tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-182762982024-03-06T23:23:49.503-08:00Ride to NIRVANA on two wheels.Hi welcome to RideToNirvana. Some things that life has given me and I am so greatful to share them with others. There are somethings that make us diffrent from others and give us our identity ,Then we find people with similar notes and it becomes music. Most of it is dedicated to Himachal , The Himalyas, Rock Music and other things that matter.Rajnish Bhogalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05372984426805632835noreply@blogger.comBlogger34125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18276298.post-76263391619142893882015-08-12T07:13:00.000-07:002016-01-07T11:46:48.176-08:00Kugti Pass Trek. <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><b>Kugti Pass (16,600 F/5059.68 M
)</b> </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">lies between the Chamba and Lahaul valley of Himachal Pradesh.The pass in
itself is pretty remote at the top you are at least three days away from the
nearest town. The trek leads one through some very stunning landscape
including apple orchards, pine forests, miles of green meadows and some spectacular waterfalls. The camp sites are lush green complimented by ever flowing streams.
On the higher reaches one climbs through a huge glaciers surrounded by ice falls. Though the pass has been user
by shepherds and locals travelling between Lahaul and Chamba for centuries I
would not recommend the trek for first time explorers and without a good guide, one
has to be conscious on the glacier and the last stretch to the pass is rocky and
steep at an altitude of 5K meters. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Route : Shimla > Dharamsala > Chamba > Bharmaur > Hadsar > Dharol > Kugti Village > Kugti Temple > Dughi > Alyas > Kugti Pass > Khodlu > Jobrung > Trilokinath > Manali > Shimla. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They say mountains are addictive and it is so true, being born and bought up in the mountains most of my
vacations are spent trekking or riding in the Himalayas. In September 2014 I did the trek with two of my
friends and avid trekker's Vineet Gautam and Guruashish. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The preparation :</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> It was time to get the gear ready as the trek is pretty harsh and one spends more than a week in the mountains so one needs good equipment. Here is the list of things I bought:</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Trekking Boots (Quechua Forclaz 600) ,</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Walking Stick,</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rain Coat,</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Trekking pants,</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Medicines,</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Head torch this was apart from all the gear like tent trekking clothes and rucksack that I have collected in the past. I tried to be conservative while packing still I had a 17+kg rucksack on my back. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The start</b> : Home sweet home : Living in the city takes up most of our lives, we stay in air conditioned apartments with all sorts of comforts but with an emptiness inside. The feeling called home only comes once you are where you belong. Home for me is Shimla my home town, I can go an bragging about the town more on that later. Took the night Volvo from Delhi to Shimla and was in heaven the next morning. Spent the next two days with family and friends.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>D Day</b> : Woke up early morning and packed my stuff. While Vineet and I were in Shimla and Guruashish was travelling from Delhi, we had planned to reach Dharamsala that day and stay at our guides house for the night. The guide Mr Jang Ram (better known as Jango and deserves one full article) is one of the best in the business, he knows every nick and corner of Himachal and has led numerous treks in the Himalaya. We booked a taxi from Shimla to Dharamsala and reached in the evening met Jango, Guruashish and Suresh (our kitchen porter/cook for the trip)after resting for some time and tasting some home made brew we had dinner. To save a day and rush at the Manimahesh fair we started from Dharamsala by 11:00 PM. Jango arranged for a Tata Sumo and we were off to Bharmaur. Time flew fast catching up with friends and listning to stories comming from Jango. We were greeted by a big trafic jam at Hudsar which is the starting point for the Manimahesh yatra. Looking at the rush of people we gave Manimahesh a miss and headed straight to Dharol. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Trek Day 1 Dharol to Kugti Village </b>: Dharol is the last point till the Sumo could drop us, the road is really narrow and not yet tarred. Dharol is the start of the trek and consists of three houses. We stopped to rest for sometime as all of us had been travelling for more than 24 hours. There is one dhaba at Dharol and he started cooking breakfast for us after having breakfast we headed towards Kugti village. The walk was easy the landscape lush green and beautiful with the Budhi stream flowing on the side. I enjoyed the climb as this was after almost one year I was venturing into the mountains. I took leisure breaks catching up with the landscape and myself. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We reached Kugti in the afternoon and settled in the veranda of the PWD guest house just before the village waiting for the caretaker who never showed up. The village is beautiful with its friendly people and all wooden houses the kind of place you never want to leave. We went to the village to stock up on supplies for the coming days and made phone calls back home from one of the houses,the house owners were more than happy to oblige as this is the last time you can touch base with the rest of the world for days to come. The village does not have a wired phone line the phones run on a WLL(wireless in local loop) system which was interesting to see. Himachal is miles ahead in terms of communication compared to many other states in the country. At this time the feeling started to sink in that I was actually in the mountains, the happy feeling was settling in mixed with the excitement of the days to come. </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The feeling of being away from the material world and into the wild takes a while to settle but puts into a trance of your own. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To be continued... </span><br />
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Rajnish Bhogalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05372984426805632835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18276298.post-3693862865905803222009-08-31T04:23:00.000-07:002009-08-31T06:08:37.103-07:00Yearly Himalaya Ride<strong>My yearly ride to the himalayas this year:</strong><br /><br />Was out on the road for a week visiting Spiti Valley in himachal and visiting friends at <a href="http://www.spitiecosphere.com">Spiti Ecosphere</a> . <br /><br /> Who are they? <a href="http://www.spitiecosphere.com/about_us.htm ">http://www.spitiecosphere.com/about_us.htm </a><br /><br /><strong>Why Spiti Valley</strong> <br /><br />The cold desert zone and untouched places of Spiti, World's Highest village Kibber, World's Highest Petrol Station Kaja, World's Highest post office Hikkim, World's 2nd largest glacier Barashigri, 1000 years old Tabo monastary known as Ajanta of Himalayas, 4550 mts Kunjum Pass, Barren Landscapes.<br /><br /><strong><br />The Ride: </strong><br />I was riding my 350 CC Royal Enfield motorcycle, The ride takes one through some of themost rouged and difficult roads int he world going through places like Rohtang - Kunzum La - Malling nala and Kinnaur . <br /><br /><br />Picks and some wiki gyan<br /><br />Camera : Cannon 400D<br />Lens : 18-55 MM Standard Kit lens<br /><br /><strong>The Trans Himachal Ride</strong><br />The trans Himachal circle starts from Shimla or Manali and ending back at the same place. The road is a part of the ancient Silk Route and has been traveled by traders and shepherds for thousands of years. The ride takes one through the lush green Lahaul Valley till one enters the colorful but harsh high altitude region of Spiti which is known for its old monasteries, apples and vivid landscape, Spiti also has some very beautiful lakes and glaciers ( Chandra taal and Bara sigri glacier to name a few). Spiti is a favorite destination of trekkers and mountaineers from around the world there are some very good treks that start of end in the valley like Pin-parvati trek (starts from Manikaran in Kullu district and passes through Pin Parvati pass at 4810M then decants to Mud village in Spiti). Pin Valey national park (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pin_valley_national_park">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pin_valley_national_park</a> ) is known for its varied landscape, mammals like snow leopard and Siberian ibex which are very rare and for birds like snow partridge and snowfinch. <br /><br /><br /><strong>Colorful Spiti valley</strong> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spiti_River">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spiti_River</a><br /><br /><a href="http://s11.photobucket.com/albums/a191/bhogalrajnish/spiti%2009/?action=view¤t=Picture043Large.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a191/bhogalrajnish/spiti%2009/Picture043Large.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><strong>(Rohtang La)</strong> (altitude 13,051 ft (3,978 m)<br /><br /><a href="http://s11.photobucket.com/albums/a191/bhogalrajnish/spiti%2009/?action=view¤t=IMG_1064.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a191/bhogalrajnish/spiti%2009/IMG_1064.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><br /><strong>Kunzum la</strong> ((altitude 4,551 m; 14,931 ft) The highest point in the journey. <br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kunzum_Pass">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kunzum_Pass</a><br /><br /><a href="http://s11.photobucket.com/albums/a191/bhogalrajnish/spiti%2009/?action=view¤t=Picture034.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a191/bhogalrajnish/spiti%2009/Picture034.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><strong>Save the Glaciers </strong><br /><a href="http://ridetonirvana.blogspot.com/2007_04_01_archive.html#3051350140471553077">http://ridetonirvana.blogspot.com/2007_04_01_archive.html#3051350140471553077</a><br /><br /><strong>Bara Shigri</strong> :- Bada Shigri is the largest glacier in Himachal Pradesh. It is located in the Chandra valley of Lahaul and it feeds the river Chenab. Bada Shigri glacier is more than 25 km. long and about 3 km. wide. It lies on the middle slopes of the main Himalayan range. It is also aided by many small tributary glaciers. It is surrounded by high mountains from three sides. It is said that this glacier formed Chandertal lake by causing a major havoc in Chadra valley in 1936. Bada Shigri glacier was conquered by all women mountaineers in 1956. It was further successfully trekked by Stephenson in 1956. There are number of prominent glaciers in Chandra valley in Lahaul. Some of them are Chhota Shigri ( means Small Glacier ), Kulti, Shpting, Pacha, Ding Karmo, Tapn, Gyephang, Bolunag, Shili and Shamundri. Gyephang is the chief deity of Lahaul valley and the Gyephang glacier is named after him. It is full of snow all the year. It is considered as the Manimahesh of Lahaul.<br />Chandra Glacier:- It falls in the Lahaul - Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh. It is located on the slopes of the main Himalaya. It has been separated from Bara Shigri glacier. This glacier reason behind the formation of Chandertal lake. Chandertal lake is surrounded by snows and acres of scree. This deep blue-water lake has a circumference of 2.5 km. It is also called the 'Lake of the moon'. It remains completely frozen during winter. Chandertal lake is the source of the river Chandra. <br /><br /><a href="http://s11.photobucket.com/albums/a191/bhogalrajnish/spiti%2009/?action=view¤t=Picture021.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a191/bhogalrajnish/spiti%2009/Picture021.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><br /><strong>Chandra River </strong><br /><br /><a href="http://s11.photobucket.com/albums/a191/bhogalrajnish/spiti%2009/?action=view¤t=Picture026.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a191/bhogalrajnish/spiti%2009/Picture026.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><strong>Chandra Taal</strong> ( The lake of the Moon) <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chandra_Taal ">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chandra_Taal </a><br /><br /><a href="http://s11.photobucket.com/albums/a191/bhogalrajnish/spiti%2009/?action=view¤t=d434b3da.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a191/bhogalrajnish/spiti%2009/d434b3da.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><strong>Key Monostory </strong>(<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ki_Gompa">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ki_Gompa</a> )<br /><a href="http://s11.photobucket.com/albums/a191/bhogalrajnish/?action=view¤t=7a1c1f59.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a191/bhogalrajnish/7a1c1f59.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><strong>Muddy water of Paarchu</strong> (orignating from Mansarover Lake in Tibet) meets Spiti river to make the mighty Satluj river.<br /><a href="http://s11.photobucket.com/albums/a191/bhogalrajnish/spiti%2009/?action=view¤t=Picture054.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a191/bhogalrajnish/spiti%2009/Picture054.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><strong>My Backyard </strong> (Kalpa in the shadow of the Kinner Kailash mountain) <br /><a href="http://s11.photobucket.com/albums/a191/bhogalrajnish/spiti%2009/?action=view¤t=Picture064.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a191/bhogalrajnish/spiti%2009/Picture064.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><strong>My Ride</strong> (Royal enfield 350) The classic they forgot to stop making. At Kunzum La (4,551 m) <br /><a href="http://s11.photobucket.com/albums/a191/bhogalrajnish/spiti%2009/?action=view¤t=Picture031.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a191/bhogalrajnish/spiti%2009/Picture031.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a> <br /><br /><strong>The river bed</strong><br />After a long day of riding. <br /><br /><a href="http://s11.photobucket.com/albums/a191/bhogalrajnish/spiti%2009/?action=view¤t=IMG_1101.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a191/bhogalrajnish/spiti%2009/IMG_1101.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s11.photobucket.com/albums/a191/bhogalrajnish/spiti%2009/?action=view¤t=Picture040.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a191/bhogalrajnish/spiti%2009/Picture040.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br />Contact me for blow ups and high resolution coppies of the pitures.Rajnish Bhogalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05372984426805632835noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18276298.post-42334096730746239322009-07-26T21:29:00.000-07:002009-07-26T21:31:41.429-07:00Chamba Kitni Door .Himachali folk song "Chamba Kitni Door"<br /><br /><br /><table bgcolor="#000000" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><embed quality="high" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" bgcolor="#000" width="328" height="94" src="http://www.esnips.com//escentral/images/widgets/flash/esnips_player.swf" flashvars="theTheme=blue&autoPlay=no&theFile=http://www.esnips.com//nsdoc/e7f22cc7-9ff4-4037-a36a-4ea4cfdab832&theName=CHAMBA KITNI DOOR&thePlayerURL=http://www.esnips.com//escentral/images/widgets/flash/mp3WidgetPlayer.swf"></embed></td></tr><tr><td><table cellpadding="2" style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; padding-left:2px; color:#FFFFFF; text-decoration:none ; ; font-size:10px; font-weight:bold"><tr><td><a style="color:#FFFFFF; text-decoration:none " href="http://www.esnips.com/CreateWidgetAction.ns?type=0&objectid=e7f22cc7-9ff4-4037-a36a-4ea4cfdab832"> Get this widget </a></td><td style="font-size:7px; font-weight:normal;">|</td><td align="center"><a align="center" style="color:#FFFFFF; text-decoration:none " href="http://www.esnips.com/doc/e7f22cc7-9ff4-4037-a36a-4ea4cfdab832/CHAMBA-KITNI-DOOR/?widget=flash_player_esnips_blue"> Track details </a></td><td style="font-size:7px; font-weight:normal;">|</td><td><a align="center" style="color:#FF6600; text-decoration:none" href="http://www.esnips.com//adserver/?action=visit&cid=player_dna&url=/socialdna"> eSnips Social DNA </a></td></tr></table></td></tr></table><br /><br /><br />More to come..Rajnish Bhogalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05372984426805632835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18276298.post-1391541816814421572009-07-23T22:36:00.000-07:002009-07-23T23:04:43.240-07:00Dream Rides<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP0raXtJfwHdBGbMDf1aqJwlrrgtpGLRA6nGffQ-4G7qRvLEj64s0o8hMQeTOr1BKTMpSQD5yqO1VlaJNMWG4LKIipKogdaZQ6IgFKUUwbOdG_Oow-_21jwRUSk8qsOfH_ktY8xQ/s1600-h/bmw-f650gs.