Ride of a lifetime

For an adventurous biker and passionate traveller, a ride to the Himalayas would mean the time of their lives. Come June, as many as 40 riders will embark on the ‘big ride’, enjoying the scenic destinations, mystic mountains and snow-capped peaks.

The PicSafari Riders Club is making their dreams to come true. The Kochi-based club is organising the event ‘Dream Ride to Himalaya’. The club, formed five years ago, is being coordinated by Jobish M. B. (Road Captain), Joby Abraham and Fijoy Joseph, three men united by their passion for riding. They have been riding together for years, attending major events and enjoying the scenic beauty of various places across the country. It was last year that the idea to organise a group trip, with the participation of like-minded riders, struck them.

“It’s the second time now. We have made a package of 11 nights and 12 days of travel from Delhi to Srinagar via Manali, Jispa, Sarchu, Tsomoriri, Hanle, Pangong, Nubra, Leh, Ladakh, Kargil and Sonamarg. The package includes internal transportation, hotel stay, food, an oxygen cylinder and standard  500 cc Royal Enfield bullets with fuel, while those with own bikes can use them, too,” says Joby, who is a camera-man by profession. The bike rides he made as part of his job made him an enthusiastic rider.  

People from across the state are part of the group. They can ride either single or pillion. There are many bike-rides to the Himalayas taking place in the country. How is ‘Dream Ride to Himalaya’ different?  Joby emphasises that they haven’t set any age/gender bar. The group comprises men of sixty. There are two girl riders as well. The luggage of the riders will be carried in an SUV that will follow them. The riders just need to be in Delhi by the 1st of June. They will start from Delhi to Manali that night on a Volvo bus. The long Manali-Sonamarg biking also features exploring the museums and monasteries on the way.  “More people have booked for the trip; so there will be another batch going in August,” says Fijoy.

PicSafari inspires people to break out from their scheduled lives and wander as they love to, breathing fresh air and sucking peace. As the American racing driver Patrick Dempsey said, “If biking is your passion, set aside time to enjoy a good ride.”