Ride Report: The India Ride Expedition

[Ryan Pyle]

Mahindra is actually our sponsor so they've been taking care of it the whole way It's just one clutch not two.....yet Not sure if it's the car or our non India driver who's burning it up - LOL -

Seems like the Bullets are more durable than the Mahindra...
2 clutches in less than 5000 km, was it covered under warranty?

 

[Ryan Pyle]

Day 19: Today was a quiet day for the India Ride Team. We made the very quick and painless 177km journey from Mumbai to Pune with relative ease. We've enjoyed climbing off the coast (where weather is hot and humid) and back in to the foothills, were we've been greeted by cooler air and much less traffic. The team is settling in for what will become a serious stretch of riding over the next few days. Once we complete an "off the bike" activity in Pune tomorrow, we'll begin our journey south to Cape Coromin - the southern tip of India. We can't wait to explore the southwestern coast of India.

 

[Ryan Pyle]

Day 20: Well, if it seems like we've been on the road traveling for a long time, you are correct. Can you believe we are only 1/3 of the way through our journey? The bodies are starting to ache and the mind is starting to get a little fuzzy. But today we enjoyed our 20th day on the road with a wonderful "Off The Bike" activity. Today our team visited one of the largest and most advanced car manufacturing plants in all of India, the Mahindra facility just north of Pune in Western India. When we started planning our journey almost one year ago, one of the key aspects of what Colin and Ryan wanted to accomplish with their show was to identify examples of both traditional India and modern India, and today was a leap forward in the modern India category. The Mahindra plant in Pune turns out some 300,000 automobiles a year, which is just a little over 700 per day - a staggering number by all accounts. Today the entire team got an in-depth look at how Mahindra produces its new XUV 500 model (an SUV) and we all learned how the vehicle starts as sheet metal and just hours later breaths its first breath and rolls off the production line. It was an exciting process for anyone who loves big machines, production lines, robotic arms and of course cars.

 

[Ryan Pyle]

Day 21: After an exciting Off the Bike day yesterday, the India Ride team was back on the road today...but initially we didn't get very far. The team only made it about 20km south out of Pune before we had our first motorcycle mechancial breakdown of the journey; Ryan's motorcycle began continuously stalling, it was only 930am. Without really knowing what was wrong with the bike we managed to get the motorcycle back to Pune and after asking around we found a shop, "Azad Motors" that specialized in Royal Enfield repair and maintenance. It turned out that Ryan's bike was nearly completely out of oil, and that our bikes had been burning oil for several days as we were at least 1,500km past when we should have received our last oil change. Royal Enfields need far more regular oil changes than most western made motorcycles so Colin and Ryan were astonished by lack of oil in their bikes, and they were also grateful that the problem didn't lead to greater engine damage.

 

[Ryan Pyle]

Day 22: Long before we began this journey, our friends in India have been constantly asking us, "Are you going to go to Goa on your journey around India?" We've always answered yes. And the response has always been the same, "Oh, you'll have a great time!" We didn't know exactly what to think at the time, but we always wondered what exactly everyone meant. Well, today we finally realized why everyone loves Goa so much; it's stunning. The India Ride team traveled 280km from Kolhapur and arrived in sunny Goa. The weather is perfect, the temperature was desirable and the ocean was magical and the spicy seafood was fantastic. And, jumping in the ocean after an entire day of riding the motorcycles is the best way to cool off. Now, since we are in Goa, apparently we don't have to check in at work, we don't need to check out emails and we can just be relaxed and free. So that's all the update you will get from us tonight.

 

[Ryan Pyle]

Day 23: As we turn our attention to the week ahead, our India Ride Team has begun a new and exciting phase of our journey: The Southwest Coast. Known for it's fertile soils, and plentiful oceans, the coastal journey offers our team a chance to connect not only with farming communities but also fishing communities as our journey continues towards the southern tip of India. After spending the last week cruising on the modern expressways that connect Nashiki-Mumbai-Pune-Kolhapur, we've been struggling with the challenging road and traffic conditions on NH17 heading south from Goa. While sections of the road are in decent enough shape other sections have offered some of the worst conditions we've seen since our stint in the mountains nearly 2 weeks ago. Gravel and potholes coupled with fast moving trucks and passenger buses make for "interesting" riding. While the team completed a big 377km today from Goa to Mangalore, we were left mentally and physically shattered from the journey. We'll have a similar distance to cover tomorrow as we are aiming to be in Kerala by tomorrow late afternoon. Wish us luck.

