Tweet
Prologue - Planning, preparation and surprises
It was around in Nov 2009, that me and Nandinee, my wife, started to get an itch for a ride. We had recently gone on a three day Konkan rideVesta at the welders, waiting for her armor to be prepared
Also, the seat width is more in GS than in caliber. So the connecting cloth in the saddle bag was put anew and sown properly, so we had good storage with safe distance from silencer and no pressure on side panels.
We wanted to make sure we do not get stranded on lonely roads. I already have a puncture repair kit (a spare tube and a foot pump, along with the knowledge of changing the punctured tube). The possible hardware failures that could land us in trouble if we weren't able to find the original parts were clutch and accelerator cables and spark plug. Somehow, I was not able to procure the spark plug, but we bought the cables and found a nice spot under the seat to store them. Also, the documents in originals and copies were always kept with the bike.
We knew zilch about Rajasthan, except that it is beautiful with great roads. Internet helped a great deal, along with Lonely Planet, and so after a long discussion thread, the itinerary was finalized as follows.
-1. 20 Jan Wed: Evening ride from Pune to Mumbai
0. 22 Jan Fri: Evening train from Mumbai Central to Jaipur
1. 23 Jan Sat: Jaipur Get down from train
2. 24 Jan Sun: Explore Jaipur
3. 25 Jan Mon: Udaipur via Pushkar/Ajmer ~400 km
4. 26 Jan Tue: Udaipur sightseeing
5. 27 Jan Wed: Jodhpur 266km
6. 28 Jan Thu: Jaisalmer 285 KM
7,8. 29, 30 Jan Fri, Sat: Jaisalmer + SAM + Desert Festival
9. 31 Jan Sun: Ride to Jodhpur 285 km
10. 1 Feb Mon: Jodhpur Local sightseeing
11. 2 Feb Tue: Early morning train to Pune
12. 3 Feb Wed: reach Pune at 6am.
Rajasthan was getting colder day by day, and we were getting precautionary warnings by everyone. So bought a pair of thermal wears for both of us, which proved to be of tremendous use, especially at night. The three months advanced planning came very handy in giving us enough time for booking etc, for finalizing the itinerary, and most importantly, to save enough money for the trip.
Days came and gone, and soon the day of arriving in Mumbai came. The saddle bars were tested fully this day, and to our delight they performed wonderfully. It was a 4 hour uneventful ride from Pune to Thane, which was quite tiring in peak hours, but it was inevitable as the train was leaving from Mumbai Central Station. We checked all the bags again and again, making sure we don't keep anything important behind, when it struck me that I removed the cables from bike when giving it to servicing, and forgot to put it back. Now the cables were in Pune, I was in Thane, and less than 24 hours were left! So much for a good start!
There are no photos of this day, because the camera was hidden deep inside the luggage, and things were happening too fast or too slow, to take it out.
Moti Dongri
Birla templeMoti Dongri at night
Nandinee asked a group of local girls who were busy chit chatting about the best place to buy mojaris. We both had not brought a pair of sandals, so buying a pair of mojaris was on the top of the shopping list.
We passed this beautiful Albert Hall in Ramniwas baghJaipur city!
The footpath just below the Hawamahal is kept vacant specially for tourists. Parked Vesta some distance ahead, but later realized there was a separate parking available just outside the Hawamahal.
A snake charmer just outside the Hawamahal
Hired an old guide to show us the Hawa mahalJantar Mantar. Now this is something that each and everyone have heard of. Naturally, our curiosity about this place was sky high. Unlike city palace, the tickets were reasonable here.
We saw some really cool scientific buildings here, but I felt a person who knows Jyotishya and astrology / astronomy will enjoy this great deal more than anyone else.
We were free by 4.00p.m. Still had an hour or so before all the tourist spot close down. So we decided to head for Nahar Garh, which we could see from a distance.
Enroute to Nahargarh, you pass a tower called tower of life. The title is actually an irony, because criminals were hanged on these towers for the rest of the city to see the effect of wrongdoing.
We took the Nahargarh road, asking our way to locals. We passed through some really dirty areas, where pigs were playing happily in the middle of the road, overjoyed with all the garbage that was flowing freely. A local pointed us the way, and when we started riding on that path, soon I realized there was no turning back! The road was quite narrow, and very steep, so no question of taking a U turn. You have to finish the full climb, then only you can turn. While climbing the small steep ghaat in first gear, we spotted a biker coming down, and confirmed that this was the way up. After some 7-8 clip bends, we finally entered the parking of Nahargarh fortPanoramic view of the city
The Gata loops of Jaipur, with 8 bends!Leaving Nahargarh
While leaving Nahargarh, the guard told us to take the same route we took for coming up, as the route for cars is from Amer fort, Jalmahal etc, and the shortcut saves some 10-12 kms. Again we rode from the steep path, clinking and banging due to the rocky roads, passed the stinky steps and entered the old city.
We had dinner early that night, and packed the stuff. Tomorrow was a big day, because Udaipur was some 410kms away, the longest I would ever ride in one day. Gave a feast of 500 bucks of fuel to Vesta, wished her goodnight, and awaited the morning eagerly for the longest ride ever.
Forth rode Vesta - Day 3Vesta waiting in the streets while we took the Darshan of the lakeRiding through Ajmer
Had lunch on some unnamed hotel, and started riding to Udaipur. This would prove as the toughest ride, as the distance seemed so far, and because of the ongoing road work around Rajsamand, the hourly distance crossed was hardly 50kms.
Had my first sand crossing today. Riding in sand is very different than riding on water or plain road. Each time, the bike gives latkas and jhatkas, and you have your heart in your throat all the time.
See the guy in the M80 almost slippingPlease continue to Part II
Don't forget to vote!
1. See the upper right hand of the starting post. There is a "Rate this Thread" option. Click on a star rating it and vote.
Alternatively, click on the following button:
Comment