So Few Modifications later, he got some appealing looks.


And with looks came some capability.


Exactly one year before the Mega ride, both of us were ready to take on Leh. Yeah, bring it on baby!!

I always hated to wear this thing, which I find it hard to pronounce even today. Lets call it my Eagle mask. I had to use this when it was very cold in the entire Manali ~ Leh stretch.


Served me well. If you have more shillings, do go for a very good foreign brand. The downside of this helmet we at high speeds the airflow could deafen you. However I recommend you get a helmet which has a dual visor just like this one. Some stretch where the road had white sand, you could go blind.


2 pair of gloves, this one was for the cold. I want to try Rjays next time. Hear it has better resistance from the cold.


And this old friend I used it when the temperature was bearable. Ofcourse, depending on your budget, go for a very nice glove which has better protection.


And how could I have completed this journey without my Gum boots. If you are doing Manali ~ Leh stretch, you will definitely need one of these. The downside of carrying this all the way is that these Gum boots are super heavy. So I donated it to a Gardner in LEH . If you are only doing Leh ~ Srinagar route, you would not need this. I did not find the necessity. Keeps you safe from water streams, cold and a lot of dirt/dust etc. You can save the lower part of your jeans with these gum boots. This is a winner!!


Ofcourse, for Poli, she loved these. You would not believe how feather light these gloves are. Seriously.. . When you travel, you want the lightest gear that you can carry with you.


We carried about 4 to 5 pairs of woolen socks. Don't think about wearing these in hot plains. You can get them in any Army canteen.


This is part of my personal gear box. Tested to break at 250Kgs. I wish I had a chance to test them myself. However I haven't. So I kept these for emergency. Used some portion of this rope to tie the bags down.


These multi purpose steel wires, you could use for hunting, fishing or tie up any broken metal parts of your bike, in-case of a crash. Or just use your imagination and use it for anything that suites the purpose.


Very helpful in Camps at Sarchu. At nights when generators are turned off, you are all lights out. Take a glow stick and snap then shake it. It lit up your tent all night. Very helpful for people who hate to sleep in dark rooms, like me. Or again use your imagination and use it anywhere anytime. It can float on water, so go deep diving with it if you gave the balls


Yeah, we got the cheap ones, I hear you. However it worth all the money you pay. It works for one bad crash. Then you can throw it away.


The rain coats, to keep you dry. Each one of us got what we liked. I liked the coat, Poli and the rest wanted the 2 piece ones.


We got saddle bags, which solved the problem of tying up bags on the bike. And we still had extra luggage.


If you have a pillion, this works very well. And if you have the shillings, go for the more expensive variety that supports all the way up your spine. I strongly recommend a fully geared ride. Helmets, gloves, Armour protection, that is what I am going to get next. There is not point risking your life when our arms and legs don't grow back. This back rest helped Poli a lot as pillion.