well so we started without any whereabouts of him. With loud chants of “Jai BoP” we started our 3rd Anniversary Ride on a big high; me & Dips have attended all 3 of them and for us it is a big achievement…3 years, 30 rides, 23,645 kms & countless memories of fun, camaraderie and so many fellow comrades; some have stayed on & some have been kicked out but the spirit of BoP remains fresh as ever the way it was on a cold winter morning in November 2007 when the first meet of “Gurgaon Cruisers” (our club was known by this name then) was held at the same place- Leisure Valley Park from where we started this ride…hope our spirit & passion can stay the same and we would celebrate our 10th Anniversary in 2017…Inshallah…

Breakfast Tradition…

We rode at an amazing pace and within an hour had traversed 80 odd kms, our first pit-stop was the same Highway Dhaba where we ate during our 2009 Anniversary Ride to Ranthambore, the weather was quite chilly so hot tea & Paranthas were gobbled up like there was no tomorrow, after an hour-long break we started with heavy tummies and our next target in mind which was to stop only after covering 100 kms…this was to be the trend throughout the ride for the Cavaliers…

Meeting a Friend…

Me & Dips stopped enroute to meet a Dhaba Owner on NH-8 who helped us last year when Rishi Maurya had met with a horrific accident, he had parked Dips’ Bike at his Dhaba and for 3 days kept it under his security, meeting him was just to show our gratitude for what he did to us and he was also very delighted to see us and I would never forget his lines when he saw me, when I asked him “Yaad aaya main kaun hoon?” he replied “Sir, aapko kaise bhool sakta hoon, aap bhoolne waale bande nahin ho”, I shared a sutta with him and we bid him Goodbye promising him to meet him again one day when we would be on a NH-8 Ride again…

A Smoke with Strangers…

I blasted my way through NH-8 & then NH-79 and finally took a break after some 100 kms and there was a big gap between me & the rest of the comrades, once again I stopped at the same spot where I had stopped during our 1st Anniversary Ride to Pushkar ; see I am a man of traditions!!! Atleast Motorcycling Traditions…there was a very interesting incident here, 2 guys stopped when they saw me and told me “Chittorgarh ja rahe ho naa?”, and I was shocked, I mean how could they guess our destination & when I asked him one of the guys replied – “Sir, hum gaadi ki sadak pe pakad dekh ke bata dete hain ki kaun kahan ja raha hai”…we shared a Sutta together and then came another killer statement – “Sir aaj dekh liya ki Dilli dilwaalon ka sheher hai – aapne humein imported cigarette pilaayi, mazaa aa gaya”. The fact is when you offer & share a cigarette with any stranger a special bond is made and the reason is you just don’t share a smoke but you share your own stories as well, these 2 guys told us the correct route as well and when they left they said “Sir, aise hi ghoomte raho, bahut accha laga aapse mil ke”. While lounging at the Dhaba when we were waiting for Vinamra to join us I just browsed through the newspaper & the cover page provided us with the news of heavy rains & hailstorms in many areas of Rajasthan, we hoped the worst was over but we were to experience rains all over again…that too in November & in the desert state of Rajasthan…

And then it rained…

Soon the rest of the comrades joined & we had a tea break but all of us were getting jittery on seeing the grey skies, heavy rain clouds were building up so we got our rain gear ready and started the next leg, some 10 kms into it heavy rains lashed us and there were no signs of it abating even a single bit so kept tugging along in the heavy rains which lasted for some 35 odd kms & all of us were drenched but there was no point of waiting for the rains to stop as the clouds were getting darker every minute, finally the rains ended & there were clear skies again & some amazing sunshine, we got dried up as well but then the rains started again & lasted for another 20-odd kms, I was talking to God and pleading him to stop the rains and asking for his mercy as I find riding in rains very difficult due to my specks, finally he heard me and the rains stopped…I know he screws us hard but in the end shows us the way…always!!!

A bad-bad lunch…

It was already 4 PM & all of us badly needed a Lunch break, after stopping & enquiring at 4 Dhabas I finally stopped at the fifth one unable to control my hunger anymore but bad food was in store for us…to thwart the rain demons away I went ahead to do my ritual….yes you got it right…an open-air DUMP!!! After relieving myself I reached the lunch table and was disappointed to the core, the food was awful, had no taste, no spices and the rotis were not cooked properly. But all of us were quite tired, wet & hungry to go to another place so all we did was to complain & still eat!!!

Beer Pit Stop…

We rode for some 100 more kms till we reached the outskirts of Chittorgarh & while we were waiting for Fagu & Topgun to join us Dips spotted a Theka and then we had no other options left than to enjoy some Child Bear before we hit our hotel, it was our first beer break since starting from Gurgaon so was well-deserved!!! And the time was 6:00 PM, we could not believe our eyes, in 12 hours we had covered 540 odd kms and that too with 3-4 breaks & riding through rains for some 45 kms & this was a big feat for us as rarely we had reached our destination so early with so many riders…BoP is now setting some new distance records & that too in large groups so we have decided to up the ante now, in the future we are planning to cover 750 kms in a day especially if we are covering Rajasthan or NH-1. The NH-79 roads were amazing to ride on but I loved to ride on NH-11(enroute Bikaner) than this one…

Royal Welcome…

We reached Hotel Pratap Palace after riding through the city roads of Chittorgarh & vrooming our way to glory, Chittorgarh took notice of the Cavaliers & everybody’s eyes were stuck on us, and once we reached the hotel we blasted our signature thumps once again and shouted loud chants of “Jai BoP” & the best part was that the Hotel Staff joined the chorus!!! Our rooms were decorated with Rose Petals & Marigolds, not the kind of welcome decorations we are used to as we have stayed in Hotels with stained bedsheets, leaking roofs & smelly curtains but we were delighted to see our spacious rooms & basked in the glory!!!
The next agenda was plain & simple, a BBB Session in the Hotel Lawns and the ammunition was ready too, I had got Glenfiddich – 12 years matured from the Qatar Duty-Free for the Anniversary BBB Celebrations and it was the perfect drink we deserved in the royal land of Rajasthan celebrating our 3rd Anniversary…there was one exception though, Fagu didn’t like the taste of Glenfiddich and left his drink incomplete & Vinamra was furious at him for wasting the Scotch…

Laal-Maas…

After the 3-hours long fun-filled BBB Session we were ready for the Big Supper…Laal Maas…The Rajasthani Delicacy, we had previously enjoyed it during our Mt. Abu Trip & The Bikaner Boomerangs Ride & we were ready for an encore, it was laid out for us in the Dining Hall and once we started eating there were no noises whatsoever, just the slurping sounds were audible for the next 20 minutes, we were that focused!!! We finished our wholesome dinner and ended the night early at 11:30 PM…another first for us…we were ready for the Chittorgarh Fiesta for the next day…

Chillaxed Breakfast…

All of us went for the breakfast at 8:30 AM and were treated to some Poori-Aloo & Poha and this was part of our Bed & Breakfast Tariff Plan and it tasted yum…but our Metrosexual Fagu had other plans, he ordered a customized breakfast as he didn’t enjoy the stuff part of the Buffet…he had Vegetable Sandwich, Omelette & Orange Juice & as expected all of us dug into his share and he was left fuming so he ordered some more and we once again took his share, I am sure he was abusing us inside his mind!!! But we are now immune to any sort of abuses thrown at us especially for food…when we were leaving the Breakfast Lwan we saw a tortoise moving around & the next half hour was focused on him & his buddy…we clicked pics posing at him, fed them tomatoes & what not…since Childhood I have been mesmerized by Tortoises & Turtles, I even had a Pet Turtle once way back in 1993 when I was in Class 8th…his name was Tipsy…and my memories came alive after these many years…

Doing nothing…well…

I wasted the next 2 hours at a Cyber Café as my Sikkim Flight’ schedule was turned topsy-turvy by Kingfisher Airlines, I had to re-book my Bagdogra-Delhi Ticket & the slow internet speed made matters slow & painful but I had no other choice, time was at a premium for that trip & I had to plan it well…Khanna was my partner-in-crime & waited me all the while…we got back to the hotel after finishing the task & ensued our Bakchodi…

Misnavigation…all over again…

While we waited for the Fort Trip we all decided to visit Neelya Mahadev – a Lord Shiva Mandir with some beautiful scenery as suggested by one of the Hotel Attendants, all of us took our bikes along except Khanna who was my pillion & the official photographer for this short ride…we went through some rustic Village Roads & were treated with shocked looks of the villagers, the ones we are now used to!!! Some villager told me the wrong way & we ended up reaching Keldhar Mahadev Temple instead…but we were not disappointed as this one also looked gorgeous…we missed visiting the temple & went uphill instead at a beautiful spot through some Hill Trekking, one won’t be able to tell that this was Rajasthan or Himachal but Rajasthan this was, one magical state which never ceases to surprise…we discussed Zoology & discussed on the “Skating Insect” we saw, as always all of us had our opinions on this species…Fagu was the most vocal here with his NatGeo knowledge, Maurya has a competitor now!!! Vinamra deliberated about having the Glenfiddich here but Khanna was in no mood to have it considering we were in a Temple Zone, left disappointed Vinamra kept it back in the Bag & we all left that surreal place to get back to the Hotel…

Fagu – The Foodie…

When we got back all of us were hungry but didn’t have enough time to have a full-blown meal so our self-proclaimed foodie Fagu went towards the market to find some local delicacy & he came back with some Bread Pakodas, Samosas & Bhujia, it tasted quite well & Fagu’s pride was well-visible!!!

