9th Nov 2004 – The D-day
The alarm rang at 05:00hrs got up and started getting ready. Got a wakeup call from a friend wishing me safe journey. At 06:00hrs came down to realize that the two bags I have packed can’t be tied with the help of star bungee cord I have. Also the bigger bag is too big to tie on seat. So I decided to carry the bigger bag on my back. In the mean time got a call from a friend who wanted some stuff from me. So have to first go and drop the stuff at his house. Around 07:00hrs I started from my house towards my friends place to drop the parcel. While starting from my friends place, I stretched my back muscle while putting the bag on my back. My friend is still not ready to belive that I’m really going alone on such a ride.
At 07:45hrs with the odo showing 15,325 I started my ride from his place. Soon I am on the highway enjoying the nice weather. Traffic is less and I’m enjoying the ride until I hit Pune-Bombay section of NH4. The road got bumpy with lots of pot holes all the way till Lonawala. As per initial plan I have to stop at Ram Krishna for breakfast but since I start late decided to carry on. Fortunatly the road in Khandala ghat is resurfaced and I’m smoothly sailing down the ghat. Having covered this stretch numerous times, it is getting a bit monotonous riding on this route. Riding with the flow soon I crossed Khopoli and carried on towards Panvel. The traffic is still not much of a problem and mercury is still staying low. Approaching Panvel, like always I took the Panvel bypass, though a bit longer it saves riding through the Panvel city traffic. Road is in good condition and I’m able to maintain a pre decided speed of 80km/hr. At 09:50 hrs I reached McDonalds at Panvel, stopped to call up some friends asking for the route towards NH8. To my surprise there is no network and it seems that my roaming is not activated. Without wasting time I decided to carry on towards Thane. Having been to Thane in past, no way I’m going to take the route via Mumbra so carried on straight on the same road.
Once you enter Bombay suddenly the average speed increases. Every vehicle is being ridden at high speed, especially for one used to riding in a city like Pune. Reaching outskirts of Thane I decided to ask for directions and went straight to traffic police cops. While I’m asking for directions they got curious and asked where I’m heading towards. When I said Delhi, they were a bit surprised, didn’t tell my whole plan as I wanted them to look after the traffic on road as well. The directions I got were I bit confusing and required me to take some by lanes, etc but somehow I managed to stay on the correct route. From Bhiwandi check post I have to take the left turn which would lead me to NH8. After covering some distance on this road I looked around and found it to be a bit on lonely side. Not much of traffic and civilization. I said to myself that its good I’m not coming back via this route else riding here in night will be a bit scary, only if I could peek into future to see whats waiting there for me.
Soon the lonely stretch ended and I took right turn to come out on NH8 and I’m greeted with well marked, wide 4 lane tar road with divider. This is the first time I’ll be riding on this road. It is alreay closing on 12:00hrs and has started to get a bit hot. After covering few km’s I started to feel a bit hungry so pulled over at Hotel Mastan in Manor. Parked the bike in shade and I finally took my first break since starting from Pune.
After a short break for breakfast cum lunch, costing just Rs 36, at 12:20 I’m back on road. It is a bit hot now and thankfully the road is great to ride on. Luckly the road is not just a long boring straight stretch. There are some small hills on side with occasional curve every now and then. Thinking about the ride, singing some of my favourite songs, cruising at speeds around 80km/hr, slowely but steadily I’m heading towards Delhi. Soon I’m approaching Maharashtra border and about to enter Gujrat, few minutes later I’m riding through the border, entering into Gujrat. With sun at its prime, it is getting a bit too hot. So I decided to take a small water break and stopped before Valsad at around 13:50. During this break I reminded myself that soon this good stretch is going to get over and will be riding on a bad patch around Navsari, as told to me by Arpan.
After a 15min break I’m back riding the bike. As expected soon I’m riding on under construction stretch of NH8. Diversions, sections of incomplete road made me drop my speed to low 60’s. Soon I’m reminded the problem of riding a 350cc machine. Bike came into reserve with odo showing 15,693. Not having a too long range in reserve I started to look for a decent looking gas station and found one at Unn. In order to take advantage of this stopage I took another water break for 10min and resumed the journey at 15:30. Reaching Amhedabad today, as planned, is looking a bit difficult and it looks like I will have to end todays ride at Baroda. Traffic now has increased considerably and I have to ride a bit more carefully and at lower speeds.
Finally as the sun is on the way of going for rest, I’m entering the town of Baroda. Watch is showing around 18:00hrs. I have started to look for a PCO booth to make some phone calls, stopped opposite Palace Theater at a Timber shop. It is almost 18:20 and I decided to end the ride log here.
After calling up home and friends, when I’m paying the billl, the shop owner, Ajay, asked me what I’m upto. He also seems to be a touring buff. When I openend my trip plan, he asked me if he can take a copy of it. I didn’t have any problem, so while his office boy went to take a xerox copy, I decided to ask him about a decent place to stay in night. His father then told me about Agrawal Guest House where most of traders stay and it is near to railway station. Once the office boy is back I thanked them for the hotel information and headed towards station. I’m riding for the first time in the city and luckly didn’t find much of a problem in reaching to the said hotel. Since the hotel is in a lane, I missed the turn a couple of time before I found it after asking a few people. In the hotel there are single beds available for Rs 75 and also separate rooms for Rs 110. Since I’m having lots of lugguage, I opted for a room. The room is not very good but comfortable enough for a single person like me. After getting fresh I am out to roam around and have dinner (chicken dish, paneer dish, rotis, rice costing me Rs 50). I bought move to put it on my stretched back muscle, which got stretched in the morning. At 21:50 hit the bed hoping to get some good dreams.
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