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Like every other day from past 6-7 months i was going through the xBhp threads on leh-Ladakh expedition, doing my pre-tour brushups and energizing myself by going through the experiences of other travellers, I have planned my debut ladakh expedition this season in the month of June.
On home page i saw a thread on Chithra As this word 'SaddleSore' was very new to me, I googled the same and found the IBA website (SaddleSore 1600K, 2000K, 2500K ). I was very surprised to know that the thing which i was planning before i learnt how to ride a bike actually has a name to it and there is a community which certifies this Madventure.
I said Madventure to this thing because when you tell your friends/family that you are going to ride for 1000 miles / 1600kms in 24 Hrs, you always get below replies:
- Abey Pagal hogaya hai kya? @#%#^%&^*& Marega saala ..., waat lag jaayegi $$#&^**.
- Maloom tere andar bahot kidde hai and jab tak tu unki shaanti naa kar lega tu aisi bhekhi bhekhi baatein karega... kidde maarne ke liye pesticides hi kha kyun nahi leta.
And the yorker one..
- Kya milega tujhe yeh sab kar ke?
Keeping in mind that this is going to be a hectic ride and it will definitely have some side effects, I had chosen a long weekend for my event i.e. 30th Apr 2015 so that after completion, I will have at least 3 days for recovery.
Now I have to finalize the my route.
I recently rode my byko(bike) "Royal Enfield Thunderbird 350" from Karad to Pune on NH-4. So i had little riding experience of NH-4 and it was pleasant one. I decided to ride on NH-4, "Pune-Bangalore-Pune". From Viman Nagar, Pune to Rockline Mall, Bangalore. It was little over 850Kms one side. I had informed the same to my friend in Bangalore and asked him to be there at that time.
Planned Route for saddleSore 1000
Date finalized, Route Finalized... Outcome of this test was:5 days left for ride, Time to upgrade rider and ride:
- Replaced stock leg/crash guard for additional safety and sometimes to use as leg restJ.
- Added fog/Cree lights for higher visibility.
- Purchased a Day/Night vision glasses, believe me this 100 bucks investment help me lot while riding at night.
- Purchased good riding jacket with all armours for elbows, shoulders and back.
- Added anti-puncture liquid in tubes, here i wanted to avoid carrying extra tube and this fluid also keeps tyres cool (Kahin to padha tha. K .).
After all these preparations i was ready for my ride day. Finally the most awaited day comes, that day i reached my office at 7 AM instead of 9 AM, so that i can leave early and take small nap before start time. I took all the required documents for ride and went home around 5 PM to rest.
I was so excited that i left home around 9 PM and started my ride around 9:45 PM after all the starting formalities and best wishes from my start witnesses and loved ones who were all present virtually (following me on my Facebook event).
Start ODO Reading 6569 and Timestamp 21:45
Shortly my excitement hit me back with city traffic
and some chemical reactions with mixed thoughts started popping out. I have read in one blog that "No matter what, you need to keep your mind cool in all situations.... if you lose some of your time in city traffic you can cover the same on highways.." I was repeating this in my mind to avoid the side effect of chemical reactions. After around 1.30 Hrs of riding in city to cover 25-30 kms, I touched NH-4. I took a small halt before heading for non-stop 300Kms.
For next 300Kms i faced 4-5 diversion on NH-4, windy routes. I was riding on at speed of around 85-90kmph. As i came near to 300kms i started looking for fuel station but most of the fuel stations on highway were closed and few which were open they were not selling fuel at midnight. Though my bike has 20 litres fuel tank and she could have ran for more 300kms. I rode for next 20kms and found on fuel station just before Maharashtra Karnataka border. I parked my bike near petrol pump and was looking for attendant, then I saw a guy waving his hand.. and saying bhai aage jaao this time I have made up my mind that I am not going without refuelling, I went near the office where that guy was sitting, There I saw another guy with a shotgun rifle :|, Seeing that rifle all my determination evaporated like petrol within seconds.. With very soft voice i requested the guy without refile to give me some fuel as my bike has almost no fuel in it and i have to ride till Bangalore.
"Try next fuel station" He Said,
"
Halt 1, ODO: 6843, Time : 01:51
BioBreak ,Somewhere on NH-4
Halt 2, ODO: 7167, Time:06:32
After a little bio-fuel-snack break i continued my journey ahead, I rode for another 2.30 Hrs heading towards my U-turn point, I saw my trip-O-meter meter reached to 830kms and i still have ride for 30-40kms to reach my U-turn point. It was almost 10 AM in morning and city had started to wake up. I had a lesson at the start of the trip and didn't want to repeat the same, so i decide to take U-turn instead of of planned U-turn and start my return trip after short break.
U-Turn Point, ODO: 7402, Time: 09:22
On every halts, I was posting on my Facebook event so that my loved ones knows my whereabouts. I pinged my Bangalore friend that I am going to take U-turn so not to come to the meeting point.
After 30-40mins of so called break, I started my return ride. I took water breaks after almost 100kms, that time i was badly missing the hydration backpack (One of the most important thing to carry while riding long in hot summer). To cover up these halts i had to ride above 95+ kmph so that on an average, I can have an overall at least 70-80kmph speed. I have to ride at high speed on highways as i knew that once i would enter Maharashtra, my average speed is going to decrease to around 50kmph.
