Re: Our Group's Anniversary trip to Lansdowne/Kotdwar

Anniversary trip approved!

Fun you guys had! Though, as a precautionary measure, put up a disclaimer along with the last picture. Drinking and riding make a lethal combination you see.

Re: Our Group's Anniversary trip to Lansdowne/Kotdwar

Nice ride there. Kudos to the person who is touring on RC

Re: Our Group's Anniversary trip to Lansdowne/Kotdwar

Nice ride there. Waiting for the full log!

Sent from my Xperia L.

Re: Our Group's Anniversary trip to Lansdowne/Kotdwar

Day 2: From Motadhak, Kotdwara to Tip-in-top, Lansdowne with stops at Dugadda, Fatehpur and unknown places and finally back through Jehrikhal & Gumkhal.

I was sad a little as I was not taking my bike to Lansdowne. Aquila Pro GV650 has a huge wheelbase and is not at all friendly on the narrow sharp bends of road to Lansdowne. But on the flip side I being a pillion would be able to enjoy the scenery and click a lot of pics.




The day started early and we decided to get the Parathans ready and carry them with us. We had planned to eat the paranthas with tea at a dhaba. So the ride began at about 9:00am when we started from Motadhak and moved to dugadda via Kotdwar City.



The breakfast stop was at a village called ‘Fatehpur’ a small shop where Maggi was available and tea. We enjoyed the Parantha’s that we had brought along with very tasty preparation of Maggi and 2 rounds of tea.



We must have moved about a kilometer ahead (I got my hands dirty with KTM this time) and we spotted a very nice camp resort right on the riverside. We had to go there. Rishi, Anish, Amar and Nikhil were bold enough to get their bikes to the river. With RC’s extremely committed stance, I parked it roadside and walked down to the river. This became our biggest stop on route to Lansdowne of more than an hour.



With clock still showing 10:30 we decided to head towards Lansdowne. Since I was the only one aware of the Route, I was on KTM for a short while and leading the way. A few kms ahead my bottom and hands started to pain because of the committed position and the bikes were changed and I became pillion again. Riding Non-Stop we reached tip-in-top in Lansdowne by 12:45 noon. A nice view, Maggi, Tea and Bread & Egg Omlette was our lunch for the day. After lazing around in cold weather and nice sun for about a couple of hours, we headed back by 2:00pm



We reached Kotdwara by 4pm and headed to Motadhak after collecting stuff for the party. After some rest that party started with a Discussion on iPhone vs Samsung as brands and ended with contemplation of leaving the same night back to Delhi. After arguments and pacifying the agitated people, it was decided that we will leave next morning. In talks with our Host and my Uncle, we discovered about ‘Dacoit Sultana-the Robin hood of Western UP’ and came to know about his Fort. Immediately we decided we have to visit this place. The day ended over arguments but with excitement of riding to a forgotten part of history.

Day 3: The Most Exciting day of R.A.R.E. as we rode through village roads, unpaved roads, touched upon History all this while the entire way it rained or drizzled and fast winds that swayed bikes like leaves.

We were ready to leave by 8am, had breakfast and headed towards city to tank up. Petrol in Uttrakhand is cheaper by 5 rupees from UP and costlier by 2 rupees from Delhi. It had started to rain when we started but we decided against waiting for rain to stop. We knew that it’s the day long rain but we were unaware of what was to come. We headed to Kila Gaon which is built on the Moredhwaj Fort. We had the impression that this is the fort of ‘Daku Sultana but actually it was the fort of Moredhwaj and we were unable to get any historic details.



We were told by the locals in Kila gaon that fort of Daku Sultana was in najibabad, so we headed there while it rained continuously. After asking few locals we finally found the Fort which was the residence of Najib-ud-Daula Najib Khan who was the founder of Najibabad. It’s again a forgotten part of history, hidden about a kilometer away from the highway and only a few locals visit there for obvious reasons.
Nawab Najib-ud-Daula, also known as Najib Khan was a noted Rohilla Muslim warrior and serviceman of both the mughal empire and the Durrani empire, Nawab Najib-ud- Daula was a noted Rohilla tribal chief in 18th century Rohilkhand, who in the 1740s founded the city of Najibabad in Bijnor district, India where he established the present day city of Najibabad, a state of Najibabad independent from Rohilla tribes, and received the title, "Nawab Najib-ud-daulla"



Since it rained the whole way back it was difficult to take pics and after Najib Khan Fort we were unable to take pics, the travel was fun even when we were all wet, cold and almost shivering. It was maximum adventure that we could have got on the road. All of us felt the wind playing with our bikes. I dropped my Wallet but got it back after a gentleman called me and informed me. I had to travel back 22 kilometers but it was worth it as it had my pan card, driving license, Debit Cards, some money and Voters ID. Anish’s bike dropped its exhaust, Ajay broke his KTM RCs rear brake lever and we faced worst of traffic from Modi Nagar to Ghaziabad. I stay in Ghaziabad, Amar in Noida so reached home by 7 but Ajay, Anish, Rishi & Nikhil braved another bout of rain till their residence in Gurgaon. Despite the things going wrong, arguments happening, weather playing tricks on us, our zeal to make the ride a fun was not lost and arguably this is one of the best rides of our life till we do another.



End of Travelogue.

Please ensure that you are not drinking and riding not even if it is chilling, it is a lethal combination. Wear proper gear at all times. Ride at whatever speed you are comfortable. Don't Race, just enjoy the ride.

Re: Our Group's Anniversary trip to Lansdowne/Kotdwar

A short fun-filled ride. Nice to see so much of liquid consumption(by both men and machines)!

Re: Our Group's Anniversary trip to Lansdowne/Kotdwar

Yes it was. We covered about 550kms in 3 days time. The road is good so my bike (aquila gv650) returned a mileage of 22 with premium 93 octane.

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