Bulls on Parade to Arki

The Arki Amigos

4,5,6 July 2014

June had gone by without a Ride. There were many reasons for this. First was the FIFA World Cup. Second was the terrible heat even in the hills. Third was my personal aim of buying a Thar. It was a busy month. The Ride in May was also in the first week. So almost two months had gone by without a Ride which called for immediate action to end the drought. And so, Arki was chosen as the next destination for a 3-day Ride. The previous Rides had been to Uttarakhand which was why it was necessary to travel to Himachal now. Plus, Arki had a Fort making it an attractive location. We had never covered a Fort in the hills till now.

There were no confirmations to the Ride Invitation which was quite expected given lack of participation and also the brutal tone of the invite. But as the day of leaving drew near, verbal confirmations started coming. I was most surprised when our Bullet specialist, Zaheer called up and confirmed for the Ride. He was bringing Ashok with him. Still I was skeptic till the day of the Ride.

On the night before, pre-ride BBB tradition had to be followed. Shera provided me company and we sat down for a couple of beers on GFR (taught to us by Vikas bhai, it means Gurgaon Faridabad Road). We gathered quite late which again meant less than a couple of hours of sleep.

4^th July, 2014:

I met Zaheer and Ashok at Mahipalpur crossing at 4 am. It was great to meet them for a Ride after so long. Our last ride together was to Chittorgarh, in Nov 2011. We quickly made our way to the fragrant landfill site and reached at 4:30 am to meet the other participants. They were on their way. Shera was the last to arrive at 4:50 am. He was running-in his engine. This ride would provide some much needed mileage. Now all the Amigos were together.

Ankit Sheoran – Baal Kalakar – Royal Enfield Lightning

Ankit and Vihans – Roomies – Royal Enfield Classic 350

Ashok and Zaheer – Rajajis – Royal Enfield Electra

Diptinder Singh Chhabra – Thar – Royal Enfield Electra

We started from the landfill around 5 am. For a brief while we stuck together. But it was too difficult to follow Shera at 60 kph, at my usual position in the last. After Sonepat, throttles opened and the rest zoomed ahead. The going was swift till we reached Panipat Toll for re-grouping. 

Shera took his own sweet time to reach and we knew what lay ahead of us in this ride. Zaheer was feeling a bit chilly so Ashok gave him the reflecting vest. He had bought it from a Kingfisher sale. Even his boots were from that sale. This hi-vis vest would become a topic of many discussion.

We reached our first break point at Mayur Dhaba at Karnal. Early coverage of large distance in thin traffic helps in making the rest of the ride smoother. Zaheer left his hi-vis vest as a marker for the trailing riders. 

Two other riders came here on their Harley Dynas probably attracted by the vest. We usually do not interact with other riders as we are too busy in ourselves and this was no exception. Even big Harleys cannot distract us. Instead we focused on how Vihans was able to wash his face in the wash basin that had its tap placed too far ahead.

Aloo and Paneer parathas were ordered with butter and curd. Extra helpings of butter are always ordered. As we started to leave a tourist came on with a video camera eager to take a video of ‘bikers’. The weather was pleasant. We were dreading it to rain but so far so good. It wasn’t hot too. But now it started to grow warm. By the time we reached Ambala it had grown hot. The onward journey was getting uncomfortable, although the excellent roads made the going fast. We stopped for cane juice at Zirakpur to rehydrate ourselves. It was very bad and mixed with water. We then took the Himalayan Expressway.

This was the first time I was riding on this road and it was magnificent. Gentle curves and slope allowed a great ride. Plus the view alongside this expressway is excellent. The Western Ghats have their Mumbai-Pune Expressway. The Himalayas have this expressway. Although very short in comparison, it is much more scenic.

Another advantage of the Expressway is that we can now bypass Kalka and Pinjore’s narrow roads. Earlier there used to be huge jams here and also a railway crossing. At least 20 minutes are saved. 15 kms on we arrived at Dharampur. There are three reasons this place is exciting. One, it has dhabas serving great food. Two, you leave rowdy Punjab/Haryana behind and the gentle Himachal takes over. Three, the first theka of Himachal. That means a different variety of beer is on offer. 

