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Welcome to chapter eighteen of our ‘Ready To Ride’ short stories series.

These are five quick snapshots of what we do, where we ride, the laughs had, and the general shenanigans and goings on, while riding together over the Himalayas & through South India.

I’m posting these every Friday, and they’re an easy read, a few minutes are all you need.

Enjoy!

Alex Pirie
Founder & Lead Rider

Camping, but better…

There’s deep-rooted nostalgia that comes with camping.

It reconnects us to nature and helps us disconnect from the day-to-day nonsense.

It takes us back to core memories – moments we’ve made with loved ones, life lessons we might’ve learned and laughter we’ve shared with many.

Now, you can take those memories, multiply them by ten, and we’d still be confident that they won’t top camping in the Indian Himalayas. Camping in the shadows of these gargantuan peaks magnifies those feelings that camping evokes.

This isn’t just camping. It’s an ethereal experience.

If there’s one place to camp in the Indian Himalayas, it’s Sural Bhatori.

This is our destination on day 6 of our Roof Of India ride, and one of two locations where we camp.

It’s a place that not many have explored, let alone stayed in tents.

To do this as part of a motorcycle adventure is something really special and truly nomadic.

Altitude is no joke…

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that we ride at high altitudes on the Rode To Everest ride – through varied conditions, changing climates, and often for long periods.

Whilst it’s important that you’re in good health with a good level of stamina, acute mountain sickness (AMS) has no connection to how fit you are. AMS occurs when the body lacks oxygen and can be life-threatening.

Generally, people might start to feel the effects at altitudes of over 2,500m – Everest Base Camp is at an altitude of just over 5,200m, so it’s important to be aware of symptoms and quickly communicate any of them you might encounter.

In my experience, around 1% of our riders experience some mild symptoms of AMS, but it is typically dealt with very quickly.

For more information on this, read through the info pack via the link below – we will also advise you further at the first rider briefing.

This isn’t a scaremongering mission, with great adventure comes potential risk, so awareness is key to planning and executing adventures safely and responsibly.

Driving yourself around the bend?

We get it.

A life without adventure can do that to you.

But there’s a way to change that.

Don’t go stir-crazy, banish the boredom and make the dream a reality – it’s closer than you think.

The 60%…

Over the years, we’ve welcomed plenty of new faces and reunited with many familiar ones.

In fact, 60% of riders come back to ride with us again and again.

Whilst the reasons for returning are personal to each rider, we know it’s more than the routes, the destinations, and the motorcycles.

It’s the mutual thirst for adventure, shared sense of humour, and an unwavering positive mindset that keeps riders coming back.

Maybe the whisky has something to do with it too…

Why do you keep coming back?

Where are we going..?

Often in life, we can feel unsure about the road ahead.

Ultimately, we have to trust the process. The same can be said for our Grand Canyon India adventure.

I’ve spent a long time exploring rural roads and staying in places across India that most motorcyclists will never even have heard of, let alone seen.

Some of these spots are so tucked away that you’d never guess they were there from the main road.

It might feel unnerving for riders, and that’s when the questions start: Are we really going down there? But then, out of nowhere, we reach our destination and everything becomes clear.

We see this especially at the end of day 3.

We take a turn off the main road, pass through a quiet town, and take a path that doesn’t look like the kind that leads to a hotel.

We pass tents, follow a dusty trail and at this point, the riders are probably wondering what’s going on.

Until out of nowhere, we arrive, and Palolem beach is right in front of us, with beers chilling in the fridge.

Moral of the story?

Trust the process, and good things might just come.

Enjoy the ride.

I’ll see you on the next one.