Motorbiking in the Andes
He showed me a bike - a Honda Tornado 250 - which was very nice indeed! It was a mono suspension adventure bike with a high riding position - which meant that it would be very good for dirt roads and bad roads.
I normally ride my Royal Enfield Thunderbird, which is a cruiser bike. But recently I had gone on a riding trip to Arunachal pradesh - a remote state in the extreme east of India - and had hired a Royal Enfield ‘Himalayan’, and that had been very similar to this one - though of course the Himalayan was 411 cc vs this guys 250 cc.
I had loved the experience of riding the Himalayan and was sure that this bike also would be great.
The rental guy however was giving me a most doubtful look. Would this fat grey-haired fellow be able to ride his bike? Should he trust him with this beautiful bike? Would he be even able to get on top of it?
‘Do you have any motorbiking experience?’ he finally asked.
I smiled. ‘Don’t worry about that my dear fellow. You give the bike and I ride it.’ I had motorbiked to all corners of India, and had written 7 books on bike trips. So I was fairly sure that I would survive.
I normally ride my Royal Enfield Thunderbird, which is a cruiser bike. But recently I had gone on a riding trip to Arunachal pradesh - a remote state in the extreme east of India - and had hired a Royal Enfield ‘Himalayan’, and that had been very similar to this one - though of course the Himalayan was 411 cc vs this guys 250 cc.
I had loved the experience of riding the Himalayan and was sure that this bike also would be great.
The rental guy however was giving me a most doubtful look. Would this fat grey-haired fellow be able to ride his bike? Should he trust him with this beautiful bike? Would he be even able to get on top of it?
‘Do you have any motorbiking experience?’ he finally asked.
I smiled. ‘Don’t worry about that my dear fellow. You give the bike and I ride it.’ I had motorbiked to all corners of India, and had written 7 books on bike trips. So I was fairly sure that I would survive.
While I was all set to go riding - I didn’t have any riding gear or motorbike equipment. So I would have to do a lot of ‘jugaad’ - creative solutioneering.
I would keep my big backpack in storage at my hotel, and would carry only a small pack with a few clothes and stuff.
I didn’t have a riding jacket - but I had the parka which I had got on the Antarctica cruise! This would keep me warm, protect me from the wind - and hopefully prevent me from getting all scratched up in case of a fall.
I didn’t have riding gloves - but I had my cold weather gloves, which were waterproof, windproof and heavily padded. These would protect me from the wind and also in case of falls.
I didn’t have riding boots - but my hiking boots would do fine. They had a shell on the front and back and were waterproof as well.
I didn’t have a handlebar mount for my phone - but I had a plastic waterproof case with a lanyard to hang around my neck, which should work in a pinch. It wasn’t even mine! Tushar from the Antarctica cruise had had a spare one and had given it to me to use during the splashy zodiac rides, and had refused to take it back. Little did either of us know that it would come to be so useful!
I didn’t have an international driving license - but that didn’t seem to bother the renter.
And the motorcycle rental guy was lending me a helmet and bungee cords to tie my luggage on to the bike.
What more could I need? I was all set!
The motorcycle guy gave me the paperwork for the beautiful Honda Tornado, and still gave me a most doubtful look as I got on the bike and rode it out!
‘Good thing I got complete comprehensive insurance!’ his look seemed to say, but I just laughed and clapped him on the shoulder.
I would keep my big backpack in storage at my hotel, and would carry only a small pack with a few clothes and stuff.
I didn’t have a riding jacket - but I had the parka which I had got on the Antarctica cruise! This would keep me warm, protect me from the wind - and hopefully prevent me from getting all scratched up in case of a fall.
I didn’t have riding gloves - but I had my cold weather gloves, which were waterproof, windproof and heavily padded. These would protect me from the wind and also in case of falls.
I didn’t have riding boots - but my hiking boots would do fine. They had a shell on the front and back and were waterproof as well.
I didn’t have a handlebar mount for my phone - but I had a plastic waterproof case with a lanyard to hang around my neck, which should work in a pinch. It wasn’t even mine! Tushar from the Antarctica cruise had had a spare one and had given it to me to use during the splashy zodiac rides, and had refused to take it back. Little did either of us know that it would come to be so useful!
I didn’t have an international driving license - but that didn’t seem to bother the renter.
And the motorcycle rental guy was lending me a helmet and bungee cords to tie my luggage on to the bike.
What more could I need? I was all set!
The motorcycle guy gave me the paperwork for the beautiful Honda Tornado, and still gave me a most doubtful look as I got on the bike and rode it out!
‘Good thing I got complete comprehensive insurance!’ his look seemed to say, but I just laughed and clapped him on the shoulder.
And I engaged first gear and rode away.
Ah.
Aaah.
Aaaaaaaah.
I had not realised how much I was missing this.
I WAS BACK ON A BIKE !
WOOHOO!
WOOHOO!
I had forgotten how much fun this was! Especially after spending two days in a bus and being taken around as per someone else’s schedule - it was sheer joy to be able to ride alone and stop wherever I wished, whenever I wanted and stay for as long as I wanted!