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 274px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP0raXtJfwHdBGbMDf1aqJwlrrgtpGLRA6nGffQ-4G7qRvLEj64s0o8hMQeTOr1BKTMpSQD5yqO1VlaJNMWG4LKIipKogdaZQ6IgFKUUwbOdG_Oow-_21jwRUSk8qsOfH_ktY8xQ/s400/bmw-f650gs.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361903419686530898" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-7zAc0GX7fJgIdQoZFbaoRBP5zWJGTOsBAVQVIiZo76pTRoObrx8CJGNLK0_xNjBqupE1FB8Z3D7zAnsBys1GS66eopwRX0k-4APZLMidjUO6dGDHDt2Z8k9wictaf_FQwWAXhA/s1600-h/BMW_R1200GS_adventure_2008_06.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 283px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-7zAc0GX7fJgIdQoZFbaoRBP5zWJGTOsBAVQVIiZo76pTRoObrx8CJGNLK0_xNjBqupE1FB8Z3D7zAnsBys1GS66eopwRX0k-4APZLMidjUO6dGDHDt2Z8k9wictaf_FQwWAXhA/s400/BMW_R1200GS_adventure_2008_06.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361903241172582322" /></a><br />Beemers in India are for corporate junkies the 5 series and now the 7 series define luxury and comfort. But for people like me who are no where near to a corporate junkie or luxury freak the beemer defines the dual sport motorcycles that I may be able to buy and afford some day.. <br /><br />some wiki info: <br /><br />All BMW Motorrad's motorcycle production takes place at its plant in Berlin, Germany,[4] although some engines are manufactured in Austria, China and Taiwan.<br /><br /><br />Current production includes a variety of shaft, chain and belt driven models from 450 cc to 1300 cc with models designed for off-road, dual-purpose, sport and touring activities. Motorcycles are produced in product families each with a different letter prefix. Current families are:<br /><br />F series – parallel-twin engines of 800 cc capacity, featuring either chain or belt drive. Models are F650GS, F800GS, F800R, F800S and F800ST.<br />G series – single-cylinder engines of 450–650 cc capacity featuring chain drive. Models are G450X, G650GS (in some markets), G650 Xmoto, G650 Xchallenge and G650 Xcountry. The 450 cc engines are manufactured by Kymco in Taiwan.[8] The 650 cc engines are manufactured by Loncin in China.[9][10]<br />R series – twin-cylinder boxer engines of 1200 cc capacity featuring shaft drive. Models are R1200GS, R1200R, R1200RT and R1200S<br />K series – four-cylinder engines of 1200–1300 cc capacity featuring shaft drive. Models are K1200LT, K1300GT, K1200R Sport, K1300R and K1300SRajnish Bhogalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05372984426805632835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18276298.post-23809221174836623062009-06-25T06:30:00.000-07:002009-06-25T06:32:43.922-07:00Motorcycle Diaries. (The art of breaking things)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdUzhukDNpWXg64PWe2oeL6Qhx8PdtqzGjA-VWtopcuhC-yDe435AfTljqshqfRWoROqAJmmLmyKgaWl8IL17jgNK0ba8gJ1IZ1QL_iu2YzDpULBGH68verejwIpBGxXZ5Uc05EA/s1600-h/kickmech.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 146px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdUzhukDNpWXg64PWe2oeL6Qhx8PdtqzGjA-VWtopcuhC-yDe435AfTljqshqfRWoROqAJmmLmyKgaWl8IL17jgNK0ba8gJ1IZ1QL_iu2YzDpULBGH68verejwIpBGxXZ5Uc05EA/s400/kickmech.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351257608213838610" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxaFrJeN6WJKTsCz_BfiA1DrFMW1NyWP-X0SF97uc50gCOJikbN3MJEQ-xouJS1Aff27RkB8rDztgSZzrmVfmTQ8XVFLdGlWjarjJEX6RqEm9atiFv9thD4_7R2wlIfkauFJd7zQ/s1600-h/weber.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 330px; height: 283px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxaFrJeN6WJKTsCz_BfiA1DrFMW1NyWP-X0SF97uc50gCOJikbN3MJEQ-xouJS1Aff27RkB8rDztgSZzrmVfmTQ8XVFLdGlWjarjJEX6RqEm9atiFv9thD4_7R2wlIfkauFJd7zQ/s400/weber.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351257381802631282" /></a><br /><br />All that I can do all the time is talk motorcycles talk more than I ride them. Confession again haven’t been able to ride much lately!!!!! So that what I have been doing “breaking things” <br />I took this motorcycle attitude test on the internet a couple of days back. and the result was not very shocking yet interesting.<br />You like working on your bike more than riding it said by the end of it. If I had the time ! yes I have been working on the bike a lot breaking things as there’s nothing broken to be fixed. The Idea is improvement. Now the bike is a simple one to work on as they say but they never said easy to work on. So the first damage was breaking the Oil Filter cover I screwed it too hard after the filter change. <br /> <br />I was able to fix it for the time with some sealant. Next was the electric starter. Who need a starter on such a classic bike? The fun of getting a kick back from the heavy crank is fun if it doesn’t hit you hard. It takes practice and accuracy to start the bike with the kick and once perfected works real well but again it’s no Childs play. So off went the side cover then the clutch and the magneto and off came the sprang clutch making the rattling noise that you never hear while riding. Hmm got my hands dirty, cloths sweaty and one good afternoon with the bike and my tools(collection of every possible tool needed to work on the bike). Started the bike with the kick and it kicked back like a bull. That’s where the work BULL..et comes from. I must have messed up something while putting things back. So off goes everything again but dint find anything wrong. So living with the bull kicking back for now, planning another weekend dismantling and learning the science of adjusting the ignition timing.Rajnish Bhogalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05372984426805632835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18276298.post-18537753696936028762009-06-01T05:57:00.000-07:002009-06-01T06:04:07.625-07:00The New Enfield "still not the 500EFI"<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYN245cFoln89DA8v3Wz-ozu0O4aVhkltUL45cuHelYGs1PIvRYpMchbsS2I-3nw7a1haXFC4tN-Ytdq1VEYfIShYo8la1xxdYtTXvliTOYS8zyC1yVOalDwUugyw_QthzZ652tA/s1600-h/royal-enfield-bullet-classic-300x225.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYN245cFoln89DA8v3Wz-ozu0O4aVhkltUL45cuHelYGs1PIvRYpMchbsS2I-3nw7a1haXFC4tN-Ytdq1VEYfIShYo8la1xxdYtTXvliTOYS8zyC1yVOalDwUugyw_QthzZ652tA/s400/royal-enfield-bullet-classic-300x225.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342344110392942594" /></a><br />Last week I went to test ride the new bike from Royal Enfiled. Royal Enfield was doing a customer survey and trying to get detailed feedback. It was a good experience talking to the design head and and some other officials. They did take feedback very positively.<br /><br /><br />I was expecting it to be the 500 Classic UCE EFI but it was not. It is the look alike of the classic but has the twin spark 350 engine. The styling is good/ old school with the 18 inch rear tyre. <br /><br />Though one question in the feedback form was the name for the bike il bet its Classic 350. <br /><br />Styling:<br />Being a look alike of the Classic the bike is surely a head turner, One can surely fall in love with the looks if one likes the retro old school looks , The paint job and chrome was real good quality (if all this will be the same when they deliver the bikes)<br />Performance: <br />I have never ridden the twinspark thunderbird but the bikes performance was better than any other 350CC Enfield. the bike did touch 90KMPH well though after that it had to be pushed a bit. I did touch 100 KMPH once the bike can do better than that after a good runin and some performance mods. The torque was good and the delivery was smooth. The gears were precise and accurate felt like a pulsar gearshift. <br /><br />Ride/Handelin/Breaking: <br />Not sure if it’s the 18 inch rear tyre or Royal Enfield messed up the bikes handeling(may be just the test bike) but the bike was no where near to my Electra 5S in terms of handelling and breaking. The bike pulled towards the right side under hard breaking think it’s the new rear hub and break setup causing that. Now that the bike did not break well I did not try and bend it a lot. The suspention was better than the current enfields and the bike took humps real good. <br /><br />Sitting Position:<br />The feedback form emphasised a lot on this one. The hight if the bike was good and the sitting position was good in terms of the position of the footpegs and break. The handle is a new designe and is better than the standard or electra handle but still not very comfortable I had to lean a bit forward while riding so this will be a problem for long rides. (I have a thunderbird handle on my Electra which is very comfortable on long rides)<br /><br />The Thumb:<br /><br />No Thumb at all at idle felt like im sitting on a generator. Once it took off the engine sounded good and there were no vibrations at all even at 80kmph. <br /><br /><br />Some feedback questions and my answers:<br /><br />Will you exchange your current Royal Enfield with the test bike? <br />Ans : NO<br /><br />How Much will you pay for the Bike: <br />Ans: Not more than 90K (thuugh they will not launch it below 1.1L as the twin spark thunderbird is more than that)<br /><br />Will you recommend this bike to friends/family:<br />Ans: To anybody who needs a retro looking bike with good performance. <br /><br /><br /><br /><br />The bike defenately performs well and looks good taking into concidration that the breaking was an issue on the test bike only. The new engine is better in terms of reliability as it has hydraulic tapets and a better oil circulation system. Not sure of the fuel average may be someone riding a twinspark can comment on that. <br /><br /><br />The good news: <br />Now that I got friendly with the guys I asked them about the new 500 UCE EFI and the 350 UCE EFI , well they did not give me a date of the launch but told me that the 500 UCE EFI will be launched soon and there are no plans to launch a 350 UCE EFI as the EFI has only been tested on the 500CC engine. I asked if we can expect it to come before Diwali the answer was much before that. <br />__________________Rajnish Bhogalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05372984426805632835noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18276298.post-72503334392607131952008-10-31T08:48:00.000-07:002008-10-31T08:57:19.036-07:00Ecosphere SpitiI happen to know some people who indeed follow their dreams and do they dream beautiful. Here is a small part from the dream they live. <br /><br />===================================================================================<br />Ecosphere Spiti is a collaborative effort of the local community of Spiti and professionals from diverse backgrounds with a wide spectrum of skills and experience, effectively spanning the bridge from the general to the niche. <br />Our focus is to re-establish the critical link between the custodians of Spiti's natural and cultural resources and consumers, through our product line ranging between travel, organics and health. We aim to create sustainable livelihoods that are linked to conservation. <br /><br />Our passion for conservation, mountain travel and adventure has brought us all together for this venture. Some of us have college and university educations that strongly support our claims. Other members of the team have (adrenaline) educations that no educational institution can provide. <br /><br />We have wandered the Himalayas (and will continue to do so) and most travelers we have come across have been awed by its grandeur, very few have been disappointed. <br /><br />We have a commitment not only to the development of the place, people and resources of this region but also to the outside world with whom we wish to share this rich natural and cultural heritage and the traditional knowledge of healing and health. <br />===================================================================================<br /><br />So please share, support and enjoy : <br /><a href="http://www.spitiecosphere.com/about_us.htm"><strong>Ecosphere Spiti</strong></a>Rajnish Bhogalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05372984426805632835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18276298.post-38428020132016190452008-10-31T08:17:00.000-07:002014-09-02T20:59:41.204-07:00Back from Ladakh<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The trip to ladakh this year was diffrent in many ways from my previous trips. To talk about the the bike the one thing I was most spectic about turned out to be the best thing the bike rocks and I ride good too thats what i realised after the trip. here is a small triplog I posted on one of my favourate forum. . <br />
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This was my first trip to Ladakh on my Royal Enfield. In April this year I had three of my best Atul, Gautam and Shwetank come to my house for the usual Saturday party. We were discussing our last trip after a couple of beers and by the end of it we were planning the trip for this year. So the plan was made to travel to Ladakh this year with our wife’s. Apparently three of us Atul, Gautam and myself we got married in the last one year so this time the trip had to be planned and not just done. That was when I decided to buy a Royal Enfield and early May I was riding my black beauty. Atul is a Royal Enfield veteran and has been riding his bike for the last 14 years. Gautam has been riding his 18 year old bike for like 5 years now. Shewetank bought his bike last year and this was his first ride to the Himalayas. For me I learnt to ride on Atul’s bike but frankly I was not very confident about riding the Enfield as initially I was finding the bike heavy and slow the transition from pulsar 180 was taking its time. <br />
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So after running in the bike I gained some confidence and on 27th July we left for Manali. We booked the Volvo for the ladies one day in advance and the ladies were in Manali one day before us. So it was four of us riding the usual boring Delhi Chandigarh highway. We stopped at Chandigarh to meet old friends and the old bikes needed repairs after the straight run. Yes they did need repairs Atul wanted to get the gearbox rechecked and Gautam had a leaking head gasket. This was after both the bikes were rebuilt just a couple of weeks back. The Enfield is a repair thirsty bike that is for shore. So after meeting with friends, eating and getting the bikes done we started towards Manali after daylight and were welcomed by rain near Ropar. The roads were in real bad condition and the traffic was crazy well we crossed into Himachal late that night and to make things better Bilaspur area was under a thick cover of fog and there was a major traffic jam due to the trucks from the cement factory. This was the crazies ride I had ever done at times we were thrown off the road by crazy Volvo drivers overtaking on turns and the truckers really did not find any sense in letting bikers with luggage overtake them. Finally we crossed Burmana and were welcomed by Himachal police. The Cops were amazed to see us riding to Manali at 2:00 am. We took a break with the cops and had tea with them. Shawetank being from U.P. was amazed to find cops that friendly. After crossing Mandi we stopped near the Pandow dam and all of us were really tired so we took some rest at around 3:30 am. The ride had now taken its toil on us and breaks became frequent. As we entered the kulu valley the view was really refreshing as the river was completely fogged and the fog covering the whole river looked really amazing like the river had raisen from its base. This was the best view of the river I had ever seen. So finally after packets of cigerates and unlimited cups of tea we finally reached Manali at seven in the morning once again welcomed by heavy downpour at Manali entrance. The rest of the day went sleeping in the guesthouse, in the evening we went shopping and then to get a dip in the holy water at Vashist. <br />
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The next day we started for Keylong as planned. That’s when we learnt the first lesson about riding with our better half’s. They just cannot rush into getting ready and packing. <br />
We left Manali at 11:30 and proceeded towards Rohtang. Once again we got rain on the way and the rain made things real bad on the way. The road is being widened by the army hence there was mud and loads of water on the road. Atul broke the Ladakh stand on his bike and was almost thrown off the bike when the stand broke. Finally we reached Rohtang at 4:00 and then proceeded towards Kokhsar. Rohtang was at its worst this time we had never seen it so bad. After crossing Kokhsar tragedy stuck Gautams bike stalled and refused to start. So we started troubleshooting and found every thin to be in place. Tried changing battery checked for fuel etc finally we found a wire loose and loosing current hence the spark was not complete. We started again at around seven and stopped at Sissu instead at Keylong. <br />
