i would like to join you, subject to approval of leaves from my office..

You are welcome. More the merrier

Hey!
I'd planned this trip to the minutest detail last season, but circumstances conspired against me.
Will definitely join you in 2012!
I read through the entire thread, and its awesome to see that you have things totally planned out!
Do you have a limit on the maximum numbers of riders you plan to go with? I understand that many guys who have expressed interest on this thread may actually drop out as D-day approaches. But do you plan to cap the number of riders. Im asking because i know at least 4 others from Pune, who told me they'd be interested.

Hi Kaushik,

I had started this thread to collect people who wanted to do Leh in 2012 so I am replying to this query. Please note, I am not the official planner or anything like that 'cause there is nothing official about it haha.

This ride is not an official club where one has to take formal membership so there is no issue about the number of riders etc. Like I have said before, I plan to follow the itinerary I had set out in the beginning regardless of whether I get any company or not.

Riders could come in batches of 3/4/5 etc and form one large loosely connected group or they could stay independent and just throw high fives on the road; it all depends on group dynamics on and off road.

The way I look at it is that every rider plans his ride independently and then connects to similar people at the final meeting place from where the ride is to start which in this particular trip, on this thread, is Jammu Railway station. I will be there on the appointed day and even if not a single soul turns up, I will twist my grip and ride on. I hope you get the drift now

I suppose April would be the time when the serious guys would start contacting each other to finalise the plan. You could monitor this thread for updates.

Fellow Leh aspirants, please comment

I loved those lines above.

and yea i just completed a solo trip to leh in Sep and and going solo i alos a lot of fun. So, Good luck to you guys.

Ananth

Hi,
I also would like to join, probably after giving my final year exams in April
Subscribed to thread

Yuvi, I am in! And lets try to reach the magic number in this ride

Aide memoire for new viewers

I am re-posting the schedule so that interested people need not hunt thru' the whole thread. The schedule stays the same barring any major untoward event in that region. Call me at 9624349964 (Rajkot) for any clarifications.

03 Jun Sunday Jammu afternoon: Rendezvous of members, introductions, checks and prep for the next day.

04 June Monday Jammu to Srinagar/Pahalgam: Start from a place agreed to on 3rd. Pahalgam has been reported as a better alternative to Srinagar. We can decide in-situ

05 June Tuesday Srinagar/Pahalgam to Drass/Kargil: If Zojilla proves too time consuming, then Drass else Kargil.

06 Jun Wednesday Kargil to Leh via Lamayuru: Early start as members might want time for photography.

07 Jun Thursday Leh: 1st day of acclimatisation, sight-seeing, application for permits, bike and equipment check etc. Carb reset done here.

08 June Friday Leh: 2nd day of acclimatisation and sight-seeing if required.

09 June Saturday Leh to Pangong Tso: Onward journey

10 Jun Sunday Pangong Tso to Leh Via Chushul and Chumathang: Return journey.

11 June Monday Leh to Siachen: I don't know if civilians are permitted there these days.

12 June Tuesday Siachen to Leh: ditto as above.

13 June Wednesday Leh: Rest in Leh, prep for the return trip.

14 June Thursday Leh to Pang: self explanatory.

15 June Friday Pang to Keylong: ditto

16 June Saturday Keylong to Manali/Kulu: depending upon what people prefer

17 June Sunday Kulu to Ambala: for me as I will catch a train from there to Pune.

Total days on the road: 14.

Emergencies etc: 2 days in spare on both sides for travel arrangements.

Grand total: 16 days.

Hi icemang,
In your schedule you have not given much importance to Kashmir. I would love to explore Phelgam and Sonmarg . Is it possible?
How long will be the train journey from Pune to Jammu? I guess you and your bike are traveling to Jammu by train. I am living abroad and would like to prepare accordingly. Thanks for taking lead and all the research.
Henry

With all due respect, what looks good is subjective. i have a liking for olive drab and woodland camo patterns.

i was under the impression that using camo patterns other than those used by the army was ok.....as long as we avoid those patterns, I suppose there's no trouble or disrespect meant, isn't it?

Hi hensil,

In the given 14 days, it would not be possible to explore Kashmir; one needs at least 7 days exclusively for that trip. You could see Kashmir before the Leh trip and then join the gang on its way up, I suppose.

Pune to Jammu is 2 days and about 2 nights - the Jhelum Express starts at 540pm on day 1, Delhi at 930pm on day 2 and Jammu at about 10 am on day 3.

You are right there, looks are subjective. I am not a Catholic priest, yet, should I wear the formal vestments of one just because I like the way they look on me? One sees actors in films wearing uniforms of the Army/Navy/Air Force with the explicit permission of the Ministry of Defence, and only for the duration of the of the filming of the movie. Rama, it is a privilege to wear the greens and whites and blues and the camos of the Armed Forces. And this privilege has to be earned, not just usurped because one like the looks of it. I cannot wear an Air Force/Navy uniform even if I like it, in the similar way that my colleagues in the sister services cannot wear mine. Being in the Infantry, I cannot wear the maroon beret of the Parachute Regiment just because I like it. If I do a certain number of day and night jumps, I earn the privilege and entitlement to wear the maroon beret with pride and elan. All the above, with all due respect as is due to a senior member.

There was a time, long ago, when camo cloth was barred for sale to any other than authorized personnel. One just could not walk into a store and purchase camo cloth for a shirt or trouser or jacket. Those days are in the past...

It is not only the patterns but the self-same or similar colours too. In our country, these laws exist but as is the case with other laws, this one too is not enforced. The result is that one sees a plethora of quasi military uniforms everywhere - bank guards, private security agencies. That the police too wears Army insignia for their ranks points to the utter disregard that the politicians and bureaucrats have for such issues. Sad, but true.

Please don't be a "probable" for the ride Give yourself a nice post exam reward by coming on the ride

I did not mean replicating the look of the armed forces to suit my fancy, but just borrowing an element or two from it such as the camo pattern. But I see what you mean. I suppose its a similar sentiment to cringing when we look at foreign tourists wearing a dhoti and 'om' or those 'hare rama hare krishna' t-shirts in the name of style.

I see. Thanks for clearing it up.

Thank you very much for understanding the issue. I really mean it; very, very few people on this forum show such high levels of maturity in empathising about such seemingly arcane but actually sensitive issues.