Our pick was Golden Eagle. It was a regularly seen brand in the Army and also in Delhi. But it has become a rare find now. I would be willing to travel to Himachal just for it. It’s ironical how it is bottled in Ghaziabad but you have to travel about 300 kms to taste it. We picked up three bottles. Zaheer doesn’t drink. Shera declined saying that once he starts alcohol, he is unable to stop. He’s an alcohol junkie, but we respect that. Comment duly noted for the evening session.

Now we needed a spot. While Shera and I hunted around for an ATM, the others took the turn towards Subattu and looked for a spot. This section of the road was a new exploration for BoP. Every Ride must have some unexplored area, though it’s getting more and more difficult to find such sections. Crossing Subattu was a gallantry moment. It’s referred to as the birthplace of the Gurkhas. We all grouped together some distance ahead of the cantonment area. The mini-BBB came alive.

Golden Eagle is still one of the best tasting beers. The main topic was Zaheer’s hi-vis jacket. We all joked on how it must have been tracked by satellites, a yellow dot moving in the mountains. Some shots were also heard in the distance, probably aiming for the glowing yellow object.

Only 60 kms remained till Arki. But the route was a confusing one. Too many turns and asking for directions. When we touched down, we started looking for places to stay. Vihans and Ankit had taken a wrong turn and reached Solan. It would take them a while to regroup. In the meantime we explored the small town looking for places to stay.

Our extensive research before the Ride had shown only one place to stay in the town, and that was the palace. We were ready to lead a luxury lifestyle this time. Moreover, FIFA World Cup Quarters were on. Tonight’s matches were France Vs Germany  and Brazil Vs Colombia. They couldn’t be missed, especially the former one.

But unfortunately, when we reached the gates of the Arki Fort, which was being guarded by two grazing cows, we learnt that the hotel had shut down. Now only the prince stayed within the closed confined quarters of the palace. 

Further enquiries revealed that Home Guards were on duty and we were not even allowed to step inside the palace. This caused some frustration and we deduced that the grazing cows must be part of Home Guards too and that the prince was actually a pauper. This would lead to much discussion and entertainment for us, especially from Zaheer, but that would come later. Even the guard dog would become the victim.

We came down from the narrow route of the Fort and went to the PWD Rest house. Here, a TV was available only in the VIP suite and that was kept reserved for ministers. Even after much coaxing, the caretakers did not relent. We could only manage an arrangement that if we came later in the night, the VIP suite could be opened for us to see the match by the evening guard. 

We went to visit the XEN at the PWD office to book the PWD Rest house. A round of voting decided that Ashok would be the one put forward as the face of the group. He was the most presentable amongst us, whatever the bare truth may be. The staff met us kindly. Such is the hospitality built into Himachalis. You can never expect such kindness in Haryana/Punjab/Delhi. The staff politely told us that the rest house wasn’t available for the night and the night after. He even called up his counterpart at Shalaghat, 8 kms from Arki and even there the room was available only for tonight. But even at the Shalaghat PWD Rest house, a TV wasn’t available. VIP suite was out of the question.

The hunt for TV continued. The only hotel in town was Hotel Fort View. The rooms had TV but 14”. Moreover, the rooms were not spacious. Shalaghat and the VIP suite were the other options. As a last resort, we would have to travel to Shimla. This left a lot to think about. So, we sat down for lunch at the hotel and decided to do the thinking afterwards, after a satisfied stomach. Chicken and veg dishes were ordered. Just as the lunch was being served, Ankit and Vihans arrived. Their detour had been 80 kms long.

The food was good. That tilted the balance of staying at the hotel. Ankit and Vihans had already covered more than 400 kms in the day. All things considered, we decided to stay at the hotel. 3 double rooms were booked. Everyone got busy in their own work. Some went to clean up, some took a nap, some got busy in their “paperwork” while the rest just lounged.