Ford to the Fort…

We went to the Fort in an open-top 1949 Model Vintage Ford & the 6 hours trip was only for 1500 bucks, surely worth the pleasure…Khanna has to be thanked for this as he was the one who enquired about it & struck the deal…we chanted “Jai BoP” & off we went…Glenfiddich was duly brought out for some swigs & Fagu’s snakes proved the perfect foil…it surely was a royal time for all of us…Vintage Car, 15-years Old Scotch, local snakes & that majestic Fort Entry…royal tourists we were…fellow visitors at the Fort were left in awe looking at us, all of us identically dressed in our BoP Tees & Caps…we were a sight for all!!! We also hired a Guide – Trilok who was unlike the Guides you find at Forts, to the point & no bullshitting at all…

History Lessons…

Kumbhal Fort was the first stop for us, made by Rana Kumbha & Trilok probided us with a crisp history of the fort filled with some anecdotes…Next stop were 2 temples…Meerabai Temple & the Tridev Temple…both unique in their own ways…Meerabai Temple is the only temple where the Krishna Idol is without the idol of Radha & the Tridev Temple is unique because it has the idols of Brahma, Vishnu & Mahesh – The Creator, Preserver & Desroyer carved out of one big rock…I normally don’t visit temples but these 2 were special so I went inside to take a look… Next stop was the biggest extravaganza – The Victory Tower or Vijay Stambh…finally all the NCERT History Books came alive…I was always captivated by the pics of the Tower & finally I was in front of it, I just looked at it with awe & excitement, we all clicked pics & went inside through the curvy steps & reached the top…the stairs only reach the 8th Storey & one has to climb to the 9th or the top floor’ Vikas, Asok & Vinamra were the brave ones to take that leap & in the process Mr. Vikas lost his dear cargoes, they were torn at the perfect possible place, yes the crotch area!!! But I guess the view from the top storey was worth the tear!!!

We went towards the “Gaumukh Kund”, this is the place where Rani Padmini used to take a bath & what a smashing view it had overlooking the valley & the Chittorgarh City, all of us imagined about the bath scenes in our minds & also discussed them vividly!!!

The next stop was the Rani Padmini Palace, the one about we have heard so many stories…it is the place where Allauddin Khilji saw her reflection in the mirror & decided to storm the fort to capture her…you can find more about the Chittorgarh Fort @ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chittorgarh_Fort

Now something about the asshole named Khilji…after he plundered the fort he still could not capture Rani Padmini as she performed “Johar” together with thousands of other females & kids to protect her dignity & honour so that Khilji decided to desecrate all the idols & statues of the fort, what a shame…its sad to see all, yes all the idols ruined, all of them have either the hands, legs, faces or the breasts shaved off…

The final stop was the Main Entrance Gate of the Fort which is now closed & this overlooks the grand Valley…me & Khanna enjoyed a quiet smoke at the extreme end of the Cliff…the striking feature of the gate were the Iron Barbs to stop the elephants from hitting the gate & breaking it to make an entry…

After some 3 hours of History Lessons our trip was over but not without taking a look at the grand history of the Chittorgarh Fort & hearing stories of Valor, Sacrifice & the rich traditions of the Rajputs who warded off their enemies with so much bravery & determination…after visiting each fort my mind just imagines the times people had during those golden days of our History…what a country we have…and I am lucky to visit some parts of it & hope to continue travelling through our Magical India…Incredible it surely is!!!

The Light, Sound & Rain Show…

Trilok recommended us to see the Light & Sound show which takes place in the lush-green Fort Lawns & at 7 PM we were there, as soon as we got seated in our chairs the rain clouds started to rumble & we knew rain was hitting us soon, the show started on time & it was very well organized; half way through the show it started to drizzle, as it was quite light we didn’t leave but soon it moved from a light drizzle to a steady shower & as our Ford was an open-top we had no other option than to rush towards it & leave for the hotel, enroute we had to pick up Alcohol & Beer which made us wetter!!! Once again The Rain Gods appeared from nowhere and graced us, I am sure God had plans to enlighten us by showering us in the Anniversary Ride, maybe 2011 is a Dry Year for our rides though I am hoping against hope !!!

Short & Sweet…

As it was raining the open-air BBB Session plans were laid to rest & we decided to have it in the cozy luxury of one of our rooms; snakes, alcohol, beer & Bakchodi was in full flow…uninhibited & unending…at 10:30 PM we finally left for dinner & we were surprised to find that our individual order of Authentic Vegetarian Rajasthani food had turned into a Buffet Meal for all in-house guests. Another example of BoP being trendsetters, the meal we order becomes a common order for all!!! I gorged on Dal-Bati-Choorma, Gatte ki Sabzi, Sev Tamatar, Kair-Saangri ka Saag & Kadhi Pakoda. The food was mildly spiced & was quite authentic in its taste…this time the focus was less than the one last night so we were quite boisterous as a group!!!

Early to Bed…

As we had to ride the full day ahead we decided to sleep early after packing our stuff & as per the plans we all slept at 12 Midnight with our alarms set for 5:30 AM in the morning…we are surely becoming more disciplined as a riding club, that’s for sure…and that augurs well for the future of our club…The last night of the ride is always a sad one & specially in a 3-days ride, I was more sad as I knew my next ride was atleast 4-5 months away…sadly I slept thinking about setting the roads on fire the next day!!!

On-Time…

All of us were ready to go after packing our stuff on the bikes at sharp 6 AM & after tanking up the bikes we started at 6:30 AM on a chilly morning through the glorious roads of Rajasthan…and the plan was crystal clear; 100-kms riding stretches and we stuck to this rule for the entire journey…the weather was quite foggy & misty so our visors had to wiped clean every 10 kms or so but we were enjoying riding through this weather…we stooped only after riding for 125 kms as I could not find a good enough Dhaba to have our breakfast at & the one where we stopped also didn’t have ready breakfast, he took his own sweet time in preparing the Fried Aloo Paranthas, another first for us, the Paranthas were quite unique & delicious & we all enjoyed them with an endless supply of Special Chai…one special feature of this pit-stop was that Vinamra suddenly got up & decided to take some pics using an SLR, we all laughed him off very well knowing his vibration skills but when the pics came out the results were amazing…he had clicked some damn neat pics…one hidden skill he has got!!! Also Tsering forgot the 100 kms rule the same way he forgets most of the BoP Rules & didn’t stop; when we called him he was some 30 kms ahead of us & decided to have his breakfast there only…

Horrors of NH-8…

Its not that NH-8 is always a treat to ride on, whenever we are going back towards Gurgaon we come face-to-face with the horrors of terrible Traffic Jams at Kotputli, Behror & Gurgaon borders, but as were on our bikes we found it much easier twisting & turning towards our destination through some madass traffic…I can very well empathize with the car tourists who suffer this pain reaching Gurgaon after a relaxing trip somewhere in Rajasthan, I am sure the Desert Rejuvenation becomes a Road Nightmare for all of them & I speak this from personal experience after our painful journey from Mt. Abu to Gurgaon, its another thing that Nilu made matters worse for us with his love for sticking to the right side of the road!!!

Maggi Time…

After victoriously countering the jams I decided to take a break after Dharuhera for a Maggi & Chai Break at a Highway Dhaba…and all of us deserved a break plus we were much before time as the sun had still not set & we were less than 100 kms from Gurgaon, once again the 100-kms break formula was successful!!!

Final Hoorah…

We rode on till the Gurgaon Border to regroup one final time before all of us left for various parts of NCR…with loud chants of “Jai BoP” we bid farewell to each other with a promise that we would be back on the roads again…some customary pics were clicked as well…

Cheers…

As per BoP Traditions we all stopped at a Theka for the final Beer Pit-Stop, we have been following this tradition since 2007 & I am sure this is one tradition which would be never dispensed with…I called up my Mummy to get the dinner ready when I reached home & even she was surprised to know that I was in Gurgaon already as even she is used to seeing me past midnight whenever we come back from a ride!!!

So the 3rd Anniversary was celebrated or I would say very well celebrated & fortunately with no breakdowns, the customary Rain Therapy was gifted to us by the Rain Gods, we came face-to-face with the Rich History of Chittorgarhn, enjoyed riding on the ripping Rajasthan Roads, gorged on some amazing authentic Rajasthani Cuisine, enjoyed “Bullet” Beer once again, treated my comrades to Glenfiddich and most importantly reveled in the rich traditions of BoP Camaraderie…I hope to be there in the 2011 BoP 4th Anniversary Ride which looks quite tough as of now as I plan to get married around November 2011 but I would give it my best shot…really want to be there…

In the end all I can say are 2 words…Jai BoP…

Pics, Blog & Videos’ Links:

Dips' Blog: http://butcheredsoul.blogspot.com/2010/11/bulls-on-parade-to-chittorgarh.html

Rana's Pics: http://picasaweb.google.com/asok.rana/Chhitorgarh#

Fagu's Videos: http://www.youtube.com/user/phalgunr?feature=mhum#p/u

Che's Pics: http://picasaweb.google.com/cheguevaraontheroad/TheBoPChittorgarhCavaliers?authkey=Gv1sRgCK_Uw7j_q8Cs-AE&feat=directlink

Che's Videos: http://www.4shared.com/dir/o1X27Sfo/CC_Videos.html

Doegar's Pics: http://picasaweb.google.com/varun.doegar/BOP3rdAniversaryRideChittorgarhCavaliers?authkey=Gv1sRgCP_P76WS2IXv0QE&feat=directlink

Vikas' Pics: http://picasaweb.google.com/gvikiv/JPEG?feat=directlink

Information on Chittorgarh:

1. Gurgaon to Chittorgarh Distance: 550 kms
2. Route: Gurgaon - Dharuhera - Bawal - Shajahanpur - Behror - Pragpura - Chandwaji(Detour from NH-8) - Bilonchi - Daulatpura - Bagru - Mokhampura - Padasoli - Kishangarh - (Detour to NH 79 A) - Silora - Shrinager – Nasirabad Bypass - (Detour to NH 79) - Jharwasa - Bandanwara - Lamba - Surajpura - Bhilwara Bypass - Soniyana - Putholi - Chanderiya - Chittorgarh
3. WikiTravel Link: http://wikitravel.org/en/Chittorgarh
4. Hotel where we stayed: http://hotelpratappalacechittaurgarh.com/contact-us.html


Che would be back on the Road again…

Till then ride safe & have safe sex…

Hasta la Victoria Siempre…

What got you Started?

