Motorcycle tour in Uttrakhand Mountains

Tour MAP: Lucknow-Chmpawat-Pithoragarh-Nanital-Kichha-Lucknow
Distance : 1258 Km.
Total Days: 5 days [29/12/2007 to 02/01/2008]
Motorcycle: RE Thunderbird (TB)
Pillion: My brother (Govind)

DAY 1: 29/12/2007

We started our journey from Lucknow at 6:15 AM. Our first destination was to reach Tanakpur for night stay. The road from Lucknow to Shahjanpur was single lane but OK. The tough one was from Shahjanpur to pulpit. The road was single lane with lots of patchwork and even the kachha or khadanja types. The traffic was very slow as we were accompanied by the sugarcane overloaded trucks, tractor and bullock carts. The whole environment was smelling with sweet sugarcane. We reached Pilliphit at 3:00 PM. From there we reached Tanakpur at 5:20 PM. The sun was setting but not down yet. We ask one local about the nearest hotel for night stay. He told us either to stay at Tanakpur or travel up few kames for a place called Sukhidham. So we decided to ride further, and that was a major blunder, because as we reached Sukhidham, we came to know that there were no hotels or any kind of shelter for night. Either we have to stay in open for the night or ride for another 52 Km. for Champwat. The major problem was that it was already dark and the roads were very bad, the temperature was down. But we decided to ride on. And we finally reached Champawat at 8:40 PM. That drive of 3hrs and 20 min in dark and steep curves of the mountains was very exciting. The average speed of my TB was 15-20Km/hour

Distance covered: 424.7 Km
Time Taken : 14Hrs 25Min.
Average speed : 45-60Km in Plains & 15-20Km in mountain

DAY 2: 30/12/2007

We left champwat at 9:30 AM to travel further to Pithoragarh. The journey was smooth as after the previous night journey I was getting better to drive on the mountains. We came across the Ghat, the place where river Saryu and Ramganga meets, and went to the river bank. The place was simply beautiful. The whole surrounding was silent except the musical melodies of river. We stayed there for an hour and then headed towards our destination. We reached Pithoragarh at 4:30 PM. The place was beautiful.

Distance covered: 127 Km
Time Taken : 7Hrs
Average speed : 15-18Km in mountain

DAY 3: 31/12/2007

Our original plan was to celebrate New Year at Pithoragarh, but it changed all of a sudden and we decided to march towards the Nainital for New Year celebration. By this time we have almost covered 552km and my TB was still longing for more adventure. So we started our journey at 11:00 AM. We reached Almora at 4:40 PM and finally reached Nainital at 7:00 PM. The whole city was lighted and buzzing with crowds. The Naini lake was silent and enjoying the cheers of the visitors.

Distance covered: 186.9 Km
Time Taken : 8Hrs
Average speed : 25-35Km

DAY 4: 01/01/2008

We woke up at 7:00 AM. After refreshing up we took a boating tour in Naini Lake for about 40 min. After taking some good snap of the place we started our ride at 9:24 AM towards hadean and reached there at 10:45 AM. Our final destination was Kichha as my wife and son were there enjoying there winter vacation at my in-laws home. We reached there at 11:33 AM.

Distance covered: 80 Km
Time Taken : 2 Hrs
Average speed : 35-40Km

DAY 5: 02/01/2008

This was our last day of the thrilling tour and we were heading back to our home city, Lucknow. We started our ride at 9:45 AM and reached home at 6:15 AM

Distance covered: 361 Km
Time Taken : 8 Hrs 30 Min
Average speed : 45-60Km

This was my first trip with my TB but I made myself an honest promise that I will make another trip very soon. From my ride I learnt that for a trip you don't need experience but the sheers guts to ride on in any place any time. Don't believe me! Then you must take a long ride.

Regards

Manmohan Singh Bashera