BINIL VARGHESE

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https://leavetheroad.in/

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a man stuck between life and motorcycles

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What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness.
#flashbackfriday I think my love for trails started in Dalma, during my school days, the 7th standard to be precise. Me, with a couple of friends went cycling on our Hero Ranger cycles from Jamshedpur to Dalma top. The sections I enjoyed the most were inside the jungle. Years later, I went there for the first time on my TVS Apache, during the rainy monsoons. I still remember my shoulders hurting for almost a week, tackling the wet slushy climbs of Dalma. Here is a picture from 10 years ago, on my trusty Yamaha R15. Yes, I even took that off road. I was hooked. Never left an opportunity to go off the road, or #LeaveTheRoad as I would say it.
I hope you haven't just scrolled through and took time to read this caption. Thank you for stopping by. I know, most of my followers do. Off late, I have been getting a lot of input from my friends that my posts don't show up on their feed. They realise that I have new posts, only if they go to my profile. @instagram has messed up algorithms which only showcase sheep mentality of using trending songs on reels. While the platform is nice they don't seem to realise that there is so much amazing content in stand alone photography posts as well. That is what got us to Instagram in the first place. Isn't it?
Zanskar route couldn't have ended at a better location
Spiti x VanGogh | Starry Starry Night? Definitely, Maybe!!!
This one is dedicated to the BRO folks, who are mostly the only folks we come across on the most remote roads in the Himalayas. They keep waving us on and cheer when we go through difficult patches. And, in case we fall, always ready to jump in to help pick us or our motorcycles up. These folks are reason enough for us crazy folks to be riding through here.
The Zanskar Valley route, the one not on the map, ends at Wanla. From here you have roads connecting a little after Lamayuru, on the Kargil Leh highway. This river, I couldn't find the name on the map, is a sight to sore eyes, that has mostly seen barren landscapes over the last few days.
This is the last climb before you reach Hanuma La. The last three hours was just fesh fesh, the soft sand. Momentum was the key. We even saw a Mahindra 4x4 Imperio getting stranded here. I had an amazing time coming up this stretch between Pishu and Lingshed. Having been riding on gravel and rocks the previous days before Padum, gave me a lot more confidence to handle this terrain.
I have immense respect for cyclists who i have come across my ride through Zanskar and Spiti. Even on the best and most powerful of motorcycles, these terrains are not easy to traverse. And these folks do it using their 1HP (human power) machines.
Back again with my favorite mountain, Gumbok Rangan.
I still remember the first time I met @sarath_shenoy, sometime in 2014. He was the photographer for an Orange Day riding event. I was a marshal for the same. From then till now, motorcycles have kept us connected. We probably have no idea when our acquaintance became friendship. Or from when an occasional hi-hello, we ended up raiding each other's fridge at our homes. What I know is that this chap and 'some' of his choices in life, keeps me motivated 😋. It's a pleasure riding along with him. I'm glad we met.
The confluence of Kurgiak (grey) & Tsarap (blue) rivers. The Tsarap goes onto become the Zanskar river further on. This is a quaint little village in the middle of nowhere, with hardly five houses. I'm definitely returning here and probably will try and stay here for the night.
Some spine tingling slushy ride got us here.
ShinkuLa was snowed out, the previous night and there was fresh snow all over the area.
There is a reason I didn't open my helmet or my gloves for this shot. I remember reaching the spot and calling out to @sarath_shenoy, 'jaldi se ek Pic le, I can't stay for long'
That's @akash.hebbar flying past @sarath_shenoy and me once we hit More Plains. This section was a shock for me as the last time I was here, back in 2011 and earlier, this was just plains, no road. You do need to look out for sudden dips in this smooth tarmac.
2019, the last time we all met at the @royalenfield Rider Mania 2019
If serenity was a place, this is it!!!
This place, I'll definitely visit again and probably stay here for the night... If serenity was a place, this is it!!!
Shadow play through the lanes of Kaza

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