The idea of this Blog Post is courtesy Mr. Devesh Uba and I thought of compiling all ur stories and preserving them in one single place...

There is always a reason behind every passion and as you read through this post you would find the myriad reasons behind why each one of us got hooked onto this passion of motorcycling and hope to keep the flame burning the same way it is today...Amen to that...some of them are awe-inspiring & some of them are plain & simple yet interesting...read on to find more...

Devesh Uba



I used to live in Vikas Nagar, 40 Kms from Dehradun (I am sure you recall it from Chakrata ride) when I was a kid. That time my dad used to ride a scooter (LML Vespa) and my dad's best friend was a Bulleteer. We were a typical middle class family back then, where my dad was in a government job and everyone was content. There however came a dent in the content part, sometime in 1993-1994. I was in 5th standard and we were going for a trip to Kalesar (Haryana). My dad and myself on LML Vespa and Uncle and his daughter on his Bullet (RJP 7800). I can never forget that day, dad admitted that he always wanted to ride a Bullet and someday he will. As a kid I was already celebrating and it was registered in my mind that Bullet is a superior machine. And I got a few rides with uncle and I felt the respect it got from wherever it went.

That day never came (when my dad would buy a bullet) and we soon shifted to Jaipur where dad started his own business. I was still in love with Bullet. Once I finished schooling in the year 2000, I demanded a Bike. I asked for an Electra and everyone laughed. I was thin, 5'4 and I was not made to ride a RE. So I got a Hero Honda Splendor (ok, no one laughs here). So my college got over with 65 KMPL and it went well.

I joined Genpact after college (2003-04) and made an awesome friend at work - Navneet Singh. Navneet was a very unconventional Sardaar. He was almost the same built as mine but looked strong due to the Pagdi and beard. He used to ride a Machismo (the one before AVL engines, basically the iron cast engine), and I had a few rides as his pillion. Once I asked him "Navneet, sab tere ko bolte hain ki tu Bullet chala raha hai ki Bullet tujhe chalaa rahi hai". Navneet laughed and said "Behenchod Bullet chalaane ke liye jigar chahiye, height nahi". It got stuck with me. He taught me how to ride; I got at ease with the right side gear shift.

Then in 2009, after I got a job and saved money for bullet.... I bought myself a RE Bullet 350. 20th August 2009 was when this childhood dream was realized. And since then I have clocked 23 K KMS in 13 Months. I have tried Hero Honda Splendor and CBZ. I liked CBZ for the power it had, but I was always sold over Bullet's thump so I knew what i wanted ... I guess it was just a matter of time.

Che



I had an elder cousin brother...he had an RX-100 Bike and he used to give me rides as a pillion which were nothing short of scary...and I loved them holding him tightly and praying to God while he used to rip away to glory...

Sadly my brother died in a car accident in Brisbane, Australia on 28 June 1993...Speed got him finally one day...may his soul rest in peace...

He had a Sardaar friend named Moni with whom he used to go to the Akhaada and exercise (yes he never went to a gym) and his friend Moni had a standard bullet and he was a gunda of our locality so I was always scared of him...those days anybody with a bullet was a gunda for me due to the child like perception I had...

When I shifted out of North Delhi in 2004 Moni still used to ride his bullet and it was going strong...wonder where he is these days...

February 2000 was the time when I rode my Bhai's Bullet Machismo 350 for the first time and that ride was one helluva ride, I rode to the Kamla Nagar Market to have a Sutta at my regular Panwaadi, it stopped atleast 5-6 times before I reached and I had to kick-start it all over again and you can imagine how tough it is to deal with the Pressure & Ammeter tactics for the first time...infact that was the first motorcycle I rode in my life...could not have been better than that!!!

Bhai bought the Bullet in July 1999 straight after passing out from IMA and took it to Mhow where he was doing his young officers course and had an amazing time there, after that he got the bike back to Delhi and he went to Manipur where his unit was posted and his bike was in my safe hands after that till July 2001!!! He purposefully left it with me so that I could enjoy my College Days riding the Bullet and not my Dad’s Scooter…thanks to Bhai for that!!!

I used to pride myself in cleaning & polishing his bike and the chrome used to be spotless!!! I made perfect use of that bike roaming around in the North Campus of DU and I used to be very heavy then...almost 85 odd Kgs and the bullet suited my body structure perfectly!!!

To be honest I used to hate the bullet then as it was not in the best condition and I used to sweat profusely while starting it every morning...everyday some 25-30 kicks used to drain me out...and 5-6 times it got punctured and as all of you know pushing a punctured bullet is no mean task...it used to break down without any rhyme or reason and that’s why I never liked the reliability part of it...

Made countless trips with my then girlfriend around Delhi but never ever thought that I would become a serious Motorcyclist some 8 years later...

I went to give all my MBA Entrance Tests and MBA Interviews on the Machismo only...and I vividly remember going all the way to MDI Gurgaon from my home in North Delhi on my bullet and it seemed an endless journey...sadly I couldn’t get thru MDI but that ride would be always fresh in my mind...some 100 odd kms...my longest ride in a day till March 2008!!!

Once I got to Goa in July 2001 for my MBA the bullet was gone and I had my father's 1989 Model Bajaj Chetak with me for 2 years at Goa!!!

My Bhai’s bullet was parked at my home in Gurgaon from February 2005 till August 2007 but I never ever thought of riding it...I was happy with my Pulsar and didn’t even start the bike ever, it was duly covered and waiting for its owner(Bhai) to come back and collect it !!! So much so for the bad times I had earlier...

Inshallah my Bhai would be joining the Anniversary Ride to Chittorgarh in November 2010 if his leaves get approved and I would be so proud to ride with him...let’s hope he can come...

I dream of the day when my Nieces/Daughter(s)/Son(s) would ride The Mighty One...

Vikas Garg



My family never believe in bikes, papa always thought that jo bike chalaatey hain wo Badmaash hote hain Lafangey type and infact jin bhi mere cousins ke paas bike thi wo Lafangey hi they. So first when I sat on bullet I don't remember. One of my cousins had a bullet always and still he has got one. He use to be a dada in his college and I was studying in school a small kid. So whenever he comes to our house that was a treat for me as I always went for a ride with him and the sound of bike always pumped my heart beats as it does it now.

So after college got my first job and planned to by a bike. And the choice could not be diff. I somehow manage to convince my papa and he even financed some part for me which I would never be able to return him. I ride the bike only for commuting to office and back and always wanted to ride it for long but could only manage 100 km. I did only two rides with one of my friend (same on both) to Jaipur and Mathura that's it. After that I bought a car and parked my bullet at home for odd 4 years.

I always wanted to do long rides but didn't find like minded people or I never tried before. 2 years back I took it for repairing as family was pushing for selling the same. Which I could never do in my life.
So I thought lets make it run otherwise it would be sold and took the same for servicing to Pappu Bhai in Mahipalpur. There I even got it modified and did the design my self and still trying to complete it.

There I met other enthusiasts who were going for ride and did my first ride after 10 years of buying my bullet. I also find the BoP on Royal Enfield site and contacted Nishant Bhai and met the group at Offisial Attyachar.

After that rides are on and trying to go as time and job allows.

Aashish Francis



I must be one of the very fortunate few in this group to have been 'born and brought up' on the Bullet, and even more amazingly, the very same Bullet...

My dad came from a family with an inclination towards automobiles and workshops, and he spent much of his youth on a Bullet which he finally sold...so post-marriage, my mother put aside money every month and three years later, my father was able to purchase a Bullet. I still have the bill from a now-defunct Keviaar Agencies in Visakhapatnam for the March '83 purchase of Standard 350, ATV 5324, black, for the princely sum of around Rs.16000...

I was manufactured around the same time and saw the light of day in July '84 and the love story began soon after. As a toddler, I would cry non-stop until my parents put me on the Bullet and took me for a spin...and my poor mother must've cursed me then coz I would insist on suckling while we were riding...

My first vivid memories of the bike are of when I used to be around 3-4...when we used to go out, my place was on the fuel-tank with my feet up on the crash-guard...my job was to put the light on high or low as instructed by my father, and every now and then my attention would wander to the tiny bugs that carried out their kamikaze straight into the headlight as the bike pulled along, carrying my mum, my elder sis, dad and me...

Then from the tank, I graduated to the rear seat...I used to clamber onto the bike from either side and once, I even stepped onto the hot silencer barefoot while climbing on...that was not so memorable an episode...

By the time I reached 10th, I was still tiny (those of you who've met me will find it hard to believe I was 4'11" at that age) but I wanted to learn how to ride the Bullet...so in the interest of my safety (and more importantly the safety of the Bullet :D ) my dad told me to learn how to ride another lighter bike first...so I made my bones on a TVS, followed by a Kinetic, and geared bike on Suzuki Samurai...thankfully, by this time my hormones had also kicked in and I put on around half a foot of height...steeling my resolve with my new-found height and experience, I returned to my dad, at the ripe age of 16...

He now told me that before I learn to ride a Bullet, I should learn to clean one...and so I took up the cloth and bucket...and about a month later, I was ready for Bullet 102 - starting the beast...'You should stroke it like a cat...not kick it like a bucket'...armed with this wisdom, I surpassed that hurdle too...

And then it was time for my initiation...every morning I'd wake up dad at 6 and we'd head out on a beach road that ran for a good 25kms outside of Visakhapatnam...I learnt the basics of smooth acceleration, braking, banking, overtaking and anticipation...that was a rite of passage for me...I finally felt like a man.

