Trip Log:
Friday Evening
I started getting calls by most of the people, giving some reason or the other. I Didn’t expect so many calls from Delhi as well as Chandigarh. Any ways, went to the office and started preparing for the trip as I had to do extra hours to complete my work there.
Get news about few guys who were coming to Shimla by car coz of extreme cold temp outside. Seemed like they had big time problems with the cars rear shocker. I took a spin in that car and found out that the rear shocks were almost going to break soon. Decided to take my bike, but was very much on the back foot as I knew that my Bike needed service. I had already been getting weird noise from the bike. So took my chance as I can never back out of the trip and I didn’t want to let the spirit down. Took a cab home, took my sweet heart out of the parking lot.
Started off well, checked for problems with the Bike but knew that there was something wrong with the engine as it was giving out weird knocking sound continuously. Met with Simran as he was also join us on the ride.
Simran “Sims dazzler” was waiting and then called up Amit “Iceman” and he had just come from his shift. Then we rode over to his place to get every thing done on time, packing all the stuff and getting ready for our first official tour.
4:30 am: Left from Amit’s place with a peg of whisky, Rum. Well not me but Simran and Amit had, filled our bikes belly with fuel petrol. As it became heavy … Was starting to get the feel of the power…..Woke up Joypreet as he was far asleep …lolz.
5:30 am: Met Joy at Raja Garden flyover and called up family and friends to let them know that we are leaving Delhi in a short while.
5:45 am: Reached New Delhi Bypass… There were only 4 riders to leave Delhi. Me (faiyaz), Amit, Simran, Joypreet.
6:00 am: Said bye to Delhi & Hi to the highway. We left with one thing in mind, “Reach Shimla no matter what” and also noted the trip meter as it was 000 on it.
7:15 am: Cruising at 70kmph suddenly saw Amit struggling with acceleration. We stopped for a min and asked him as what was wrong with his bike. He seemed very uncomfortable. As he had some issues with his shoulder, asked him to ride as slow as possible as he just recovered from Shoulder injury. The chilled air was lowering his body temp and in turn affecting his shoulder bone. There was a metal rod inserted and it was contracting due to lower temperatures.
7:45 am: We stopped for hot tea and some pictures. Took lovely pics of the sunrise, Asked Amit if how he was doing as he was in a bad shape, his face said it all. Though he was reluctant, we send him back to Delhi. Could see his eyes filled with drops of tears. Felt very uncomfortable say this to him but told him to leave back to Delhi as slow as possible and take as many breaks as possible.
8:10 am: We said bye to Amit and left for Kurnal. This time we were cruising at 90kmph. I should say this that Joys Bike was actually cruising at 90kmph without a problem. Sims was cruising as well doing just about 90kmph… he in turn use to ride at 120 and back to 90 and was playing with the road. The road was really good to feel the speed.
8:30 am: Our first halt. It was at Dhaba which Joy was suggesting. As we discovered that the Parathas they served were really amazing … We didn’t eat a lot but MMMAANNN the paratha’s were so tasty.
We had to take off our shoes coz out toes were frozen. Chit – Chatted for a while as we were feeling sad for Amit.
8:45 am: Left the dhaba for our next stop i.e.: Ambala….This time we were cruising at 100+ constantly … I was also trying to slow down a little but what the heck the road was so tempting, I could not resist the desire to rip to full throttle. After an hour of cruising at over 100kmph I heard weird sound increasingly irritating this time from the engine. As a result we stopped at a petrol pump to by some engine oil.
Bought Elf 20W50 and filled my bike, As soon as I started the bike, saw white smoke coming out of the exhaust. Felt like the Bike has given up coz of the engine Oil I poured. Just did 5 km from there and then heard a loud roar and a bang, rear wheel looks up … at 120kmph….
Rear was locked came to full stop within seconds… I managed to keep it balanced but the bike was wavering around like a drunken monkey….
It was near Pipli where this happened… Dragged her all the way to that city and showed it to a mechanic. The Mechanic said it will take at least an hour for him to repair it. Then as he tried to check what the problem was he was scratching his head … I asked him as what is the problem. He bluntly said ” Maff kariye sir, phehli baar hum aisa dekh rahe hain” …
I asked him what the heck happened… he didn’t say anything … he took the Bike to a different mechanic who was in Kurushetra… There those mechanics removed the engine cover and were shocked to find no piston inside. Even I was wondering as what the problem is… and where the heck did such a huge piston vanish.
They removed the whole engine cover and removed the chamber. As soon as they did that, I was shocked this time… to see that there was nothing left of my engine… The piston was completely melted and destroyed the Engine…. even the chamber was cracked at places…
Now this was totally unexpected. I told the mechanic that I had recently fed my baby with some engine oil. The guy just looked at me with a weird smile and said… Sir next time never buy Engine oil from any where else than a showroom in major city…
It was hell 5 pm now… without anything to do we did some photo shoot … just to cheer me up Joy sang and danced around… which could make any one laugh … …lolz.. hehehe
Then called up Akshay and asked him to wait as we needed some parts from Ambala as there were no Bajaj dealers around that city who had 180 CL’s spares. Joy left to Ambala and returned at night around 8pm and it was getting cold again and we were having fun even though my Bike was in the garage…lolz… we had hell loads of masti and laughed like maniacs… Simran got a call from home …& it was emergency… thanked god that we didn’t reach Shimla or else he would have struggled to reach Delhi on time… before he left … he too like amit didn’t want to leave … but had to coz of personal reasons…
11 pm: Got a call from Tushar and he had just reached Pipli. … Well well well… At least some one kept his word…….
