My First Bike Trek - Gangotri

Back to blogging after a long time and what best it can be other than to start with my first ever bike trek.

I still remember it was 11th of April 2012, i left home seeing off my mother. She was suspicious regarding why i was taking my bike and asked in no time why am i taking the bike and where will I park it? Without making eye contact i said at my friends home and rushed away. It was almost evening when i reached Karol bagh near my Friends Gaurav (nicky) house. ( i didnt went to the friends house we neither of us disclosed it at home that we are planning to travel through bike). After reaching Karol Bagh i called nicky and he straight said abe arram se khada reh helmet lane de chupa kar and haan ghar k corner par milio).

well we both manged to get away from out homes but as soon as we kicked start and has hardly touched the Delhi border i received a call from my mother inquiring whether we are seated in the bus. As i was driving i gave the phone to nicky and he straight said - " aunty saurabh toh bike chala raha he thodi der me baat karata hu." and my mom was shocked tum bike par ja rahe ho, tumne bataya nahi and nciky ji aunty ji aap sahi keh rahe ho saurabh ko batana chahiye tha ( but it was now too late for her to stop me).  Just after call nicky said- " abe tunne bataya kyu nahi ki aunty ko nahi batana tha and 2nd thing aunty k pass meri mummy ka no toh nahi he na" lol

We took our first halt at famous shikanji wala on Meerut highway and from their i called back to my mom. I tried to pacify her and finally to an extend succeeded. After a short break we realised that we are running late and we cant hault on Meerut highway anywhere so we rushed. But as we were late, sun was setting at much faster pace then we were able to drive. Soon it was pitch on the national highway without any street light. I said to nicky bhai aise he sambhal kar bethio me bike nai rakunga kafi late ho raha he and its not safe. When we about to reach haridwar slight rainfall started. I was like what. well but by the God's grace we managed to reach to Haridwar by 11.30 at night passing by the trucks and being punished by their high beams. We looked for the room and fall flat on the bed.

The next day we left early by 6.30 am. It was drizzling and as soon as we reached Narendra Nagar and halted for tea it started to rain heavily. we resumed our journey at 8.10 am. On the way we thought to visit tehri dam and turned the bike towards it. After driving for around 2 km we stopped and i called Himanshu Sir to take his advice. He told me  to avoid tehri dam and head straight towards Uttarkashi and so we did.

After driving continuously, it becomes slight painful (actually our bumps are feeling the pain lol) and we sat for the lunch on a patch of ground at the corner of the road. At 12 pm we resumed our journey we a pact that we will take a halt at every 30 odd kms.

Though we entered in the pact but I was worried about making it to the DFO office, as we will the get the permission for Gau-mukh trek from there. Somehow struggling we managed to reach the office by 2.20pm. At the first room passed entrance i inquired about the permission and the people sitting their gave a negative response. But then one of them told me to go straight and meet the concerned person.  I went straight and meet the officer. They made some general query and gave the permission against the nominal charge(Rs 150 each) and undertaking that we would be responsible for any miss-happening. 

Post permission i was excited and charged towards the destination - Bhatwari. But as i took a left turn just before 3 kms from Bhatwari i braked hard and nicky asked what happened. i said - samne dekh tufan he ... rukte fir chalenge and i parked the bike as the side in front of closed shop. As soon as i parked the bike heavy downpour started. phewwww.... we were hungry so went to the near by khokha and enjoyed maggie by the time rain stopped. 

we resumed the journey but the days wasnt our and bike got punctured. ufffffffff .... we planned to pull it but a local guy told their no shop to repair it and adviced us to go back few kms at the village to get it repaired. At around 6 in the evening it was so hard to drag the bike with the luggage that too at such low energy levels. We asked for help from a truck but he said bike ko chadhaoge kaise... so finally we have no option except to drag it. To our fate the shop was about to close when we make it. we got the bike repaired and took halt near by. 

Next day we left  for Gangotri. Weather was pleasant and refreshing and so was our mood. We kicked start but after few kms realised that the bike was struggling. Its the high altitude pressure and the weight of both of us alongwith our luggage that made it almost impossible to put the bike on 2nd gear. driving the bike on 1st gear for so long was really painful for me as my arms and shoulders started aching badly.

Finally we made it to the Temple. we parked the bike and marched to the temple. It was very exotic as there was no crowd and mountain seems to in perfect symphony with the Great Ganga Maiya and surroundings. I decided to take the dip in sub-zero temp. As i was undressing for a dip a western passed and showed my thumbs up for the courage to do this. 

After the dip we reached the temple to offer our prayers and while we were observing the beauty of the temple snowfall started. The another group of people from Mumbai were there. I told them about out plans to Gau-mukh and they advice please dont go now. It would be very difficult in such conditions. Listening to them and seeing the preparation with which we were we dropped the plan. ( though after few days i heard that their is land slide at Gau-mukh and it close now, i was regretting my chance to see it )

With the snowfall temp started to dip very quickly. Nicky and i took out all the clothes and rapped it around but still find it difficult to stop shivering. We started to drive back and snow fall gets heavier. I asked nicky to clean the glass of my helmet and gadhe ne pure sheeshe par haath rakh diya, kuch bhi dikhayi nahi de raha tha, Mene kaha bhai tu rehne de marwayega. 

 Fianlly we had to stop at the tea shop near Baba Bheronath Ji temple due to snowfall. for around two three hours we waited to for snowfall to stop. We were so scared that we started to pray ki bhagwan ek bar mausam saf karde sidhe delhi rukenge and believe what snow fall ruk and hum aise bhage ki pucho mat and sidhe Uttarkashi aakar ruke.

Next day we were relaxed so left at ease. On the way back we took the different route that is via Mussorie. On the way nicky dropped his mobile and after some we realised it. We came back searching the same and nicky was quite lucky that the lady that found it has given it to the shopkeeper and when we reached enquiring about the same they gave it to us. The shopkeeper said - bhaiya isne aapka phone diya toh kuch toh dhyan karo and nicky jarur ji jarur and as a gift we offered a small token of money to the lady who returned the phone. we started and again and while driving i was like bhai kab ayega.... mussorie yeh chota rasta he toh bada kya hota he...

By 2.30 pm we reached mussorie enjoyed some food and left for haridwar by 3pm. Took halt at Haridwar at same hotel and very next day back home.

Just after getting back nicky was gifted a tight slap by his mom - teri itni himat ki bina bataye jayega... mujhe bhi pitwane ki puri koshish kari isne but aunty ne mara nahi :P