The annual ritual happened again in June 2006, the second edition of the Himalayan Odyssey - the ride that takes you to the top of the world. Royal Enfield crowned the passionate thumpers with a memorable trip to Leh and back. The event started on the 24th of June from Delhi and ended back again in Delhi on the 7th of July, two whole weeks of motorcycling extravaganza!

It was a warm morning on June 24, 2006. The engines revved & roared. The Delhi crowd went berserk when 52 beasts were unleashed for the 2400km quest. The route was - Delhi, Chandigarh, Manali, Rohtang, Keylong, Sarchu, Debring, Upshi, Leh, and Khardung La.

Bikers were to cover the three of the world's toughest & highest motorable passes - Baralach La (16800ft), Tanglang La (17500ft) & Khardung La (18380ft). With melting snow on one side & a deep ravine on the other, the beastmasters thumped on gravels, stones & across fast-flowing water to Leh.

Day 1 biking from Delhi to Chandigarh was a relaxed ride on straight open highways and on all plain roads in the scorching sun. The start was smooth and the bikers were escorted out of Delhi by the State Traffic Police. The next day was equally tough as the riders faced the mountains for the first time. The riders covered nearly 300 km on the second day and more than 200 of these are in the hills, as they reached Manali for the stipulated halt. Erratic traffic, landslides and rain can however compound the level of difficulty.

From day 3 onwards the ride got a little more relaxed in terms of distances covered but the challenges came in different forms! The mammoth heights and the rarified atmosphere gave a small teaser at Rothang La, and a heavy traffic jam to top it all. The 4th day was even more challenging as they came up against the Baralach La pass. Although not the highest on this route it has the reputation of being the toughest. It was then a well-deserved rest at Sarchu. The riders were then above the tree line and well into the landscape people will recognize as Ladakh. At 15000 ft above sea level, there was a sickness seen in the air, acute mountain sickness. First time riders are generally susceptible to this illness. Yet they rode on, not because they enjoyed suffering, but because of their love for riding. The medical team had a busy day though!

However, at the start of day 5 all the bikers were ready. None of the people who reported sick the previous night wanted to give up their mount for the comfort of an ambulance. Then came the long climb up the Gata loops to Lachung La and then a regroup at Pang.
At Pang, few riders experienced difficulty but no one gave up, their spirit had not died!

From pang the ride was towards More Plains. All the 50 bikes were lined up on the More Plains for a photo session and it was a sight to see. From there on it was a gradual ride to Debring. The best part about this phase of the ride from Sarchu to Debring was the Murray Plains, a 45km stretch at 15000 ft and in the middle of the cold dessert! The bikers once again assembled for a photo session and the cameras went berserk!

Situated in the middle of nowhere near the Tso Kar Lake, the camp is about 6-7 km from the main road. The road leading to the camp is only a dirt track which in places just disappears under the sand. The riders negotiated all of it, located the road and they had a staggered start to the camp because it was hardly possible for all to ride together on that road. Team spirit kept them united all along. However, back in the highest camp on the Odyssey, the spirits were a little low, in fact very low, as some people did not even report for dinner.

It was a gloomy start on day 6. Three people were certified unfit to ride. They were immediately bundled into the ambulance and sent off to Leh to seek proper medical attention. The rest of the bunch diligently carried on their planned ascent to Tanglang La, the second highest motorable road in the world. From there on it was an easy roll to Upshi and then Leh for a well-deserved rest. After a couple of days' rest, the riders were prepared to take on Khardung La, the highest motorable road in the world. With a photo shoot out there the bikers were heard screaming. The Himalayan Odyssey - Part of it. Proud of it. This is the stuff the Himalayan Odyssey is all about and it takes only a Royal Enfield to get you there!

Bikers halted in Leh for 3 days enjoying the FIFA World Cup quarterfinals in the local restaurants. The stay furnished opportunity for bikers to raft in the Indus River, visit the Magnetic Hill, and also a short excursion to the Pangong Lake in the Indo-China Border. The return journey was eventful with all the riders enjoying every bit of it. Royal Enfield had taken good care of the bikers and had pampered this bunch all through the way until the bikers raced back into Delhi on 7th July afternoon at 120kmph!

Himalayan Odyssey - Part of it. Proud of it.