I set out on the highway in search of my mechanic - and was stunned when I couldn’t find one anywhere!
Finally found one - but the guy was enthusiastic but incompetent, and after seeing him fiddle about futilely for an hour, I gave up hope.
Finally found one - but the guy was enthusiastic but incompetent, and after seeing him fiddle about futilely for an hour, I gave up hope.
Finally I called a guy I knew in Royal Enfield, who put me in touch with the local area manager - who finally told me that the only option was to bring the bike to the authorised service centre at Anantnag.
Which is what I should have done in the first place, I suppose - rather than all this flapping around looking for local mechanics.
Anyway - all’s well that ends well. I had reached the service centre safely, the bike was in qualified hands rather than with a random roadside tinkerer, and I was relaxing in an air-conditioned customer lounge instead of sweating by the dusty roadside.
Which is what I should have done in the first place, I suppose - rather than all this flapping around looking for local mechanics.
Anyway - all’s well that ends well. I had reached the service centre safely, the bike was in qualified hands rather than with a random roadside tinkerer, and I was relaxing in an air-conditioned customer lounge instead of sweating by the dusty roadside.
Anantnag - as I mentioned earlier - is the gateway to the beautiful Pahalgam valley of the Lidder river, and then the route splits. One goes to Chandanwadi which is the starting point of the Amaranath yatra, where the faithful make a pilgrimage to see a cave with a giant ice stalagmite structure, which is said to be a naturally occurring ‘Lingam’ or symbol of Lord Shiva. The other route goes to a village called Aru, which is the starting point of a delightful trek to the Tarsar and Marsar alpine lakes.
The Amarnath pilgrimage season was over - But the roads remained! The authorities had created a beautiful smooth highway up the mountains to cater for the heavy pilgrim and tourist footfall - and right now I was the only person enjoying that lovely route! WOOHOO! I bent my bike happily on the steep and winding roads and enjoyed the perfect Himalayan views.
What a wonderful sight!
The Amarnath pilgrimage season was over - But the roads remained! The authorities had created a beautiful smooth highway up the mountains to cater for the heavy pilgrim and tourist footfall - and right now I was the only person enjoying that lovely route! WOOHOO! I bent my bike happily on the steep and winding roads and enjoyed the perfect Himalayan views.
What a wonderful sight!
Giant green mountains capped with snow, beautiful Himalayan rivers gurgling and foaming in the valleys below, the road stretching like a shining black snake in front of me, the cool breeze rushing past me and roaring in my ears, the warm sun on my back… riding doesn’t come better than this!
I carried on right through Pahalgam, ignoring the blandishments of all the hotel touts - and continued riding to Aru village, the end of the road!
I had suspected that tourist footfall would be heavy now that I was entering the tourist heartland, and that is why I had - unusually for me - booked accommodation online. I had booked rooms in a well reviewed place - the Rohella guest house.
I had suspected that tourist footfall would be heavy now that I was entering the tourist heartland, and that is why I had - unusually for me - booked accommodation online. I had booked rooms in a well reviewed place - the Rohella guest house.
Aah! I took off my riding gear and relaxed!
What a long day. It was good to be worry-free and relaxed.
What a long day. It was good to be worry-free and relaxed.