Heavy rains started now. We were lucky to be indoors at this time. But the showers soon stopped and then twin rainbows appeared. Cameras clicked left and right. Coffee was ordered as we sat in the balcony admiring the rainbows. The view of the town was nothing special. The taste of the coffee was suspicious. Zaheer attributed this to “bakri ka doodh”.

There wasn’t much to do in this town. We asked the hotel staff on the places to visit. The palace wasn’t open to the public. There was a Mahadev temple a short distance from the town. Zaheer, Ashok, Vihans and I headed to the rooftop after ordering tea. This was going to be a momentous occasion. Zaheer had become quite frustrated with the place and the hotel. Moreover, he had been riding pillion so he wasn’t in comfort too. Out came his angst and with venom. All of it was directed towards the prince. Everything was abused; the Home Guards, Guard dog, Fort, Palace, the market, sim billboards, the lot. Even the surrounding monkeys were not spared. The rest of us were in splits. If only the prince would have been there, he would’ve fallen at the feet of Zaheer begging for forgiveness. The two Ankits missed this scene as they were napping. Some quotable quotes that came out from this discussion were:

“Paise hai nahi, shauk poore karne hain”

“Ganwaar kutta”

“Mudda chhed doonga” (Actually, this one was born later that night with respect to the onslaught)

The football match would start at 9:30 PM. We had nothing to do till then. So, we went for a walk in the market. 10 minutes later, we had covered the entire bazaar. Well, it’s only so long that one can resist liquor. We were now forced to start early. Snacks were arranged. I ordered too much snacks in fact. Lemon chicken, French fries, chana masala dry, local namkeen. And then the match started.

France played well, but Germany was better. They managed to hold off after an early goal. Victory came to the Germans.

Zaheer was least interested in the match and was more interested in settling himself against the numerous pillows.

By the time the match finished, even the rest of the people started drooping. It seemed unlikely that anyone would stay awake till the second match. We finished the dinner and everyone retired to their rooms. I don’t even remember the menu.

5^th July 2014:

One thing was certain from last night. We would be changing our location today. Shera had already been to Mashobra and we took his advice and headed there. But first, we needed to finish our exploration of Arki. Latru Mahadev came recommended. We took a very steep, offroad ascent to that place. The gain in altitude also resulted in cooler weather. However, it also raised concerns of the dangers we would be facing on the return journey. Generally it is seen that the descent is scarier than the ascent. Still, we rode on till we could not go any further. The last remaining stretch had to be covered on foot. It is amazing to see how building materials reach to such altitudes through sheer, brute, manual labor. The respect for mountain folk only increases on noticing this.

The journey on foot was still not finished. Stairs took the steep route to the temple that was made inside a cave. All Mahadev shrines are made in such hard to reach places. No priest was seen. The mantras were being chanted from a recording playing on a loudspeaker. I guess, even the priests would find it difficult to reach this place. But the main reason could be the construction going on at the premises. A huge landscape was being constructed here.

We noticed a few flags fluttering at a point higher than the shrine. The barely noticeable path invited us and we trekked our way to that point. The view from that point was wonderful. The cool breeze felt fantastic. We could see our motorcycles way down. Even Zaheer, who was frustrated with the town, was enjoying himself. But his grudge against me for bringing him to a place like Arki would remain for a long time.

We descended our way without too much difficulty, picked up our pre-packed luggage from the hotel and made our way towards Shimla. As soon as we touched the highway at Shalaghat, the quality of the road became supreme. Smooth broad tarmac welcomed us and we wasted no time in gunning our engines. Boot scraping was frequent; one can never have enough of that. 

We thoroughly enjoyed the route till we touched the outskirts of Shimla. And then, BAM, immediate traffic and brakes.

I could never understand what attraction people find in a crowded place like Shimla. We sure were glad when we were past it and on the way to Mashobra. It took some navigating till we reached the point of descent to the Camp Mashobra Greens. This was another steep, offroad section. It was steeper than the one we had faced in the morning at Arki. The angle was enough to make us question the ascent. But for now we were in the campsite and exploring it.

