The route: Delhi - Leh - Amritsar
The dates: June 24 to July 07, 2007.

The saga began. All set with bikes and bags, Himalayan Odyssey '07 started with a bang after a brief check-up session, of equipment and medical fitness. The bikers waited in anticipation for the journey to begin and after a short evening breather, the glorious trip began with great excitement and pomp.

Day 1
The day started amidst hectic activity - most of the riders were able to get very little shut-eyes, with the impending excitement. And it was vital for the riders not to be late to the flag off venue. It was also the first time they were all riding together and most did not have an idea of how it would go, however they had the advantage of a willing and disciplined team. Soon with the help of experienced organizers they were heading towards Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in a grand procession, flawlessly in a 2 x 2 formation.

Here many of the riders were interviewed by the media personnel and they also had an opportunity to interact with Sunil Shetty who was there to flag them off. Sunil expressed his love for the Royal Enfield and his unfulfilled desire to be part of the trip.

The exit out of Delhi was relatively easy and it was a hot and steamy ride to Chandigarh. However, the first opportunity of riding in such a large group kept the tempo going. They had a brief stop over at Monga Motors, Karnal, where snacks and refreshments were arranged for the bikers of the Odyssey.

The riders reached Chandigarh late afternoon and after a regroup on the outskirts, headed for Hotel Park View where they were staying. After a short rest, wash and attending to the bikes, they were off to the press club where a party had been arranged for them. There were a lot of members from the press as well, who were eager to meet the riders. Everybody felt like heroes even before they started.

Day 2
More than 300km of hilly terrain and unpredictable weather was ahead. So an early morning start was critical. It was a little rushed, but once on the road the riders were all relaxed. In the hills everyone rode at their own pace with the people they were comfortable with. By the mid-day regroup at Bilaspur, most of them had settled into their comfort zones. Time and again they could see people stopping to take pictures. The scenery was simply fantastic and everyone was having a great day. Deepak and Rajat from Royal Enfield, Chandigarh office, had also joined them on bike till Manali. Around mid-day there was news that one of the riders had taken a fall but was lucky enough to get away with minor injuries and minor damage to the bike. Soon both the bike and rider were fixed and on their way. They reached Manali well in time and soon comfortably relaxed themselves in their hotel. There, such a large group had to be accommodated in two hotels - Hotel Marble and Hotel Sulpher springs. As the name suggests there was a hot spring right in the hotel itself and it was very relaxing and rejuvenating. Some of the more enthusiastic lot went into the main market to see what Manali had to offer.

Day 3
'The picnic is over' was the headline for the day from Sachin. Additionally there was a Lama who performed a small ceremony and wished them luck for a safe passage through the mountains. Getting out of Manali seemed easy enough but within a few kilometers the riders started getting a taste of things. More than the road it was the traffic they had to contend with. The ruthless commercial tourist drivers and weekend revelers added a negative balance to the otherwise scenic and adventurous ride to Rothang Pass. There was a regroup at Marhi and also the news of someone hitting an Indica head on. Thankfully no one was hurt and the bike was fixed by adding a completely new set of front forks. Nothing much could be done for the chassis that had buckled in slightly but the bike that looked like a wreck was ride-able and it went on to complete the whole trip. The incident was an eye opener for everyone and caution was the buzzword. As the riders moved over Rothang top, there was no such maddening crowd and riders felt more relaxed mentally even though the roads got tougher.

But soon they discovered that the mountains held more danger as the next incident saw them hauling an Enfield up from a 7 foot deep ditch. Luckily there was enough muscle power to get the task done - one of the major advantages of traveling in such a large group.

At Keylong participants had a choice of either staying in a camp or at a hotel. There was a camp fire in the evening and the party went on late into the night and it was only the desire to be riding in shape that dragged them to their beds.