Soon after, my dad left for a job abroad and I left for my engineering...I was banned from taking the bike with as I still didn't have a license...but as soon as I turned 18, I got my license and in my first term-break, rushed back to Vizag to claim the Bullet...she had lain idle for a year, but I pushed her started and she was roaring like she'd never stopped at all...I put her on a lorry to Kerala and unleashed her at my engineering college there...

No turning back since then...

The bike has done more than 3 lakh kilometres and is 27 yrs and many engine-overhauls old...frame, body and engine-casing are still the same...and the soul is still very much the same...just yesterday, I washed and polished her and she was shining like the grand old lady that she is...I would never think of selling her, and even now, sometimes my dad asks me to return him to her...she may be with me, but she will always remain my dad's bike...but, no...she won't change hands...she is still the best part of me.

I thank God and my dad for the good fortune of having lived and loved on ATV 5324...

Vibhor Bhardwaj




Okay so my story is like this … my father bought a standard way back in 1985… still remember the number DBE 7494. Dad drove it till 1991 December when he had a major accident but with gods grace he just had few bruises on his legs. My mother never allowed him to ride the bike again eventually the bike was sold. Ab jab mera time aaya toh my mother never allowed me to buy a bike so I was gifted with a LML Select in XII grade whereas all my friends rode bikes. After years of riding the scooter I somehow convinced my dad to buy me a Yamaha Rx100, the day was decided 26th Feb 2000 { My Birthday }. 2 days before my dad asked mom to call up Pandit & ask for a suitable day to buy the bike, now the story takes twist with my mother crying n convincing dad not buy me a bike rather buy him a car. After lots of argument it was decided that the bikes speed would be controlled not over 40. D day I love my dad for this instead of going to Yamaha showroom he took me to RE showroom in Yusuf Sarai where he had already booked a red Machismo 350 a week back. I love you dad. Now with butterflies in my stomach I had no clue how to kick the machine to my help my father did start the bike & drove behind me to home . After weeks training from him I mastered starting the bullet. Happy days I use to go for small rides to Sohna road, Delhi, to my factory in Bhiwadi day by day loved riding the beast. Rode the bike everyday to office n factory where in year 2004 my wedding year my mother sold the bike without my knowledge to the painter who took it without the papers. Didn’t spoke to my mom for 3 months till my engagement day when she apologized. Now the wedding & wife brings a lot of change in your life which I was enjoying in full swing till the day I saw my friend’s album of Leh. This brought all the dead Keedas alive in my body and there I go with one month of waiting bought 500 machismo in Jan 2009. Clocked 28000 kms in one year going strong & I am loving it.


Dhruv Malik



Mine was a bit different as I got my first feel of two wheels on my cousin bro's CBZ(old one) at that time it felt as if I rode(pillion) to something right out of this world as the only thing I knew was a scooter that my dad had and after that never got to feel the air blowing through my hair experience as we got a Maruti 800.

Back to that experience of CBZ my brother took me to sports complex to make me learn swimming, rather than swimming least he knew he made me taste a like for bikes. Soon i was in search for known people with bikes and struck my first chance in 9th grade to ride a Yamaha Enticer. Twisting the throttle was great fun with improper gear changes. Now coming to Bullet, I somehow considered it uncle type bike, I mean never heard about hard-core Bulleteers back then.

I got attracted towards a Bhaiya who lived just nearby and drove a Karizma and believed no bike can beat it, that is how I had my head down to search for a bike that beats his Karizma which mind you is always in top-notch even if he himself isn’t driving the service guy picks the bike from his place washes it and brings it back!! So came in the release of Pulsar 220 a red colored pic of the bike was released on the web and sales were to take place by July'07. Had my eyes fixed on it to buy it and bring it down to beat him on jail road where he usually goes for a fun round doing 130kmph just before the start of first flyover.(Yes, I did overtake him at the same place for which he took me to Karol Bagh to buy me a new helmet as he felt this bike could go fast)

Next came in my home scenario who till now are absolutely not in support of bikes but convincing them took long and finally approval came in at a condition of being legal age. So merrily took dad to Pro-biking at PVR Priya where it had their sole outlet for P200/220 and fish is what I could have said as I did not knew how to ride...next pleaded dad to just test drive to let me know his reviews, here the words from his mouth came in as soon as he sat on it "Where is the kick" the sales person said it is all battery operated, having no requirement for a kick!!....REACTION: immediately dad got down from the bike saying "feminine it is!".. Till date it is the same :-(

Asked me to purchase a bullet rather to which I said it is for me, as if I am going to buy a Bullet it would become your commuting vehicle for sure so please make the down payment and book the bike!! After some reluctance he did to my surprise. But there was more in store as even at delivery I did not know how to ride properly and had to plead dad to ride a feminine bike.

That was my story before buying the bike after that another 365 days wait and convincing parents before my streak of numerous rides began!


Saurabh Seth



My Grand Father used to ride Enfield Sherpa and after that bought a bullet in 1968. My dad continued the tradition and rode it till 1985. There are encounters of some serious accidents, in one of which my Grand Father had multiple fractures as well and was bed ridden for months. However, my family never discouraged me from riding. My Grand Father and Dad used to ride to Bharatpur from Delhi twice a week, they would still tell me the stories and I can see the spark in their eyes every time.

My first serious encounter with Bullet was when I was 3 yrs. My parents tell me that I would keep bullet keys with me always and would sleep with them. I was trying to kick the bullet / fiddle with it when I was 3 and probably because of loose stand or my sheer power J, bullet fell on me. I got few stitches near my eyes and still have those marks. My dad shifted to Ludhiana from Delhi and sold his bullet.

I came back to Delhi for my graduation in 2004 and used to stay in Noida. I always wanted to buy a Bullet but was discouraged by comments from my college friends who used to say “You will look like a fluttering Dupatta tied to bike’s handle” J Bought my first bike – Pulsar 150 in June 2005. My longest rides used to be to Gurgaon for a cup of Coffee or Maggi, visiting India Gate for Chuski or to Central Delhi. I still love to ride on the empty and green roads in Central Delhi @ night.

Enjoyed my time with Pulsar. Took it to Pune with me and enjoyed rides to Goa, Murud Kashid, Pune to Leh. I still have my pulsar with me. I remember, I was the only one in Leh trip whose bike would start in single kick even in freezing Pang and was the most fuel efficient amongst Karizma, FZ and Bullet. I got inspired from someone and created a list of 10 things to do before I die. Ride to Leh and buying the best bullet available were 2 on them and am happy to have done both.

After joining UHG in 2009 and getting a better package than expected, I decided to go for Bullet, Nishant suggested me to wait for Classic 500. I went with my dad to Bullet showroom to book the classic and chose red instead of blue per his suggestion. Smile on face of my dad and Grand Pa when they saw my bike says a lot about their love for the machine. I am happy to own one. Looking forward to more rides on this beast.

And thanks to B0P for the bringing keeping the passion alive. All these mail chains ensure I don’t lose the focus. This is something I wanted to do and am happy to be part of the group. My work commitments at times don’t allow me to be part of these rides.... but I am trying to improve.
Jai B0P!!

Diptinder Singh Chhabra



I never liked Bullet as a kid. I didn't like its thump, I didn’t like its shape. It looked ugly to me. Whenever my family used to visit our grandparents place in Karnal, we used to play on the Standard of my Mamaji. I can remember trying in vain to stretch the kick to its full length. Those were the childhood years. Then time passed. I had my Papa's Bajaj Chetak. Learnt to ride a two-wheeler on it. I still used to witness the military Bullets frequently, but it still didn't strike my charm. When the time came for a motorcycle, parents bought me Splendor. I chose it for mileage and comfort. Then to Karnataka College and still I wasn't fascinated by Bullet. Only one college mate used to own one and I feared the machine. thought it would be too heavy for me and too cumbersome to maintain.

After college, shifted to Mumbai and used only public transport. Parents had sold off the Splendor. two years later, shifted to Noida. By chance, my cousin in Delhi had his Bullet lying idle. It was the old Machismo model and in my opinion, the best looking till date. The thigh pads on the fuel tank add a lot of character. I needed some commuting means and brought it over. The test drive that day completely changed my perception of the Bullet, and my attitude as collateral damage. Had a tough time with it as it required lots of repairs. But the more I spent on it, the more I began to feel attached to it. It was getting personalized now. The thump had synched with the heartbeat.

Still it wasn't mine. I had to return it sometime later. But by now I was affixed. It had to be a Bullet only. When I shifted to Gurgaon and had enough money saved, I bought the 2005 Electra. Mind you, it was still being used for commuting, but I used to travel a lot within NCR on it. Then in July 2007, Nilu and Himanchhu came up with plan to visit Ladakh, which we did in Sept. An unknown rider instinct awakened inside me. And now, the instinct has completely taken over.

