Jack Powis

 

By Devjeet Saha

 

We, human beings curiously risk in pushing the limit of machines and ourselves, most of the time it pays off.

Everyone prefers motorbike of 200 cc or more for 1610 km in 24 hours. I wanted to push the limit of myself. I chose Hero Splendor Pro, 97.2 cc bike for 1000 miles in 24 hours. This is a popular motorbike in India, used for daily commute. Friends and bikers questioned me – will the bike sustain the stress. I surprised everyone, including myself by completing 1618 km in 24 hours on my 97.2 cc motorcycle!

This ride raised my confidence on my motorbike and me. I wanted to do more feats on the same machine. I was longing for a 2415 km in 36 hours ride. I decided to ride the same motorbike. Once again, I faced the question – will the motorbike sustain the stress?

I am always ready for motorbike rides. However, this ride was something out of the way because of the motorbike I have chosen. I needed to prepare better.

In 2009, I rode Hero Karizma, 223 cc motorbike for 36 hours, completing 2614 km. This time it is a 97.2 cc motorbike to do a similar feat. This thought lingered in my mind all the time. I was more concerned about my average speed I need to maintain. Hero Splendor Pro is a small motorbike and has a top speed of 110 km/h at completely open throttle on flat road. Reducing the payload was the only way to raise the average speed.

I am healthy and fit person, clean from alcohol, smokes, drugs etc. I started workouts to reduce my weight, as I am the biggest payload. Suppers consisted of fair amount of oatmeal and milk. I also stopped drinking tea and coffee so that when I take them after a long time the effect of caffeine will be stronger. During the night rides, these drinks help me stay awake and alert. In addition to this, I started practising to stay awake for longer duration at a time, but while riding it is a different matter altogether. Power naps of 10-15 minutes are very helpful to keep one stay alert for long.

Internet was a big help for route planning. I am very familiar with the 805 km distance from my 1610 km rides. This time it is beyond that ‘805 km’ I need to ride. First, I needed to locate on route fuel stations for fuelling and documentary proof of the ride. Some Facebook friends who resided along the planned route helped me locate a few fuel stations and roadside eateries (we call them ‘Dhaabaa’).

Only 36 hours in hand and a motorbike with low average speed, every second counts. I strictly restricted time I spend for fuel, documentation, food and restroom. I carried a stopwatch with timer to help me take power naps if needed.

It took almost a year to prepare myself for this 2415 km ride. Meanwhile I completed few more 1610 km in 24 hours ride on motorbikes ranging up to 225cc. Every ride was an experiment, a training exercise for the 2415 km ride.

Hero Splendor Pro motorbike is very small. As I mentioned earlier, we use this motorbike for daily commutes. At most, people will wear a helmet as a safety gear. Hardly anyone takes this motorbike above 50 km/h. No one dares to take this for a long distance commuting. During my speed rides, I put on all my safety gear – helmet, jacket, lower, boots and gloves. Wearing all these and sitting on this motorbike makes me look like the Hulk! People here are not used to it, so they stare at me, as if I am an alien. Most attention I attract is at the roadside eateries and tollgates. Sometimes, the highway police stop me to interrogate. I keep all my papers clear, so no issues, only loss of time. Most people think I am stupid, riding such a small motorbike wearing all these gears. However, riding without safety gear is a big ‘no-no’ for me. Even my parents will not allow me.

I want to catch a good sleep before I commenced my journey of 2415 km in 36 hours. On the day of the journey April 5, 2015, I was little tense throughout the day. My residence is right next to fuel station on the National Highway connecting Mumbai and Bengaluru. I reached the fuel station 15 minutes early. Family and friends flagged me off at 09:59 hrs.

The journey was very difficult. I dodged the morning traffic to beat the time. Not a single second can be lost. Traffic thinned out as I rode towards my first stop – Kolhapur at 234 km.

Tarmac road to Kolhapur is just good apart from a few 100-meter patches of bad road due to ongoing construction. Even though in tension, I was enjoying the ride. As day rolled I started feeling the summer heat. I reached the first fuel station at 13:23 hrs. After fuelling, without wasting time I rode off towards my next stop – 480 km to Kallukat village in the state of Karnatak.

Afternoon sun was making the journey very uncomfortable. Drinking water was not a problem. I had my water bottle in my backpack with an extended sipper. I was careful not to dehydrate myself. Things were going well as per my expectation.