Day 4
Every day started with a briefing. This is a very useful thing as it sets everyone in the group on the same wavelength and teaches them how they need to cope with it as a group. The previous day had been a lot of fun but not everybody had fared too well, and this was just the start of the journey. Understandably it wasn't a great scorecard for the 2007 Himalayan Odyssey. Safety and caution was again the prime word at the briefing that day.

The riders began the day on a cautious note and had their first regroup at Darcha. The progress had been easy enough but after the initial climb they discovered a new hazard for the bikes. Road construction work was going on between Darcha and Patsio and they had just finished lining the path with large stones and the road roller still hadn't had an opportunity to go over it yet. This turned out to be one of the toughest stretches in the ride. A couple of riders kissed the road now and then but nothing major.

From then on they started the dreaded climb to Baralach La but instead of the expected rough roads they were greeted by smooth tarmac. It was a pleasure to thunder up Baralach La. Of course the pass was not entirely devoid of tough roads and water crossings but much lesser than what they had expected. But unknown to them the pass threw up another bouncer - high altitude sickness.

Most of the riders had started noticing the change on top of the pass and while descending to Bharatpur where they stopped for a little food and water. From there on Sarchu was only about 30 km. Whether it was the spirit of the group or the mountains they all finally made it to camp in one piece. And apart from a few people who were feeling sick, rest of the riders were fine and having a great time. Dr. Bishan was of course working overtime and one participant had to be given oxygen. The bikes were also losing power and some were spluttering and the mechanics went about treating them regardless of their own condition. Finally after sundown all work stopped as it became too cold to stay outside.

Day 5
It had not been an easy night and many riders complained of disturbed sleep. Many woke up with a headache and uneasiness never experienced before. Some of them got better as the day progressed but for others the uneasiness persisted. That's when the infrastructure for such a large group came into play. A couple of riders were not in a position to ride their bikes but the staff quickly pitched in and everything was taken care of.

The riders then headed towards Pang which was their regroup point for the day. The ride to Pang was amazing. It was the scenic plains at Sarchu first and then the spectacular Gata Loops. The fun just kept coming on in extra large helpings. After the Gata Loops it was again downhill towards the riverbed where the next long climb to Lachung La began. By the time everyone reached Pang they were feeling worse than how they were at Sarchu. Finally when all the riders made it to Pang they were happy to be off.

The going was not getting any better for the riders who were down but one cannot help appreciate the More Plains. Initially they were happy to know that they had 50 km of plain roads but again road construction caught them out. They had to take many detours and most of them were through fine sand. This was a new experience and although they had been warned about this it wasn't really easy to open the throttle on this terrain. If they went too slow the wind would engulf in the dust cloud created by their own bikes. Somehow they made their way through.

After the More Plains it was the mighty Tanglang La. Tanglang La is daunting not for its rough roads or sharp bends but the relentless climb. The roads aren't as twisty as the other passes but it just rises over the More Plains and keeps climbing till the top. The weather was pleasant on top of the pass but after a few moments it started to rain and snow and the riders had to keep riding on. The camp was at Rumtse which is at a much lower altitude and where every rider felt better and relieved.

Day 6
Rumtse camp was a different experience as compared to the other two camps. The riders had to collect and then in the morning deposit their sleeping bags and mattresses back to the store. Also they had slept in proper mountaineering tents as opposed to the larger fixed tents of the earlier camp, there wasn't much scope for unpacking and constant drizzle didn't provide much encouragement either. But the riders were in high spirits and they knew that the worst of the ride was over and it was downhill all the way to Leh. The regroup for the day was at Upshi. A regroup is an essential part of the Odyssey and ensures that the area to sweep in case of an emergency remains restricted and does not allow for too big a gap to originate between the slower or faster riders and the support services.

The ride from Upshi to Leh was in one big group. Leh had never witnessed such a large group of riders traveling together on Royal Enfields and people came out on the streets to watch. When they reached Leh it was still drizzling and it was heartening to head into the comfort of the hotel rooms but it was a chance to take the dust off the bikes too.