Rohit Saini



bahut puarana yaarana hai bullet se sabka…

mere chacha ke pass bullet hai , jabse mere ko yaad hai, and he is hero of me. main itna obsessed tha ki koi two wheeler hai toh bas Bullet, scooter etc .are for female and for male there is only bullet. but mere mom- dad simply says NO, kayi dino ke mere chutiyapoh ke baad ghar walon ne RX 100 la di, maine 2 saal usko nahi chalaya, as i said mardo ke liye sirf bullet,
SORRY bhaiyo, aaissa kuch nahi hai, sab chutiyapa hai, phir jab college me D.C. lagi tab jake yamaha uthayi, phir kuch yamaha ragdi, phir suzuki fierro, main chala toh raha tha inko but dil me bullet ka hi chutiyapa tha,

2008 me aake mere haalat aur dimag theek hua, aur papa se puch ke bullet le li, ussme bhi jayada dimag laga diya, nakli engineering wala, ki 5 gear means more , more.... aur kuch din chaley ke baad mujhe dikkat ho gayi, LHS gear shift se, phir doondhnaa shuru ki kaise gear right me karoon, Zaheer se mil ke gear box change kiya nayi bullet ka, bahut dil gabhra raha tha, but sab theek ho gaya,

baki abhi main aur meri bullet ke barey me aapko pata hi hai, par ek baat hardam lagi rahti hai :- " KI TERI BULLET MERI SE JYADA SAFFED(Thump, shining,BADIYA) KAISE "
But above all ye riding wala chhota sa keeda BoP me aane ke baad hi kata hai.
luv u all

Krishnatreya Brindavanam



ab hamari baari...i ride a 2005 Karizma...it's my bro's, but i have been using it regularly for past 4 years. my family has no culture or practice of biking....it is me and my bro who got into it first (m the only one with a passion for touring).....I started big, on the Karizma directly...bro had bought a Caliber when I was in 8th, and he wanted to teach me but I was least interested! 2 years later, he upgraded to Karizma, and I was all for learning it! I learnt to drive in 10th, but only got to drive alone in 11th, that too for barely half-n-hour....that half n hour was pure bliss for me...would take it to an empty stretch nearby, rip it (no more than 90, though) and come back....always yearning for more.....the road is such, u cant cross 90....there are two crossings, and then, the road ends...one fine day, I was in full mood to cross 90...I did, zipped thru crossing no. 1, spotted a speeding Innova, didn’t slow down, and CRASH! 7 months and 13k Rs. later, I was back, riving thru traffic now, a trifle saner than my earlier
version.....evenings were when I learnt the real knack of driving, zipping thru traffic with a bunch of friends (Ambition, Platina, etc)...it continues till this day, only the bikes are upgraded! touring i started last year only, though I had gone on rides with a club called RODS earlier....first tour was to Shimla with a Karizma club called DK2...the next was the Redstone Rockets...3rd was with another friend to Mussoorie (4-5 months ago)....very far from any of the riders here, but m sure I’ll catch up soon. I have a long way to go, and my passion for touring will never diminish…

Ajit Singh Bhullar



My father owned a standard and i still remember my burning my foot with its silencer and my cousin getting injured because it fell on him. It was always something else, something that stood apart from all others....

Then some incidents happened and the Bullet was sold…

I came to Noida, and my flatmate had a Thunderbird... I was totally in love with the bike ...Would take it out even more than he did himself…Then he moved to U.S and sold his bike.

As soon as I started working, I knew what I had to do... I scouted around for a Blue thunderbird and luckily found one in good condition, bought it and fell in love with it. And the love is increasing every day…

Then one fine evening I came across a group of bikers Bull rodeo who were having their meet at Film City Noida…
They welcomed me with open arms and taught me all that I know about riding.

You know the first time I went to Rishikesh, I actually stopped as soon as the hills started as I was just too scared to ride on the hills…
Slowly and steadily I started gaining confidence and doing more long rides and it came to a point where I actually started feeling something amiss if a month went by without a ride…

Got in touch with Dips thru RE website and met you guys at the Offisial Atyachaar event and rode with you the next morning to Renukaji...Have tried to attend every ride except for maybe a few since then and those too I had to cancel because of some other commitments...

So have been riding almost regularly since 2007…A little bit discovered ....a lot more left…


Saurabh Katar



After going through this long chain ail of inspiring stories, finally thought to get out of my cozy blanket (Yes, in Bangalore that’s the trend) and share about my part of teh story.

The story starts in 2003 when I was in class 11th. I came back from School at around 2 pm and saw one maroon Colored Thunderbird standing outside my home. Now before you all jump in to conclusions, that hey was that for u?,I would like to clearly say ,NO.

The machine was bought by my elder brother Chetan, who is six years elder to me.
It was his childhood dream to buy a Royal Enfield.
Some how he felt Thunderbird was more appealing, he neglected every other model. Yes, even he missed the 500CC limited edition Thunderbird.

I was happy to see his machine, hence I asked him for a ride and he gave me a short ride too.
But gradually, his passion started building towards the machine and he asked me not to touch his bike.
Today, I can understand his emotions. But at that time I used to even spit on this very same Thunderbird the moment I see that. Yes, I was very mean.

But then after a year, he decided to buy a car and gave the Thunderbird to me. Now that was the start of the journey.

Today, though I have not done so many rides, I can proudly say that I have rider friends all across this country. All because of this machine and the brotherhood that we all share.

One more thing, That made me come closer to my Sans Mcqueen (Name is changed now) ,is that in the year 2008 when i started my own business of dealing in RE spares and particularly the exhaust systems. gradually the business started flourishing and so is the love.


Phalgun Reddy



Ever since I was a kid, I had this Keeda in me ki I'm going to buy a Bullet. No logical or even an emotional reason, I just wanted to buy one. My parents never ever let me near ANY vehicle with an internal-combustion engine; as a result, I used public transport till I reached Delhi.

I do remember the desire for owning a Bullet got stronger in the second half of my year at MICA. I remember very clearly. I would keep telling myself, that I was gonna buy a Bullet. I would keep dreaming about riding my Bull sitting in my room there. A close friend reminds me how I told her as well once.

Only when I reached Gurgaon did I realize that buying a Bullet is a very expensive affair! It took me 5 months to buy it, after borrowing 10K from one friend, and 10K from the other. This was after my dad gave me 50K to buy the bike, and refused to take back the money! So in many ways, it’s my dad's gift to me.

My parents initially went hyper when I told them about my plans. They first threatened to disown me if I bought a bike itself. This was upgraded to a Bullet, and after a bit of sulking, they actually gave me half the cash for a Bull Mach!

My membership in BOP came at a very depressing time. I had the bike for about 6 months then, and was depressed 'cause I never went out and rode the bike to the hills and all that. I would keep bumping into some rider called Dips on the RE website but somehow could never contact him. Out of sheer depression, I drove to Lansdowne one weekend, and that was the time I had my first hill-ride, and the night I came back was my first BBB session, all thanks to KORA Bhai…

All I dreamt about was riding to the Himalayas on the Bullet. I’m really glad I've freaked out on that front quite a few times now.
Thanks to my kung-fu classes, I got acquainted with Arunima, and that’s how I met KORA, and that’s how I’m part of BOP!


Adit Sharda



My first stint with two wheelers started with a Bajaj Caliber in Bharthana (Etawah) which is my native village... I was probably 14 around then... However like any small kid reading auto magazines I always wanted to own an overpowered sports bike...

My cousin from Kanpur bought a CBZ(the first one) when he came to DU for studies and I rode pillion to Nayi Sadak to purchase books with him, however we reached its parallel road by mistake... That's where I took over to guide us to the right destination. So my first ride of a powerful bike of those times was on the fabled GB road where I heard women ready to sell themselves to us at a meager Rs 200 and I remember the road to home since then...

Mom had a problem with bikes so it was pretty understood I would never get to buy one but dad agreed to get me a bike if I scored a 90 in tenth standard... Studied hard but managed an 88.6, so the pulsar that I would have bought then was also cancelled... Fought a lot that I managed even this much without tuitions and I did the effort, but nobody heard my cries... So finally after a 2 year wait and completing school I decided to wait for Pulsar 220, rumors of which carried on for months... However, unable to wait, I chose to settle for the Pulsar 180 in December 2006... Did a solo ride to Manali after saving some 5000 rupees and stealing an equal amount from home, and nobody knows that I did it till date...

That’s when RODS was formed with Ankit leading the show... However the touring was temporary then as office life took over at the age of 18, thanks to the CA requirement of Articleship and biking again became small trips to Manesar and Noida on Sundays...

My first group ride was Corbett with Rods members and thats when I decided I needed a better group for touring, more responsible and with a broader thinking..,

That’s how I met Nishant sir at a meet of RODS where I saw him staying all the way till the end for the LCC guy we didn't even know and started having a liking for him...
And here I am, riding with BoP...

Have big plans for travelling places especially after all the inspiring stories we have amongst us... Dhruv specially, being a fellow Pulsarian... Bought a 220 after seeing him and Ankur, coz I found my 180 under powered for touring and also a bike I saved for over 10 months... That’s what makes my story...

The BoP Dalhousie Darogaas

Everybody knows my passion for Motorcycling and how much I miss my Club & Motorcyclist Friends back home since moving to Kuwait but the determined asshole I am, I made it a point to do a Bike Ride whenever I am back to India on a vacation till I can manage, my 1st vacation which was really brief – just 3 days had a short 160 kms Ride to Tijara in Rajasthan but my September 2010 Vacation was much longer – 11 days and I planned to do a 4-days Bike Ride somewhere to the Himalayas…and boy my dreams & plans came true!!!

I closed the destination with Vinamra and floated the Ride Invite Mail to my group on 1st of August and then the regular Bakchodi mails started & after some 300 odd mails the final count was 12 Riders. The saddest part was that my best riding buddy Diptinder aka Vinamra aka Dips aka Ken Slayer pulled out of the ride just a night before due to some family commitments and I felt really sad about it as riding with him is so much fun and we have had some amazing times riding together, received more blows when Vikas, Ajit & Rohan also pulled out…my family was also against me as they feared that it won’t be safe to ride in the mountains with rains around but inside their mind they very well knew that they wouldn’t be able to stop me, my non-biking friends also called me crazy that in a 11 days vacation I had kept 4 days for a ride and no normal person would do that but I guess they forgot that I am abnormal indeed!!! I was determined to ride, come what may; inspite of the fact that the Rain Gods had been playing havoc all July & August and the worst was expected – we were watching news of a possible flood situation near Yamuna Nagar & Ambala but my plans were not to change, I had my doubts but my BoP brothers did their best not to change my plans and as planned we rode to Dalhousie…a colonial town in Himachal Pradesh nestled in the hills and one place about which I had heard a lot…the Darogaas went & conquered!!!