 

[Ryan Pyle]

Day 24 + 25: These last two days of our journey have been the most challenging days of the India Ride. We've struggled both days on the National Highway 14 which runs south along the western coast of India. Colin and Ryan have now nicknamed this road: "The Road of Doom". The road in which we are talking about manages to twist and pass through almost every town along the coast brining in to play every bicycle, rickshaw, passenger bus and truck on route; we were lucky to maintain an average speed of 25km/hr, and that was when we were not stuck in road construction or intense traffic jams. Needless to say, beyond the traffic the scenery has been lovely, but we've been so focused on the road each day that the landscapes are being missed; and it's leaving our team exhausted and searching for those incredible Nashik, Mumbai, Pune expressways that we got so comfortable on last week. Ryan had a particularly rough day has he, "hit a wall" around 530pm and needed to have a nap on the side of the road before continuing on; as you'll see in picture #3. The roads in India are both physically and mentally challenging, and the traveling is taking its toll on the team. As our team nears the halfway point on our journey, the times are indeed challenging; but we have so much exciting traveling and adventures ahead of us that in many ways The India Ride has only just begun.

 

[Ryan Pyle]

Day 26 + Day 27: To say that our team has struggled through Kerala province would be an understatement. This has, without any doubt in our minds, been the toughest week of traveling for all of us. The journey south from Pune to Goa and then in to Kerala province has led us to one of India's most densely populated provinces - which means that there are more trucks, more tuk tuks and more crazy buses trying to run us down on the roads. The term "defensive riding" takes on a whole new meaning. But with all the challenge we've faced it's been incredible to see how Kerala mixes both a Communist provincial government and a mainly Muslim population; and how have the state feels more like something out of the Middle East, in a tropical setting, and offers just another example of India's brilliant diversity - no matter how tough the traffic is we'll be leaving Kerala with feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction from our journey here.

 

[Ryan Pyle]

A beautiful view in Udaipur, Rajasthan - also known as the city of lakes.

The team has seen many full cars of passengers and even entire rooftops on busses full of people. However, this was an interesting way to hitch a ride on an expressway averaging about 60km/h.

Ryan dealing with heat exhaustion and Colin dealing with his food poising. This little bit of shade was like an oasis in the moment for the brothers.

A very busy bridge that was taking overflow traffic from an accident on the expressway. The less room might have actually made things better for the team as no passing was possible.

A view of the lush green valleys near Nashik.

Storm approaching, time to put on the revit rain suit.

On the road into Sula vineyards in Nashik, a view of the beautiful lush green moutains.

The Mahindra Bolero support vehicle taking in the sights and beautiful colors of Nashik.

The excellent Cabernet at Sula!!

Ryan and Colin taking in the view from the Wine Bar at Sula Vineyards.

Ryan and Colin prefer their REV'IT rain suits, but this is also one way of dealing with the rain. I'm not sure if it's advisable or if it works but it's an effort that should be commended

Some woman waiting for the bus in a heavy rain storm.

A healthy reminder of the dangerous roads in india.

Mumbai traffic - the start of a very long 2km.

Mumbai

Ryan getting scared by a dog in Mumbai. Bringing back some bad memories of their travels in China.

a quick stop on the way out of Mumbai quickly turned into the thing to watch for the locals.

Traffic in Mumbai

The statue for an India festival being taking to a celebration.

 

[Ryan Pyle]

Day 28: Today marks the HALFWAY point in our motorcycle expedition and television production known as: The India Ride. When you embark on a long and challenging adventure, it's important to set smaller attainable goals along the way. These smaller targets will help build confidence amongst your team and instill a sense of achievement along the way, and keep that ever-important feeling of forward momentum. With reaching our halfway point today, we've accomplished a huge milestone in our journey. We hope you all have enjoyed the first half of our adventure. Today our India Ride Team rolled in to Kenyakumari, also known as the Cape of Coromin, which marks the southern most point of India. Today, we arrived with just enough time to watch the sunset on the Arabian Sea (to the west). And tomorrow morning, we'll wake up facing the Indian Ocean (to the south) and tomorrow afternoon we'll begin riding north for the first time along the Bay of Bengal (to the east). Needless to say, to be surrounded by three immense bodies of water is something very special and arriving here today has been very uplifting for our team after what has been a very challenging week.

 

[slowbird]

Great read!

Ride safe guys!

 

[Ryan Pyle]

Day 29: You might be asking yourself, how did we spent the first day of the second half of our India Ride? The answer is: we woke up early, got through a fantastic breakfast, and then crushed a quick and easy 253km from the Cape Coromin to Madurai on what is easily one of India's best roads - National Highway #7; which has now been re-named by Colin and Ryan, and is now to be referred to as: "The Pride of India". We think, and we are biased, that countries should take great pride in the quality of their roads; and NH#4 from Pune and Bangalore (last week) and NH#7 from the Cape of Coromin to Bangalore (this week) are stunning and make for effective and safe passage. And since clearly all good roads lead to Bangalore, that's also where we are headed, but not after a quick stop to visit the Shi Meenakshi Temple in Madurai tomorrow morning. As our India Ride team moves from the lush jungles of Kerala province, we've now entered the desert badlands of western Tamil Nadu province and during that process we've gone from wet and sticky 33C to burning hot and dry 36C all in the space of about 24hrs. Once again, the contrast of physical landscapes and temperatures that a traveler can encounter in India are staggering, and the main reason why Colin and Ryan choose to ride motorcycles on these adventures is because only on a motorcycle can you truly feel and appreciate all of these nuances and changes in your immediate environment and surroundings. Only at that moment can you truly appreciate the beauty, and the harshness, of what you are encountering.

