9. Good Morning Dehradoon

Good morning Dehradoon, its 15th of august a day of proud for every Indian yes it’s our 62nd Independence Day. But the scene at our Dehradoon shelter (I termed it as a shelter as I can’t call it a hotel room or an accommodation) was different, I have an habit to rise at 6 o’clock every morning no matter when I sleep but the story was not same with my other two partners. As I didn’t have much to do even I stayed dormant on the bed for nearly 3 hours. Later by 9:00 my friends too woke up and we started morning urgencies. Then we decided to visit Sahastradhara a sulphur bed water source. Then finally we started off to Sahastradhara 20 kms from Dehradoon.

dehradun

10. Sahastradhara

The route for Sahastradhara war pretty much straight and we had cruised through the amazing city of Dehradoon. As it was Independence Day all intersections have loudspeakers blowing patriotic songs. After few kms we suddenly had this view “A Sudden Left Turn Which Kicks Of Those Curvaceous Mountain Roads And Amazing Mountains Covered With Wood With Fog Patches Here And There”
I was very artistic well we cruised down to our destination and reached the place thankfully we found a place to park and as I stepped near that water source it was damn noisy it was the sound of high speed water. It was nice there the water coming from an up hill and cruising through the rocky bed hence making lot of noise, an artificial pond of virtually still water and three taps of fresh sulphur water.
So we managed to find a locker where we kept our belongings then we’ve head towards the flow. The water was so fast that it was almost impossible to stand in the water and the flowing rocks was continuously hitting our legs making it worse but that chilled water was amazing and worth a dip. To have fun there it is advisable to find a big rock and then have fun around that as around it the flow will be less. Now the pond was equally opposite to the flowing water it was quite and the base surface was also flat/cemented so we had a there to then after hours of water fun we decide to wrap up and had final bath at the taps. Now there was a girl at this stream yes she was hot and looking good as well later we noticed that whether her family is there or not she was around us only well our very own Rajeev picked his cam and had few shots and in one of them she was looking right into the cam.

Sahastradhara

11. Dehradoon Ki Kudiyan

Well the heading it self says what I am up to. Yeah the girls, after that lady in black at Sahastradhara we started for Dehradoon and had plans to reach Rishikesh ad as we were on our way back I had an amazing view not of the nature but the daughters of Mother Nature amazing beauties all over. Pass 100 meters and you’ll have a view and each one of them have that wow factor and as it was a holiday those entire college students out on the streets and I was giving a treat to my eyes.

12. Tapkeshwar Ji Maharaj

Soon we thought instead of directly heading towards Rishikesh we should explore this place more so we decided to visit a temple Tapkeshwar Ji Maharaj it was across the city in the cantonment area of the city but still the beauty was there too it seems it was not the fuel on which I was driving but the beauty which was taking me along. Well back to Tapkeshwar Ji Maharaj. This temple is in a mountain cave and in a way the temple part is hanging over a speedy water stream. It’s actually same as the name as it was dripping from all over under the hill and the main SHIV LING was getting this holly bath from unknown history. It actually impossible to light a holly light in that temple as it’s dripping every inch must say one of a kind place, there is one more temple across the stream and a bridge was there to connect both the temples. Other temple was artificial and the place for the worship of Vaishno Devi.

13. On The Way To Rishikesh

While wandering around that beautiful place we almost forgot that we need to rush to Rishikesh. Well it was not too late, but it started getting dark. We’ve started for Rishikesh right that time and while cruising around Dehradoon we had lovely glimpse of that paradise and the girls. After crossing Dehradoon border we came across a very nice highway, it was a nicely maintained patch less road but was not with the street lights so it became a very good night riding experience. I personally felt very nice and independent the feeling was unexplainable, no traffic, no horns, no signals, no diversions, no one around to tell me what to do or what not to do, no professional tension nothing just me and my bike on our way. This time we have decided to stay in a proper accommodation hence we enquired the very first govt rest house before Rishikesh, guess what no rooms but he asked us if we don’t have any problem to have a room with eight beds. Yah he allotted us a dormitory and charged us for three beds only. If I compare this accommodation with earlier one there are hell lots of difference. Yesterday we faced hell and this day we had all we lacked.