The Darogaas were:
1. Vibhor Bhardwaj aka Destiny on his 500 Machismo
2. Ankit Sheoran aka Shera on his 535 Lightning
3. Saurabh Khanna aka NDTV Khanna on his 350 Electra
4. Rishi Maurya aka Chutia on his 350 Standard
5. Divakaran Babu aka Bhaaya on his 350 Thunderbird
6. Anand Srivastava aka Vinod on his Electra TS 350
7. Vihans Gupta aka Jaanu on his Yamaha FZ 16
8. Dhruv Malik aka Kaancha Boy on his Pulsar 220
9. Deepak Chauhan aka Formal Rider on his Pulsar 220
10. Adit Sharda aka CA on his Pulsar 220
11. Virendra Singh aka Veeru on his Pulsar 220
12. Che on The Mighty One

The Start…

Vibhor, Deepak, Maurya & me were to meet at the Toll Meeting Point and all of us were on time except Mr. Maurya as expected and this after I gave him a wake-up call as well; Kora came to see us off and that was a really nice gesture from him considering he took out time from his office hours to wish us luck and to celebrate this Vibhor had a Beer with him so early in the morning which made me furious as we were getting late while he was sipping away to glory, once he finished we finally started towards the place where legendary rides have started for us – The fragrant Landfill Point. When we reached the entire group except Veeru was there whom I called and asked to catch up at the breakfast pit stop. One thing was clear in everybody’s mind that the rains would start anytime- the term used was “Baarish hogi yeh to pata hi hai, sawaal yeh hai ki kab aur kitni hogi?!!! …with these thoughts in our mind and with loud chants of Jai BoP we started the ride, my mind was feeling victorious at that time as I was waiting for that very moment for so long, thanked God and then zipped ahead on NH-1!!!



Zoooooooom…

The Pack of 11 Motorcyclists traversed 84 kms in 1 hour & 5 minutes before stopping for our breakfast pit-stop and I guess this is the fastest we have ever rode in a ride and this set the speed benchmark for the rest of the ride, we set records which would be tough to beat but not impossible and that too with a large group of 12 riders…

Pet-Pooja…



All of us were awake since 3 in the morning and all we wanted was a heavy breakfast and the needful was done, Paranthas, Tea and Butter were ordered and the entire stuff was gobbled up in a matter on minutes. Midway Veeru also joined us and the Darogaas were complete now and ready to roar again, as expected the Gujjar Boy came dressed in full gear with a inner Body Armor but sadly his Bandhani styled Headgear had been replaced by a small bandanna and I was disappointed…there were still some 500 kms remaining in the ride and we all decided to cut down the frequent breaks and the plan was to reach Jallandhar at Lunch Time, and we were pretty serious about it…

Dump Break – 1

With my tummy full I knew a dump break was a sure-shot certainty and I didn’t disappoint either, our next stop was due to my dumping extravaganza!!! By now all of you know how much I love dumping in the open and that feeling is unparalleled…during this break we also met an uncle who was riding all the way from Haridwar and was going to Amritsar, he was riding a Bajaj Discover 135 but giving tough fight to all of us, we rode together as well for some 15-20 kms and he was constantly bugged by his wife calling him frantically, the morale of the story was come what may wives would keep nagging and the only solution is to ignore them!!! Plus his raincoat was his white towel and he had no qualms about it…we were in mood for some Bakchodi so he didn’t wait with us for too long and left…

Maurya Fiasco - 1

The entire pack was going on great guns, leaving Haryana behind & entering into the rich & green Punjab & finding our way through city Traffic, just before Khanna the Fall Guy Maurya met with an accident, some passerby drivers informed the riders ahead and we went back to find Maurya having hit a Localite on his bike coming wrong-way, I just could not understand how the hell he was not able to control his bike as the traffic was quite thick and he still managed find a way to hit him…he had a minor injury to his nose as his Aviators got stuck into it when he fell down and his shitty helmet didn’t help either, I was enraged to see his helmet as I thought after his major accident in November 2009 during our Anniversary Ride to Ranthambore he must have got some sense to his mind and should have got a decent helmet and protective gear and when I asked him why he hadn’t any he coolly replied “Mere bas ki nahin hai shopping yaar, Kora ne bola tha ki ek baar chalega, I called him and he didn’t pick up so I didn’t go” I just lost it and thought to give him back when we reach Dalhousie and it wasn’t over; he was carrying 3 bottles of Teacher’s Whiskey which he had picked up from Ambala and one of the bottles broke and was leaking from his shoulder bag, we quickly removed his bag from the accident scene to avoid any further damage, saala ek ke baad ek panga!!! His front forks were damaged and had to be replaced, I went towards the town ahead and found a Bullet Mechanic and got his bike repaired. We met a 13 years old kid named Kuldeep who shocked us all, he opened the 2 front shockers, removed the springs and cleaned the inside of the forks in a matter of few 5-6 minutes and then sat back waiting for his boss to get the new forks and all this while we were looking at him with big-wide eyes and I was clearly thinking here is another Zaheer in making but I felt sad for him as well, at his age he must be in the school, playing with his friends and doing what normal 13-year old kids do but he was forced to work…soon Maurya’s bike was ready and raring to go again…



Anand screws up…

All this while, while Kuldeep was showing his magic, there was another story unfolding at the accident spot where Mr. Anand Srivastava was trying to best to screw up things for us by acting smart with the traffic cop and showing him off that he had contacts in the Delhi Police but knowing Punjab Police they had nothing of it & then they gave it back to us & asked Maurya to come back & submit his address details in case of any future ramifications…plus don’t forget Anand had a Tooth-Pin (more details later) in his mouth and talked with the normal swagger you see in Delhi’s 21-23 year olds!!! Good sense prevailed when he was pulled away from the scene and then all of us started the ride again hoping things would not screw up again…

Ludhiana Mess…

We missed the Ludhiana Bypass road and had to enter the main city to cross it and to say it was in deep mess would be a gross understatement, there was water logging – knee deep across the city and the local residents had no civic sense whatsoever and were speeding their vehicles through the water and splashing water left, right & centre…Vinamra also does the same in Gurgaon, no wonder his family is now settled in Ludhiana, now I know where this lack of civic sense comes from…we somehow crossed the city and then reached the outskirts where we stopped at a Dhaba referred by Vibhor for a late lunch…

Maurya Fiasco - 2

When we reached the Dhaba Maurya told us that eh was suffering from Heavy Fever and his body was shivering and his face had gone red as he had taken Paracetamol on an empty stomach which had made matters worse, we advised him to have his lunch and then have a short 30-45 minutes nap which surprisingly he agreed to as he think he’s the bravest of them all and on the top of that knows it all as well, he slept off and we bided our time doing our Bakchodi and cursing Maurya for screwing another ride and wasting almost 2-3 hours off our planned schedule but as co-riders we had to help him and had no other option, so what I hate him buts till thought to give him one last chance, he woke up at 2:45 PM and at sharp 3 PM we started our final leg…



Angrez Singh...

We stopped at a Dhaba for a short Tea & Snakes break & also wanted to have a beer session but our plans were thwarted when we saw a Police Gypsy also stopping at the Dhaba and 4-5 Policemen & some civilians emerging out of it, but we used that opportunity & checked the route with their driver & then the conversation veered towards our club & rides and their group got really interested. We resumed our Bakchodi & then out of the blue I was called by the seniormost guy - I got little anxious but the Inspector whose name was Angrez Singh was really happy with our Bike Rides & camaradrie and told me "Aaapka chai-naashta Punjab Police ki taraf se"...I tried refusing it but as expected he had nothing of it & told me "Aap log aaraam se Dalhousie pahuncho, paise ki chinta mat karo" and then I just could not say anything. The big relief was that Inspector Angrez Singh actually paid money to the Dhaba Owner & he did not suffer due to us. He also told me that he was from the Crime Branch of PP & his jurusdiction stretched from Jallandhar to Pathankot & if we are in any trouble we can call him for any help required. It was indeed a nice gesture from his side...

All we Need…

We reached Banikhet at 6:15 PM from where the Mountain Riding begins and as expected I stopped at a Theka right next to a very busy roundabout and there was a Dhaba close by serving Fried Fish & Chicken, we couldn’t have asked for more, got the beer and ordered the snakes and started another BBB Session and that too at a legally approved Drinking Place, yes even Himachal has them and we experienced it!!! Sadly the herbivores amongst us got a raw deal as when they asked the Dhaba owner about the availability of a vegetarian dish his curt reply was “Raita hi hai veg. mein, dun kya?” The Chicken Fry was amazing & it tasted superb with the Haywards 5000 beer!!!



Some people might call me crazy but believe me after having a beer I ride on the mountain roads much smoothly & safely, have done that in the past during our Mcleodganj, Chakrata, Ladakh & Binsar rides and this time it was no different. And then I lost it again, out of the blue Maurya came and asked me for a beer; I shouted at him and told him very sternly “No Beer for you till we reach Dalhousie”, I mean this guy was suffering from fever and still wanted some beer and that too after an accident, what an asshole…
After the BBB Session we started the Hill Ride and boy didn’t I was enjoying the time, pitch darkness & the curvy roads, it’s all I need for a kick, just gets me going and then I transform…speeding up the curvy roads with The Mighty One as my trusted Partner…



Finally…

We reached Dalhousie at 10 PM in the night and was pissed to know that half of the riders had already reached an hour back and hadn’;t even bothered to call us and check our whereabouts, I had Shera, Jaanu, Khanna, Vibhor & Anand with me & we were always riding as a group, stopping at various places through the 70-odd kms and the rest were already relaxing at the hotel, when I asked them why didn’t they call us the reply was even more obnoxious “We thought you were in front of us”, I mean what kind of group riding is that & that too on the mountain roads, I never expected Dhruv to do that but don’t know why that happened. I tried to cool my nerves with some chilled beer & Chakhna and started a long BBB Session which was to go late into the night as expected…Maurya was at his idiotic best here as well, he was so nagging that Jaanu of all the people lost his cool & shouted at him to shut up but as Maurya didn’t bother to shut up and kept talking hiding in a blanket, I mean how moronic is that, to make matters worse, Deepak & Bhaaya were talking to him endlessly, finally I had to intervene & gave him the final warning that if he doesn’t stop then he would be kicked out of the room and then only he abated!!!

