This will not have any pics as this was not intended to be a tour, this was a ride with a reason. The main intent of this blog is to highlight what I went through before the ride and how it ended.
Why the ride? Well I was looking for a used wide angle lens for my Canon SLR, and I found one a very good one infact through JJMehta forum. The owner stays in Hubli and I had to go get the lens from him.
Why used lens? Wide angle lenses are the costliest of the lot after the L series of lenses in Canon. So used one made more sense to me rather than buying a new one for double the cost.
The lens had eluded me from last one month due to either my commitments or due to the sellers commitments. So I decided that by any means I am going this Sunday even if it takes me to go alone. For the folks who dont know me, I ride a lot, but I have never ridden long solo! There is a mental block when you are deciding to ride solo versus the freedom you feel in a group. Riders must be familiar with the feeling.
Another problem was that my CBR was in service center and I had to use my friends Karizma ZMR. Though Karizma is a very good machine, but since you are used to your own bike, adjusting to another machine and the bonding are problematic.
I informed Lohith, lens expert on the journey and he told me that he will join me as a pillion. I was relieved, my biggest fear of riding alone was taken out! But he is expecting to be a father soon and ride meant he had to stay away from his family. He was in two minds and I understood his problem. Family first isn't it? He was also low on confidence for riding such a long distance since he has not ridden for couple of months now. I being the philosophy master gave him lecture on how mind plays games and how you need to over come that and blah blah and more blah..
It was final, I was to ride alone and the problems started now. I informed the seller on my plans and I told him that I will be there by 8 am Sunday. He was worried to hear that I am riding alone and said, there are buses, trains from Bangalore why do you want to ride? This was the first question that made me think about riding alone.
Second one from Lohith, you have not ridden for a month and now you want to ride alone? Don't go alone we will go next week. Coming weeks were not possible for me as I had a few commitments scheduled and I had to ride or somehow get the lens this Sunday.
Third one from one of my good friends. She was angry, and said have you gone mad? Go by bus.
I assured all of them that I will be fine, but deep within I was thinking should I do this? Am I taking a big risk? The plan was to leave home by 2 and reach Hubli and then head back. There was no hurry, I was free to take as much time as I wanted, but still the question was should I ride ALONE?
I did not, for the records could not sleep. Close my eyes and all I could see was images of me going and crashing into something. I was never scared of riding, but the prospect of riding solo was the one that triggered these emotions. I packed my tank bag, readied all the required things and tried to sleep again. I was successful this time, but the sleep was a disturbed one and I woke up at the first ring of the alarm.
Thoughts that came to my mind were:
1> Should I ride? Why should I take the risk?
2> Should I call up the seller and say that I have a flat tyre and postpone the date?
3> I have not slept, I am tired, should I ride? Let me cancel this..
4> Will ZMR be able to see me through the journey? I dont have my trusted CBR with me.. Should I do this?
I was really confused and a little scared too. I badly wanted to put the ride off and sleep happily. But somewhere deep down, I wanted to do this. I wanted to see how I ride solo and this would be a very good practice run for some of my future plans.
I decided that what ever the case, I am riding and also decided that if at any point I feel that I cant continue I will head back. Freshened up and set out on the journey.
Karizma did not start for the first 2 attempts. Was this a sign? Should I get back in and stop all this madness going on in my head? Let me try again, and she starts and goes into her silent idle. I start slowly, wade through street dog madness and I reach Tumkur toll gate.Got myself a cup of tea, informed Lohith and the seller about the star of my journey and set out on the amazing roads.
I was feeling confident now, and I was thinking.. it only takes effort to start anything and once you start all the fears go away and you are a confident new man ready to take on what ever comes your way.. Wait, is that a lorry turned upside down? Shit, is that a sign? Should I go back? ..
Let me continue a little bit more and I head on.. Shit, is that a lorry and a car? Is that blood! Is that a sign..??
I had it enough and I said to myself that if I ride safe, I could do it and hence chugged ahead. I was cruising at 90's and reached Chitradurga quickly. Updated Lohith on the location and a tea later I was riding again. The same continued as I cruised along and I reached Hubli by 7! In 5 hours I had reached Hubli a distance of 430 Kms riding alone! I was happy sat for a while with a cup of tea watching the morning sun. Met the seller and bought the lens.
Return journey was the same. I left Hubli after breakfast at 8:30 and I reached home by 1:15PM. All this on a ZMR, cruising at 90-100. I was happy and had a real sense of achievement. I had done my fist solo ride of 850Kms in ~11 hours. It was time to put all the fears to rest. I have done a solo ride, now I can do many solo rides if I want, it was just the first step that put me through troubling thoughts and made me hesitant.
Here is the lens and I had accomplished two things and overcome my mental blocks for this beauty. Hope this is of some help to the first time solo riders. I am really thankful to Lohith who stood by me and was constantly in touch, asking me to ride safe and for the valuable suggestions for selecting the lens.