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The next day we got the stand on Atul’s bike welded and we started again planning to reach Sarchu. We got fuel at Tandi and had early lunch at Keylong. After riding for some time we saw Atul having a hard time with his bike as it was not just getting enough power going uphill. We checked the air fuel mixture the plug the timing and finally got the bike performing better. After we started again there was a road block and we had to wait around two hours. By the time we crossed Baralachla it was almost dark though the road was in real good condition. We reached Bharatpur at around 6:30 we pitched our tents at Bharatpur as it was getting dark and it was no point going ahead. <br />
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Staying at Bharatpur was a mistake as it is at around 16200 Feet and real cold. Most of us were not in a very happy mood the next day as altitude had bought every body down. So by the time we packed again and had breakfast at the local tent it was 11:00 am and we planned to reach Leh that day. Anyways we started and crossed Sarchu real fast. After passing Sarchu Atul’s bike started giving trouble again. The road after Sarchu was in real bad condition as again it is being widened. As I approached Lachunglung La I found that Atul was not with us. We waited for some time and still he did not arrive so we started back to check on him to find him stranded at Whisky Nala his bike refusing to go uphill. So the troubleshooting started again and we planned to stay at Whisky Nala that day. We tried everything but the bike just did not rev enough. We worked on the bike real late with no luck. The next morning we worked on the bike and were helped by another foreigner from Dharamsala and knew about the Enfield’s real good. He said that the governor behind the timing plate is not holding and needs to be fixed but we did not have another governor with us. So we opened up the governor and fixed it temporarily and got the timing correct this time. But again one complete day was lost here. The next day we left for Leh and crossed Mori Planes in the afternoon which was real bad again as there was silt good enough to get the bike stuck at some places. That evening we reached Leh and checked into a guest house. <br />
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We reached Leh on the weekend so we could not get permits so went around Leh. <br />
On Monday permits made to go to Nubra and Pangong though we got the permits in the evening and had no time to start. Though we did have a real good time in Leh with all the wonderful food and the monasteries. On Tuesday we went to Khardung la and came back to Leh. <br />
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The next day we started back towards Manali. We planned to visit Tso Kar. We reached the lake in the afternoon and camped there for the night it was real good and relaxing. The next day we spent some time on the lake and then started back towards Sarchu. We had less distance to travel so Gautam and me trekked for around an hour to get to the top of one of the big mountains. That day we stopped at Sarchu and then at Keylong the next day. We finally reached Manali back on Saturday and headed back to Delhi next day on Sunday as all of had to join work on Monday. <br />
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So with all the motorcycle trouble we did enjoy every day of the trip to the fullest and have no regrets that we lost time as we did get to spend more time with family and friends and enjoyed the place real good we plan to do the trip year after year in the time’s to come. The ladies were really supportive and courageous they made real good friends with everyone as they were new to the group before the trip. <br />
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I am a confidant Enfield rider now and I think Enfield is the best bike to travel if you have a pillion and a lot of luggage. Not at any point of time was I afraid of bike slipping on gravel or water it just seemed to be sticking to the ground. I am really impressed by the stability of the machine and the confidence that it handles bad roads. Unlike my pulsar thankfully I did not get any of the wheels up in the air this time I can imagine what will it be like to have both the wheels of the Enfield up in the air. The riding comfort is amazing and the torque really gives a boost to the whole experience. As per the weight I did get adjusted very well to it and I never had trouble maneuvering the bike with 140+ KG weight on the bike, though it's getting difficult to ride my pulsar now as it seems very light and feels like a rocket after the Enfield. I did get to understand why so many people around the world fall in love with this machine even though it is not the fastest or the most reliable one. <br />
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By the end all I can say is travelling makes you learn new things every time specially if you are travelling with your better half. It may be learning to repair the governor on the Enfield (never knew it was there) or being in a group all the time taking care of each other. <br />
It teaches the ladies to cross rivers by foot if they are afraid to stick to the bike and to stick to the bike on the next one. It tells the ladies that they married real hard motorcycling guys and tells the guys that the ladies are not as delicate as they look they can be stronger than the guys at times. So all of you who are reluctant doing the trip with your better half’s should pack your bags and do the trip by the time you come back you will know each other much better and will make place for some very smiley pictures on your bedroom wall with lots of stories to tell.<br />
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Rajnish Bhogalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05372984426805632835noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18276298.post-51162210333023596772008-10-01T07:44:00.000-07:002008-10-07T10:25:42.627-07:00Raid De Himalaya<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSoR3htTF4w3BLY42P-zINfqok1ozn8Bj1tFuHEkTnlVLzku6Hr5L9F2Nkd03bKevJqNHiy1nZXwuWhiNzgmbBCBF2oNTttG35inFlptGMOeXrPMxOkBPuGCnzeJEVi2JfoP0zEA/s1600-h/5.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSoR3htTF4w3BLY42P-zINfqok1ozn8Bj1tFuHEkTnlVLzku6Hr5L9F2Nkd03bKevJqNHiy1nZXwuWhiNzgmbBCBF2oNTttG35inFlptGMOeXrPMxOkBPuGCnzeJEVi2JfoP0zEA/s400/5.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252197218251311618" /></a><br />The raid de himalaya was flagged off today. Last year the raid was disrupted due to bad weather. Please follow the excitement here : <br /><br /><a href="http://raid-de-himalaya.com/">Raid Website</a><br />and<br /><a href="http://himachal.us">complete coverage on My Himachal Blog</a>Rajnish Bhogalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05372984426805632835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18276298.post-57512833650959909762008-07-23T07:07:00.001-07:002008-07-23T08:24:21.919-07:00On the ride.The ride is about to begin and I am feeling the movement now. <br /><br />After I got my bike we started planning the annual trip to the the Himalayas. Times have changed and getting out of daily life is a real strugle but when you have to ride you have to ride. Atul, Gautam and myself we have been best friends and riding partners for a long time. We have always shared the passion for travelling and motorcycling. Both Atul and gautam own Royal Enfield’s and both of their bikes were in dire condition, both of then got the bikes refurbished after shopping for spare parts and long hours with the mechanics. Finally everything looks in place. Another friend Shwetank is going to join us for his first long ride after listening to our stories for so long and he will be the only solo rider. Three of us got married in the last year so life has changed a lot from then. We are not lonely riders any more we are riding with our ladies now so the trip has to be special and needs more planning and energy. Things are planned and the unplanned has been forgotten. We plan to camp this year and bought two men tents that we are going to carry along. <br /><br />As far as my bike goes I got a new saddle, new headlight halogen bulb and a custom rack for the stuff. Apart from that got a good riding jacket and saddle bags for our stuff. I am not very new top Enfield’s but also I’m not very confident about riding one to the Himalayas as I have just been with the bike for two months and less than 2000KM. I know its going to be a different ball game riding a heavier bike than before with load os stuff loaded on to the saddle bags and Sri riding behind me. Sri has always been very keen on riding to Ladakh, again after listening to our stories for so long she provable wants to do it herself. I had concerns about her health as she had breathing problem last year. So we visited her doctor and asked if she can do the trip. The doctor gave her some extra medicines and approved her travel but I am still concerned. So this time il be riding with a pillion about whom I am more concerned than anything else, I am riding a bike that I have never ridden to the Himalayas before though I am shore the off-road handling of the bike is better than my older bike and we are camping this time. In a worst case scenario we may have to return back if Sri is not able to cope up with the altitude but again i am shore we are going to have a good time together. Sri on the other hand is more confident and is up for the challenge for the strong lady she is. Hope everything goes well and we get to Ladakh in the best of health and spirit. Last but not the least we plan to camp that none of us are very experienced with. Thats what friends are for and we plan to take up the challange together. I'm really not shore what to expect from the trip but I think life is all about expecting posotive things and being confidant that we can overcome the difficulties. <br />I am already breathless about the whole feeling about the trip and hope that it turns out to be good what ever may happen one thin is shore every motorcycle trip teaches you a lot of thing about motorcycles, riding, nature, companions and life. I hope to write a good trrip log after we come back from the trip. <br /><br />So good luck to all of us and hope we have a good ride without any major problems.Rajnish Bhogalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05372984426805632835noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18276298.post-36114295116657542502008-05-22T07:49:00.000-07:002008-05-22T08:13:37.075-07:00Finally Thumbing<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtST0UBlMGaa2vauyWL_uZeT8gv0wJeDEM0IzZovV186IlxczvzOKZXCzg7wx0R9gKkhyshy5Lucp_TswVIRWa3b7Aa7LAro2HyFSzDLqMrsIfmyDI8aW6T8gkPmhb8KRhvr4Drw/s1600-h/148343146_88707df85d_b.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtST0UBlMGaa2vauyWL_uZeT8gv0wJeDEM0IzZovV186IlxczvzOKZXCzg7wx0R9gKkhyshy5Lucp_TswVIRWa3b7Aa7LAro2HyFSzDLqMrsIfmyDI8aW6T8gkPmhb8KRhvr4Drw/s400/148343146_88707df85d_b.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5203220560167609794" /></a><br /><br /><em><strong>I was provably four or five riding with my dad on his Black Enfield HPS - 1988. Sitting in front of my dad with my hands on the cold chrome handle the wind in my face. Its one of the picture that stays with you all your life and never fade away.</strong></em> <br /><br /><br /><br />I always wanted to own a <em><strong>Royal Enfield </strong></em>just like my dad did, even came close a couple of times but always thought of having faster and more reliable machines. I did and rode them till the limit but by the end of it my heart said <em><strong>Royal Enfield</strong></em>. So finally found the time, money and most important the impulse to buy my own enfield. Last weeks were spent on the Internet finding out facts and figures about the machine and finally decided to buy the Electra 5S that has all the goodies of the classic <strong>Enfield</strong> and some modern day toys like a electric starter and front disk breaks. I walked up to the local dealer and found that they are short of bikes as the demand for the classic is high. The guy promised me to deliver my bike in ten days so I put down the booking amount. I'm feeling miserable now can wait no more to ride my very own enfield. Hope i don't cry when I take the delivery of my black beauty lol.. Still three days to destiny...Rajnish Bhogalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05372984426805632835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18276298.post-24576149519930861482008-05-22T07:42:00.000-07:002008-05-22T07:49:10.412-07:00Ride it like you stole it.Received this note from one of the biggest motorcycle blogs <a href="http://davedragon.rilysi.com">http://davedragon.rilysi.com</a> <br />This is the best I ever got felt better that I felt after passing college: <a href="http://davedragon.rilysi.com/2006/12/ride-to-nirvana.html">http://davedragon.rilysi.com/2006/12/ride-to-nirvana.html</a> <br /><br />It feels good to see that there are more people in the world sharing the same passion and respect for two wheels.Rajnish Bhogalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05372984426805632835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18276298.post-50724955431070940212008-03-27T15:26:00.000-07:002008-03-27T15:33:44.603-07:00Trying to make some sense of it all.Mankind...<br />====================================================================<br />Still going strong. <br />the walk on the clouds. <br />The drip in the rain. <br />Dreamy days and silver nights. <br />beyond the way a way there was to paradise and way back again. <br />life is on and going fast. <br />Figures going blunt. <br />Rememering names of known and strangers. <br />mankind...<br />no going back to whats forgotten.<br />The pain is gone no wounds are for ever. <br />Nevermind mankind....<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Riding the Snake.<br />===============================================================<br />Riding the snake back home again,<br />Still miles to go hope we dont break.<br />You keep me up il keep my woe. <br />Is that rain on my eyes. <br />Dripping down to my knees. <br />Getting dark not so far I see the light.<br />Trying not to break on the wet road. <br />Its over? no it is not. <br />still miles to go hope we dont break.<br />Keep the best for the last. <br />If we could last. <br />Change some gears get some speed. <br />Rock till you last.... <br />Rock till you last.... <br /> <br />===============================================================Rajnish Bhogalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05372984426805632835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18276298.post-78326750140127299282008-02-25T05:19:00.000-08:002008-02-25T05:59:18.552-08:00Stolen Damons diary. <strong> Here is a day to day diary from the horses mouth. Sorry to have stolen this one though I intend to write one myself after riding the 10th Maruti Suzuki Raid-De-Himalaya myself this year. I always wanted to participate in the raid ever since my childhood when I used to wave at furious raiders passing through my small hometown from the side of the road I simply loved the roaring gypsies and the screaming bikes with riders wearing colourful helmets and armored riding gears with their fully covered helmet faces and small eyes under the goggles. I imagined myself doing the same some day. Well that's a different story I'm putting together. </strong>
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<br /><strong> I came across <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Damons</span> diary searching his name on Google trying to find the winner of the 8Th Raid-De-Himalaya . Well Damon is not just one hell of a rider but a wonderful writer too, may be his profession as a journalist gives him that skill but I have never read a more detailed, precise and well explained diary about travel and emotions that too when it's not just travel its the one of the worlds toughest motor sport rally Raid-De-Himalaya. I found him on </strong><a href="http://www.bikehigh.com/"><strong>http://www.bikehigh.com/</strong></a><strong> and I have put him on my favourite list for ever. What a man and what an approach he has towards motorcycling. Appreciable in every sense . </strong>
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<br /><p><div style="CLEAR: both"></div><a href="http://www.bikehigh.com/uploaded_images/Trophies-747140.JPG"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://www.bikehigh.com/uploaded_images/Trophies-735871.JPG" border="0" /></a>
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<br />Anyone who contemplates taking part in the Rally Raid <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">de</span> Himalaya, with its terrifying and potentially fatal vertical drops, must wonder what it feels like to go over the edge, to leave the road and spin into the void. Well, although I only went over a small one, I now have a pretty good idea of how it feels. First there's a familiar 'whoops', then a cold realisation that as far as cock-ups go, one is presently engaged in a mother. A sense of 360-degree, what-way-up space precedes a mix of pain and relief as the ground is struck and left, struck and departed again. Spinning through the twilight, tumbling, sharp blows coming in from every side, a rag-dolling realisation that if you can't arrest the downward spiral, then you've probably opened your last Kingfisher. I'll be beaten to death by the rocks, or go over a big one. I've no idea what's below me.