Halt-4, ODO : 7608, Time : 11:52
Halt-5, ODO: 7967, Time:17:19
End point, ODO: 8202, Time: 21:30
With all my dedications and runtime decisions i completed saddleSore 1000, just ~14mins before the wall time. J
On home page i saw a thread on Chithra As this word 'SaddleSore' was very new to me, I googled the same and found the IBA website (SaddleSore 1600K, 2000K, 2500K ). I was very surprised to know that the thing which i was planning before i learnt how to ride a bike actually has a name to it and there is a community which certifies this Madventure.
I said Madventure to this thing because when you tell your friends/family that you are going to ride for 1000 miles / 1600kms in 24 Hrs, you always get below replies:
- Abey Pagal hogaya hai kya? @#%#^%&^*& Marega saala ..., waat lag jaayegi $$#&^**.
- Maloom tere andar bahot kidde hai and jab tak tu unki shaanti naa kar lega tu aisi bhekhi bhekhi baatein karega... kidde maarne ke liye pesticides hi kha kyun nahi leta.
And the yorker one..
- Kya milega tujhe yeh sab kar ke?
Keeping in mind that this is going to be a hectic ride and it will definitely have some side effects, I had chosen a long weekend for my event i.e. 30th Apr 2015 so that after completion, I will have at least 3 days for recovery.
Now I have to finalize the my route.
I recently rode my byko(bike) "Royal Enfield Thunderbird 350" from Karad to Pune on NH-4. So i had little riding experience of NH-4 and it was pleasant one. I decided to ride on NH-4, "Pune-Bangalore-Pune". From Viman Nagar, Pune to Rockline Mall, Bangalore. It was little over 850Kms one side. I had informed the same to my friend in Bangalore and asked him to be there at that time.
Planned Route for saddleSore 1000
Date finalized, Route Finalized... Outcome of this test was:5 days left for ride, Time to upgrade rider and ride:
- Replaced stock leg/crash guard for additional safety and sometimes to use as leg restJ.
- Added fog/Cree lights for higher visibility.
- Purchased a Day/Night vision glasses, believe me this 100 bucks investment help me lot while riding at night.
- Purchased good riding jacket with all armours for elbows, shoulders and back.
- Added anti-puncture liquid in tubes, here i wanted to avoid carrying extra tube and this fluid also keeps tyres cool (Kahin to padha tha. K .).
After all these preparations i was ready for my ride day. Finally the most awaited day comes, that day i reached my office at 7 AM instead of 9 AM, so that i can leave early and take small nap before start time. I took all the required documents for ride and went home around 5 PM to rest.
I was so excited that i left home around 9 PM and started my ride around 9:45 PM after all the starting formalities and best wishes from my start witnesses and loved ones who were all present virtually (following me on my Facebook event).
Start ODO Reading 6569 and Timestamp 21:45
Shortly my excitement hit me back with city traffic
and some chemical reactions with mixed thoughts started popping out. I have read in one blog that "No matter what, you need to keep your mind cool in all situations.... if you lose some of your time in city traffic you can cover the same on highways.." I was repeating this in my mind to avoid the side effect of chemical reactions. After around 1.30 Hrs of riding in city to cover 25-30 kms, I touched NH-4. I took a small halt before heading for non-stop 300Kms.For next 300Kms i faced 4-5 diversion on NH-4, windy routes. I was riding on at speed of around 85-90kmph. As i came near to 300kms i started looking for fuel station but most of the fuel stations on highway were closed and few which were open they were not selling fuel at midnight. Though my bike has 20 litres fuel tank and she could have ran for more 300kms. I rode for next 20kms and found on fuel station just before Maharashtra Karnataka border. I parked my bike near petrol pump and was looking for attendant, then I saw a guy waving his hand.. and saying bhai aage jaao this time I have made up my mind that I am not going without refuelling, I went near the office where that guy was sitting, There I saw another guy with a shotgun rifle :|, Seeing that rifle all my determination evaporated like petrol within seconds.. With very soft voice i requested the guy without refile to give me some fuel as my bike has almost no fuel in it and i have to ride till Bangalore.
"Try next fuel station" He Said,
"
Halt 1, ODO: 6843, Time : 01:51
BioBreak ,Somewhere on NH-4
Halt 2, ODO: 7167, Time:06:32
After a little bio-fuel-snack break i continued my journey ahead, I rode for another 2.30 Hrs heading towards my U-turn point, I saw my trip-O-meter meter reached to 830kms and i still have ride for 30-40kms to reach my U-turn point. It was almost 10 AM in morning and city had started to wake up. I had a lesson at the start of the trip and didn't want to repeat the same, so i decide to take U-turn instead of of planned U-turn and start my return trip after short break.
U-Turn Point, ODO: 7402, Time: 09:22
On every halts, I was posting on my Facebook event so that my loved ones knows my whereabouts. I pinged my Bangalore friend that I am going to take U-turn so not to come to the meeting point.
After 30-40mins of so called break, I started my return ride. I took water breaks after almost 100kms, that time i was badly missing the hydration backpack (One of the most important thing to carry while riding long in hot summer). To cover up these halts i had to ride above 95+ kmph so that on an average, I can have an overall at least 70-80kmph speed. I have to ride at high speed on highways as i knew that once i would enter Maharashtra, my average speed is going to decrease to around 50kmph.
Halt-4, ODO : 7608, Time : 11:52
Halt-5, ODO: 7967, Time:17:19
End point, ODO: 8202, Time: 21:30
With all my dedications and runtime decisions i completed saddleSore 1000, just ~14mins before the wall time. J
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