Ah.
Aaah.
Aaaaaaaah.
I had not realised how much I was missing this.
I WAS BACK ON A BIKE !
WOOHOO!
WOOHOO!
I had forgotten how much fun this was! Especially after spending two days in a bus and being taken around as per someone else’s schedule - it was sheer joy to be able to ride alone and stop wherever I wished, whenever I wanted and stay for as long as I wanted!
I prefer the smaller roads. They have less traffic and are relaxing to ride on. They are over hills and valleys and thus are twisty and fun to bend and scrape your footpegs if you feel like it. And they are beautiful! Hills and valleys and scenic vistas and farmland … this is what I ride to see. I love the slow riding where you can just putter along, gawking at all the scenery and stop every now and then just to soak in the scenery and listen to the birdsong.
The route 33 turned out to be an AMAZING route!
It first ran through the beautiful Quebrada del Escoipe - the gorge of the river Escoipe - and it was simply amazing. The river runs through an agricultural valley with multicoloured hills, exuberant vegetation and reddish soils.
It first ran through the beautiful Quebrada del Escoipe - the gorge of the river Escoipe - and it was simply amazing. The river runs through an agricultural valley with multicoloured hills, exuberant vegetation and reddish soils.
This path reaches "El Maray", a place located at the foot of the Bishop's slope in the Escoipe ravine. Recent investigations have showed that this path is actually a pre-Hispanic archaeological path, probably made by the Incas! The lovely valley is covered with walnut trees, laurels and other large species, and is full of awesome ancient rock formations.
The scenery was simply incredible, and I was stopping every few minutes to gawk at the sight of the Escoipe river flowing below, or the tall bridges going over it, or the sight of the beautiful and colourful mountains . They were covered in green - but glowed red wherever the green cover wa absent. The striations of the red stone, the black rocks and the green vegetation made it look absolutely magical.
The scenery was simply incredible, and I was stopping every few minutes to gawk at the sight of the Escoipe river flowing below, or the tall bridges going over it, or the sight of the beautiful and colourful mountains . They were covered in green - but glowed red wherever the green cover wa absent. The striations of the red stone, the black rocks and the green vegetation made it look absolutely magical.
I had been riding for some time and it was time for a break - possibly a spot of lunch. I saw a likely looking place and stopped in front of it - and was quite startled when a Llama came out and looked enquiringly at me!
Wow! A Llama! A real Llama!
Wow! A Llama! A real Llama!
All I knew about Llamas is that they spit on people they don’t like.
A llama is a ‘camelid’ - smaller cousins of the camel - and has been domesticated and widely used as a meat and pack animal by Andean cultures since the Pre-Columbian era. Their wool is sometimes used for textiles and clothing. Their meat may also appear on the odd restaurant menu but it’s mostly used for ‘charqui’, the Quechua word that gave rise to the English word ‘jerky’ – dried and salted meat.
The Llama - and its posh cousin, the Alpaca - are domesticated varieties, and there are two wild species - Vicuna and Guanaco. The Guanaco are supposed to be the ancestors of the llama and alpaca. The native people used to much prefer to eat the meat of these things over mutton - sheep were regarded as an unwelcome Spanish introduction! The Vicuna was regarded as holy, though - and the native americans did not kill or eat them.
I always wanted to see one! And now I had! WOOHOO!
The Llama - and its posh cousin, the Alpaca - are domesticated varieties, and there are two wild species - Vicuna and Guanaco. The Guanaco are supposed to be the ancestors of the llama and alpaca. The native people used to much prefer to eat the meat of these things over mutton - sheep were regarded as an unwelcome Spanish introduction! The Vicuna was regarded as holy, though - and the native americans did not kill or eat them.
I always wanted to see one! And now I had! WOOHOO!
The group sitting at a table on the porch smiled to see my excitement. And they were happy to see me too - there is something about a solo biker which spikes everybody’s interest. He is seen as the epitome of freedom and adventure, and people really respond to that. Perfect strangers will smile and greet you and ask you where you are from and where you are going, and will want to talk a bit and share stories.
These guys were a European group - one French guy and a Dutch couple travelling across Argentina in a car. We sat around eating empanadas (the best that I had ever had) and the French guy surprised me by being an enthusiast about Indian food! His eyes lit up when he heard that I was from India
‘Wow!’ he said ‘I love Indian food and have always wanted to meet people from India - but I never thought that I will meet one in Argentina!’
The guy was so into Indian food that he had learnt to cook it himself! He impressed me by talking about Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) and garam masala and saag - various edible greens used in Indian food.
‘Argentinians use ‘kasuri methi’- dried fenugreek - a lot in their food’ he told me ‘but they dont know that it is actually an indian ingredient. They use it as a tastemaker in many traditional argentinian dishes.’
I was most happy. Just yesterday Jamie had impressed me by telling me about her skill in making Indian dishes like medu wada and chapatis, and now this french dude was impressing me by describing the many many Indian dishes that he had cooked! I loved it! It’s like meeting family unexpectedly!