Why the ride? Well I was looking for a used wide angle lens for my Canon SLR, and I found one a very good one infact through JJMehta forum. The owner stays in Hubli and I had to go get the lens from him.
Why used lens? Wide angle lenses are the costliest of the lot after the L series of lenses in Canon. So used one made more sense to me rather than buying a new one for double the cost.
The lens had eluded me from last one month due to either my commitments or due to the sellers commitments. So I decided that by any means I am going this Sunday even if it takes me to go alone. For the folks who dont know me, I ride a lot, but I have never ridden long solo! There is a mental block when you are deciding to ride solo versus the freedom you feel in a group. Riders must be familiar with the feeling.
Another problem was that my CBR was in service center and I had to use my friends Karizma ZMR. Though Karizma is a very good machine, but since you are used to your own bike, adjusting to another machine and the bonding are problematic.
I informed Lohith, lens expert on the journey and he told me that he will join me as a pillion. I was relieved, my biggest fear of riding alone was taken out! But he is expecting to be a father soon and ride meant he had to stay away from his family. He was in two minds and I understood his problem. Family first isn't it? He was also low on confidence for riding such a long distance since he has not ridden for couple of months now. I being the philosophy master gave him lecture on how mind plays games and how you need to over come that and blah blah and more blah..
It was final, I was to ride alone and the problems started now. I informed the seller on my plans and I told him that I will be there by 8 am Sunday. He was worried to hear that I am riding alone and said, there are buses, trains from Bangalore why do you want to ride? This was the first question that made me think about riding alone.
Second one from Lohith, you have not ridden for a month and now you want to ride alone? Don't go alone we will go next week. Coming weeks were not possible for me as I had a few commitments scheduled and I had to ride or somehow get the lens this Sunday.
Third one from one of my good friends. She was angry, and said have you gone mad? Go by bus.
I assured all of them that I will be fine, but deep within I was thinking should I do this? Am I taking a big risk? The plan was to leave home by 2 and reach Hubli and then head back. There was no hurry, I was free to take as much time as I wanted, but still the question was should I ride ALONE?
I did not, for the records could not sleep. Close my eyes and all I could see was images of me going and crashing into something. I was never scared of riding, but the prospect of riding solo was the one that triggered these emotions. I packed my tank bag, readied all the required things and tried to sleep again. I was successful this time, but the sleep was a disturbed one and I woke up at the first ring of the alarm.
Thoughts that came to my mind were:
1> Should I ride? Why should I take the risk?
2> Should I call up the seller and say that I have a flat tyre and postpone the date?
3> I have not slept, I am tired, should I ride? Let me cancel this..
4> Will ZMR be able to see me through the journey? I dont have my trusted CBR with me.. Should I do this?
I was really confused and a little scared too. I badly wanted to put the ride off and sleep happily. But somewhere deep down, I wanted to do this. I wanted to see how I ride solo and this would be a very good practice run for some of my future plans.
I decided that what ever the case, I am riding and also decided that if at any point I feel that I cant continue I will head back. Freshened up and set out on the journey.
Karizma did not start for the first 2 attempts. Was this a sign? Should I get back in and stop all this madness going on in my head? Let me try again, and she starts and goes into her silent idle. I start slowly, wade through street dog madness and I reach Tumkur toll gate.Got myself a cup of tea, informed Lohith and the seller about the star of my journey and set out on the amazing roads.
I was feeling confident now, and I was thinking.. it only takes effort to start anything and once you start all the fears go away and you are a confident new man ready to take on what ever comes your way.. Wait, is that a lorry turned upside down? Shit, is that a sign? Should I go back? ..
Let me continue a little bit more and I head on.. Shit, is that a lorry and a car? Is that blood! Is that a sign..??
I had it enough and I said to myself that if I ride safe, I could do it and hence chugged ahead. I was cruising at 90's and reached Chitradurga quickly. Updated Lohith on the location and a tea later I was riding again. The same continued as I cruised along and I reached Hubli by 7! In 5 hours I had reached Hubli a distance of 430 Kms riding alone! I was happy sat for a while with a cup of tea watching the morning sun. Met the seller and bought the lens.
Return journey was the same. I left Hubli after breakfast at 8:30 and I reached home by 1:15PM. All this on a ZMR, cruising at 90-100. I was happy and had a real sense of achievement. I had done my fist solo ride of 850Kms in ~11 hours. It was time to put all the fears to rest. I have done a solo ride, now I can do many solo rides if I want, it was just the first step that put me through troubling thoughts and made me hesitant.
Here is the lens and I had accomplished two things and overcome my mental blocks for this beauty. Hope this is of some help to the first time solo riders. I am really thankful to Lohith who stood by me and was constantly in touch, asking me to ride safe and for the valuable suggestions for selecting the lens.
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