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Welcome to chapter forty-two 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

We draw quite the crowd…

We take routes that few others do, so it’s rare – if it happens at all – that people in some of the towns we visit have ever seen anyone from outside India.

Large crowds can often gather; whilst it might seem daunting, it’s nothing to worry about. People are friendly, intrigued, and keen to learn where you’re from, where you’re going, and what you love about India.

It takes us back to a time when we were less suspicious, when community spirit was strong, and people would regularly stop to chat with strangers. It’s amazing the conversation you end up having, and you see just how excited people are that you’re visiting their hometown.

If you’d prefer not to talk, people will respect that – but we recommend giving it a try.

Head in the clouds…

Roads like these can feel like something out of a dream, but there’s no time for daydreaming in moments like this.

When visibility is limited, it’s time to slow right down. Your heart races as you become increasingly aware of the lack of barriers and begin to question just how high up you are. You squint ahead, scanning for headlights in the distance.

Your grip tightens and, even though it’s cold, you can feel yourself starting to sweat.

Then just as you start to question your life choices, you make it to the other side.

A quick rush of adrenaline hits, your grip loosens, and you might even smile or breathe a sigh of relief.

Some might call it madness, but we call it fun.

Connection to nature…

One of the biggest differences you notice when exploring lands like Tibet, Nepal, and India is the connection to nature.

Instead of working against it, people move with the seasons and the changes nature brings. More often than not, there’s no way around it – it’s about learning, understanding how to adapt, and accepting what’s within our control.

Something, I’m sure, we could all practice more often.

On our Rode To Everest rides, we see many nomadic shepherds moving their herds and moving with the seasons. It’s fascinating when you start to understand the journeys they make.

It might seem long on a motorcycle, but imagine it on foot!

“Every aspect of the trip was beyond any reasonable expectation.

From the standard you prepped the bikes and constantly maintained them during the ride.

The fact that you own all the bikes and don’t rent them made all the difference.

You have the best team who could never do enough for us.

The accommodation was truly amazing along the way, with great food and facilities. The routes we navigated were truly spectacular and breathtaking.

Even the rough terrain added to the enjoyment and certainty kept us on our toes!

Not really sure I could offer any ideas as to improve anything, it seems you have it completely nailed.

I have the most awesome memories and plenty of pictures to reflect on, and no doubt a burning desire to do something similar again with you soon.

From the first day right up to the departure from Kufri, yourself and your team never failed and far exceeded expectations.” – Dylan, June 2025.

Dylan gets it.

We pride ourselves on having our own fleet of motorcycles and an incredible full-time team who are always on hand, so it’s great to hear it makes a difference to our riders’ experience.

Not maybe.

Not probably.

Not if.

Not potentially – just when.

Enjoy the ride.

I’ll see you on the next one.