These guys were a European group - one French guy and a Dutch couple travelling across Argentina in a car. We sat around eating empanadas (the best that I had ever had) and the French guy surprised me by being an enthusiast about Indian food! His eyes lit up when he heard that I was from India
‘Wow!’ he said ‘I love Indian food and have always wanted to meet people from India - but I never thought that I will meet one in Argentina!’
The guy was so into Indian food that he had learnt to cook it himself! He impressed me by talking about Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) and garam masala and saag - various edible greens used in Indian food.
‘Argentinians use ‘kasuri methi’- dried fenugreek - a lot in their food’ he told me ‘but they dont know that it is actually an indian ingredient. They use it as a tastemaker in many traditional argentinian dishes.’
I was most happy. Just yesterday Jamie had impressed me by telling me about her skill in making Indian dishes like medu wada and chapatis, and now this french dude was impressing me by describing the many many Indian dishes that he had cooked! I loved it! It’s like meeting family unexpectedly!
I had admired the quality of the road till now - but, it suddenly disappeared! The tarmac ended at the hotel where I had stopped, and it was a gravel road after that - and it started climbing even more steeply!
I was overjoyed! What can be better than being on an adventure bike and riding on twisty and gravelly mountain roads! WOOHOO!
I was overjoyed! What can be better than being on an adventure bike and riding on twisty and gravelly mountain roads! WOOHOO!
The road wound higher and higher and the scenery became better and better, and I was getting happier and happier! What a ride! What a view! What an experience! What a feeling!
There is a joy in motorbike riding that can never be found in a car - and definitely not in a bus tour. You are not in a metal box with the windows up, you are right in the open with the wind in your face. You can feel the sun all over. You can smell the grass and the dust. You can hear the sounds of the mountain. You can stop and admire the vistas.
There is a joy in motorbike riding that can never be found in a car - and definitely not in a bus tour. You are not in a metal box with the windows up, you are right in the open with the wind in your face. You can feel the sun all over. You can smell the grass and the dust. You can hear the sounds of the mountain. You can stop and admire the vistas.
I never ride fast - I meander around slowly and stop often. Every now and then, I would stop and dismount, remove helmet and gloves and just watch the mountains and valleys below me.
And suddenly - I saw a hummingbird!
A HUMMINGBIRD!
WOOHOO!
I had always wanted to see one in the wild - and this guy appeared out of nowhere! A magical flash of brilliant iridescent green - a minute hummingbird hovering over an open flower, sipping its honey and taking no notice of me whatsoever.
And then it vanished!
Hummingbirds are a magical element of the Americas! It just sounds magical to me that a bird should evolve to eat nothing but the nectar of flowers! They are known as ‘hummingbirds’ because of the humming sound created by their beating wings, which flap at high frequencies audible to humans. But I always thought that this name is most unromantic and transactional! I much prefer the Brazilian Portuguese name - ‘Beija-flor’ - “flower kisser”!
Now that’s a name. Flower kisser!
Legends say that hummingbirds float free of time, carrying our hopes for love, joy and celebration. The hummingbird's delicate grace reminds us that life is rich, beauty is everywhere, every personal connection has meaning and that laughter is life's sweetest creation.
I wanted to shout and dance with joy! If I had a companion, I would have pointed it out to him and thumped him on the back and shaken hands heartily and hugged him. But I was alone, and so I kept all that joy to myself, and hugged myself!
Just then a car came and stopped there - and a very happy and excited Argentinian lady squealed in delight at the view and spoke enthusiastically to me in Spanish!
I smiled and nodded - Yes, Yes!
There was no need of language to understand what she was saying.
A HUMMINGBIRD!
WOOHOO!
I had always wanted to see one in the wild - and this guy appeared out of nowhere! A magical flash of brilliant iridescent green - a minute hummingbird hovering over an open flower, sipping its honey and taking no notice of me whatsoever.
And then it vanished!
Hummingbirds are a magical element of the Americas! It just sounds magical to me that a bird should evolve to eat nothing but the nectar of flowers! They are known as ‘hummingbirds’ because of the humming sound created by their beating wings, which flap at high frequencies audible to humans. But I always thought that this name is most unromantic and transactional! I much prefer the Brazilian Portuguese name - ‘Beija-flor’ - “flower kisser”!
Now that’s a name. Flower kisser!
Legends say that hummingbirds float free of time, carrying our hopes for love, joy and celebration. The hummingbird's delicate grace reminds us that life is rich, beauty is everywhere, every personal connection has meaning and that laughter is life's sweetest creation.
I wanted to shout and dance with joy! If I had a companion, I would have pointed it out to him and thumped him on the back and shaken hands heartily and hugged him. But I was alone, and so I kept all that joy to myself, and hugged myself!
Just then a car came and stopped there - and a very happy and excited Argentinian lady squealed in delight at the view and spoke enthusiastically to me in Spanish!
I smiled and nodded - Yes, Yes!
There was no need of language to understand what she was saying.