Veeru Special…



Veeru Bhai was slowly coming in to his groove and showed first of his magic when he called Vihans as “Chunnu”; badly playing with his nick-name “Cheenu” but surely it sounded funny & cute. When Khanna was re-enacting Anand’s Police Story at the Accident Spot Veeru called Tooth Pick as “Tooth Pin”, I am sure only Veeru can do it and we were all literally on the floor laughing, we infact needed more alcohol as too much of laughing had resulting in the intoxication mellowing down!!!
But he wasn’t finished, at the Dinner Table he very coolly asked “ yeh Vinod ki maarni nahin hai?”, me & Jaanu asked him “Who is Vinod?” and he pointed towards Anand and said “Yeh Vinod, aur kaun chutiyon?”…I wonder why & how somebody can confuse between Anand & Vinod but our Veeru is capable of anything and it shows!!! Since that very moment nobody calls Anand by his real name but as Vinod and I am sure till he is in BoP he would be called Vinod only. Shera added some more magic; he called him “Agent Vinod”!!!
Veeru also named Rishi Maurya as DHARAM MAURYA…now start raking your brains…as Rishi & Dharam are as different as chalk & cheese but for Veeru its tough differentiating between chalk & cheese as well!!!

Post-Dinner Analysis…

The 1st day of the ride was well & truly over, I was exhausted after riding for some 600 kms but the best part was that God had shown mercy on us and we faced literally no rains except some minor drizzling after Ludhiana, all our fears of rain riding never came true and I would always thank God for this big favour…I had the customary open-dump, had my beer & snakes before the mountain riding, experienced no rains, the hotel booked by me was extremely cozy, my bike traversed the 600 kms without any breakdown & I reached 100 kmph+ speeds many a times ripping it on NH-1 and had some delicious food right through the day…everything went as per plan, my 1st ride after a long gap of 9 months was sailing smooth!!! And boy I was happy!!! Thinking all this I finally slept off with Veeru as my bed-partner, yes Jaanu had ditched me for Vibhor, so much so for the long distance between me & him due to me moving to Kuwait, he slept with Vibhor and not with me, I felt betrayed!!!

Early Morning Bliss…



We all woke up to some gorgeous scenes from our Hotel Balcony looking straight at the Himalayas in the midst of heavy clouds, the scene was straight out of a dream and I felt staying at Kuwait how much I was missing but thanks to God I was there soaking it up & just living through the blissful moments. The POA was to have breakfast at the hotel which was Paranthas & Omelets, get ready and then leave for the Kalatop Trek which we had read about earlier…Vinod had specially ordered 6 Boiled Eggs for him and when he finished we saw the remnants of his breakfast, he has just eaten the Egg Whites & thrown away the Yolks…some crazy liking patterns!!!

The Trek which never was…



We reached the Kalatop Trek Start point and got the information that we could reach the place on our bikes only without requiring to trek and the unfit people we are we jumped on this option, we also found a local Government guide - Suraj who for a small charge was willing to show us a place in the middle of nowhere where we could have our BBB Session without somebody catching us so we packed up 12 bottles of beer and also some chakhna, he was a very helpful guy and took us to a simply amazing place where we had a fun time; jumping & drinking away to glory…and the best part was that to reach this place we trekked exactly for half a km and it wasn’t painful at all…we also visited Kalatop as well where we had a Maggi session, must tell you that Kalatop is one amazing place and I would love to go back there and spend a relaxed holiday sometime in the future, its so calm & serene…just like Binsar…



Now something about this guy Suraj, a 23 years old guy and had an indomitable spirit, he used to walk for 15 kms from his village every morning to reach Kalatop, do some 4-5 10-12 kms treks to Chamba & back and then late evening walk another 15 kms to his home, he gets no salary from the Tourism Dept. and is just dependent on the fees (regulated by the Government) and the tips he get. Makes me wonder how hard some people have to work to earn such meager salary, we gave him a handsome tip as he showed us 2 beautiful places and also sat as a pillion with me and shot an amazing road video!!!
We also went to another view point which was overlooking the Himalayas and an Air Force surveillance Base and witnessed the natural beauty once again, here the Darogaas Group Pic was taken and myriad global topics were discussed…



Maurya was at his blabbering best and was going on & on without stopping even for a second, I folded my hands and requested him to shut up for 5 minutes so that I could soak in the peace but he was not in a mood to stop and kept going…I somehow controlled myself not to hit him & decided to leave the place and reach Dalhousie plus it was about to get dark as well so we all decided to leave…

Maurya Fiasco - 3

Everybody knows what Mr. Maurya is capable of & this time as well he did the unthinkable, while we all left towards Dalhousie this guy found another chance for an accident & this time he made it the most dramatic & crazy and fell down a 50-feet high cliff and landed straight down, he just got lucky as while he was rolling down he hit a tree and was somehow stopped in his free-fall & luckily had no injuries whatsoever but his poor bike bore all the brunt, his front forks, handle, headlight and the rim all was badly damaged and there was no way it could be rode to Delhi in that condition. He was rescued by Air Force folks who got to know of his fall through an alert sentry who saw him falling down, he & his bike was brought up using big-heavy ropes, in the process he also lost his dear aviators as well.
While he was falling & getting rescued we were oblivious of his condition and were enjoying ourselves at the Mall Road, I played the Mario Brothers Video Game after some 20 years & went nostalgic, also had some Golgappas & roasted Bhutta, and then I got a call on my mobile from an Air Force Official who told me about Maurya and asked us to come & pick him up, as per him he wouldn’t have allowed him to leave on his own as he was badly drunk!!! Now you must be wondering how this guy got drunk & I would tell you how, remember we had bought 12 beers, 1 each for each person but this guy drank 4 beers & using up the share of Dhruv, Deepak & Bhaaya who don’t drink…he even drank my KF Premium beer which I had bought for me even after telling him not to have it but I don’t know in which zone was Maurya in, he was in no mood to listen to anybody…
I was in no mood to help him out after what he had made us go through and decided not to go & pick him up; Vibhor & Jaanu went to fetch him and the others waited at the Mall, I know that was rude & cruel but really I wanted to be like that at that moment, because if I would have seen him then I would have gone uncontrollable & probably would have hit him hard…Vibhor somehow managed to ride his bike back in that condition & hats off to him & his spirit…Suraj was constantly in touch with me to check Maurya’s condition as he came back running towards the accident spot the moment he heard that some biker had fallen into the cliff, no wonder Himachalis are one of the best people I have met in India after travelling through so many states. Selfless, determined and ever so helpful…

Another night…another BBB Session…



Alcohol stocks were laid for the night plus the bucket as well this time and the session started, initial discussions revolved around Maurya but soon the discussions drifted to the geo-political global conditions & how we can provide solutions to them as a group, some amazing concepts came out but as expected they were soon drowned in peals of laughter & whirls of smoke!!! The Bucket show is worth mentioning here…

Innocent bears my brunt…

I was in a bad mood due to Maurya & even beer was unable to bring it to normal, I lost my cool when we received such small quantities of food we had ordered & just lost it; started shouting at our waiter for no fault of his & the worst mistake was that I held his collar & tried getting physical with him, I am even now ashamed on what I did that night. The next day I apologized to him that it was not his fault at all & was my mistake all the way. The best part about that waiter was that even after my outburst he didn’t change his style and served us the same courteous way, really nice & mature of him… I slept after having my dinner but some of us weren’t finished as yet. Khanna, Shera & Vibhor had another 2-hour long session in Dhruv & Bhaaya’s (The Dalhousie Couple) Room and finally slept when their bodies refused any further alcohol.

Poori-Chhole in the Hills…

We thought of having a late breakfast & what better option than having Piping Hot Pooris with some spicy Chhole!!! We enjoyed our breakfast sitting at a vantage point, overlooking the entire Mall Road & with the view came the bonus of spotting some Kacchi Kalis, Vibhor even captured them with his camera, though he wanted to physically capture them but the nice human being I am, I scuttled his plans and kept him under the leash!!!

Maurya Leaves for good…



Maurya got his bike in a Tempo and then left for Pathankot to get it repaired and then leave for Delhi…just to mention he lost his Mobile Phone as well so he had no way to contact us as well so we gave him our mobile numbers in case of any emergency, but his mobile phone was found under his pillow the next day by Vinod & as per Maurya he had searched his entire room for it, his eyes are also defective as is his brain!!! Another of his blatant lie was caught that moment, he was not carrying his bike’s registration papers & had very conveniently forgotten them, and this after we have made it very clear that everybody must carry all the relevant documents with them for a ride. His ride started with high fever & ended in deep losses & pain for him as well for us; 2 accidents, lots of money spent on the repairs & the tempo cost plus his aviators lost as well. And his biggest loss was that he has been ousted from BoP & would never be a part of our rides ever again…he has been part of 4 rides with us. During his 1st ride to Chakrata we somehow tolerated him as that was his debut ride, his 2nd ride to Jalori Pass also ended in a mess, his 3rd ride ended with a severe accident and this one you have read it all about. And throwing him out was a collective decision & not my impulsive decision.

