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Welcome to chapter eleven 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

“Do I need a pen?”

For the morning briefing? Absolutely yes.

Each morning, we talk through the route ahead, pointing out prospective chai stops, busier towns, notable stopping points, distances between the towns we travel through and our final destination for the day.

These are exactly the details you’ll want to write down.
This isn’t a mundane box-ticking exercise – far from it. It serves a real purpose. Whilst the junctions are marked, for whatever reason, you could take a wrong turn and might even need to ask a local for some help.

Believe it or not, there are usually hundreds of places in India with the same name, so in some cases, Google Maps can’t help you. But having notes on your starting mileage, the mileage between locations, points of interest and the daily route maps from the ride guide can.

Remember, failing to prepare is preparing to fail – and failing to come prepared with a pen might win you a special t-shirt for the day…

You’ve been warned!

Yes, the destination is incredible, but don’t dismiss the journey…

Something special happens on these adventures.

As we wind through the small, desolate villages, scale up the gargantuan mountain ranges and traverse the Tibetan Plateau, we catch a glimpse of everyday life.

Experiencing it on a motorcycle really allows our senses to connect.

We see people farming on yak-pulled ploughs, walking many miles to pray at stupas, hitchhiking at the side of the road in trying to get a ride to the next village along, which is probably miles away!

It’s like we’ve stepped back in time.

The simplicity of life here can really make us question why we’ve made life so complicated for ourselves.

It offers a fresh perspective on what we actually need in life and makes us wonder how many of our needs are actually wants.

Another long & hot day in the saddle…

With plenty of pit stops along the way for us and the bikes, of course!

What a ride it’s been so far.

Tomorrow is the penultimate day of riding to our next stop, Murdeshwar.

More incredible riding lies ahead.

Let’s talk twisties…

For those of you who have ridden in South India, you’ll know just how incredible some of the roads are here.

Specifically, day 5 of our Grand Canyon India ride to Nittur in Karnataka, where we weave through the breathtaking Western Ghats.

It’s easily one of the best riding days ever, with tarmac so fresh, there’s a chance you’ll even see the road roller that’s just laid it, turning these roads into a motorcyclist’s dream.

One rider even described them as better than wa*king….well, he didn’t mean ‘walking’!!! Something we probably shouldn’t write on social media, eh?

But if you think hard enough, you’ll get the idea.

The tarmac, the turns and the sunshine – it’s just glorious.

The last supper?

If only we weren’t one person short, we’d have nailed it!

Well, except for the motorcycles. Those might’ve given it away perhaps…

There’s nothing quite like congregating round a big table, enjoying homemade momos, created from recipes passed down generations and taking in views that not many have ever seen.

It’s another one of those pinch-me moments and hands down beats your average motorcycle pit stops.

This photo was taken high up in the Indian Himalayas during our incredible Roof Of India motorcycle adventure.

Enjoy the ride.

I’ll see you on the next one.