[1]It was a gathering of sorts at the Blue Frog recently, where some of the hunkiest bikers reunited to celebrate the tenth edition of Royal Enfield’s Himalayan Odyssey. The “thump” of the iconic Bullet was the sound that united the adventurous riders from various parts of the country, and bought them under one roof to celebrate the journey of their lifetime.
The bikers of the first batch of the journey were also present to wish the current riders. Speaking about the maiden trip, Harsimran Kohli, a bike enthusiast from Chandigarh, mentions, “In 1997 we created a record by taking up this journey till Khardung La in a group of 42 riders. It was one of the biggest adventures of my life and I still remember the joy of riding uphill.”
Siddharth Kapil from Pune, who was another participant from the first Himalayan Odyssey ride, mentions how this journey helped him overcome his fears. He says, “Ten years ago, when I took this ride I had no idea what was in store for me. The road trip wasn’t an easy one — the roads were not built and the oxygen was low at the top. But, it was a very organsied trip and we came back feeling like a winner.”
As the riders geared up to embark on this adventure, Indian bands Advaita and Dualist Inquiry played at the do to cheer them. Shaji Koshy, senior VP at Royal Enfield, informs, “The Himalayan Odyssey is a huge success, and this year we complete a decade of this journey. A total of 100 riders from India and abroad will be travelling 2700 kms to reach Khardung La, and they will reunite at Leh at the end of June.”
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[1] http://archive.asianage.com/t15jpg-083