Prep Trip
Phileas Fogg and other madcap world travellers have no shade to throw on my upcoming trip across India to prep for next year’s ride.
Last week we said our posts would take you on a journey with Chefs Ride 2025. Well strap in, here’s the journey. I am about to embark on a lightning quick and gruelling tour across all the cities that will be hosting our meet-ups.
I am doing this in reverse order to our next month’s ride, starting in the North with Delhi, then up to the Northern-most city, Jammu and then working my way South in quick time, stopping in all the cities. If all goes well, I will be in Bengaluru and Mangaluru at the very end of this month and 2024. Though it does not end there, I am scheduled to be back in Bengaluru at the very start of 2025.
Crazy Schedule
- 09-11 Dec : Delhi-NCR
- 12-13 Dec : Jammu
- 14 Dec : Chandigarh
- 15-16 Dec : Jaipur
- 17 Dec : Bhopal
- 18 Dec : Nagpur
- 19-20 Dec : Hyderabad
- 21-23 Dec : Goa
- 27 Dec : Mangaluru
- 29-30 Dec : Bangaluru
- 03-04 Jan : Bangaluru
All Modes
On this madcap trip, I am taking almost all available modes of transport, rail, road and air. If it moves forward, fast, I am taking it. Check my schedule below to understand why Rapido should pay me royalties for finding inspiration for their brand name.
Two factors define planning this particular itinerary; travel speed and travel time. Wherever possible, I am flying direct, it’s the fastest. Cost is a factor, but not as much as getting the work done. That for me is travel speed. The travel time factor is to travel only at night, to ensure a full working day is available at the destination. Therefore, I am often taking the last flight, overnight train or bus. On five nights, the rails will be home.
“The new Himalayan 450 needs to complete its first two short interval services before the main ride. It has to be ridden for at least 1000 kms.”
There is a possibility my Jammu to Chandigarh trip will be via overnight bus. Yikes! I no longer travel well by bus. This is the only sector where my overnight train ticket is RAC, so as a last option, the bus it may be. The flight option is not direct and leaves too early, thereby eating up a third of my working day in Jammu.
Direct air travel is not possible for all sectors. The cities I am visiting are fairly close to each other. Most often, each are state capitals and are the largest town to the next one. Distances are a few hundred kilometres between them. Direct flights between them do not exist. So surface travel is the only direct option and therefore the best for this crazy itinerary. I look forward to travelling in trains, not the train delays, though that too has been taken into account.
Triangle Tour
There is an interesting road segment of the prep trip. A day after Christmas, a small group of us will be riding our bikes from North Goa to Mangaluru and Bengaluru. We need to do this for a few reasons; the new Himalayan 450 needs to complete its first two short interval services before the main ride. It has to be ridden for at least 1000 kms. This three destination round-trip is approx 1400 kms. Savio Tavadia, our in-house ride coordinator, writer and photographer will be doing the honours. It is his first true road trip on the new Himalayan, so he’s an excited boy.
The other two reasons are practice and practice. Savio will be the only rider who will ride the entire 4000 kms of the main Chefs Ride 2025 with me. On this, our first long trip together, we will get the measure of each other’s riding styles, energies and habits. Getting our rhythms in sync is oh so important. The other practice is for our gear and us. We are testing our new cameras, mounts and other gear. You can expect to see outtakes and weird angles masquerading as cool photos and videos. Finally, touring a physical challenge. This triangle tour at year’s end will test us physically and give us at least three weeks to get in shape.
Meeting for meet-ups
Oh the main part finally! This trip is to meet our local partners and finalise the important details that will make our Chefs Ride Meet-Ups a super successful event and one for the history books for the right reasons.
Perhaps a measure of how our ride is being perceived is the immensely positive response we are receiving from our local partners. HMCT campuses, hotels, biking groups and the Robinhood Army are all actively supportive to ensure my lightning quick visit to their city gets all the work done. In some cities, where time will permit, I am hosting an ‘industry dinner’ as well where we get to continue the day’s conversation and bond as friends, not just colleagues.
A bawarchi who rides, a rider who cooks. For me, a motorcycle is a tool to explore new lands, cultures and cuisines.