 

[Ryan Pyle]

Day 30: Today the India Ride Team spent their 30th day on the road with an "off the bike" visit to the Shi Meenakshi Amman Temple in Madurai. It was the second Hindu temple we've included in our visit and it was an incredibly impressive temple with immaculate sculptures, pillars and two very unique temple halls. Our team were amazed with the crowds as nearly 15,000 to 20,000 people visit per day, and the faithful line up for hours in to order to visit the main temple halls. And with this temple visit our team marks a shift in our adventure in India. We are going to be putting the cultural visits on the back burner and begin looking at "modern" India again as our team is set to visit Bangalore and Pudducherry over the next 4 days. Be sure to watch this space tomorrow for an update on our Bangalore visit locations. We hope you'll be able to publicize those dates and locations in a hope that we can bring out as many adventurers and friends as possible.

 

[Ryan Pyle]

Day 31: The India Ride team is moving, and I mean really moving! Today we covered the 440km from Madurai to Bangalore in a breeze thanks to the fantastic National Highway #7 - What A Road! The Team was just reminiscing that just a few days ago we were stuck in Kerala province averaging about 20km an hour in grinding traffic and stuck in small villages, but today we really flew (averaging about 80km/hr) on a brilliant modern expressway. We even had enough time to stop for some coconut juice at one stage.

 

[00ninja]

Great thread!

+1 on the ride safe.

 

[Ryan Pyle]

Day 32: Today we celebrated Mahatma Gandhi's birthday, a national holiday in India, by exploring trendy and modern India; we visited the UB City Mall in central Bangalore. It was clearly the "people watching" place to be and Colin and Ryan got their fair share of funny looks with their shaggy unkept beards. Bangalore, known loosely as the Silicon Valley of India is a dynamic city rushing to upgrade itself in to one of India's most exciting and modern cities. It's clearly a place to keep an eye on and it's a location we all hope we can revisit again at some stage in the future during a more lengthy trip. At the mall, Colin and Ryan had the privilege of connecting with several motorcycle enthusiasts and friends of the India Ride today at the mall and we had a chance to share not only some life stories and life lessons. It was a thoroughly enjoyable experience, organized by our partners Lenovo, and we met some great people with brillant individual passion for travel and adventure. We wish them all the best in their future travels.

 

[Ryan Pyle]

Day 33: Today was a "moving day", it's a term we like to use for those days when we just bite down and get some hard kilometers under our belts. So the team was up early and out the door and traveled from Bangalore to Puducherry today. It was a lovely journey on narrow back roads and it brought us back in touch with a more traditional India, after the modern shopping malls and high-rises of Bangalore. It also feels great to be back near the ocean, but now instead of the Arabian Sea it is the Bay of Bengal that will be in our sights for the next 7 days as we slowly make our way from Puducherry to Kolkata. Much more news, coming soon!

 

[Ryan Pyle]

Day 34: As our epic journey through India continues, we are striving to understand the complexity of India. And clearly after 34 days on the road we can all agree that India's complexity and diversity is what makes the country very very special. Today we had a chance to look at the future of India, as we visited a Lenovo manufacturing facility in Puducherry in southeastern India. Lenovo, now the world's largest PC maker, is also #1 in India and it's production facility in India is turning out 1,000,000 desktops (Think Centers) and laptops (Think Pads) per year for the India market. As India's middle class expands and business in India continues to mature and take shape you can expect industries like this to strive from strength to strength and it was brilliant to experience just one example of that today in southern India.

 

[Ryan Pyle]

Video Release: Running off a mountain with nothing but another man strapped to your back and a thin layer of vinel, to supposedly protect you, is a serious leap of faith. The act of paragliding itself is as scary as it is exciting, and therefore, given these contrasts, we thought it would be the perfect subject to base our new video release around. So here is video that show the elegance, the excitement and the sheer fear of Paragliding. We hope you enjoy.


LINK: https://vimeo.com/49850782

 

[Ryan Pyle]

Day 35: Today was a day of many challenges, first was the challenge of the roads; as there was much road construction and plenty of traffic to keep our pace slowed. The second challenge was that of distance; we needed to cover a great distance today as we begin our journey north to Kalkata. The last challenge of the day was the intense heat; as by mid-day Colin and Ryan were literally "cooking" in their riding gear and helmets. As the India Ride team covered a massive 486km today from Puducherry to Ongole, we knew the day was going to be tough. But the southern Indian heat, even in October, played a factor all day as temperatures rose in to the high 30s and there wasn't a cloud in the sky; making the conditions very difficult on our riders. It's not uncommon to get heat stroke while riding motorcycles in intense heat, and although our team was able to avoid that today it has been a regular occurrence on this trip.