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<br />Legs out rigid; arms, hands and heels searching for purchase. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Flailure</span> is failure. Arse over tit again and the heels dig in.
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<br />Delighted to be alive, I go through the post-stack motions: Toes wiggle? Check. Fingers move? 'Ow!' But check. Knees, elbows, shoulders all move stiffly. I know I'm all here because everything hurts. Especially my right leg. It isn't responding to instructions, but as I draw myself upright I'm able to pull it into position and when I put weight on it there's only a marginal increase in pain. I am able to lean forward against the slope to steady myself and start to climb.
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<br />I was in the lead, 2075km into a seven-day, 2100km race when the taxi punted me over the edge. Just 10 miles to the gate and I'd have clinched a win, but all I can now work out is which way is up. I don't know where my bike is and seem to have blown it, big-time. Having taken time out en-route to get some pictures taken for coverage in Bike magazine, I am perilously close to losing time on this last 'transport stage' and only have a lead of around 1min 20secs. If not on the bike and over the line within about half an hour I'm done. A week of hard-riding; four o'clock morning musters; changing tyres in the dark in the biting mountain winds; <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">boily</span> backside and dust-clogged nose; stinging eyes and sunburn; four previous crashes - it all looks set to end here in the rocky scree of the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Rohtang</span> Pass thanks to a stupid error of judgement. But, make no mistake, I'm happy to be alive and not smashed to pieces.
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<br /><strong>The Preparations</strong>
<br />The run up to 'The Raid' was a busy few days - giving the Yamaha its first full service, changing my part-worn <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Metzeler</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Karoo</span> tyres for <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Pirelli</span> MT61 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">enduro</span> rubber and buying provisions. To pass <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">scrutineering</span> I was also required to fit mud flaps fore and aft, and they have done wonders for the bike's styling. Lovely. It was also necessary cover the bike in an extraordinary number of race sponsorship stickers.
<br />I did manage to find time to get in a couple of test rides, getting an idea of how the new <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">Pirellis</span> worked on the dirt, but didn't get nearly so much practice as I'd have liked. Still, with the bike now luggage-free and riding with a bunch of other riders (including English Matt, who I'd first met in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">Leh</span>) I managed to get a measure of how quick I could go - which on the lose dirt was not quick enough.
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<br />For a couple of days another English fella and around-the-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">worlder</span>, Adam Lewis, and I had teamed up to halve the number of stupid questions we felt obliged to ask the organisers. Despite Adam having competed in a number of UK <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">enduro</span> events, neither of us had a fool's clue on how this monstrous number was run. We were also both granted the use of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">Motoworld's</span> workshops - the garage business of communications director, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">Vijay</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">Parmar</span> (thanks <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">Vijay</span>) - to prepare our machines.
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<br />Now I like Adam, he's a proper Brit grass roots racer; ready to smile and laugh his way through inconvenience, resourceful (stripping his BMW F650 to its underwear two days before the race to change its suspension bushes) and ever ready to lend a hand. Like I said, I like Adam, but I don't want to sleep with him, thanks. But that was the arrangement laid on for us the night before the race's kick-off.
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<br />Mind you I didn't join him until after midnight, thanks to unfinished jobs and a briefing that took up a good part of the evening. From there it was a completely sleepless night, if only a four-hour one, before rising to ride to the race's start.
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<br /><strong>Day One</strong>
<br />Completely knackered at 4.30am, I'm strapping my toolkit and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26">Baglux</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27">tankbag</span>, containing requisite sleeping bag, emergency rations and first aid kit, to the tail of the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_28">XT</span>. We have to be in the start area at 5.30 for the first vehicles to leave at six. It's bikes first and then cars and of the 33 (I think) bikes leaving, I'm 28<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_29">th</span> bike, near last thanks to my high (101) unseeded race number.
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<br />It's a weird sensation running quickly through the quiet streets of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_30">Shimla</span> at 6.30am, cops waving me through the junctions and tunnels. Soon we're off the main track and heading for the first competitive stage on the dirt. A number of waiting bikes mark the start - for every minute early into the staging area, there's a five-minute penalty; for each minute late, it's just a minute's penalty. Accurate timekeeping is essential.
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<br />Stage One, Day One, is tight and rocky dirt track. At just 26km it is short and intense with perilous falls. Advice from experienced mentors (four-times winner, Bantu; seen-it-all font of motorcycling wisdom, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_31">Trigun</span>; organiser <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_32">Vijay</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_33">et</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_34">al</span>) is simply to take it easy and survive the first day - around half the entry is expected to fall out by day's end due to failure to make the maximum permitted lateness (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_35">MPL</span>), crashes, punctures, or simply realising they're not up to the job.
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<br />My friends give good advice indeed, but it fails to take into account the fact I might want to compete. And <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_36">Vijay</span>, after taking me for a short assessment ride to gauge whether I was fit for the Raid had marked me thus: "You are good enough to ride in the Raid, but you won't win it." Whether by intention or accident, this has fired me up - nobody likes to be underestimated, let alone written-off...
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<br />I reckon that if I fall too far behind on these initial tight dirt stages - where I know the small-engined bikes are quick and agile with more experienced riders - then I won't be able to make it back up on the more open sections later in the race. Today we have some 425km to cover, and with more than a quarter of this rough-track racing there's a long way I could fall behind.
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<br />So best advice ignored I go for it, hard as I can. Over the course of stage one I pass many slower bikes, have a few near misses and one slide that has onlookers running for cover. In competitive two I slide off on a shiny surface in front of an assembled village. I was showing off, trying to spark the pegs and Matt is proved right, the word 'twat' could have been invented for me. Luckily the road just here is so smooth that the bike and I are barely marked and I lose less than a minute. Next hazard is a dog that runs out on me. I manage to lose speed, spin <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_37">Muttley</span> around on the spot, and we both go about our ways.
<br /><a href="http://www.bikehigh.com/uploaded_images/Big"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://www.bikehigh.com/uploaded_images/Big" border="0" /></a>
<br />All day I have been dicing with 'Big <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_38">Nitin</span>', number 100, on his madly modified and hugely tuned orange <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_39">Enfield</span> Bullet. His bike is fitted with long-travel forks, a Japanese <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_40">monoshock</span> rear end and he rides it like a devil, spinning the wheel everywhere and backing off for nothing. I pass him on the long Stage Three, over 60km of dirt track, when he has a technical problem. I then have a problem of my own when the front mud flap is dragged into the wheel, but get going before he re-passes.
<br />Within minutes I hear the drone of his engine behind me and there he is, 25m behind and gaining. I have lost concentration, over-relaxed and slowed. Efforts redoubled, I manage to gap Big <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_41">Nitin</span> and finish the last racing stage of the day, having overtaken about 15 bikes on the road and stayed ahead (on the road,not in time) of the fastest cars.
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<br />The last transport stage of the day goes over the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_42">Jalori</span> Pass at about 3300m and on to the finish at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_43">Manali</span>. For once taking advice, I stop only for a quick smoke before tackling the day's last 250-odd kilometres. Five hours is plenty of time, but it's best to get going and refuelled early, in case of a problem later. I have this problem when 40km from the end I get a puncture in the dark. With half-a-dozen <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_44">Himachalli</span> villagers trying to 'help', I get a new tube in and hit the finish line at around 8pm.
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<br />Adam, with whom I am again sharing a room/bed, has lost time with a puncture in the first competitive stage and now his suspension problem has re-emerged. His friend Dan helps him strip the complicated BMW once more to find that the upper shock bush of his <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_45">Ohlins</span> has once more worn out - only 400km since replacement. With no permanent fix in sight, Adam withdraws from the race, which is a big disappointment, as not only have we been working as a mini team, but I'm also looking forward to a bit of a ding-dong with him on the tarmac.
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<br />Later in the evening the day's results are out. I am astonished to find myself in second place, leading a bunch of riders who are all within a couple of minutes of me. Ahead are a couple of cars and a rider nicknamed 'Rocky' - so named because of his love of the films and his mild-mannered behaviour off the bike and tenacity 'in the ring'. Rocky (last year's winner, number 71, riding a lightly modified Hero Honda <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_46">Karizma</span>) is a whole 11 minutes ahead. With the roads opening out tomorrow and more suiting the big, heavy Yamaha, I hope to take some time out of Rocky's lead, or at least stay in touch.
<br /><a href="http://www.bikehigh.com/uploaded_images/Ashish-767440.JPG"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://www.bikehigh.com/uploaded_images/Ashish-743156.JPG" border="0" /></a>
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<br /><strong>Day Two</strong>
<br />The tough first day has done its job, all but halving the field. Today is an 'easy' day, with a 50km transport over the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_47">Rohtang</span> Pass, a 100km dirt racing stage and a further 60-odd km to the Finish at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_48">Kaza</span> in the stunning <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_49">Spiti</span> Valley. I'm tired, a bit achy, and struggling to concentrate and pace myself at the start of the stage.
<br />About 20 minutes in, there's a beeping behind me as a blue rally car approaches for an overtake. I consider where to pull over and let it through. Then reconsider. Overtaken by a car? Not going to happen. If it does pass I'll lose time in its dust cloud and as we're starting to climb towards the 4500m <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_50">Kunzum</span> Pass may well get stuck behind on the steepest parts of the climb.
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<br />Being chased kicks some extra adrenalin into the system and I take off like a hairy bear with its arse alight, quickly <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_51">gapping</span> the Suzuki car and managing to focus for the rest of the stage. It pays dividends as by the day's end I've pulled back (I think - I didn't check the time sheets that night) around three minutes on Rocky.
<br />In <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_52">Kaza</span>, determined to get some sleep (I've had around three hours in the past two nights), I check into a cheap hotel that I used on my <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_53">reccy</span>, eat early and get some kip.
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<br /><strong>Day Three</strong>
<br />Three very steep, very tight and technical 'special' stages comprise day three. They are all in the stunning high desert <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_54">Kaza</span> area and we'll only cover about 100 miles, but I know the terrain is going to be very physical on what is basically a big road bike with knobbly tyres.
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<br />Each of the stages climbs from around 3000m to approximately 4000m within the space of about 20km, with vertiginous drops from which you could base jump. There are a couple of points at which officials wave speed down for some potentially fatal technicalities, and bugger-all grip throughout.
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<br />I crash three times in all - all slow ones. Twice the bike comes around on me on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_55">nadgery</span> uphill sand; once I'm distracted by roadside officials and topple against the cliff-side after locking the wheels. One crash leaves the bike tank-down on a steep slope and I lose at least a minute hauling it upright.
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<br />One of the stages is run twice and the last downhill 7km is rough tarmac. Barrelling down and braking into the hairpins is pulling my front knobbly apart.
<br />
<br />Overall, though, I'm happy to be pretty much on the pace. Although I have around twice the power of the bikes near the front of the pack (the bigger bikes in the field are failing to compete), there's no reward in 40<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_56">bhp</span> when you can only get 20 of them to the floor and you're wheel-spinning everywhere, struggling to hold the weight up in the hairpins. I don't know exactly where I stand behind Rocky, but am pretty sure he hasn't got away today.
<br />
<br /><strong>Day Four</strong>
<br />The main competitive section of this race is basically a reversal of day two, 100<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_57">kms</span> over <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_58">Kunzum</span> La with fast valley-floor sections. I've upped my tyre pressures to try and get some more stability and a higher top speed on the fast bits, which run over gravel and stone dry river beds. The 'death weave' now sets in some 5km faster and I'm able to top out at about 130kph, but it's arse-twitching stuff when you see what terrain you'll be tumbling over.
<br />
<br />Running the stage this way also brings those of us running at the front over <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_59">Kunzum</span> Pass early - about 7.30am. There is ice lurking in the shadows.
<br />
<br />Again I've slept poorly and am struggling to race all the time, wary of getting the bike's mass slowed and turned on the downhill 'pins. Staying full-on for every second of an hour and a half over this stuff is hard work. I miss an official short cut and lose time. Rocky gains a little on me, but not enough to worry too much about when this is the last of the serious dirt stages.
<br />
<br />The last stage of day four is situated on the famous/infamous <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_60">Manali</span>-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_61">Leh</span> road. All tarmac (or at least a rough version of it) and only 17km over a small pass, it's the ideal place to see what kind of time I can pull back on good surfaces, where I can use the Yamaha's power. I get confused by a roadside 'finish' sign, put out for cars competing in the 'reliability' class, and lose a minute or so dithering over what to do.But I'm still fastest here, quicker even than the lead cars.
<br /><a href="http://www.bikehigh.com/uploaded_images/Bittoo-714897.JPG"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://www.bikehigh.com/uploaded_images/Bittoo-702401.JPG" border="0" /></a>
<br />My front tyre is now in a state of serious disintegration. The knobs on the sides are breaking off and it's not fit to compete another day. I have my part-worn <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_62">Metzeler</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_63">Karoo</span> tyres (the dual-purpose rubber that has served us so well throughout the trip) being carried by Kevin, a Brit' with his Land Rover entered in the reliability competition. But there's a problem. We are staying in a military transit camp at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_64">Patseo</span> and as Kevin has diplomatic number plates he can't.
<br />
<br />I've my wheel out ready for the tyre change, so the officials (thanks you, guys) arrange to bring the tyre the 25km from the hotel at which he's now been posted. It arrives at around 9.00pm and is quickly fitted, but finding someone with a pump takes another half-hour. I'd wanted to change the rear, too, but it's getting too late and too cold at near 4000m.
<br />
<br />Carrying kit has been a problem throughout. Most of the competitors have service crews running with them, but I'm having to ask favours of people to carry my overnight bag. I'm grateful to those who helped, but this means me rarely seeing my kit and is a constant hassle I don't need. I'm having to run around finding cars when I need to work on the bike, or sleep.
