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"Road Testing Our New Pannier Design..."
| I’ve been testing our new panniers on Tour in UnMapped Uttarakhand. The smaller, lighter, more compact Cordura pannier bags now come with a rain cover to protect clothing and kit from the worst of weather conditions.
The earlier design was often too large for Riders needs, with bags sagging, the contents could move around and incur damage.
Removing one horizontal strap makes loading far quicker, while retaining the two vertical straps for rigidity and security. Riding rough roads and tracks for prolonged periods, the panniers remained firmly attached; and not a 'bungy' to be seen! Note there are no longer the three cross bars behind the rear seat.
Replacing the frame with a smaller more rigid pair of frames has totally improved the handling. The weight shift is lower and further forward.
Each Rider has two Panniers (approx 30 Litres x 2 = 60 Lts) and if you would like one, a tank bag as well (approx 15Lts). This is normally sufficient for a two (or four week tour). Panniers and tank bags are attached with strong straps and quick-release clips.
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Last Updated on Thursday, 09 June 2011 05:54 |
"Intrepid Riders scale ZojiLa on the day the road opened..."
| What a journey! What a road! As totally unprepared as any Victorian explorer, I agreed to accompany my Estonian friend from Srinagar to Leh only two days after the road was opened – unseasonably early, we were told. Tally-ho and all that. Why not?
Mud-slips, rock-slides, long strings of wonderfully colourful (but disgustingly polluting) heavy goods vehicles, freezing temperatures, eighteen feet of snow piled either side of the road in places… the list goes on. The wind was a bit parky at times too - I could mention that.
Riding pillion behind Rainer the giant (6’8” – is that technically a giant?) on this breath-taking road was one of those things which is going to stay with me for the rest of my life. As hostile as it is beautiful, the whole journey from start to finish was…awe-inspiring.
From the brutal passes of Zoji, Namika and Fotu La, to the almost ethereal settlement of Lamayuru, the apricot terraces of Kargil to the well-documented Moonscapes of Ladakh, every corner was a photo opportunity, every minute a memory.
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Last Updated on Thursday, 09 June 2011 05:55 |
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Read more To Infinity And Beyond
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Thursday, 17 December 2009 18:15 |
"Turn back or I'll arrest you!"
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I was near Chakrata, western Gharwal. My diary shows it was just before noon, in August 2004, when the infinitesimal laws of chaos began to take hold. At a junction, the map said the two roads would meet, so I chose to go left. I was riding alone on mountain roads, ‘rolling the contours’, not a care in the world, a man waved as I passed, a simple greeting, I waved back.
30 clicks more, not a soul in sight, then I saw it and understood. Not a greeting, a warning! The road was blocked. The mountain had reclaimed the road. A mud and rock slide to spoil your day. Motor off, I planted the bike, thoughts in overdrive, retrace or proceed? For 30 metres the road was covered and five men stood standing, as if waiting for me.
Paisa discussed, I unhooked the bike luggage. Mud on the move, no path and a serious drop, I stood and watched as they dragged ‘Number 5’ across. We shared a light moment and smoked my cigarettes, before I set-off again, shaken and stirred. |
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Read more about Riding The Forbidden Road
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Sunday, 01 November 2009 10:54 |
"Join The Debate: Hitch-Hiking in Britain."
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Googling the other day, I found a letter I’d written in a debate about “hitch-hiking in Britain”, and remembered that I used to travel all over Britain ‘thumbing it’ to visit friends and generally explore.
Neil Stevenson puts his faith in the kindness of strangers when he tried to revisit the memories of his teens and hitch-hike in Britain. Have you ever hitch-hiked in Britain? Would you advise against it? Send us your view...
I live abroad now, but when I lived in England throughout the 80's and 90's I used to hitch-hike most weekends across the country to visit friends. The side of a cardboard box and a marker-pen for clear signs and I was often on my way within minutes. I felt a positive state of mind contributed to the success of the hike. Sometimes truckers who had carried me miles would flash other truck drivers and quickly get me transferred to another truck at a junction. And it's true, Eddie Stobart drivers do give lifts!
When I bought a car I would pick up hitch-hikers as often as possible - I never had any trouble.
Sign boards are the clue and forgive me for saying so, there's no excuse for being smelly. But I did have to camp in a field near Spaghetti Junction once in 1982. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/travel/your_say/article551075.ece |
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Sunday, 07 June 2009 05:40 |
"Highway Banda! Riding Across Nepal On An Empty Highway"
 Riding solo on Nepal’s arterial east west Mahendra Highway recently, from Kathmandu to Nepal’s western border, revealed a country in desperation.
The highway had been closed for 9 days due to a Banda called by Tharu political activists - protesting a recent inflammatory government statement regarding their ethnic origin.
People I met on my journey told me in varying degrees of the hardships they were suffering.
Food scarcities, one man hadn’t worked for days, little or no petrol at the pumps, violent mobs controllers of the highway, lawlessness was plain to see.
Alone for 750kms, beautiful jungles, crossing huge rivers, pushing the 500 all the way, a hot breeze in my face; twisting Himalayan foothills, ‘straight as a die’ across the Terai and not one beat was missed. |
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Sunday, 05 April 2009 07:49 |
"Two buses overtaking in your direction, no road left..."
 Before we start the ride we do a briefing. The dangers of the highway, amongst other things.
Take corners slowly and close to the road edge or
YOU'LL BE IN DANGER!
What's my Highway Mantra? “There’s a Tata round every corner, roaring towards me...There's a Tata round every corner..."
And in case we forget to say it "Blow Your Horn!" In Asia 'blowing your Horn' says, “I am coming, I am here, be careful, the road is narrow, don't squash me."
We'll remind you on the highway. Don't miss the point when it comes to ‘horn blowing’.
In the words of a the Border Roads Organisation, "Darling I like you but not so fast"
You must always 'Expect the Unexpected'; two buses overtaking in your direction, no road left... is a typical challenge. |
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