Photography: Mrinmoy Choudhury, Alex Rohan Toppo
As the mercury rises in March, the snow in our country’s mountainous regions will begin to melt. This is the time when riders prepare themselves for the adventures they have been planning for, and thus comes the need for prep – the mindset to conquer the mountains. Royal Enfield has started conducting the Himalayan Spirit, and we were invited to the Pune edition of the gathering to experience and build the mindset to take on the challenges of riding to the hills.
Geographically, Pune is situated in the Deccan Plateau, which means we are surrounded by hills, which also becomes a perfect playground for off-road and trail riding enthusiasts to test and sharpen their skills on the motorcycle. It was a no-brainer for me to try out the Himalayan fitted with the ‘Rally Kit’ and take it home, where it actually belongs.
The event focused on providing experience to riders from all walks of life. Held at Autologue Design’s ranch, I got to experience an obstacle course, steep hill climb, drops, and ramps. A timed lap of the dirt track was a perfect way to slide the rear wheel while keeping the rear-ABS switched off; as you would want – 37.78 seconds was the time I clocked, which the track marshall said was a good time. As I finished the initial courses, it was time for me to hit the trail.
RE’s expertise in off-road riding curation, we were treated to a very amazing trail, consisting of twisty tarmac, off-tarmac, loose gravel and sandy surfaces, uphill and downhill, and narrow sections where speed takes a back seat. Thankfully, my ride was prepped with RE’s in-house Rally Kit, which made tackling all these sections easier, considering the harsh conditions I was putting myself and the motorcycle through. With the sun shining bright above our heads, my body’s water content was depleting faster than I could replenish it with electrolytes. Nonetheless, it was a test of my own mental, physical and riding skills.
The findings did open my eyes – my strength is sand and loose surfaces, and weakness? Rocky sections where I would have the rear bounce, and thus carry a possibility of a topple. Thankfully, I did not. Not a single scratch on me or the bike. The bent gear lever presented to me during the obstacle course was quickly sorted out by RE’s technical support, and I was back in business. As the trail ended, I could not help but gulp down three glasses of water in the hope of feeling better from all the dehydration and dust in my system.
All is well that ends well – Clinching a participation medal (the last one was in my 12th standard) made me feel very accomplished, more so because I found my strengths and weaknesses and exactly know where the efforts need to be put. As I headed back home, I was easy on the throttle of my trusty steed. I couldn’t help but grin inside my lid, reminiscing about the eventful dusty afternoon. Mindset made; Mission Accomplished.