After some lengthy negotiations, and a major cleanup operation in 3 cottages, we settled in. All the frustration of Zaheer had disappeared. His mood became jolly now. He even informed a caller that he would be returning to Delhi in 2015 now.

Beer was immediately required but there was none available. So, we went for an activity along with the guide, DK. The activity was Rock Rappelling and the route to the scenic spot took us through the woods. Right besides the rappelling spot was a waterfall. We would be descending on ropes with the waterfall right besides us, covering a height of 150 m.

As soon as one gets over the edge backwards and looks down, that’s when a lump hits the throat. It is scary. Adrenaline is in very short supply with our safe lives nowadays. This activity provided us with a healthy dose of it. Ankit went first. Then me, followed by Zaheer, Ashok, Vihans and then Shera. The next task was obvious: Taking a dip under the waterfall. Water and BoP have a natural tendency to attract each other like poles of a magnet.

The natural bath left us fresh and all the tiredness went away. Hell, all the warmth also went away as the water was chilly against the bones. With the activity finished, DK took us from a longer route back to the camp. Along the way he showed us many sights:

The Fair ground

The Temple that is opened only during Fair

The Swamp

The Cobra flower

The Four-trunked Tree

It was getting dark as we reached back to our cottages. Beer was now available and we wasted no time in replenishing our parched throats. This continued till it was time for tonight’s match to start and we made our way to the dining hall. The TV was switched on and the next match of the Quarters came on.

Argentina was playing against Belgium. Messi didnt produce his magic, but still Argentina won the match.

Dinner was vegetarian. It wasn’t anything special, but not bad-tasting either. The activity of the day had left us hungry and we filled ourselves. Again, we were tired (and drunk) enough to skip the next match of the night. Netherlands Vs Costa Rica went goalless and Netherlands won on penalties.

6^th July 2014:

The next day also had a few activities in store for us. Burma-bridge was in the program along with Mowghli ropes. But the main attraction of the day was air-gun shooting. Everyone wanted to showcase their shooting skills. Some went too far and started aiming at their competitors. Thankfully, no injuries happened.

With the activities finished for the day, we reluctantly packed our stuff on the motorcycles and started to make our way back to dreaded Delhi. The only good part was we would be travelling on the fantastic tarmac of Himalayan Expressway again.

The ascent from the campsite didn’t give as much trouble as we expected. Sometimes, you are just too scared of things to try it, and when you do try it, it’s not even that scary. We were caught in the regular Delhi-Punjab crowd returning from Shimla now.

As we touched Dharampur for lunch, the place was madly crowded. We opted for Colonel’s dhaba, 
opposite Gyani’s, as we remember this place from our Jalori Ride. Unfortunately, we were not allowed to have beer this time as the Colonel himself was at the desk. If his son was the manager, he would’ve allowed drinking.

By now it was quite warm too and the hot chicken added to it. We got up to finish the remaining leg of the journey. But even before we could reach the expressway, a huge line of traffic blocked our way. Thanks to the motorcycles, we could make our way through. The sprint through the Expressway was as quick as earlier. With the starting of Plains, Shera was back to his run-in speed of 60 kph. That resulted in a long wait for regrouping at the Toll plaza. To make matters worse, there wasn’t a single shop in sight to get drinking water. There wasn’t even a tree to provide shade. Our highways have improved travelling time, but deforestation is the victim.

The weather forced us to have a drink break. Since all the roadside thekas in Haryana are now gone, the only option that remained was the bar at Oasis resort at Karnal. We spent a leisurely time here with no hurry of reaching home. 

The last regroup happened at a dhaba at Murthal. Hydration breaks were badly needed.

So ended another BoP Ride, the fourth one this year and my personal fifth. The momentum seems to finally have kicked in and Riders have started to come out. I hope this affects the dormant riders too, unless the riding spirit in them has become extinct. Looking forward to more interesting Rides this year. 

JAI BoP !!!