<br />
<br />Night four I sit up and have a few much needed social whiskeys with friends before crashing out at midnight in the barrack room bunk beds in which <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_65">w're</span> billeted. It's cold, the roof doesn't fit, there's a plethora of snoring styles, but I manage to get some kip eventually.
<br />
<br />I'll leave it at that for now, cos it's going to take about two hours to get this posted. More, probably, tomorrow.
<br /><strong>Damon</strong> <div style="CLEAR: both; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0.25em"></div><p></p>
<br />
<br /><p><div style="CLEAR: both"></div><strong>Day Five</strong>
<br /><a href="http://www.bikehigh.com/uploaded_images/Toothbrush-761050.JPG"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://www.bikehigh.com/uploaded_images/Toothbrush-748286.JPG" border="0" /></a>
<br />At 5am we all come alive in our barrack room. Washing and
<br />brushing is outside, water from an old oil drum positioned
<br />above a fire to stop the water freezing. I don't bother with
<br />the washing bit. It's bitterly cold, but not so bad as it could
<br />be, not so bad as it will be at around 7.30 when we climb
<br />over <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_66">Baralacha</span> La (4890m) on the day's first competitive
<br />stage, which starts at the army base and runs for around
<br />60km to the nothing place of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_67">Lingti</span>.
<br />
<br />The cars preceding Rocky and I have broken the ice on the
<br />streams, but this is not such a help when they've dragged
<br />water onto the dirt and it has instantly frozen in their tracks.
<br />The vast majority of the stage is tarmac in reasonable
<br />condition and towards the transit camp at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_68">Sarchu</span> the road
<br />straightens out and speeds build. There are, however, deep
<br />culverts ready to catch out the unwary... or the wary for that
<br />matter. Hitting one at about 110kph, bottoms the
<br />suspension out, before kicking the back end into the air as it
<br />unloads. All that's to be done is getting arse out of saddle
<br />double-time, gritting teeth, holding on and hoping.
<br />
<br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_69">WeÕ</span>v<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_70">e </span>been warned about the ice expected on the steel
<br />bridges, but I still go in too hot at S<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_71">archu,</span> crossing just
<br />about the whole span on full lock with a football in my
<br />throat. For some reason the bolts holding this simple
<br />construction together have been inserted from the
<br />underside, meaning inches of threaded steel spikes
<br />protrude. Thankfully my tyres survive and I don't fall onto
<br />the iron maiden.
<br />
<br />All this fast road means it's not long before I've made up
<br />Rocky's two-minute, on-the-road headstart and by the
<br />finish line I've gained some three minutes. The rest of the
<br />field are now comfortably behind our two-horse race.
<br />
<br />Next comes a long transport stage across a huge, and
<br />hugely stunning high-level plain. At the end of this is the
<br />loftiest point of the Leh route, Tanglang La, claimed to be
<br />the second highest road in the world at 5328m. At the
<br />stage's start point, a couple of kilometres before the road
<br />begins to climb up to the pass, there's a long wait in a cold
<br />wind. But things look even worse ahead as dark clouds
<br />gather over Tanglang, promising snow.
<br />
<br />Tales of the Raid being snowed to a halt a few years back
<br />have got me a bit twitchy and despite needing this 40km
<br />stage to pull back some time, there's a part of me secretly
<br />hoping it would be cancelled. A radio report from up top
<br />suggests there's some light snow, but not enough to stop
<br />the stage, so off we go, this time me starting ahead of
<br />Rocky despite him being ahead in the bigger picture.
<br />
<br />It's damn cold, with some light snow falling and at the pass'
<br />summit the rough ground is hard and white with frost. Again
<br />there's ice, but in most places the power is getting to
<br />ground surprisingly well. On Tanglang's downside to Rumtse
<br />the road is fast and wide, again suiting the Yamaha and I'm
<br />able to brake into corners with a fair amount of vigour on
<br />the front Metzeler. I get to the line and watch watch. Rocky
<br />comes in some three and a half minutes behind me, so I've
<br />made around a minute and a half. Things are going to plan
<br />and I expect to be able to haul in Rocky's now six-minute
<br />lead tomorrow.
<br />
<br />The last transport stage to Leh should be easy going, and is
<br />until I'm stopped by an angry mob blocking the road. Running first on the road, ahead of the cars, I find myself
<br />surrounded, being met with some aggression and don't
<br />understand why I'm the subject of the crowd's ire. There are
<br />police wielding sticks and telling me to drive on through the
<br />crowd, but I'm not up for ploughing old ladies over. I ask the
<br />police not to hit the people, the people not to hit me and
<br />hope I'm not about to get the shit kicked out of me by a
<br />band of Buddhists. When they start to pull me off the bike I
<br />feel I've no choice but to go and the assemblage parts to let
<br />me through with only some token blows.
<br />
<br />I'd assumed I'd committed some terrible sacrilege. Perhaps
<br />some grand-master monk had been disturbed on his
<br />deathbed. What awful act had I inadvertently committed? I
<br />had been part of an event that had made their bus late...
<br /><a href="http://www.bikehigh.com/uploaded_images/Leh"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://www.bikehigh.com/uploaded_images/Leh" border="0" /></a>
<br />More arse-ache was to come when I arrived at the Leh finish,
<br />only to be told to bugger off back out of town until the
<br />minister of inconvenience was in place to receive us arriving
<br />at neat minute intervals. My next job was also to wait. To
<br />wait around three hours for Kevin and Koos to turn up in
<br />the Land Rover with my replacement rear tyre, which I
<br />changed in roadside darkness near a garage with an airline.
<br />
<br />My luggage, however, was in yet another vehicle, staying a a
<br />different hotel and by the time I'd tracked it down, had a
<br />shower etc, it was getting on in the evening. Nonetheless,
<br />my new roommate, 'Little Nitin,' a fiend called Shetty and I
<br />went to one of my old Leh haunts for dinner and a bottle of
<br />beer. This proved to be very pleasant, but the food
<br />poisoning that followed was anything but.
<br />More tomorrow.
<br /><strong>Damon</strong> <div style="CLEAR: both; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0.25em"></div><p></p>
<br />
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
<br /><p><div style="CLEAR: both"></div><strong>
<br />Day Six</strong>
<br /><a href="http://www.bikehigh.com/uploaded_images/Pankaj-743565.JPG"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://www.bikehigh.com/uploaded_images/Pankaj-772171.JPG" border="0" /></a>
<br />I know the road from Leh to Pangong Lake as it's the one
<br />Pankaj Trivedi and I took into the Ladakhi hinterlands when
<br />going for our altitude record. I know it's just the territory
<br />the Yamaha and I enjoy and that with the Metzelers back on
<br />front and rear I can catch the leader today. Only two
<br />problems - I haven't slept a wink all night (and little the
<br />previous at the cold army base) and I have a raging shits.
<br />
<br />Wearing the carpet out between bed and bathroom, I'm
<br />considering bowing out. In store today we have a crossing
<br />of the 5000m-plus Chang La, a pass that felt higher and
<br />colder than even Tanglang La on my last ride around the
<br />area. I doubt I can concentrate fully for 320-odd dangerous,
<br />high-altitude kilometres when I can't even risk breakfast.
<br />
<br />Having come this far, I decide to break the day into sections
<br />and just try to get through each one. First, get dressed;
<br />next get to the bike, scrape the 5am ice of the saddle and ride
<br />to the start-line in the dark cold.
<br />
<br />In the paddock, waiting, shaking uncontrollably, big spasms
<br />wracking through me as I fight the urge to vomit. I'm
<br />exhausted and so is my bog-roll.
<br />
<br />Next task is to complete the long transport to the first
<br />competitive section in the bitter cold. I feel a little happier on the
<br />bike - I always do because it feels like home. A measure of
<br />how bad I feel is that when I stop at a shop for loo paper
<br />and water, I forget to buy cigarettes!
<br />
<br />From the doctor's car at the competitive stage's start point I
<br />am delivered a magical bowel-binding antibiotic wonder-pill
<br />and some electrolyte sachets to add to my water. The other
<br />required drug is, I know, that good old adrenalin stuff, but I'm
<br />having trouble revving myself up in the cold and still can't
<br />stop shaking, still feel like death.
<br />
<br />The stage begins with a few kilometres of flat-out action,
<br />which wakes me up a bit. I leave my visor up for a big fresh
<br />blast - insects are grounded in these temperatures, so eyes
<br />are fairly safe. As the road rises up to the pass, I manage to
<br />slip into that full concentration zone where only the riding
<br />matters - full focus, I barely notice my hands deadening
<br />under my heavy gloves. On the descent I notice them alright
<br />and as the blood starts to move again it feels like they're in
<br />boiling water.
<br />
<br />I can't even remember where I pass Rocky (somewhere near
<br />the top, I think), but I do and make back some more
<br />minutes. As the surface is mainly very good, I've started
<br />catching the two lead cars, too.
<br />
<br />The next section is ultra-fast (comparatively), with an
<br />average speed of under 70kph required to 'zero' the stage. I
<br />am feeling a lot better now, go at it hard and clear the
<br />stage without any time penalty, faster than the two lead cars
<br />and faster than Rocky. But I gain no advantage, time-wise,
<br />as there are four of us who have zeroed the stage.
<br />
<br />Things are now going to be tight if I'm to catch Rocky,
<br />because we now have only three competitive stages left to
<br />run, two of them today. So I put everything into the job,
<br />gassing as hard as I can, everywhere I can. Again, I zero
<br />stages and go fastest of all, but I'm not gaining all the
<br />advantage I might. I'm busting the target time, but Rocky's
<br />not coming in far over it and so not getting big time
<br />penalties.
<br /><a href="http://www.bikehigh.com/uploaded_images/No94-790684.JPG"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://www.bikehigh.com/uploaded_images/No94-748013.JPG" border="0" /></a>
<br />Had I taken it easy on day one, I would not be within
<br />shooting distance. As it is, I estimate myself to be
<br />somewhere between level and two minutes behind. The final
<br />stage tomorrow is a reverse run of the Tanglang La stage
<br />and I'm confident I can take two minutes back. My wish is
<br />that I'm now a couple of seconds behind, so that Rocky will
<br />start ahead of me - it's a letting the dog see the rabbit
<br />thing.
<br />
<br />Rumours that night, before the official numbers are available,
<br />are that I'm in the lead; that I'm 1min 16 secs behind; that
<br />someone's going to 'fix' my bike in the night. Rocky's brother tells me
<br />their mother is making a special trip to the prize-giving to
<br />see her son crowned. Having not eaten all day, I'm too tired
<br />for other people's mind games. All evening I've been nurturing my own head problems and am considering withdrawing from the race anyhow.
<br />
<br />In my tired state I'm feeling that if I win, I lose, because
<br />everyone will say it's the bike. If I lose, I lose twice over,
<br />because I must be crap if I can't win on the big Yamaha.
<br />Nobody complained about foreigners competing on powerful
<br />bikes when they weren't vying for a win - there have been
<br />others before me and all have failed to finish. And nobody
<br />gets shirty about the Indian riders on imported bikes. No-
<br />one - except ultra-rude Brit' Matt, of course - has come out
<br />and said: 'You're shit, it's just the bike that's doing the
<br />work,' but I there's an undercurrent of such feeling, I'm
<br />sure. Maybe it's just the fatigue messing with my mind and I
<br />myself am my only accuser. Except rude Matt, of course.
<br />
<br />Over pizza with Shetty, I'm a sullen old bugger. I sit silently,
<br />reminding myself that there were four big bikes entered at
<br />the start (a couple more suitable than mine, I reckon) and
<br />that I'm not even entered in the same class as Rocky. I only
<br />have the one bike on which to race!
<br />
<br />Rocky has done extraordinary things on his 225 Honda, has
<br />been a great competitor, a good sportsman and spending so
<br />much time waiting together at the front of the field we have
<br />also become pretty friendly. I have great respect for the lad,
<br />but should I just hand him the race? Surely nobody should
<br />expect to win. He shouldn't be feeling like a condemned man
<br />when there's every chance he'll be a class winner - and by
<br />some considerable degree. And, hold on a god-dang minute,
<br />there's still one anything-could-happen stage to run and the
<br />small matter of Leh to Manali and the finish, 475 high-level
<br />km away.
<br />
<br />I've ridden as hard as anyone, given the event as much
<br />commitment, taken at least as many risks, endured the
<br />same physical challenges. And all on my own, without the
<br />help of a support team. As I've picked up the pace, people
<br />have started to make assumptions: that I'm a professional
<br />off-roader; that the XT is a competition enduro bike, etc,
<br />etc. They do't see the stiff, short-travel forks, the rubber
<br />touring footpegs, unadjustable suspension trying to control
<br />the wild buckings of a 185kg road-biased machine, or know that as
<br />standard this bike has sod-all ground clearance.
<br />
<br />They can't feel the weight of the thing, the back tyre spin
<br />everywhere on the torque, the effort it takes to get such a
<br />long and weighty bike turned on the dirt, or slowed on the
<br />frost. Still, it is one of the three best bikes to start, but only
<br />if you can ride it.
<br />
<br />I decide to decide whether to race in the morning, when,
<br />hopefully, I've had some sleep and can get some kind of
<br />reasonable perspective. A couple of small rums, earplugs in
<br />and zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
<br /></strong><div style="CLEAR: both; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0.25em"></div><p></p>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /><h3 class="post-title">
<br /><a title="external link" href="http://www.blogger.com/raid-de-himalaya.com">
<br />Raid Report - The Home Run
<br /></a>
<br /></h3>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /><div class="post-body">
<br />
<br /><p><div style="CLEAR: both"></div>With six hours sleep under my Arai helmet I’m a different man. The choices are no choices at all – if I retire from the race it will make no sense to anyone and may well cast a small cloud over what is, and has been, a fantastic event. It could be disrespectful even to the other competitors who have given their all. The least I can do is give the same and win or lose with the best grace an oik such as myself can muster.
<br />
<br />Having simply parked the Yamaha up last night, I give it quick ‘n’ frosty check over. Tyres are still pressurised, split link still in place on a chain that hasn’t needed adjustment in over 1500 miles of racing. No leaks, no major rattles. I still don’t know where Rocky and I stand time-wise – and have a strange lack of concern, deciding to conserve everything for the last stage, whatever the situation. Worrying now is just a waste of mental energy.
