Epic Ride to the Top of the World

"It is good to have an end to journey towards; but it is the journey that matters in the end. " -Unknown

I started this ride with a destination in mind, the city of Leh. Nothing else was fixed; I didn't know which route we would take, what we will face or when we would return. I just wanted to ride and nothing else really mattered.

The ride took us over high mountains and treacherous terrain, into Ladakh, the Land of the Lamas. We experienced it all; the breathtaking landscapes, the beautiful monasteries, the warm people and the colorful festivals of Ladakh. But that is just a small part of it. What follows is an account of the journey to Ladakh and back. A journey that forced us to ride over all kinds of terrain and tested us at every step; rocks, boulders, sand, snow, ice cold water, slush, steep hills, rains, hailstorm, sandstorm, bike failures, mishaps; we had it all. I don't call it Epic for no reason.

Here are a few teaser pics to give you a glimpse of what lies ahead.

Background
The Riders
Day 0: Leaving Pune
Day 1: Delayed in Delhi
Day 2: Monsoon Hits Us
Day 3: Night Riding Continues
Day 4: Indoors in Manali
Day 5: The Wettest Day
Day 6: We leave the rains behind
Day 7: A tough ride
Day 8: Festivities in Leh
Day 9: Lakes Calling
Day 10: My First Puncture
Day 11: The Unplanned Ride
Day 12: The Better Lake
Day 13: Reunion Day
Day 14: On Top of the World
Day 15: The Best Riding Day
Day 16: The Toughest Test
Day 17: Last Day in Leh
Day 18: Another Tough Ride to Kargil
Day 19: Beyond Kashmir
Day 20: To the Holy City
Day 21: Patriotism at its Best
Day 22: Expect the Unexpected
Day 23: Dude, where do we sleep?
Day 24: I know what you did in Rajasthan
Day 25: The Experience Isn't Over Yet
In Retrospect