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Welcome to chapter seventy-four 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

How would you describe riding in the Himalayas…?

Awesome?
Life-changing?
Inspiring?
Scary?
Immense?
Humbling?
Mind-blowing?
Challenging?

These are just some of the words riders have used over the years to describe their time riding the Himalayas with us.

Yet, despite these vivid descriptions, words can never fully capture the true essence of the experience.

There’s only one way to truly understand it.
You guessed it!

It’s something you have to live, to see for yourself and experience with all your senses. The warmth of the people. The jaw-dropping views: from lunar-like landscapes to lush forests.

The surprises around nearly every corner. The rush of adrenaline as we ride trails that hug cliff edges tightly. The taste of a warm chai after exploring high-altitude deserts.

Once you’ve ridden with us, you’ll know why it’s nigh-on impossible to reduce a life-changing experience to just a few words.

A life less ordinary…

For some people, the ordinary is comforting.

Predictable.
Safe.

And that’s okay.

But then there are those of us who crave something more.
The people who don’t quite fit into the usual conversations.
Those who feel restless repeating the same stories, following the same paths, and accepting that this is just how it’s done.

They want to break away from it and live for the extraordinary.
These are our kind of people.

The people who take each day as it comes.
No matter what.

The ones who want to make the most of every moment we have on this Earth.

If what you’ve read resonates, chances are you’re one of us.

From the beach to the jungle…

After leaving the incredible pilgrimage town of Murdeshwar, where we stayed right next to the sea (and yes, that was our view from the balcony), today we set off towards the mountains.

As riders get into a real groove with their bikes, the realisation that it’s the beginning of the end starts to sink in, and suddenly, you don’t want it to end.

For the first hour and a half, the road hugs the coast as we head north, before giving way to winding forest roads that seem to go on forever.

The roads are mesmerising.

It’s hard to believe that we’ve gone from sleeping by the sea to being deep in the forest by evening, with no mobile phone signal or Wi-Fi.

Just us and the wilderness.

Monkeys drop down to take a look at us, birdsong fills the air, and we enjoy the cool waters of the pool overlooking the mountains.

We sit, laugh, tell tall tales, eat, and some of us swear they saw something moving in the bushes.

There’s something about being around a campfire…

It ignites something within us.

Memories of childhood camping trips and holidays with friends and family.

Or simply the pleasure of feeling the warmth on our faces, especially on a cold night.

The flames mesmerise us and awaken deep-seated human instincts.

After all, humans have socialised around campfires for centuries, seeking safety, warmth, food, and companionship.

It’s no surprise that we start to feel alive as we gaze into the flames.

The same can be said when camping during our Roof Of India motorcycle adventure.

After a long day riding through the Indian Himalayas, there’s nothing better than gathering around the campfire with a few beers and a couple of whiskies.

As the sun goes down, the tales get taller, and stories that have you crying with laughter are shared.

A lot happens around that campfire.
Something within us awakens.

Maybe because this is living.

Warning:

Everest Base Camp may cause extreme smiling, light-headed joy, and overwhelming awe.

Enjoy the ride.

I’ll see you on the next one.