Ride to my roots is about to start

Tomorrow morning I'll leave on a solo ride to my native place. Am so excited, I don't think I will be able to sleep at all.

You can track my journey by clicking here.

Starship is getting ready....

Starship log 23112015:

Well, to utilise my time appropriately, I thought lets get Starship prepared. To the uninitiated, Starship is my ROYAL ENFIELD Thunderbird 500cc. I confess I am a trekkie.

Monday ( today ), what better day to make sure that Starship is well prepared to ride throughout December and Jan. With time at hand even the Maestro Anthony was like "ok lets get your bike done. "

Post Anton's diagnosis, we are going to ...
1. Change the front wheel bearings
2. Plug the oil leaks from the head
3. Service the bike.
4. Complete oil change. Change the oil filter as well.

These are not major repairs, but the essential ones, that should be checked and completed before any major ride, on a Royal Enfield. It would not hurt to regularly keep checking you bike, this will avoid any surprises and delays due to those surprises. Not forgetting the money that the surprise might cost.

Post repairs, a test ride by Anton should confirm if all is well.

P.S. in all I think it's more than 7000 kms riding coming up in the next 2 months.

I think Starship will be good.

How does it feel to not work.

Starship Log 22112015:

    
    So I have decided to take a break from work. It's been 16 years of me working, I feel like it is the right time to take a break and relax. Go find my self or maybe just do nothing. To be honest I don't feel relaxed, maybe because its just been 2 days since I went to work for the last time. The feeling of not having to go home will I guess come when the dreaded Monday comes.

Already lazing with Chikki

    Well anyways I do have a full 2 months planned out. There is our yearly family vacation. Then the amazing NH7 Weekender music festival. Then something I have always wanted to do - ride Starship (My Motorcycle) to my native place in Uttar Pradesh.
On my return something I would never miss is happening - the 14th Inddiethumpers Anniversary.
It's Christmas and new year celebrations then with the family. January 2016 will go into preparing for the BOBMC rider mania in Nagpur. Will ride one week pre and post the event.

I cant wait to ride Starship.

    So yeah its going to be a full packed next 2 months. I hope to learn something about myself discover the places i visit. and hopefully write about it in a way that I can figure out and maybe everyone else can figure out, if it makes any sense.

I will try my best to keep it exciting and interesting to read.

Brotherhood, Community building or just plain hanging out in the hot summer with like minded people...

Pic.Courtesy: Pooja Sahani

     So being a part of a group.. na thats not how i would put it. I think it will be more aptly described as being one of the brothers in the brotherhood. And I know exactly who will understand this crazy statement - "Being one of the brothers in the brotherhood". And before the gatekeepers of equality shout out where are the women, please let me clarify - they are very much part of it.
Coming back to the statement - "Being one of the brothers in the brotherhood". I believe it embodies what we think about as a collective and what we do as a result of being a collective makes it a brotherhood.
     You could give it different names or titles but it will all mean the same. We could well be a group of corporates with similar thinking and still be "executing" towards a collective goal / objective.
     But we are not. we are riders, motorcycling enthusiasts that are bound together by 2 things that without a doubt are common between us. Our Royal Enfield motorcylces and our love for riding. Effectively using it to build a brotherhood not imagined at least in the last few years. 

Pic. Courtesy: Keiron Rode

     It is no secret that Royal Enfield has catapulted to a different plane in the minds of the regular Indian rider. The brother hood uses this like minded thought process to good use in various ways.
Like going on rides with no specific timeline in mind. These rides act as a major catalyst to boost the "brotherly love" connection we all have. Having traversed the lengths and breaths of India amongst us. Collectively clocked so many miles on our motorcycles - it will put shame to the whole " around the globe" phrase - often used to describe distance traveled when in a comparison battle. We still yearn for more. Every day, every week, every month or even every year - we would ride the first chance given.

Pic. Courtesy: Keiron Rode

    This yearning for more brought close to 600 of  like minded riders together on a hot day in May. To just get to know each other, have breakfast and enjoy the company of each other. The bond felt between each one of us that day was un-describable. that day it was not about us, it was about "All of Us". 
I believe that is what led us to sign for justice - for a soul who left us due to the injustice imposed on her. To observe a minutes silence and show our solidarity for the victims of an earthquake that occurred recently in one of our neighbouring countries. Donating whatever we can to make sure that our brothers and sisters around us be and feel safe and cared for.
     
   So in a nutshell - "Being one of the brother in the brotherhood" and thinking "all of us" instead of just "us" is what makes me proud to be an Inddiethumper and to be associated with BOBMC.