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Welcome to chapter forty 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

There’s always time for a snack…

When there are long days of riding rugged terrain in the Indian Himalayas, it’s important to stay fuelled – and we don’t just mean the motorcycles.

We make sure to stop where we can – usually at a chai stop, where we can load up on delicious chai and moreish snacks such as momos and pakoras.

This is the time to load up ready for the road ahead.

What have been some of your favourite roadside snacks?

“The Rode To Everest ride was a truly fantastic experience, and I loved every minute!

I genuinely made some great friends, and the riding was amazing.

I especially loved the big landscapes, high mountain passes, and being with all the other riders.

It’s the best thing I’ve ever done, and I’m hoping to do another trip with Alex and his team in the future.” – Stuart.

Things we love to read.

We’re incredibly proud of the sheer number of riders who keep coming back to ride with us. We know these rides aren’t for everyone – they’re not meant to be.

It’s about bringing a like-minded group of people together who are ready for a life-changing challenge.

There’s a good reason why riders say it’s the best thing they’ve ever done.

Use your horn!

Beeping someone often has negative connotations, but it’s completely different here in India.

Beeping your horn here can mean many things – and it’s unlikely that it’s out of frustration. Instead, it’s usually a signal to say:

I see you!
I’m coming through!
Have you seen me?

Or it could simply be that the horns not been used in a while. It’s a new language to learn and a very valuable one at that.

So use your horn.

If you think you’re going overboard – give it some more and be sure to check it still works at the end of the day!

There’s no such thing as bad weather…

Believe it or not, it rains in the Himalayas.

Another thing that might surprise people is that, despite an experienced guess, I never truly know what the weather will be like.

What I do know is that preparation is key.

When you’re in an extreme mountain range like this, you’re at the mercy of unpredictability and Mother Nature. The element of surprise keeps us on our toes.

But when you’ve got the right gear, the conditions don’t matter as much and you soon realise that there’s no such thing as bad weather.

So keep your waterproofs to hand – and remember: failing to prepare is preparing to fail.

Don’t take your eye off the ball…

When we’re building momentum and successfully achieving our goals, it’s easy to slip into a state of complacency.

We drop our guard and sometimes lose focus.

That’s why we need to stay vigilant – even in moments of success – and remain focused on the task at hand.

The same can be said for motorcycle adventures. Just when you think you’re getting used to the roads, something unexpected can catch you off guard.

No matter how many rides you’ve done, how long you’ve been riding, or how easy the ride might seem, don’t take your eye off the ball.

You never know what’s around the corner on these adventures.

Enjoy the ride.

I’ll see you on the next one.