<br />
<br />At the start point the usual printout of our current time standings is not available, but still I’m unconcerned as we leave for the first transport stage, heading for the last competitive section. Rocky is above me in the starting order, so he’s still in first place and I will be chasing him up the mountain.
<br />
<br />It’s colder than an Eskimo’s earlobes as I head out of Leh. Even at ‘just’ 3300m there’s a light glaze of ice smoothing the ponds. We will be climbing two vertical kilometres higher this morning. I keep speed low so as to buck some of the wind-chill and to avoid sitting around for too long while waiting for the off. Rocky has been employing the same thinking and we ride the last 20, or so, kilometres together.
<br />
<br />We are nonetheless still some 30 minutes under time and are both feeling the chill in our spectacular, snow-capped, sub-zero surroundings. My cold-tattered cuticles are usually painful, but this morning there’s no sensation and the blood coagulates upon emergence. The streams are frozen, the valley is silent, not a bird in the sky. Even the ubiquitous crows don’t show. No breath of wind. Utterly lifeless, save two drivers, two riders, and the officials huddled in their vehicles. The peak snow oranges in the dawn and as the minutes pass and the sun rises higher somewhere over the summits, the glow drains down the sandy mountainsides promising a tolerable day. But not far enough. Not soon enough.
<br />
<br />What feet? I’m jumping around, singing and dancing without a care, winding myself up, but still the ice blocks in my Sidi boots won’t thaw. This early morning podiatry discomfort is, however, less than peripheral. I’ve not an ache in my body and feel as fit at 4300m as I did in my Fen-level hovel before I left over four months ago. But stronger.
<br />
<br />Like a demented native American witch doctor with a rattlesnake up his bison-skin kilt I stomp-hop over to one of the official cars to see if they can give me the low down on the time situation. They don’t recoil from the sun-and-wind-and-cold-burned, wrinkle faced, chapped-lipped, red-eyed nutcase, but instead get on the radio and come back with an answer: 1min 6sec. Then I’m called back – mistake, it’s 1min 16sec. Still purrrrfect.
<br />
<br />Having made the decision to go for the kill (and to be honest I’d imagined how I’d feel in exactly this situation when I’d entered the race, only to berate myself for being over-cocky to the point of stupidity) I find myself looking at Rocky as prey. The high mountains can do strange things with the mind and right now they’re painting blood-red crosshairs on the back of the 22-year-old’s helmet.
<br />
<br />In a physically and mentally challenging event like this you’re often looking inward. Once you’ve found the something, a mental condition maybe, The Zone, that will let you ride on the edge, your edge, on the edge of the edge, that big, scary, fatal edge, hopefully without going over it, then… then you start to write overly-long, babbling sentences with a surfeit of commas. And maybe you learn to work yourself into that zone.
<br />
<br />First car goes… two minutes pass… second car goes… rabbit in the trap… two minutes pass… run bunny run! For two minutes Rocky is, I assume, giving it everything. In this time he can easily be over a mile ahead as I drop the clutch and begin to chase down his bobbing scutt.
<br />
<br />In the thick gloves I’m wearing, I can’t ‘double-shuffle’ the slow-action, big-turn throttle in my palm, so I’ve started with my elbow cocked above the bars. Drop the elbow for full-fuckin’ open and use the wrist for more sensitive throttle metering. Power uphill is my huge advantage here, so I’m going to milk the bike for every wheezy (at three miles high) dobbin.
<br />
<br />My biggest weakness throughout the event has been concentration when I’m racing alone – pushing hard without going too hard when there’s no other vehicle to gauge my performance against. On all the high-risk, technical race stages so far, I’ve been talking to myself, geeing myself up, usually with some hardcore self abuse and foul language: ‘concentrate, eyes up you dozy f’er, pick a line, push. Don’t look down you silly old git, stop fannying, open the throttle all the way, shit or get off the pot…’
<br />
<br />Today, besides self checking that the throttle cables are like bowstrings where the grip is available, it feels easier – this is when you know you’re going quickly. The normal tension warning is exhausted hands, from gripping the bars too tightly. Now I’m focused yet relaxed, the perfect state. It’s smoother, less dramatic, but faster.
<br />
<br />I catch sight of Rocky much earlier than expected and he doesn’t appear to be going so fast as usual. His body language isn’t what it should be – usually he’s wide-shouldered, puffed up like a boxer, but today he looks deflated, hunted, waiting for the sound of my engine. I feel sympathy when I come up behind him before the top of Tanglang La, sound the horn, and lope past.
<br />
<br />On the first downhill section, mainly dirt and patchwork-mac, I’m bemused not to find Rocky anywhere in the mirrors. It’s only been a couple of kilometres since I passed him. I slow down – after all, I only have to keep him in sight – but he doesn’t show and normally he’d be barrelling downhill behind me. At the end of a long, death-drop straight I look back again, but he’s not there. I’m worried he’s overdone it in pursuit. I stop, put a foot down to crane backwards and wait. In a few seconds Rocky’s blue leathers appear, so off I shoot.
<br />
<br />At the foot of the descent are a flat-out few kilometres to the finish. My top speed is still limited to 130kph as the bike bucks, sways and weaves beneath me, the damping in my overheated shocks failing to cope with the undulations and ever-shifting cambers. But there is certainly no way I’m going to be caught. As the line comes into view, the second-placed car is having his card stamped, so I’ve made up over three minutes on the four-wheeler.
<br />
<br />The Times of India, 9/10/06: “[Asish (Rocky) was] hunted down by rookie Ianson (sic), a British auto-hack, powering a brute, 660 cc Yamaha XTR – which called for lots of Zen for motorcycling… Finally on the 7th day in the thin air at about 17,000ft near the top of Tanglang La, Ianson ‘went mental’ and passed the reigning champion on the last competitive section of the event,’
<br />
<br />If anyone knows what that first bit means…
<br />
<br />At the competitive’s finish, I’m congratulated by all and interviewed by a TV crew. I try to point out that the event isn’t actually over, that there are another 300-ish kilometres to the Manali finish and that anything could happen the remaining mountainous miles. And of course, anything does…
<br />
<br /><a href="http://www.bikehigh.com/uploaded_images/Little"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://www.bikehigh.com/uploaded_images/Little" border="0" /></a>
<br />I reckon I’ll be very short of pictures for Bike, so grab a friendly photographer do a few shoots of the ride back. This, of course, murders my average speed, so I pick up the pace a little, which also helps my concentration – for most of the long ride, at least.
<br />
<br />Rohtang is the last pass before Manali, one of the most beautiful spots on Earth and one of the most stunning rides. I’m over halfway down the Manali side, eager to get to the line and crack open a beer. I’ve been whooping through the tourist traffic that’s been making its way down from the pass’ top and making good progress I’ve passed most of the other returning competitors.
<br /><a href="http://www.bikehigh.com/uploaded_images/Monks-777784.JPG"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://www.bikehigh.com/uploaded_images/Monks-765685.JPG" border="0" /></a>
<br />
<br />In the dwindling light I find myself behind a small taxi, itself behind a jeep. Beeping my tits off I pull out and start to pass, when so does the taxi. Beep, beep, beep is having no effect and I’m pushed to the edge, where I’m forced to brake. The Taxi’s rear wing takes my front wheel and leaves me spinning down the hillside.
<br />
<br />As I struggle up the slope, kicking my boot’s toes into the dirt like a snow climber, a rope is thrown from above, courtesy of Cheta, the co-driver in the second-placed car. I wrap it around my right wrist. Mistake, it’s bloody agony as I’m helped/hauled up by my injured hand.
<br />
<br />Near the top many hands pull me to the road where I’m relieved to see the bike lying on the falls’ edge. The right-hand footpeg assembly has been sheared off and the bars are twisted away to the right, but it looks rideable and starts after a few seconds on the button, so I tuck my injured leg into the side of the engine, ask which way I am supposed to be heading and with the steering pointing off the cliff, ride off towards the finish. I self-diagnose a touch of concussion as oncoming traffic leaves me weaving to a halt when it dazzles my pie-pupil eyes and I manage to drive straight past the turning to the finish before realising my mistake and U-turning.
<br />
<br />At the finish gate everything is very low key, with few spectators and no photographer to record the event. Rude Matt has made it home before me, making him the first westerner ever to complete the Raid.
<br /><a href="http://www.bikehigh.com/uploaded_images/Guyonmebike-767236.JPG"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://www.bikehigh.com/uploaded_images/Guyonmebike-759558.JPG" border="0" /></a>
<br />The battered bike is left in the Parc Ferme and I’m helped to carry my kit to the nearby hotel. In my room I’m joined by a gaggle of congratulatory friends and we sink a few beers before dinner, after which I crawl under the blankets like a beaten dog and pass out. <div style="CLEAR: both; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0.25em"></div><p></p></div>Rajnish Bhogalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05372984426805632835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18276298.post-86471507403623687722008-01-08T07:27:00.000-08:002008-01-08T07:32:12.746-08:00Malana, The Old Order Burns DownWhat centuries of hostility could not do to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malana">Malana village</a>, a devastating mid-winter inferno did so in half a day on Saturday.<br />Shrine of the all powerful Jamlu Devta, god of the <a href="http://www.ignca.nic.in/asp/showbig.asp?projid=mln1">Malana people</a>, along with over half of the high altitude village was reduced to ashes.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcsE0PfcH_CPsY2jspcOn9xIiDtn8L0UqTczc96eT8iw2lm-SnQygIF1hjVkkIpLmEPZ5PUv_oOnj8nGfihuuFv0MiKgtDcsoQHMBQKUU_DHRFFW9bN5tGCUyxD26o5JqGEalODQ/s1600-h/man2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5153128073587141954" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcsE0PfcH_CPsY2jspcOn9xIiDtn8L0UqTczc96eT8iw2lm-SnQygIF1hjVkkIpLmEPZ5PUv_oOnj8nGfihuuFv0MiKgtDcsoQHMBQKUU_DHRFFW9bN5tGCUyxD26o5JqGEalODQ/s400/man2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div>The Complete Story. </div><div><a href="http://himachal.us/2008/01/06/malana-the-old-order-burns-down/4188/people/ravinder">http://himachal.us/2008/01/06/malana-the-old-order-burns-down/4188/people/ravinder</a></div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div>Rajnish Bhogalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05372984426805632835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18276298.post-18423518517284362882008-01-07T06:36:00.000-08:002008-01-07T06:53:27.036-08:00The birth of a motorcyclist.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-kfC4ZhsJSLgFLEfRAPUbxolwhENKNvnS4hicPQz5QKCJiEs2kLdX2AwcVY73x7Gw9xI42InKH1a1HeSIzlIu7NpJBzy4B6ySuWHhgqDzGJ8ZMbBlH1efg4NmHWKzgJYm-oiBEA/s1600-h/Picture080+(Small).jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5152747805772688690" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-kfC4ZhsJSLgFLEfRAPUbxolwhENKNvnS4hicPQz5QKCJiEs2kLdX2AwcVY73x7Gw9xI42InKH1a1HeSIzlIu7NpJBzy4B6ySuWHhgqDzGJ8ZMbBlH1efg4NmHWKzgJYm-oiBEA/s400/Picture080+(Small).jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF6vDePG4j20GpeV_ZXGldkM-LI4uDAKKT5K_-oSEar9tox0JxDRPR9ELVQdknilQpa-XNuMnYs82vEz2IvX5GH7sdxqzBmCF5uxi_xiM0oR3Gj_BrmuUrwGgksduD1S0Pq6VEPQ/s1600-h/scan0012.jpg"></a><strong>The Ride to Key Monastery.<br /></strong><br />This trip is one of the best that that have I done on my Motorcycle. The experience was addicting. It felt like this trip made me a true biker. Since then I just think of Motorcycling and nothing else.<br />The trip was a difficult one but the feeling by the end of it was out of the world and full of adrenaline.<br /><br />Click on the links below for a day to day report on the adventure.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://rajnishbhogal.tripod.com/id10.html">Day One Shimla To Rekang Peo</a><br /><br /><a href="http://rajnishbhogal.tripod.com/id11.html">Day Two Rekang Peo to Pooh</a><br /><br /><a href="http://rajnishbhogal.tripod.com/id12.html">Day Three Pooh To Siziling</a><br /><br /><a href="http://rajnishbhogal.tripod.com/id13.html">Day Four Siziling to Key</a><br /><br /><a href="http://rajnishbhogal.tripod.com/id14.html">Day Five Back from Key to Rekang Peo</a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><p></p><br /><p></p><br /><p></p><br /><p></p></div>Rajnish Bhogalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05372984426805632835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18276298.post-64899409862764200482007-10-22T15:16:00.000-07:002007-10-22T15:20:45.342-07:00What did you hear tonight?I herd Pink Floyd - Comfortably num. <br /> Kind of..Wish you were here.<br /><br />The first one was Queen I want to Break Free..Second Pinkfloyd.Then I decided to write about it when Thrill Is Gone. -B.B.King and Tracy Chapman played. <br />Have you ever remembered what you heard today? Well if you do listern then you would. Some people watch news, some worship, some do do what not.<br /><br /> I listern to music.<br />So what did you hear tonight....?Rajnish Bhogalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05372984426805632835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18276298.post-72126250787680045102007-10-03T04:24:00.000-07:002007-11-30T02:41:34.866-08:00Raid De Himalaya 2007.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQlM2gIrjnwQCI0CascrWEKg_DDg3pItA5-ubLWFx-xYwD7inT9KASuHdU2hpFrUIvxg2VkYPTNGrHCfJ3qcYkaB2EEV_hWdggl9iN6N1JSLOzB536FRb-BOHGgqHcAzeZ1fyExw/s1600-h/Logoangmifinal-2007S.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5117070092877333522" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQlM2gIrjnwQCI0CascrWEKg_DDg3pItA5-ubLWFx-xYwD7inT9KASuHdU2hpFrUIvxg2VkYPTNGrHCfJ3qcYkaB2EEV_hWdggl9iN6N1JSLOzB536FRb-BOHGgqHcAzeZ1fyExw/s400/Logoangmifinal-2007S.