Pearl D'Souza
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru
Mangaluru, Oct 7 : Early 20's, is an age of uncertainty. The cusp of the academic and professional realm. An age that is often underplayed as a novice stage into adulthood, and sometimes overplayed as a crucial phase into the job market.
Breaking from these set constraints that bog down most fresh graduates, three young lads, fresh engineering graduates hopped onto their bikes and rode the length of India, taking the Kashmir to Kanyakumari bike trip. A journey they call 'Ride De India'.
United by their passion for biking, Varun Aithal (23) a BE Mechanical Engineer from Mangaluru, Manojna Athri (22), a BE Civil Engineer from Puttur, and Denzil Rose (21), a BE Electrical and Electronics Engineer from Mumbai, set off on the long, arduous journey on Saturday, August 5.
Covering a total of 11,000 kilometers, 12 states in 43 days, the trio traversed Mangaluru, Murdeshwar, Pune, Mumbai, Vadodara, Ahmadabad, Ajmer and Pushkar, Jaipur, New Delhi, Amritsar, Ramban, Sonamarg, Kargil, Leh, Khardung La - Highest Motorable Road in the world, Nubra Valley, Pangong Lake, Keylong, Manali, New Delhi, Agra, Sagar, Nagpur, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Mysuru, Bandipur National Park, Mudumalai National Park, Ooty, Palani, Kodaikanal, Rameshwaram, Dhanushkodi, Kanyakumari, Ernakulam, Mahe, Muzhappilangad Drive in beach, Kannur, and Kasargod, before finally touching Mangaluru.
"It was more tiring writing this (itinerary) than riding through all these places," jokes Manojna.
Why the ride?
"Doing Leh-Ladakh is every bikers dream. While at it we thought of doing something that not many people have done. So Varun came up with an idea of doing an all-India ride and riding through the coast. Unfortunately that would have taken us months to complete so we all decided on cutting it short and did it this way," said Manojna.
What was unique about this journey was, while most spent lakhs doing it, the three managed it in under Rs 50,000, with welcoming family and friends in most places.
"Very few are able to do an All India ride on the same stretch. We were determined and are very happy that we were able to complete it," said Denzil.
Bi-wheeled beauties
A Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 350 and two KTM Duke 200 took the three riders across the country. There were minor coolant and radiator issues with a KTM and the altitude didn't help either. The Electra had a major breakdown in Delhi the gear tooth broke and cracked the clutch casing, and needed replacing, which took about three days.
Brake jamming issues that occurred along the ride were fixed by the riders themselves after some telephonic help by their ever responsive mechanics Divakara Vitla and Harshith.
The ride
The planning and preparations that started in July, a year ago, gained momentum only a month before the ride. The focus was fitness. A couple of rides to Bengaluru were taken to get accustomed to long rides. A checklist helped gather the essentials. Apart from guts and determination aplenty, the three carried few pair of clothes, riding gear, puncture kit, air-pump, tools and spares. "We also carried a First Aid Kit in case of any emergency and a few medicines for any minor sickness with our 'mega machines' (body)," said Varun.
Denzil's dad Stanley Rose's priceless advice took them a long way. Stanley, a rider himself had done two big rides - the Trans American Adventure 1990 covering America and Canada, and Australian Adventure 1994 , apart from many rides in India.
Then, the ride began through the narrow and broad, dusty and the spotless, the green and pristine, the beautiful paths that together unite India. The three visited the amazing Wagah Border and saw the parade, then the scenic Pangong Lake where they encountered the tent with an attached toilet, and soaked in the enchanting starry night, they rode through the Highest Motorable Road in the World - Khardung La Pass, and through Ladakh surrounded by humongous mountains.
"The Indian Army Jawans greeted and helped us in the middle of nowhere. They offered us tea and were very happy to see bikers come all the way from Karnataka," said Manojna.
Their 'Never Say Die' attitude kept the three going, he added.
In between the ride, the three took a detour to Bengaluru as Manojna had an exam to write, there. An exam in the middle of trail. A tad bit unusual. Another anecdote revealing their commitment to ride was when Varun rejected two job offers to come aboard.
More of the interesting travel tales lie in their travelogue that they build on everyday. Their blog and YouTube channel facilitates people, who could not do such a ride, go on their journey virtually.
The three voyagers came home on Saturday, September 16 to a warm welcome by friends and family.
They have plans for the future as well.
"Well, to know what we're talking about, make sure to follow us on our blogs and YouTube. We'll announce it shortly," said Varun. "We're planning to do some big rides together in the future which might be out of India as well!" he added.