He came down to the workshop were my Bike was having all replacements done… had loads of tea mean while and I finished 2 packs of cigs by then…. lolz…
11:30 pm: The Bike was ready to rock again … This time with all new engine and every damn part was new…. … I was very happy to see her alive and well…. even though spend 12k on this unfortunate suituation … it was a pleasure to see her roar like a real beast. Started off from that place at minimum speed of 40-50 kmph…
It was that time when we were working as a team…
Reached Ambala by 12:45 am…. went to Dhabas to fill our stomachs again
By then it was so damn cold that we were in no condition to ride further. Went to a near by cottage and took 2 rooms… for just Rs. 500…lolz.. Thanks to Joys bargaining skills…
The rooms were well furnished and Huge… with all the facilities…there
I and Joy decided to go and buy some daru as it was damn cold and been a while since we had any daru … bought a half bottle vodka as it was the only branded one available… rest were desi daru . .. Came back to our rooms and started off with a peg… Tushar and his friend Amit were having hot cup of tea … well covered with blankets…lolz… we were talking and talking and laughing all night long till 4am… then it was time to sleep… I and Joy went back to our room… and talked and laughed again till 5:30, Lolz…
Next day morning Sunday
Woke up at 11 am. Had a cup of tea…. and was shortly joined by Akshay and his friend…
Had a gala time along with them and then decided that it was time we must leave before its dark.. Sun was shining … and heat was picking up…
Tushar and Amit left for Delhi as they had not informed their folks about this trip …
I and Joy headed to Shimla…
4:00 pm reached the foot hills of Himalayas… now again Joy was feeling hungry even after stopping twice for food….
We had lunch and then left off for hill…
Damn … it was nice to be back on hills… and this was the first time i was riding my own Bike on hills… the twists and turns and clear surrounds was just worth… all the time we spend and money blown on my Bike was worth that scene… once again even with a new engine… my hands were itching and I started burning the road.
We were doing 60-70kmph on those twists … stopped 4 time for some photo shoot…
Reached Shimla by 5:30pm…
Went to Hotel where we got an amazing room for just 700bucks…
The room was so neat and well furnished… we didn’t want to leave it no matter what …
Took some rest … and then left to Mall Road … had so many cups of coffees and soups… I lost count.
Discovered that it was -2 degrees that day in Shimla. And we didn’t feel the chill…
Once again after eating so much we got back to our room and had Daru again … lolz.and watched some movie just for the heck of it … and started off talking and once again it was getting late… we had to sleep as early as possible coz we had to go to Kufri the next morning as we heard from the waiter that Kufri filled with snow and ice….
We woke by 7 am… left to Kufri.
Ohh man … Snow… every where…
Was an amazing experience… and played for hour with snow…
by 12noon we were back to Shimla and were discussing as what is next … decided to go to Kullu and always wanted to see Jalori Pass…But once again luck was not on our side … this time it was one of my close friends who called up to let me know that she needed me, when I asked as what happened… she told me that her mom died… so I had no other choice as friends come first ….and cannot want to leave any one cry ….I and Joy decided to leave for Delhi as he got call frm his folks… to get back home soon … and they had some kinna business deal online…. so we had no other choice but say bye to Shimla…
Once again as we were riding down the hill … we were touching 70-80 kmph … I was leaning so much that I could hear the foot rest touch the road every time… was an amazing ride down… Guys I cannot describe it in these many words .,.. But trying a little
When we reached CHD… Joy had to go … and I left to Delhi…
This was the first time I ever did solo ride… here I was riding down the road with no one to talk or even be there for company … just me and my bike…. it was 4:00 pm when i left CHD
By 5:00 pm I crossed Ambala… this time there were 8 Royal Enfields following me…
I looked at them but found out that they were also doing a trip to Shimla and were from West Bengal … after knowing that they were from Bengal. I smiled and talked to them over a cup of coffee… They left and I was just cruising at 40 kmph … was in no hurry to reach home… I wanted to enjoy my ride back … but again just before I was about to cross Pipli… My bikes chain broke. damn … What the heck is wrong with this place… had to drag my Bike to the same work shop once again … to get it fixed…. got a new chain set and left that place by 8pm….
What a night it was… lonely and was feeling a lil strange as if the road was trying to eat me alive…. rode as fast as I could and was doing 110-120 on a new engine… when I remembered Darky… as he said ” Raped 3 new bikes”….lolz… I could not stop laughing while riding…
Only thing that I did besides riding was looking eagerly at all signs of Delhi and how far it was from that place…
Reached outskirts of Delhi and was just shivering with cold… damn … i was not feeling cold till I reached Delhi … hmmmm….
Called up Tiger from Tea Stall … and told him the whole story…
Then went back home… took bath and left to see my friend’s & family….
Just came back home… so sorry for the delay ….guys…
Overall … the best ride on my bike… Enjoyed every moment of it ….Pics will be posted shortly.