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><p></p><p>The 9th Raid De Himalaya was flagged of from Shimla on 2nd October 2007. The raid is one of the toughest motor sport events in the world. Though the participation is not as great as Dakar but the terrain and difficulty level is equal to any other top rated rally in the world. The raid is provably the only moptorsport event that runs through altitude as high as 5259 meters at Khardung La which is also the official highest motorable road in the world. The event covers almost 2400 Kilometers in seven days and is the real test of man and machine.<br /><br />The raid this year is running in seven legs/stages .<br />Day 1- Leg 1: 2nd October 2007<br />After being flagged off from Shimla the raid went through nine sections throughout the day, 5 transport and four competitive. The day is a real long one and the raiders ride almost 400 kilometers.<br />On the first day the raid dose not pass through the toughest route still the day is full of excitement and rally thrills as the raid dose not take the normal highway route from Shimla to Manali instead it goes through some of the most unseen roads in Himachal.<br />Day one saw a large number of accidents and disqualifications in the first stage riding on two wheels VIKRAM V. RAO(BIKE # 117) got disqualified after mechanical failure on his bike, German rider JOACHIM VON LOEBEN(BIKE # 143) got lost on the way and did not make it in the given time, BIKE # 131 KURIEN PHILLIP riding YAMAHA RX 135 got left out with issues on the bike. KHUSHWANT RANDHAWA (CAR # 10) in his car blew a gasket and had to pack his bags.<br />Stage two from KHADRALA to UMLADWAR was no better and claimed ten raiders. DILIP RAMESH(BIKE # 132) was the first one followed by experienced ANIL WADIA(CAR # 4) with a broken differential unit. CAR # 15 driven by MAAN S CHAMBYAL was the first to go off the road both the driver and co driver were attended by Life Saving Ambulance(LSA) and are fine. BIKE # 136 RAJAN SIDHU went off road as well but was back on the bike with the organizers help. CAR # 7 with army entry MAJOR RAJESH PAWAR rolled off both drivers were lucky to have escaped scratch less, thanks to the strict safety standards required. JASBIR SINGH RANDHAWA (CAR # 30) broke the deferential and was out, BIKE # 124 GURINDER SINGH SARAO from HOUSTON, TEXAS was technically disqualified as he had lost his time card.<br />After all the action and rigorous driving rest of the participants reached manali after sunset and covering 400 kilometers. </p><p>Day 2: Day 2 started with snow and hail on rohtang pass and continued till kaza. </p><p>Day 3 : Unfortunately day three was the last day for the raid this year due to heavy snowfall on Baralach La. Day 3 kept Suresh Rana in his Gypsy in top position.<br />ASHISH SAURABH MOUDGHIL was the winned in the two wheel catogary riding his karizma.</p><p> </p>Rajnish Bhogalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05372984426805632835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18276298.post-79018452882991382902007-08-16T06:21:00.000-07:002007-08-16T06:58:01.886-07:00Some favourates :Some favourates :<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.yogeshsarkar.com/" target="_blank">http://www.yogeshsarkar.com/</a><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.leftwriteandcenter.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">http://www.leftwriteandcenter.blogspot.com/</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.advrider.com/">www.advrider.com</a><br /><br /><a href="http://q.frizzy.net/">http://q.frizzy.net/</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.pbase.com/rrathika">http://www.pbase.com/rrathika</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.grainsandpixels.com/">http://www.grainsandpixels.com/</a>Rajnish Bhogalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05372984426805632835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18276298.post-10519278519859601832007-07-26T03:32:00.000-07:002007-08-16T06:43:54.339-07:00Good old motorcycling days and many more to come....<object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Q8B0BLe9ddE"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Q8B0BLe9ddE" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object><strong></strong><br /><br /><br />Track: Wish you were here. Pink FloydRajnish Bhogalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05372984426805632835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18276298.post-77214619171494070242007-06-19T04:35:00.000-07:002007-06-19T05:06:34.392-07:00The story of a practice that involves human sacrifise to please the gods or to get a higher position in the society.Bhunda Narmedh Mahayajna .<br />The great Indian rope trick .<br /><br /><br />The story of a practice that involves human sacrifise to please the gods or to get a higher position in the society.<br /><br />In Bachoonch village in the Spail valley, Bhunda mahayajna was performed last December to an audience of around 70,000 people. The village is 9 km from Rohru town,this death-defying human rope trick held there to please the local deities was performed after a gap of 70 years. Apparently it was last performed in 1996 in Pujarli village in Rohru tehsil after a gap of 30 years, but i think they may have used a goat rather than a human.<br /><br />The link contains two videos from the three day celebration and a detailed description about the ritual and its origin.<br /><br /><a href="http://himachal.us/2007/03/12/himachals-bhunda-narmedh-mahayajna/1579/religion/yashrazz#more-1579">http://himachal.us/2007/03/12/himachals-bhunda-narmedh-mahayajna/1579/religion/yashrazz#more-1579</a><br /><br />Disclamer -- Do not watch the 2nd video on the page as it shows animal sacrifise.Rajnish Bhogalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05372984426805632835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18276298.post-52163990391267313952007-06-11T09:53:00.000-07:002007-06-11T09:54:04.440-07:00Wild Horses by Roling Stones.<br /><br /><style>.hov:hover{background-color:yellow}</style><div id="'Title'" style="'font:bold">Music Video:<a class="'hov'" style="'display:block;width:310px;border:solid" href="http://videzonn.com/videos/t/the_rolling_stones/wild_horses_stripped.html" target="'_blank'">WILD HORSES (STRIPPED) (by The Rolling Stones)<p><embed name="'RAOCXplayer'" src="'http://videzonn.com/videos/t/the_rolling_stones/wild_horses_stripped_563091.asx'" type="'application/x-mplayer2'" width="'300'" height="'280'" autostart="'1'" showcontrols="'1'" showstatusbar="'0'" loop="'true'" enablecontextmenu="'0'" displaysize="'0'" pluginspage="'http://www.microsoft.com/Windows/Downloads/Contents/Products/MediaPlayer/'"></embed></a><p style="margin:3px 0px"><a href="'http://videzonn.com/'" class="ll" target="_blank">Music Video Code provided by Video Code Zone</a></p></div>Rajnish Bhogalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05372984426805632835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18276298.post-69453830613196635332007-05-11T00:31:00.000-07:002007-06-11T08:37:18.344-07:00My new Toy Canon 400D(Rebel XTi)<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjchOfS-aM38JrgB3gMi2CwqjfyRuWCzoSDlnG5dw1EAmbbmeZnYwSeYytqmqRLBjMyTWutwjnXaHDMFEIhAdAELr6pSj4OKyYbYP-aTBetZ6sD9iabuNqgA6ZIEvbeszdNQJ3RGw/s1600-h/canon-400d-xti-rebel.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5074830695505123186" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjchOfS-aM38JrgB3gMi2CwqjfyRuWCzoSDlnG5dw1EAmbbmeZnYwSeYytqmqRLBjMyTWutwjnXaHDMFEIhAdAELr6pSj4OKyYbYP-aTBetZ6sD9iabuNqgA6ZIEvbeszdNQJ3RGw/s400/canon-400d-xti-rebel.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div>I was using a P2S Sony till now. Then I decided to pamper myself a bit so bought a bigger Canon 400d . Being one of the best entry level SLR camera its very powerful yet very convenient. Deciding the camera these days is not an easy task that too if you are running on a limited budget like mine and need the most out of your money. Upgrading later is a long story and not very convenient as SLR cameras are expensive and one expects to use it at least for a couple of years before buying a new one. </div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div>The factors I considered before deciding were: </div><br /><div>1.PRICE !!!!! - When I started looking for the best in my budget I had different sourcing options like </div><div>a> ask some friend /relative to get one for me from the US or Singapore. That was not very convenient as international warranties are not valid in India hence I would get the camera without a warranty and will need to ask somebody for a favor. </div><div>b>Another option was to buy it from a website and get it delivered. Though this looks like a good option but I was not very comfortable paying through my CC to foreign website and again International Currier rates are high. </div><div>c>Buy it from an Indian website. I found only 2 websites <a href="http://www.ebay.in/">http://www.ebay.in/</a> that i never rely on and <a href="http://www.jjmehta.com/">http://www.jjmehta.com/</a> jjmehta looked like a good option though the prices were on the higher side. For some products even higher that the dealer price. Local dealers-- after searching for a SLR in the local market and wasting one complete afternoon it was clear that only photography shops keep SLR cameras. Well after visiting the major stores in Delhi mainly in CP I was shore of one thing that buying a camera from a authorized shop was waste of money as the prices were 30-40% higher that foreign or gray market prices.<br /><br />Finally I bought my Canon 400D XTi from one of the recommended local dealers in Chandni Chok and he gave me a real good bargain. Though there is no warranty I’m shore the repair cost in 2 years is not going to be more than the extra $$ I would have paid for the warranty and bill. The worst part is that the warranty dose not cover breakage and damage due to water, heat or moisture.<br /><br />Mega Pixel : The Canon400D has a 10.1 MP sensor. and is capable of processing images in both RAW "CR2"and jpg format.<br /><br />Standard Lens: The camera comes with a 18-55 MM standard-----canon lens the lens cannot be bought without the camera. The lens though not very powerful but is good enough as a primary lens and is capable of capturing good landscapes at 18MM to anything as small as an Ladybird at 55MM. The F/stop is also great, especially since it is low (f/3.5 – f/5.3). Also extra lenses for canon are better priced than Nikon and option of getting 3rd party lenses is more. Here is a review about the lens: <a href="http://photo.net/equipment/canon/efs18-55/review/">http://photo.net/equipment/canon/efs18-55/review/</a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcFMcr-gpb4lyg4ycw5OXasdtSjwQQM0p5cV0GesVOJ5kEwRnvcFNwkdoaIikBjthDegoTcFwKVhjDOjQX7WeMd43C4iMGUwmiVM1uzFJcJoBTR400mJm_jJ6Jk0UYpRKnZu5bxg/s1600-h/canon-400d-xti.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5074830858713880450" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcFMcr-gpb4lyg4ycw5OXasdtSjwQQM0p5cV0GesVOJ5kEwRnvcFNwkdoaIikBjthDegoTcFwKVhjDOjQX7WeMd43C4iMGUwmiVM1uzFJcJoBTR400mJm_jJ6Jk0UYpRKnZu5bxg/s400/canon-400d-xti.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />The main features of the EOS 400D are : </div><br /><br /><div>• 10.1 effective Megapixels </div><br /><br /><div>• APS-C size 22.2 x 14.8 mm CMOS image sensor.</div><br /><br /><div>• Focal length of 1.6x.</div><br /><br /><div>• Dust removal system.</div><br /><br /><div>• 3 frames per second - maximum of 27 JPEG or 10 RAW.</div><br /><br /><div>• 9-point auto focus system.</div><br /><br /><div>• 2.5-inc LCD monitor.<br /><br />Apart from the camera I bought a SanDisk CompactFlash 2 GB Extreme III memory card as each click with the 400d costs around 20-30 MB in raw format. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div></div>Rajnish Bhogalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05372984426805632835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18276298.post-3005178390389947512007-05-03T06:56:00.000-07:002007-05-10T06:30:22.339-07:00Photography - F/8 and Be ThereA professional photographer once gave me an advise, he said if you have a camera, you are experimental and innovative with experience you will become a good photographer.<br /><br />Well I'm still an armature and here is what I have learnt gathering information from the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Internet</span> and practice.<br /><br />I'm not going into details about types of cameras etc .My focus is on Digital cameras. Digital cameras have changed the way the world looks at photography.<br />There are two basic types of cameras<br />1. Point and shoot camera- Most people today use point and shoot digital cameras. Though the quality of these cameras has improved with time but they have very few manual functions to play around with.<br />2. SLR or Single <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Lens</span> Reflector cameras use the same <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">lens</span> to view an object and capture it <span style="color:#000000;">so </span>what you see is what you capture. SLR cameras have full manual functions and give more flexibility and creativity.<br /><br />It may be it a film camera of a Digital SLR camera the basics of photography remain same.<br />There are some simple things that can change the was you look through your camera.<br /><span style="color:#006600;"><strong></strong></span><br /><span style="color:#006600;"><strong>1. Light.<br />2. Shutter Speed.<br />3. Aperture.<br />4. Focal Length.</strong></span><br /><br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#006600;">1.Light </span></strong><br />Light is the most crucial factor in a photograph. one will always need enough light to capture the subject but the volume and direction of light is critical.<br /><br /><br /><span style="color:#009900;"><strong>2. Shutter Speed </strong><br /></span>Shutter speed is the time for which the shutter window will remain open and expose the film or the digital sensor to outside light. (Remember the dark room where photographs ware processed in dim light. )<br /><br />When neither the camera or the subject are moving the shutter speed is not very important. But when either one is moving shutter speed becomes relevant. If you are trying to capture a fast moving sports ca<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRIARUX70uXVVfWWapaqIQPnEBVSOch44-uDYx-T15Zz7YhvrpM62nuKoo-3gZt8IX-i_OTLV9OWeZthQmj6qUL-J2sU6rhDwIhUPLwpcp9MfWH60nt6rxXbLfY1SZYtRbnno6rg/s1600-h/Ladakh+151.