The reality has started to sink in. I have just one more day left in Mumbai. Frantically, I am trying to sort out all loose ends in life. Rent paid. Interest payments arranged. Bike paperwork confirmed. Critical components bought. Riding equipment bought. Existing stuff fished out of cupboards. Parents convinced (or was it?). Early part of the trip planned.
Ride Plan
Day 1 to Day 6: Mumbai to Delhi. I will start with about 250 kilometers on the odo. I need to run in the bike for the first 750 kilometers. That’s 5 days. Plus one day in Surat for the first servicing.
Day 7 to Day 10: Delhi to Manali. Includes breakdown day.
Day 11 to Day 17: Manali to Leh to Manali.
Day 18 to Day 37: Cover north India including the following places – Amrtisar, Wagha Border, Sriganganagar, Jaisalmer, Dwarka, Ujjain, Bhopal, Pench National Park, Ranthmabore. Any other places on the rough planned route are more than welcome. Leaning towards good waterfalls. And nice cities. Return to Delhi.
Day 38 to Day Day 42: Delhi to Bokaro (Jharkhand) via Nepal. Cross over at Mahendranagar near Pilibhit. Ride through the Terai region. Cross over in Bihar and ride through Patna and Biharsharif to Bokaro.
Day 42 to Day 44: Stay at home for Diwali.
Day 45 to Day 60: Sikkim. North east. Have some friends in Assam (Guwahati and Jorhat). Would love to explore North East. All states. GO as far east in Arunachal as possible. Shillong. Agartala.
Day 61 to …. we’ll see.
Other Preparations
The bike’s papers finally got confirmed today. I am now the proud owner of a two wheeler number originally registered in my own name. It sort of tingles me. The only other time I had my name entered into a vehicles registration book was on the last page. This time around, though, I will be on the first.
Went and bought the Cramster Outback riding jacket. Bloody heavy lump of cloth it is. But I hope all the armor and rain proofing and winter lining will provide its worth.
Also bought all the stuff for the bike. Cables. Chain lock. Fuse. Bulbs. Still looking for a foot pump and puncture sealant. Mumbai guys, anyone know of any place for certain where I can find it? Otherwise Delhi guys, please help.
I am off to the mech again tomorrow. To get the intricacies of the Machismo 500 and understand essential repairs. I can handle the Standard now but Machismo has some added razzmatazz which I need to see.
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