14. Rishikesh at night

Well after relaxing for half an hour we decided to visit Rishikesh in the night only as in the day time it’s become a human crawl ground. So we visited Laxman Jhoola and Ram Jhoola in the night only.

I want to ask you guys a question: why Laxman Jhoola is more famous than Ram Jhoola?

Answer: As per Hindu mythology once Ram and Laxman were on their 14 year long forest survival period, they use to spend their time in observing prayers and fasts at different places, once Laxman started his prayers near Ganges but was unable to concentrate as the water was too noisy. So he asked Ganges to please keep quite as he is doing his prayers, Ganges ignores his request and kept her flow intact. So Laxman took his bow and arrow and warn her if she doesn’t keep quite he will dry her with his holy arrow. And from then till now Ganges is silently flowing under the Laxman Jhoola. (Courtesy: Kumar vishal’s enquiring nature).

As far as the Jhoola is concerned it was always a dream of mine to experience a suspension bridge and this one is a legend it facilitates more than 1 lakh pilgrims a pass over the river we took a ride on the bridge and had a feel of the famous swing of this bridge (it is known as Jhoola because it swings).
We also took a round trip on ram jhoola it was much longer than Laxman jhoola but was less famous because of the above stated reason. After we had our dinner at a plush restaurant we went to our rest house for a sleep.

 

Amazing Clouds In Hills

1. My Arrangements For the Ride

So finally a hectic week and lots of hassles has came to an end and at the last minute two of my friends ANKUR & KUMAR agreed to join me for the trip. Although the plan was mine but I didn’t informed my parents that I am setting off to a road trip this weekend as they would have denied because of some religious ( Janmastmi ), safety ( Independence Day ) and social ( My recent 15 day ride to Ladhak ) reasons. So I’d convinced them that I am visiting Hyderabad for my office works and will be parking my bike at the airport.

2. A Kick Before The Start

Date: 13 August 2009

Morning 4:00am

Well I started early as I told my family that I’ll be catching a 5:30 flight and hence to catch the flight I need to be out by 4:00 only. As the road which we need to take passes nearby my place so both of them suppose to meet me at the highway itself. Last night Anky said he is still perusing his family for the trip so it was quite obvious that he won’t come but still I was holding my hope. Kumar he is a MAN, as he worked for whole night and then he’s also coming for the ride amazing man.

Well I chose to stand at a brightly lit crossing and decided to wait for them. I called up Kumar he said he is on his way and will take half hour to reach. I’ve even called up Anky but he “didn’t pick up”. Just after 15 mins all of a sudden the dry clouds started pouring, I rushed to a shed near by even that was dripping my bag has got my laptop as I am on a business trip so I was scared about my luggage’s water proofing. By chance I found a knife under that shed. I picked (stole) it up and approached nearby hoarding and brutally inserted it into the flex then further cut it in a rectangular shape so that I can protect my bag while on the ride. Well after 45mins Kumar called up and said he’ll be there in 15 mins by then I’ve too messaged Anky to revert back in 15 mins else we leave but guess what. Yes he didn’t call up. But still we were three in numbers as my friend Kumar brought a pillion rider. He was his colleague Rajeev.

Amazingly he brought a pillow to sit on as it his experience on the backseat of avenger that it can bring the sh*t out of him on this ride. Well it was for his comfort so no comments.

3. Start

Morning 6:00am

Well finally we’ve started in the rainfall itself yes of course my bag was now covered with that flex. We took Meerut road and continued it in wet cloths. The roads condition was very bad while it’s in Ghaziabad and the rain water had made it impossible to locate the pots. I passed many while taking a dip in that muddy water but didn’t stopped for once. Road was nice after crossing Ghaziabad and rain has also spared us for a while.

Mussoorie

4. 1^st break

It was approximately 70 kms from my place and about 100 from Kumar’s we decided to take a break at a lonely dhabha so that we can get lill attention and peace for setting ourselves dry. But other people didn’t spare us as they start pouring immediately after we stopped there. Well we ordered some breakfast there and had a Aloo Parantha (w/o potato but was with some kinda dust don’t know whether it was Meerut’s sand or Delhi’s dust).here I did a blunder I tried to adjust my chain set on my own and you know what it literally screwed it up in a way that even I said that earlier it was better. But on a highway we were not left with any other option but to ride ahead and look for a mechanic. Soon we located a BAJAJ and I said “yes now she’ll be good”.