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5060375530543687106" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRIARUX70uXVVfWWapaqIQPnEBVSOch44-uDYx-T15Zz7YhvrpM62nuKoo-3gZt8IX-i_OTLV9OWeZthQmj6qUL-J2sU6rhDwIhUPLwpcp9MfWH60nt6rxXbLfY1SZYtRbnno6rg/s400/Ladakh+151.JPG" border="0" /></a>r you will need a fast shutter like 1/4000 (4000'<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">th</span></span></span> part of 1 second. Modern day cameras are capable of doing 1/8000 to even 1/16000) if you use a slower speed say 1/2 seconds you will find fading of <strong>Motion Blur . Again motion blur is not always a bad thin</strong>g it is really interesting to give pictures a motion blur. In this photograph the rider looks still and the back ground is blur. Though I was standing on the side of the road and my friend was riding fast I was able to capture him and the bike you can see the motion blur on the bike as it looks shaky. The background is also blur focusing on the rider that is another trick using a wide aperture.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#006600;"></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color:#006600;"></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color:#006600;">3. Aperture and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">DOF</span></span></span> (Depth of Field)</span></strong><br />Aperture is how the lens controls the light going through it.<br />Aperture is calculated in terms of "f" value. There is a mathematical formula for aperture that i have never been able to understand of remember. Simple thumb rule is more the shutter opens lower is the "f" value or aperture.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj4husixqOgNHkHYqRql_SCBmEfqahxIjwnS1TcXFMyZl-v5C8qnVhlmsQWxY4OpXCwSL1FO4JAYwF_zPGbBfKM_fhONuO53ObwJ-Z1_hczuz1P1Jg31pBIIiAVOB3SS33Sj8BpQ/s1600-h/33.bmp"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5060392684643067346" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj4husixqOgNHkHYqRql_SCBmEfqahxIjwnS1TcXFMyZl-v5C8qnVhlmsQWxY4OpXCwSL1FO4JAYwF_zPGbBfKM_fhONuO53ObwJ-Z1_hczuz1P1Jg31pBIIiAVOB3SS33Sj8BpQ/s400/33.bmp" border="0" /></a>Looking at the figure<br />at f/2.8 the shutter opens wide and lets a lot of light inside the camera on to the sensor. The amount of light reduces as the increase in f/value<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />at f/22 the shutter opens very less hence very less light gets in.<br /><br /><br /><br />Why do we need to change aperture ?<br />The answer to the question is <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">DOF</span></span></span> or Depth Of Field precisely the focus of the photograph.<br /><br />Here is an example<br /><br />The yellow flower and The Yellow Field<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiPi-bpvwkop5XwgLjQOpIbCY0XhbfYrnqHPUUn0Xk374fV0UwL0OExBhpiQmgIqHzRPhDHmxLK-JhMOwpj2j3HLScZ8TubsfEsJPiZM-htBhiMBDd-gmBeUfY__jOqqhb-_ZOZw/s1600-h/478648518_251a1ddfff_m.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5060394479939397090" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiPi-bpvwkop5XwgLjQOpIbCY0XhbfYrnqHPUUn0Xk374fV0UwL0OExBhpiQmgIqHzRPhDHmxLK-JhMOwpj2j3HLScZ8TubsfEsJPiZM-htBhiMBDd-gmBeUfY__jOqqhb-_ZOZw/s400/478648518_251a1ddfff_m.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijjcvoqNbgw7tYVcHVyYnNKQgg0oWSSsLD65_1Vn8gp6XkF408ExBAHXc9vdWt0oiDZiUYaPmK5WVWtnlXzreorGuLNszQzdqFi1WcvRwdnMexkIAIbC9F8o_XrdJpFjLpI_NziQ/s1600-h/478692281_9dcba5c985.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5060394484234364402" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijjcvoqNbgw7tYVcHVyYnNKQgg0oWSSsLD65_1Vn8gp6XkF408ExBAHXc9vdWt0oiDZiUYaPmK5WVWtnlXzreorGuLNszQzdqFi1WcvRwdnMexkIAIbC9F8o_XrdJpFjLpI_NziQ/s400/478692281_9dcba5c985.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />The difference between the two is that in the first picture the yellow flower is sharp and focused where as in the second picture the background is clear and the flower is blur.<br /><br />How did I do this ? Aperture is the answer. For the first picture i used a lower aperture value of f/2.8 for a shallow <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">DOF</span></span></span> in the second picture I used f/8.0 hence a deeper <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">DOF</span></span></span> and the flower near to the camera got blur.<br /><br />The first image of my friend riding his bike is a good example as I used a small "f" value f/2.8 hence the background in that picture is blur but because of fast shutter speed the bike and the rider are clear and sharper.<br /><br />Hence photography is all about Shutter speed aperture and focal length.<br /><br /><br /><span style="color:#009900;"><strong></strong></span><span style="color:#009900;"><strong>4. Focal Length</strong> </span><br />I used the term Focal Length or 35MM camera. It means <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">that</span> the lens used on the camera is 35MM wide. Here is a very good link to understand focal length.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.paragon-press.com/lens/lenchart.htm">http://www.paragon-press.com/lens/lenchart.htm</a><br /><br />Below is a landscape that has been shot from the same camera using <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">different</span> lenses .<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGEdgml7GxZpb6QGpbt70MQOBmpAHvmg0-ZvXshLIHQ2C0mfmYUDPcaKhBwTpscw7IY1N7CJzjnq2rK0qZQcFaATMcldIibC2JlzFt5bRzCAtlxHh0mC_QlMNUADx6-MZM5MLkUg/s1600-h/24mm.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5060401317527332370" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGEdgml7GxZpb6QGpbt70MQOBmpAHvmg0-ZvXshLIHQ2C0mfmYUDPcaKhBwTpscw7IY1N7CJzjnq2rK0qZQcFaATMcldIibC2JlzFt5bRzCAtlxHh0mC_QlMNUADx6-MZM5MLkUg/s400/24mm.jpg" border="0" /></a> <strong>25MM<br /></strong><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggSVyOJCyeOngy8duy7aY1BV4ShvaxA8OSQf99h_dGtdBHCCf5dt87NsvN3dpWvSk1ZN8GWh7SL8QMEEXhZstcXrmwIc_Ual08-KTK4kFRs49mxiPY6kPa-yLaRn6bXDELo_GtSQ/s1600-h/50mm.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5060401317527332386" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggSVyOJCyeOngy8duy7aY1BV4ShvaxA8OSQf99h_dGtdBHCCf5dt87NsvN3dpWvSk1ZN8GWh7SL8QMEEXhZstcXrmwIc_Ual08-KTK4kFRs49mxiPY6kPa-yLaRn6bXDELo_GtSQ/s400/50mm.jpg" border="0" /></a> <strong>50MM</strong><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYNay-wMu1aQIlup6yqxDZffGGMpOKzd_VCsqdYz4pwpeSKelYtPpqJ42f_QStkouuPK2g_4r4WIVogkGA3Blyuc0IpymXRV5-DA5SxBju1c-UGQxFp61OYhwWwY4GXA-lFX4Zlg/s1600-h/200mm.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5060401317527332402" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYNay-wMu1aQIlup6yqxDZffGGMpOKzd_VCsqdYz4pwpeSKelYtPpqJ42f_QStkouuPK2g_4r4WIVogkGA3Blyuc0IpymXRV5-DA5SxBju1c-UGQxFp61OYhwWwY4GXA-lFX4Zlg/s400/200mm.jpg" border="0" /></a><strong>200MM<br /></strong><br />Very simply, it is the distance from the lens to the film/sensor, when focused on a subject at infinity. In other words, focal length equals image distance for a far subject. To focus on something closer than infinity, the lens is moved farther away from the film. This is why most lenses get longer when you turn the focusing ring. The distances follow this formula:<br /><br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5060400750591649282" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq4QNSNO5cxyQHEuAbwmms45Zg5UcP2kKlMwDe-0dvHIsCDVTIIbB7Z72sSXSetTpPXZP4cwT2q5fWQa1Jwwk3PDnH3b4JymaNgo2Gy40ZUbDJPPBNqXinCBU8LjRpREOx7J17QA/s400/formula.gif" border="0" /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9N2sHcurzm_PMOXaTaJKf4si_zhofUNohurw_gXwneN8VkxXAEf3T6O6Y9eX9C2KQBMymraaHUyKihuLKFu8E1u_WUHivkuWhqp5E-5kTHhreSPyNspJjNs9tp3Yxfoqihpp8gg/s1600-h/800mm.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5060401321822299714" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9N2sHcurzm_PMOXaTaJKf4si_zhofUNohurw_gXwneN8VkxXAEf3T6O6Y9eX9C2KQBMymraaHUyKihuLKFu8E1u_WUHivkuWhqp5E-5kTHhreSPyNspJjNs9tp3Yxfoqihpp8gg/s400/800mm.jpg" border="0" /></a><strong>800MM</strong><br /><br />This means a 400mm lens should be 400mm long. If you get out your ruler and measure it, you will find it is less than 400mm. That is because a camera lens really has many individual glass lenses inside, and this makes it behave as if it is longer than it really is. This is called "telephoto."<br /><strong><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Aperture</span> ,focal length and shutter speed combined give really good results.</strong><br /><br />To get a shallow <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">DOF</span></span></span> one can use a longer <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">lens</span> like 200mm . Photographers who use long <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">lenses</span> are able to get the shallow affect with blur background <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">easily</span> with larger <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">aperture</span> like f/1.8. Specially portraits and fashion photographers use longer lenses with large <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">aperture</span> size. On the other hand nature and landscape photographers also use long <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">lenses</span> as long as 800mm but with smaller <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">apertures</span> like f/16 to f/32 so that the complete photograph is sharp and clear.<br /><br /> If you change one component (such as aperture), another component (such as shutter speed) needs to be adjusted while the third component (ISO, in this case) stays constant.<br /><br />Tip: Use a Fast Enough Shutter SpeedThe general rule is to choose a shutter speed with a fraction denominator that's larger than the focal length of the lens. For example, a shutter speed of 1/60 sec. would be ideal if you're using a 50mm lens or a shutter speed of 1/300 sec. if you're using a 300mm telephoto lens. <br /><br />Panning-<br /><br />What if you don't want sharp results? Good question. One very popular and fun technique - called panning - allows you to capture a relatively sharp subject against a super blurred background.<br /><br />If you try this, keep three things in mind.<br />Be prepared to take a lot of pictures. This takes a lot of trial and error to get winning results. It helps to team up with a friend who is willing to ride by you again and again while you master the panning technique. Don't worry if your subject is not perfectly sharp. As long as your main subject is relatively sharp - that is the main goal. Try to frame your subject so that it is moving into the scene instead of out of the scene. In other words, if the subject is moving from left to right, it should be slightly to the left.<br /><br /><strong> Small f number = small depth of field</strong>Rajnish Bhogalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05372984426805632835noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18276298.post-21489512618029493062007-04-09T06:48:00.000-07:002007-04-09T07:33:39.808-07:00Choor Chandni<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizNrMOhK2KB2Wd2NLIbQ-kiIdcm9f9GHhyphenhyphenzHE0oZtYPzIDVDkORTuW3e75z1bcLbnG3aOcxHMmZT8MSsXJwhF9Ttvpve8o3kXl9nLLMl-yM1UzUC9_qZ3v9xavdPeUCQblCCav_w/s1600-h/DSC02093.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5051425797535983938" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizNrMOhK2KB2Wd2NLIbQ-kiIdcm9f9GHhyphenhyphenzHE0oZtYPzIDVDkORTuW3e75z1bcLbnG3aOcxHMmZT8MSsXJwhF9Ttvpve8o3kXl9nLLMl-yM1UzUC9_qZ3v9xavdPeUCQblCCav_w/s400/DSC02093.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><br /><div>Chaur Peak (Choor Chandni or Choor Dhar) : 3,647 m. It offers an unhindered view of wonderful landscape, vast meadows, green forests, open valleys and distant habitations from the hill top-a gorgeous pointed peak. There is a Shiva temple and a Sarai located here. As per local legend it was here in Choor Dhar that Lord Hanuman found the 'Sanjeevani buti' which was administered to Lakshmana, brother of Lord Rama for his revival.<br /><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLJOmgjUkF0mxjls9tAvGTKzxcmJqe15htax-zUGvXkWCEhUHN8Toi74m4fmwBxrtZsBgPPF87yZ1BGs33WK4Mgz-cGHsimeDEhrDW3A4NqrQGPOA9ajWy9W5vx3auqxaM5ZSYXw/s1600-h/DSC02112.JPG"></a><br /><div><br /></div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9gMy91leEE42s9z6KDiffl2iuaOnKXcKvtjiMGU1z09C-pay0DJpNo-c2eTP7JxPNPzeYJl35dj58Yav5QQx8mekhTG1tPYalhMsOxM0c7flygr8LGvRiOjTXdx4yWVbpKxoHBw/s1600-h/DSC02122.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5051430285776808290" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9gMy91leEE42s9z6KDiffl2iuaOnKXcKvtjiMGU1z09C-pay0DJpNo-c2eTP7JxPNPzeYJl35dj58Yav5QQx8mekhTG1tPYalhMsOxM0c7flygr8LGvRiOjTXdx4yWVbpKxoHBw/s400/DSC02122.JPG" border="0" /></a>It is trekkers' dream, The trek leads through forests ad slush created by gurgling streams and snow. It is easily accessible from Shimla via Solan-Rajgarh-Nohra near Haripur Dhar or Sainj near Kotkhai or Tiuni.<br /></div><br /><div><br /></div><br /><div></div><br /><div><br /></div><br /><div></div><br /><div><br /></div><br /><div></div><br /><div> </div><div><br /> </div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiNMLYljQky_KKtSAJqyM2E3RnwpNm1zjNBndHM7fPo_mDi6-C0gU3kK96CE4OSW5hephHb8tNlHXagovJnBEMLd8NM0sm3FpphuhWnF5qSRUlUQpX9Erzz4xfUIggfrsu0ojuqQ/s1600-h/DSC02099.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5051434537794431346" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiNMLYljQky_KKtSAJqyM2E3RnwpNm1zjNBndHM7fPo_mDi6-C0gU3kK96CE4OSW5hephHb8tNlHXagovJnBEMLd8NM0sm3FpphuhWnF5qSRUlUQpX9Erzz4xfUIggfrsu0ojuqQ/s400/DSC02099.JPG" border="0" /></a>This week I got the opportunity to trek to the Choor Dhar with four friends.<br />Though this was not the best time to trek to choordhar because of the snow but it made the trek more exciting and adventurous. </div><br /><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkLZN2pff0D5zQnDd3SeJBFXjYrXWtohP1RNXJWvs7cD1dYdUixaIN_TcVkf8JWIxdGj4IW9R3m9F51wB80-iHFKLcgzzNvM309rMPckMNTRVv7Ao3Ho7DAJiUMY4pO2SxlgEx6g/s1600-h/DSC02084.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5051435602946320770" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkLZN2pff0D5zQnDd3SeJBFXjYrXWtohP1RNXJWvs7cD1dYdUixaIN_TcVkf8JWIxdGj4IW9R3m9F51wB80-iHFKLcgzzNvM309rMPckMNTRVv7Ao3Ho7DAJiUMY4pO2SxlgEx6g/s400/DSC02084.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div><br /></div><br /><p></p><br /><p></p><br /><p></p><br /><div></div><br /><div></div>Rajnish Bhogalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05372984426805632835noreply@blogger.com0