Day 7
Day 7 was rest day and the riders were free to explore Leh and the nearby areas. Some of them had their bikes totally sorted out and went on for a ride to the outskirts. Others got busy preparing themselves and their bike for the ride back. Those who felt unwell rested in anticipation for the ride to Khardung La. The remaining riders were out shopping in the market, sampling the fantastic culinary delights that Leh has to offer.

Day 8
The 'big day' had arrived - the ride to the highest motorable road in the world. Khardung La is only 45 km from Leh; but in that short stretch one is climbing over 2 km of vertical distance. It was hot in Leh but they knew it would be freezing at Khardung La.

A new rider Ayesha joined others from Leh. She was riding a Machismo LB 500 and this was the first time she was riding with them. The climb went off smoothly and the feeling of having ridden to the top of the world with 56 other riders was unparalleled and cannot be described in words.

Day 9
Day 9, the riders were back on the road and it seemed like a start all over again as if they were heading home. Destination for the day was Pang. Riders knew the roads by now and were ready for the challenges that awaited them. The highlight of the day was the group photograph session at More Plains, the only place where all the riders can be accommodated in one frame along with all the bikes. The riders carried their packed lunch and after a quick lunch and photo session they reached Pang where they stayed at the army transit camp.

Day 10
After an early breakfast the riders started off towards Keylong which was the destination for the day. It was a long ride covering Lachung La and Baralach La. The best part was that by day 10 they were thoroughly acclimatised and had no problems whatsoever with the altitude or the terrain. After a quick regroup at Sarchu and Darcha they reached Keylong well in time. The riders had to prepare for the next leg of the journey from Keylong to Sach Khas, however there was news that the route was closed yet nothing was confirmed. There were many stories doing the rounds and different discussions in different groups. This suspense added another dimension to the celebration at night.

Day 11
The news was confirmed and the riders knew that the road to Sach Khas was closed and they would need to make alternative arrangements. An advance party had already pitched camp just a few kilometers outside Udaipur. The plan was that they would all ride till there and few of them who were curious to see the road continued further till the place of the actual land slide.

It was only a short ride and the camp at Udaipur was very scenic. It was nestled amidst a pine forest on the banks of the river Chenab. Many of the riders were thrilled at the opportunity to unwind and relax and some even gave up their plans of riding further on. However, those who carried on got the chance to cross some huge water crossings.

Day 12
Alternative arrangements were made in Manali and Dhramshala and that was the way the riders headed. It was the same part of the route where the riders had the maximum incidents on the way up so they rode very cautiously till Manali. After reaching early they all spent the evening exploring Manali, specially the older parts of Manali.

Day 13
Day 13 started with a shower. It was the last thing the riders needed but they donned their waterproofs and started the ride. Thankfully an hour later the rain let up and the road started to dry out enabling them to put their bikes down to full lean and enjoy the hilly roads. A big difference from the earlier part of the ride was the well surfaced roads and the greenery around. Of course the weather was warmer and the traffic was noticeable. One of the riders, Saurabh was from Dharamshala, and he was thrilled that they were going to his hometown. That's really a rare incident. He bought us a huge cake and lots of patties which everyone thoroughly enjoyed

Day 14
The last day of the trip had finally arrived, and the riders were actually feeling sad. Every rider had bonded so well with each other as if they knew each other for a lifetime. It was also the last day in the hills and they were heading towards Amritsar.

The riders reached Amritsar by early afternoon, dumped their luggage and headed towards Whaga Border to witness the retreat ceremony. Though it was just a simple ceremony of taking the flag down at sun set. But for the riders it was as symbolic as having paid homage to the people of the armed forces who give their today so that we can have a tomorrow. They cried hoarse as they shouted patriotic slogans and tried to be extremely disciplined as they rode back to Amritsar and into a grand celebration that continued late into the night.