Sunday, 2nd April 2017
At 7am we gathered at Dehu Phata to where all the bikers from different parts of Pune came in together… As this was a RE event, the expectations were great and hence we had to live upon that… Prior to this event we made promotions on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter along with mouth publicity which was the most important part… It was not a huge surprise because of the promotions we did (and the efforts that our seniors undertake) to see a large gathering of bikers, but yes, the scene was amazing especially the sound of 217 Royal Enfield bikes thumping together…
After a short briefing, we started our ride towards Lohagad, a fort which was a part of the arsenal of the great Shivaji Maharaj. Seeing a file of 217 riders staggered together on the highway is one thing but, riding in that file with utmost discipline and pride is other… It was quite a view for all the road side people and other people driving on roads especially when we hit the villages… Theoretically, with 217 people riding together, there should be minor issues like delays, crashes, etc but thank God, there weren’t any… All thanks to the awesome management… Sometimes things look like they won’t work, but, somehow, they do…
We approached the foothills of Lohagad from where all the photography and micro-blogging started… There were quite a few new riders who were struggling to get their bikes up on the steep ghat roads of the Maval ranges… It was such a great gesture shown by all the club members who not only helped them but gave life-long lessons on how to ride in ghats… This is what biking is all about, because the spirit of motor-cycling is above all the things in the world when you are on the ride with your friends, family, no matter whom, this is what OneRide is all about, to bring everyone together on a single platform out on the open roads…
We finally reached the parking of the fort where we took a long break… Few of them started to find breakfast and tea while our group was more interested visiting the main fort complex… Trekking up with the more conventional way by stairs we started our climb… The view in the way was extra-ordinary. Every turn we were posing for either a selfie or a groupfie, portraits, group photos and you name it, we were doing everything to capture the moment…
The sun was rising and as we were approaching the top, we began to feel the real heat which of course didn’t stop us from clicking more and more and more pictures and exploring the fort… Few of the riders were brave enough to beat the scorching heat and reach the summit of the fort…
The Famous BRC Bolt
The Bolt
From a Different Angle
After about spending a good one hour up, we slowly were inclining to move back to the base… In the way, we found our so-called ancestors aka the MONKEYS with whom people started taking selfies… Lol, just imagine one of them coming to him and snatching away his phone… Back in the parking everyone refreshed their own way, I personally had a good, freshly made, chilled sugarcane juice, heaven after the long trek on the mountain…
Everyone was already looking tired but this was not the end of the ride, we were going to take the exotic route via Pawana backwaters, the road famous for its breath-taking views but not so well maintained… There was gravel everywhere on the road with herds of cattle moving across the streets… A mishap was about to happen when a buffalo came in from no-where on the street right in the middle of our path, thankfully, no casualties reported not even to the buffalo but it certainly was a terrifying moment with the animal petrified at the end…
Moving along the curved and winding single lane road, we spotted some eye-catching scenery for which we did not wait to click… The temperature was soaring in the low 40’s but thankfully the winds were blowing keeping it coooool and giving much needed soothes… We approached Pirangut by 11:45am from where we were going to disburse… But it wasn’t over yet, the main thing, special edition #OneRide stickers were in the house for everyone who participated in the ride contributing to its mega success…
The Videos of today’s ride –
Vinit Patil – https://youtu.be/rRF8eHnIfmQ
Amar Pawar – https://goo.gl/XvCwIR
If you are in Pune, own a Royal Enfield Motor Cycle (no matter which, be it a GT or a Himalayan, a Classic or a Thunderbird, Standard or an Electra) and want to join our club for further rides, visit BRCpune‘s facebook page or WhatsApp Sarang on +91 95796 43213 !!
