Introduction
In the last few years of working in the automotive industry, I have had the fortune of riding a wide spectrum of two-wheelers but those have mostly been on the local roads, and a couple of trackdays squeezed in between. But hearing everyone around me talk about how surreal it feels to ride in the mountains, especially Leh Ladakh, gave me a constant itch for the same. It almost made me think as if I hadn’t truly experienced what motorcycling is.
Fortunately enough for me, BikeWale received an invite for the Royal Enfield Himalayan Odyssey 2024, and I had the opportunity to go ride the Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 in and from Leh to places that I had only read about on the internet.
Unlike the previous year, the event was on a larger scale since it was the 20th anniversary of the Royal Enfield Himalayan Odyssey. So, there were as many as 122 riders all across India and other countries as well. While the total distance was around 3,000km with 18 days of riding, we opted for the last leg, which commenced for Leh and would have stretched for about a week. But things turned out slightly different for me, and here is what my experience was of the Royal Enfield Himalayan Odyssey 2024.
Day One
Leh to Rhongo
Distance - 220km
Terrain - Smooth Tarmac
After flying from Bengaluru to Leh in complete rush and at odd hours, it only made sense to get as much rest as we could before the riding part commenced. So, after reaching Leh, and acclimatizing for two days, it was finally time to do the task at hand, get on the saddle and ride in the mountains. So, once we received the Himalayan 450, it was time to munch miles for a good few hours. The best part of this leg was the smooth-flowing tarmac right from Leh city to our destination camp site in Rhongo.
Riding with more than 100 other bikers with varied experiences felt a little intimidating at first for obvious reasons. But after figuring out my rhythm and pace amongst them, it felt like a breeze to be gunning the Himalayan 450 on the road with the mighty Indus River to our right side. The Royal Enfield sweep-riders made sure everyone was in the formation and no one was left behind. This was also followed by scheduled stops for regrouping and refreshments.
We crossed various locations and all we witnessed was open sky tall mountains as far as the human eye could see. You could stop anywhere to click a picture and it would turn out to be a wallpaper-esque shot. Moreover, with barely any cellular network, there was no disturbance from our phones and all of us were far from our mundane lives. After learning that the curvy mountain range was to continue till Nyoma, a fellow rider and I decided to ride at the end of the group. This allowed us to not only ride at a relatively higher pace but also avoid getting clogged among the slower riders in between. Not to mention, the Himalayan’s agility surprised us given its tall stance and top-heavy nature. The bike let us have a memorable and spirited ride without breaking a sweat.
Day Two
Rhongo to Umling La and back
Distance - 350km
Terrain - Tarmac plus Off-road
After resting in our tents for the night at Rhongo, it was time to pack our bags and head to the most hyped place of the entire ride. Although I wasn’t very well rested because of the chilly night and low oxygen, it didn’t matter because we were about to head to the world’s highest motorable road, the Umlinga La Pass, located at 19,024 feet above sea level. There was no chance any of us would have missed it. So, there we went, tucked in multiple layers of clothing topped by our riding gear, starry eyes to see the world from the top.
After leaving Rhongo, the smooth tarmac only lasted for a few kilometres. After that, Pankaj, the lead rider, gave us the choice to either ride through another patch of tarmac with about 700 turns or take the longer route which was completely off-road. Lo and behold, even the Super Meteor 650 riders along with the ones that have the Himalayans chose the second option.
As the roads slowly disappeared and our terrain gradually transformed to slightly loose sand with a vast landscape of mountains at the periphery, we all realised that there was no looking back. Steady pace, one objective, and eyes ahead. Everyone had to maintain his/her pace as their off-road experience and the motorcycle allowed. Dust travelling farther and faster than we thought, rear wheel fish-tailing, gripping the tank with the thighs, and praying to reach the destination without any hiccups was all I had on my mind. Although there were a few instances when the path upfront disappeared, the bike’s nose was in the air, and I felt like a Dakar racer, we had some ‘oh-my’ moments which later gave us a good enough reason to laugh.
After reaching Umling La, we realized the air was notably thinner than what we experienced at slightly lower altitudes. So the marshals allowed us to leave at our convenience with the maximum time being 10-15 minutes. I immediately turned around to ride downhill after the group photo as my head felt three times heavier than normal. After 30 minutes, a bowl of Maggie a cup of chai, and a 10-minute nap, the riders regrouped and were on their way back to Rhongo campsite. The return journey was similar including a couple of minor crashes in loose sand. We even witnessed unexpected rain showers which left us feeling colder than normal. After getting back to our tents, it was time to munch on some warm soup and food to re-energize for the next day.
Day Three
Rhongo to Leh
Distance - 220km
Terrain - Smooth Tarmac
We were supposed to leave for Pangong Tso on the third day. Yes, the same lake all of us have seen in a bunch of Bollywood movies. Even after sleeping through the night, I was slightly exhausted but excited to visit Pangong Lake. So, like every morning, I visited the doctor’s tent to get my pulse rate checked before the ride commenced. Little did I know, the bad news awaited there. My resting pulse turned out to be around 140, which was too high to continue the journey ahead. And there it was, I had to head back to Leh, which was at a lower altitude than Rhongo, to check my health. Once done, I was sent back to Bombay, with bitter-sweet memories. Bitter because I couldn’t complete the entire circuit, sweet because I still rode in the mountains, witnessed some unreal and jaw-dropping landscapes, experienced what it was like to push myself even when I didn’t feel like it, and got back home with a heart full of good memories.
Lesson Learnt
As much fun it was to be surrounded by mountains for acres, blue sky ahead with clouds, and cold wind gushes everywhere, one cannot and should not take things for granted. When you are riding in a place like Ladakh, it is easier to get carried away by the joy of riding and having fun. But what one must do is be more conscious than usual of their health, move a little slower, and rest well every day. Not to mention, the mountains are unpredictable and may not be suited for everyone.
