re: Up above the World, so HIGH

you were missed a lot, bro.
you finish your studies and then we will do Leh again. I have reserved it to be done again with you

hahaha.. nice one bro, had i not been taking this much time you would have not turned up with this creative comment.

Nops, Duke is still with me.
and my love for it keeps growing.

my pleasure sir,
yes to all my frens who are curious, i did the entire trip without carrying petrol canisters.
And why:

Ninja has 18 lts tank, it was giving me a worst condition mileage of 20.
That translates to a range of 360 kms.
now max distance without a petrol pump in Ladakh is 350kms.
And yes bike was giving me a higher mileage than 20. i used 20 for doing calculations.
for your records Ninja was giving me a mileage of 20-25.

re: Up above the World, so HIGH

The legendary Mr. Ankit with is wonderful poetry - 'am hooked for more!
Keep the log runin', now.

re: Up above the World, so HIGH

Awesome pics!

re: Up above the World, so HIGH

Sir please post the rest of the log,I hate teasers on any Tlog

re: Up above the World, so HIGH

Awesome!!!! Ankit sir, another one from you, I have a intuition that this one will be better than legendary log, 'Because I Love You'..

re: Up above the World, so HIGH

Woha !!! Leh on a Ninja, I always love to see full faired machines on hills specially if it is Leh...

Bring it on bro...

re: Up above the World, so HIGH

Oooh.nice teaser there.loved the pics.especially the kid on bike ..soo cute..:-) waiting for more ..bring it on mate

re: Up above the World, so HIGH

Bloody Brilliant this... Leh'd on a Special Edition Ninja... Pictures and the depiction in them looks hardcore man. Inspired!!

Lovely words too... a rider living his LIFE which of course happens on two wheels... ... Live on Ride on...

re: Up above the World, so HIGH

Great piece of work. Nice pics. Continue with the story.

re: Up above the World, so HIGH

Bring the rest of the dream ride on, dude!

re: Up above the World, so HIGH

What a start!!! Waiting for the whole trip log..


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re: Up above the World, so HIGH

8^th June was the day. Decided. For the Endeavour.


Ajay(ajaysthinkin on xbhp) and me were preparing for this endeavour since last year, but circumstances sake we couldn’t do it then.
Now after one full year circumstances weren’t any different. Just that Ajay my little brother for insanities wasn’t here.
You were totally missed Bro.
…


“Its going to be hot”, I told myself. “Can you do it..?”
Ooh! that wasn’t a question, rather my heart was telling me to backoff.
Sitback, relax, watch a couple of movies and dream vicariously about other people Living Leh

Haha..!
Huh,
..


8^th morning at 5:30 I was on the road. Riding for Leh.





Met Amit (Zawarester on xbhp) and Doc (happy warrior on xbhp) and the journey started. Amit was leading the pack and me following,
I agreed, I was on the fastest bike so I can play catch-up anytime.

…


“You should go for a few preparatory rides. Maybe a Panchgani run and back in a day or a Nasik trip?” suggested me. And I had to agree.


I knew that riding in heat is going to be my biggest enemy.
And preparatory rides showed me my true self; Yes it was really tuff for me to ride more than 350kms in a day in June’s heat.
I tried everything; drinking lots of water, making myself wet with water, and what not.
Then I consulted Doctor Suresh(Doc), who later happened to be one of the riders with me on this Leh trip.
On his advice I went to get my blood checkup and other tests done. Got the report. All was found OK.
And having a Doctor on trip with you is always an advantage.


Got both the bikes serviced, KTM Duke and Kawasaki Ninja. I was still unsure which one to take. Somewhere I wanted to ride on KTM Duke..
but its hard to say no to a Ninja..

Mind was actually right doing Leh on KTM would have been easier. But who wants to take the easy way when you have a Ninja to face the tuff terrain.
Another reason was that apart from a few places in Ladakh most of the places have butter smooth highways and I wanted to enjoy Ninja there.
Mumbai to Delhi was also going to be express way smooth.


God’s grace now I was having one.

Bags were procured, courtesy ViaTerra.
Bike was ready after being serviced, was I?







Until 9am I was comfortable riding. Then my pace started breaking.
Heat…!
I took many breaks, be it to click a frame and relax a bit, or to have Electrol or just like that sometimes.

Day was about to be over we targeted to be at Vadodara, but till evening we could ride only till Ahmedabad and halted.
Doc and Amit were pissed at my slow pace. Maybe!
While talking to me Doc suggested that photographers should do a solo ride only. They can enjoy the sceneries at their pace.
Like one more Pro Photographer on xbhp often does. Doc slept then, but with that he rang my bell…!

Anyways, pics for you frens to enjoy…



Thats Doc on KTM and Amit on R15.

Ninja loves posing.









