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Welcome to chapter twenty 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

Believe it or not…

It can be a chilly start in South India, especially when we’re beginning our days in the mountain range of the Western Ghats.

The cool breeze is a breath of fresh air – literally!

The temperature will soon creep up to over 30°C, so most days we set off early to make the most of the cooler hours.

You’ll be riding with your vents open, the breeze flowing through, thinking to yourself that you’re at the perfect temperature.

Then you’ll spot a local wearing a woolly hat or a coat, and you can’t help but chuckle.

It’s just another reminder that you’re on a real adventure.

The risk of listening to others…

There’s so much out there that can deter us from broadening our horizons and expanding our own thoughts. “It sounds too dangerous to me… but what about that landslide that happened?

What will you do if something goes wrong?”

Often, these are the fears and doubts of others.

Whilst it can come from a good place, it’s important to remember that we have a choice.

We can either choose to listen – and in doing so, limit ourselves, our experiences, and remain stagnant.

Or, we can trust our own reasoning, seek experiences firsthand, and enrich our lives.

We hear it all the time when people are travelling to India. There’s a generalisation of the entire country. 3.2 million square kilometres of diverse land and 1.4 billion individuals – usually based on narrow narratives.

Some will listen to the opinions and warnings of others about this incredible country.

Others, however, will choose to look beyond the stereotypes, experience it for themselves and usually fall in love with the country.

What a ride…

We’re still on a high from our first Rode To Everest adventure of the year, which wrapped up last week.

This ride blows our mind every time.

Just when you think it won’t get any better, it does. The terrain, the natural beauty, the roads, the people and the memories are unparalleled.

Here’s a photograph at Base Camp, just before sunrise. As you can see, we really lucked out with the weather.

Now we’re ready to do it all over again.

The fun doesn’t stop!

Don’t forget the duct tape!

The other day, we mentioned one of the reasons for earlier starts on our Grand Canyon India rides.

In case you missed it, we’ll give you a clue – it’s got something to do with heat!

It might not come as a surprise that it can get pretty warm in South India – we’re talking +30°c.

The heat can take its toll on those old faithful motorcycle boots; the leather, glue, and stitching can weaken – leading to cracking, peeling, and overall deterioration.

If in doubt, get the duct tape packed – you (and your fellow riders) won’t regret it!

The new Himalayan spa option…

We couldn’t believe only one person signed up for it last year.

Not many seem to be a fan of ice-cold mountain pools… We’ll park the cold water dips on adventure motorcycle trips, and stick with the death-defying mountain roads – for now!

Enjoy the ride.

I’ll see you on the next one.