An oft repeated motorcycling phrase is ‘when was the last time you did something for the first time?’. On the #roadTripUnited project we did something for the first time. We rode down to Coimbatore to meet the bikers of the city.
The xBhp Coimbatore chapter is really strong, and during the Interstate get together, you can hear the two-strokes from Coimbatore approaching long before you see them! But for one reason or another, xBhp never got down to visiting there during an India ride. Finally we rectified that fault by riding to Coimbatore after our meet in Krishnagiri.
The road from Krishnagiri to Coimbatore was fantastic and we made quick time to the city, since the G2G was on the very evening that we were reaching there. We went straight to the G2G venue and met up with the motorcyclists of the city. It was pleasantly surprising to see so many biking clubs present. Even more so considering it was a weekday evening and most had come there straight after work.
We kicked off proceedings with a lovely interactive session, where we introduced xBhp and #roadTripUnited to the assembly and then asked for their introductions. We also spoke about the importance of safe riding and the unnecessary risk of undertaking endurance rides just for a certificate.
We then invited the club heads to the stage where they spoke about their respective clubs. The club heads were then presented with the ‘Note of Thanks’ and were also given the ‘i the Biker | we the Power’ placards for a photo opportunity to symbolise the strength of motorcycling unity.
The ‘i the Bike’ memento was presented to the city of Coimbatore where the assembled audience decided that it should be kept with Karthik from xBhp Coimbatore, a fitting choice, since he was the man responsible for getting all the biking clubs under one roof that evening!
After the meet, it was time for a lovely dinner together at the venue itself, since practically everyone had come there from work!
But the evening wasn’t over for us as we went to a fellow biker’s ‘tea shop’ to sample some exotic blends of tea post midnight! It was a fitting end to a power packed day for the team. From Coimbatore it was time for the team to go all the way down south to the southern most tip of mainland India, Kanyakumari, before heading into Kerala and to Trivandrum.