Next day we started from Ahmedabad and decided to halt at Ludhiana.
I was fine till Udaipur, after that I started falling sick and it was just unbearable for me to ride in the heat.
We reached till Jaipur and I took a long break, I even had a nap at some of the Dhaba.
Drank lots of water, Electrol, Lassi, and all in which I could consume more and more liquid.

Then we took a few more long breaks, I somewhere knew that group is suffering somewhere coz of my slow speed.
By 11pm in the night we reached Ambala. And I didn’t have the potential to ride ahead. I decided to halt at Ambala.


Doc and Amit, they were determined to Ludhiana, Decided to move ahead.
I didn’t stop them for my sake.

I ain’t,
No saint.
No complaint.

Mikey was with me and we both were raring to go solo.




Next morning I woke up and resumed the ride, as per my plan I had to meet Akash Das(bloggingWheels on xbhp.) at Ludhiana.
He waited for me and we tagged along. As decided we rode till Udhampur and then the other day to Srinagar.
Pathankot onwards heat started reducing and I regained my might.





Was hungry riding since morning, so decided to feast on corn over a little chat,
These were kashmiris and were excited to know about the bike, Ninja is really a crowd magnet.

And then: somewhere near Srinagar.




Ninja loaded with the bags


Dal Lake, Srinagar.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/ankit2...in/photostream


~

Scroll below for the next part of the journey



Part 2: Mumbai to Srinagar
http://www.xbhp.com/talkies/tourer/2...ml#post1077317


Part 3: Srinagar to Leh
http://www.xbhp.com/talkies/tourer/2...ml#post1080039


Part 4: Thiksey monastery and Miss Melissa.
http://www.xbhp.com/talkies/tourer/29402-up-above-world-so-high-4.html#post1081165


Part 5: Khardungla, the worlds highest motorable road.
http://www.xbhp.com/talkies/tourer/29402-up-above-world-so-high-4.html#post1083118

Re: Up above the World, so HIGH

LEH’D

…

Bought a warm jacket and Started from Srinagar at 10am,
and clicked him somewhere midway.




I wasn’t carrying any winter clothes to keep me warm in Leh, apart from a warm T-shirt so decided to buy a few things from Srinagar and got a very cheap deal,
the jacket that you see me wearing in the pics is Rs.1200/-. It kept me warm on all the icy peaks, throughout the entire trip.

And yes this Jacket is worth mentioning. :P


Reached Sonmarg, pastures were lush green, animals were gazing, few were frolicking, all happy and enjoying.
















Me and Akash were hungry and decided to have lunch, we visited a restaurant nearby and were looking for something vegetarian to eat,
waiter suggested Shahi Paneer, Me and Akash agreed.

AND… It was The BEST… Shahi Paneer I have ever eaten.

I ate Shahi-Paneer in Lucknow, in Delhi, Chandigarh, Mumbai, Bangalore… wherever but that Paneer was something.
For an instance I felt I should stay here only and try a few more dishes,

But Leh was calling... and we marched ahead.

…

We reached Zozilla Pass and stopped for some 1 hour, ice was being cleared by B.R.O. And my lens got the chance.



I will request you to stop on the above pic for a minute and check it on my flickr page thats majestic Sonmarg:






The guy you see in the above picture needs a mention: Miraz, He was wearing a torn rugged leather jacket and told me that his Royal Enfiled was a 1969 model passed onto him by his Dad.
Don't know if it really was, but to me it was a cool frame indeed.

Reached Drass took a hotel and decided to call it a day, we both were a little tired to move ahead.
..






Next Day, morning at 6 I began my journey reached Kargil and the breeze of being Lehed started coming.
Thats where I shot them …

“No Papa I will not brush my teeth, I will not go to school.”




And the family reaction…!!!
Pa, Ma and Brother…





And I am sure the neighbouring aunt got a gossip…
Total Page3ite.





Reached a little ahead, and saw this rock formation:



Jaw of a Dinosaur






Kids in Leh have this habit of welcoming you in their own way, they hear the sound of your bike coming and turn towards you with a hand stretched
and yes… the code… You need to give a clap, a high five on their palm. And that brings a cheer on their face.


I made it a point to clap with every kid I met on my way.

And then Ninja obliged a few more…




They were jumping out of joy, I wish I could give them these pics.
My heart was smiling.

Check them out in high res on flickr:












Was about to reach Leh when I spotted the national flag standing tall, And it was a delight.

I am proud to be an Indian.







Next Part of the blog is here:

Thiksey Monastery and Miss Melissa
http://www.xbhp.com/talkies/tourer/2...ml#post1081165

Re: Up above the World, so HIGH

GREAT TRAVELOGUE Respect for all those Riders who got Leh'd...Every enthusiastic biker's dream. LEH...

Re: Up above the World, so HIGH

congrats bro for making it to K-top and and getting leh-ed .....
waiting for more pic and your travelogue.