Lake Kinaare…



The plan for the day was to visit the Chamera Lake which is actually the Chamera Dam reservoir & was highly recommended by Suraj as that was another spot for a beer therapy & that too lakeside which we very much enjoy. Enroute we got Beer packed plus some snakes (Read: Maggi for the herbivores & Chicken Tawa for the carnivores), the perfect combo for a lakeside BBB Session and I am sure every one of you would agree!!! Here Vinod was at his hungry best and gobbled up almost the entire chicken & was pretty focused in his devouring!!! Once again myriad topics were discussed which I might not like to disclose in the public domain as they are BoP Copyrighted!!! You need to attend one of our rides to experience them for yourself…



To each his own…

I was really tired & wanted to go back to the hotel & catch a nap, The Dalhousie Couple wanted to get some repairs for their bikes and the rest of the group wanted to visit Khajjiar so it was decided that all of us would meet at the hotel by 8 PM to start the last BBB Session of the ride…though after watching Khajjiar Pics later I regret my decision as that’s one helluva beautiful place but what I experienced in place of Khajjiar was nothing short of magical!!!

The Water Therapy…

Some of you very well know that how much I love water and taking a dip in the rivers & the lakes of this world. I had spotted a similar place while going towards the Chamera Lake and while coming back decided to stop & enjoy some peaceful time…Khanna, Deepak, Shera & Vinod were with me and we went to the riverside to play!!! Vinod made the best first move & ordered some tea & rusk for the group, this guy surely became sensible in the course of this ride & am sure would be a very good co-rider in rides to come…we quickly got into the bathing gear (Read: our Undies) and enjoyed Hot Tea with Rusks & believe me I haven’t experienced any better tea in my life till date, but don’t worry the beers were also opened later so don’t get nervous, our club’s philosophy is still intact!!! We had the time of our life in the water & had great fun bathing in the chilled waters of River Ravi. Sadly I dropped my Phone in the river & it conked off, but no sweat at all…I lost that phone but became a proud owner of “LePhone”, a Chinese phone @ just Rs. 2000 and has almost all the features I need & I am in love with that phone!!! After the magical watery time we finally forced ourselves out of the river & left for the hotel. But for all 5 of us these were the best moments of the ride…



Rain finally makes its presence felt…



When we reached the Mall Road we stopped for some Hot Coffee & Pakodas, the perfect snake for a rainy evening …soon the entire group got together, I bought the Beer Stock for the night & we all reached the hotel, this was going to be the last night of the ride so we had planned to keep the BBB Session short & sweet and sleep early, all this while it was raining heavily and the rains was splattering on the tin roof & was making some strange sounds…also it got very chilly later in the night and all our fears were coming true of having a rainy ride the next day…when we finally slept it was still raining heavily but we were not afraid at all, we knew that God can’t be so kind to us & we were mentally prepared for a rainy 600 kms long ride!!!

Rainy Morning…

We got up at 5:30 AM the next day & it was still raining heavily plus it was very foggy as well so we all decided to sleep again and check the condition at 9 AM & then to take a call. When we woke up the rains had stopped & the sky had also got clear, so we packed up quickly & left after clearing the bills at 9:30 AM…

Baba ki badi daya hai…



Another first for us…we had our breakfast at a Bhandara organized by Mani Mahesh Devotees which is a Lord Shiva Temple while going downhill towards Pathankot, freshly cooked Poori-Aloo & Dal-Rice!!! Unbelievable is the word really for the taste of that breakfast, hot pooris straight from the Kadhaai, sadly we missed the dessert as it was too early for the cooks to prepare & the best part was that we finished the breakfast in 20 minutes flat as normally whenever we reach a Dhaba it takes 15 minutes to decide the Menu, 20-30 minutes for the food to be served & another 30-45 minutes to finish it but this time it was ultra quick!!! Veeru Bhai even spotted a wild eagle with his camera & that pic came out superb…I don’t know why I got angry on Jaanu & shouted at him, infact I was angry at him for the reason that he didn’t ride with the group during our local Dalhousie Excursions & was always riding with Vibhor without saying anything & not being a part of the group decisions, but in the evening we talked it out & sorted our issues…Sorry Jaanu & love you loads…



Dump Break – 2



As expected I had to make a critical break next to Dump again, the pooris had made sure that I don’t miss the last open dump of the ride amidst some lush greenery & I accordingly obliged!!! The entire group also stopped for a well-deserved break before starting the boring plains ride back home…I saw the board which read Delhi: 500 kms and knew it was going to be a long & boring ride back & that too all through the plains…

Shera has a small breakdown…

Just after lunch at Jallandhar Shera’s bike had some minor issue but luckily we found the Royal Enfield Service Station at Jallandhar where it was solved within few minutes & I made perfect use of that opportunity and I dumped there as well, this time in the confines of an enclosed washroom!!! My motto is: Never miss an opportunity to dump & leave your imprints everywhere…

Speed Ride…

After the heavy lunch we were transformed into speedy motorcyclists & kept going & going without making frequent breaks…we actually covered some 200 odd kms non-stop to Ambala in some 3.5 hours & that is incredible considering we had a large group of 11 riders riding together & this speed hasn’t been seen in any our previous rides till date. Me & The Dalhousie Couple stopped at McDonalds somewhere in Punjab to grab a quick bite & that was the only break we had till Ambala…

Decisions…

We waited for a bit just after Ambala for the group to get together but some of us had already reached Karnal so we all decided to meet at The Karnal Haveli, at around 7 PM we were all there, some of us wanted to have an early dinner there but the consensus decision was to have a beer session near Panipat & dinner at Murthal…we reached the Theka but there was a slight scare as there was some policemen there & out of the blue they picked up Vinod for some questioning’ there is a deep-rooted relationship between the Men in Khaki & this guy, after the intervention of the Theka Owner the Police left & we started our Council Meeting just behind the Theka…during the course of the heavy-duty discussions we decided to skip dinner as all of us had a heavy bout of Chakhna & re-group at the Landfill Site for the final farewell…luckily it stopped drizzling as well when we were leaving & we experienced a dry ride during the last leg as well…



The Last Hoorah…

We all reached the Landfill Site at 10:45 PM and bid each other farewell till we would meet again for the next ride, for me personally this ride was a big high as even after moving to Kuwait I was able to manage this ride & also manage to ride with a large group of co-riders; I lost my temper a number of times during this ride but overall it was a great ride…some 1300 kms together in record times as we never expected to reach home atleast before 2-3 in the night. We had no mishaps/ major breakdowns except for the Maurya Fiascos and had some amazing times together doing our BBB sessions plus God also showered his mercy on us by convincing his Rain counterparts to let us ride dry!!!

Now I would wait till November as that’s when I ride again…and that ride is going to be ultra-special as that would be BoP’s 3rd Anniversary Ride and continuing with our traditions we would be riding to Rajasthan this time as well…The BoP Chittorgarh Cavaliers (12-13-14 November)…and I just can’t wait for that ride…

But I would always be sad for Vinamra missing this ride & not being able to make it as I always thought he would…saala dhokha de gaya…

At the Jai BoP Point or the Bristol Chowk where me & Dips have always shouted the farewell Jai BoP Chant I shouted this time all alone & felt really lonely doing that, hope during my next rider we both can shout !!! that gives such a high & a sense of belonging...

Some words about my Co-Riders during this ride…

1. Vibhor – He ensured that Jaanu ditched me for him but he is a great rider to ride along with & ever so helpful. Riding with him gives me confidence…
2. Jaanu – Ab Jaanu ke bare mein kya likhun…jitna likhunga utna kam hoga!!!
3. Dhruv – A great rider & I hope he joins BoP very soon…
4. Deepak - He would always be remembered for riding in his formal trousers as he came straight from office & was to go to his office straight from the ride…imagine a rider in his formal black trousers!!!
5. Khanna & Shera – My first ride with both of them & are great additions to the club, are great bakchods & have a good sense of humour…I had read about their tough ride to Lahual & after that I wanted to ride with them badly…Hope they can manage the Anniversary Ride as well…
6. Adit – Future CA & current Loverboy…period…
7. Vinod – Rider accha banega agar apni chutiapanti chhod de, he needs to improve his riding style a bit & get Rear Indicators, Number Plate & Rear View Mirrors in place else he is not riding with us ever…
8. Veeru – Gujjar Boy rules…
9. Bhaaya – Quiet Guy & a nice co-rider…
10. Maurya – CHUTIA…period…

The Ride Details:

Gurgaon – Dalhousie Distance: 575 kms

Route: Gurgaon > Delhi > Ambala > Ludhiana > Jalandhar > Pathankot > Banikhet > Dalhousie
http://www.oktatabyebye.com/travel-directions/driving-directions-from-New_Delhi-to-Dalhousie.html

Things to Do around Dalhousie: http://www.ghumakkar.com/2009/05/21/dalhousie-khajjiar-chamba-excursion-apr-12-15-2007/

Hotel we stayed at Dalhousie: http://www.hptdc.nic.in/cir0303.htm#hgeet

Details about the Kalatop Trek: http://www.pandeyji.com/dalhousie/kalatop.cfm & http://full2faltu.wordpress.com/2009/02/05/chalte-chalte7-kalatop/


The Pics & Videos Links:

Adit - http://picasaweb.google.com/aditsharda/TheDalhousieDarogaas#

Bhaaya - http://picasaweb.google.co.in/divakaran.babu/DalhousieDarogaas#

Vibhor: http://picasaweb.google.com/destinyvb/Dalhousie?feat=directlink

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

Dhruv: http://picasaweb.google.co.in/108982735100052807575/BOPDalhousieDarogaas#

Veeru: http://picasaweb.google.co.in/virendra22/DalhousieDarogaasSep10132010Ride#

Deepak: http://picasaweb.google.co.in/cs.deepak.chauhan/DalhousieTrip?locked=true#

Videos: http://www.4shared.com/dir/obMFYo3R/DD_Videos.html


Che would be back on the Road again…

Till then ride safe & have safe sex…

Hasta la Victoria Siempre…

Jai BoP...