The blunder was that I tightened my chain too much that it was struggling with the sprocket and was the actual trouble. Well that midway BAJAJ was good that mechanic set my bike alright. I’ve even called my home and told them that I’ve reached Hyderabad so that they’ll be relaxed. And now we moved ahead and decided to stop nowhere before Haridwar. But Kumar said that we’ll face heavy traffic at a town on the way. I said lets see and we moved ahead in that town the traffic was like mad it was crawling and honking more than a disc. Eventually we read a board which directs us to a detour to haridwar. So we took that it was a two lane lonely road surrounded by lots of trees and ponds. It was a bye pass which crossed a village Luxor and reaches haridwar. The road was not even on the Kumar’s GPS……..

We moved ahead with the road it was so beautiful. I felt very relaxed while crossing that stretch………..

5. Haridwar

Finally we’ve reached Haridwar and guess what?? A traffic jam before entering the city all with Delhi/Haryana registered vehicles. It seems they’ve got a same kind of ideas which I’ve got. Never mind but the good part was that we’ve found a Ghat on which we can park ….. Yes we’ve parked our bikes at a Ganges bank and took a dip there only. The flow of water was very fast and muddy it was nearly impossible to stand in water, thanks to those iron railing which we were holding else we would have reached Benaras without a stop.

Well still those dip worth all the hassles and WE HAD FUN.

6. Whisky from Dehradoon

After that refreshing bath we’ve left for Mussorie our destination for the day and crossed a dense forest it was a fab riding on a straight road guarded by 100 feet high woods it was so cool that I was just riding at 40-45, suddenly I accelerated and reached 80, man that was scary a whole freaky stretch of thousands of monkeys. I remembered all my gods and thought if I slipped here they will surely not going to leave any flesh over my bones. Well I’ve even crossed that and entered a beautiful city Dehradoon and bought a half bottle of whisky as Kumar said it a no drinking zone at Mussorie. I asked them to reach Mussorie directly with out any halt they agreed and we moved ahead at our pace we took a by pass to Mussorie and started climbing those curvaceous roads of uttranchal hills.

Sahasta dhara

7. Mussorie

Once again the beauty of road was mind blowing those algae covered walls, mist, fog, dipped temperature, strucked clouds in the trees of opposite hill and many more. It was not a place where you should roam like the way we were there but it’s like be there with your lover and drive at moderate speed for thrill, romance, having a beautiful evening. It was a time when I started missing the love of my life.

Well well let’s get back on the track we reached Mussorie as we were climbing those roads many DL/HR registered cars were going back but we still decided to move ahead. A man seeks lift as he was drunk and wants to avoid driving his own car which he parked there only. I took him along he said Mussorie is fully packed today and we may not be able to find a place today. What the F I was worried and soon got another traffic snarl at Mussorie city entrance and once again a Million thanks to all those DL/HR vehicles we decided to park our bikes there only and went to find a room. Guess what we weren’t able to find one. Then I and Rajeev had a walk through mall road and witness lovely faces they too all were DL/HR registered……….

Mussoorie Roadview

8. Stay at Dehradoon

Then by 10:00 pm we’ve decided to cruise back to Dehradoon and try to find a room. It was a 30 kms hill stretch we done it and reached Dehradoon. We literally begged for a room even there and no one showed mercy eventually when me and Rajeev went to ask another hotel Kumar had some chat with an auto wala he promised to get us a room me and Rajeev hopped in and he started like James bond and took us to a hotel where he asked for a room they said they are left with a single room and will charge 800 plus tax for the room I said OK. They’ve didn’t mentioned that they will provide us with a complementary stink, a room with no washroom attached, no pillows, no room service no water no and fucking nothing but a bed to sleep on. Even we were strong players as we have our ANTIQUITY. Just after two pegs and some wafers we slept as this was the best bed in the world we can ever have.

Rest to be continued. . . . .