As we, all know Murphy’s Law can strike any time and it did. I reached my third stop at 01:58 hrs. The fuel station was close with few lights on. I honked to wake up if anyone was present. To my relief, a man walked out of the office room with sleepy eyes. While fuelling I took out my cash-card for payment, the man shook his head. They do not have the card swap machine or provision to give any proper receipt at that hour of the night. That means I do not get any kind of proof for that stop as required by the certification body. I took some pictures of the motorbike at the fuel station with my cell phone.

This is a tedious journey as I am not able to thrust up beyond 80-90 km/h. particularly, in the night the rides are boring as the ambience is only the lit tarmac ahead. This hypnotic effect made my eyes heavy and forced me to take brief stops for tea. Sometimes pouring cold water was enough to drive away sleep. Whatever, I only need to complete this ride in less than 36 hours.

I reached the fourth stop at eight in the morning and found they too do not have the cash-card swap machine or the rubber stamp for receipt. I took the plain receipt and rode my way. On the way, I came across other fuel stations who could not give me an electronic receipt or proper cash receipts. Well, I had no choice other than to accept what was in the offer.

I am riding for the last 22 hours or so. Gradually my fatigue is increasing. I would stop by for a minute or so to cope with my drowsiness. I would park my motorbike on roadside and lie down beside for a power nap strictly for 5-10 minutes monitored with the timer. Food was out of question, as it makes me drowsy. However, I was having some energy bars and energy drinks to keep me going.

During the journey, I was thinking only about how to complete this ride successfully. Hero Splendor motorbike was performing well as per its capacity. I was confident about the bike and about me too. This confidence was motivating me to ride on.

I had started my ride on April 5, 2015 at 9:59 am from Shell Petrol Pump. Riding for more than 34 hours now, the road seems to be endless. Final destination was closing in. I am just 22 km from the final destination. I was afraid of the city traffic at this hour, though my starting point was by the highway. My mind was blank. I was cutting through the moderate traffic.

Finally, on April 6, 2015 at 9:13 pm I rode to halt at the point I started from – Shell Petrol Pump. I was still on my bike, with head hung and murmuring – “I did it! I did it! I did it!”

I heard some voices congratulating me. Raising my head, I saw all my family and friends were there to cheer me. Bike guru – Mr. Dilip Bam, Mr. Fanindra Khanapurkar (Head – Hero Training Centre, Pune), my parents and close friends were there to welcome me. My joy knew no bound. I swapped my cash-card for the last log. This marked the end of a successful mission.

I travelled a total of 2421 km in 35 hours and 12 minutes on a 97.2 cc Hero Splendor motorcycle. I am the first (in India) to do this successfully on less than 100 cc motorcycle. Thinking of the event I realised, the mental strength pumps up the self-confidence and up thrusts possibilities of success. While riding, I felt that both motorbike and the rider have to be equally competent. We should not underestimate any man or machine without verification. We need to dare ourselves, for success to follow.

 

My social media:

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/sahadevjeet

Twitter Page: https://twitter.com/devjeetsaha

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/devjeetsaha

Karthik is from South India and an avid biker.  Ever since hearing about Long Distance Riders, he decided to attempt the Full Throttle.  After a year and a half preparation and one futile attempt, he managed to complete the challenge.  Below is Karthik and a couple of photos from his journey.

 

 Enroute from Kittur to Dharwad

 Rani Chenamma Statue

A group of four Dubai bikers (Vivek Mehta, Antongiulio Goracci, Raed Mikail, and Monir Abdalla) completed the ‘Kings of the Road’ challenge last weekend by riding 2,564km around the UAE in 34 hours 50 minutes and 10 seconds, it was announced on Sunday.  The challenge, which has only been completed by 61 people worldwide, involved riders to travel 2,500km on their motorbikes in 36 hours.  The team, which included Dubai residents from India, Palestine, Jordan, and Italy, set off on December 11 at 5am from a petrol station on Al Khail Road, riding 1768km on day one.  After a three hour rest, the team was on the road once again with the finish line in goal.

Team leader Vicky Mehta said while the challenge was harder than he anticipated, determination kept him going.  “The biggest challenge is mind control. I realised during the ride that physical fitness and practice are important, but not as much as mental control and pushing your limit,” said Vicky.  The 53 year-old Dubai resident of 28 years-old, said he has been preparing for the ride for years and is happy to be among the first to achieve the challenge in the UAE.

Fellow Italian rider, airline pilot Antongiulio Goracci, 48 said he found that good planning is fundamental for a safe and positive outcome. The team’s route planner said the memorable experience was more challenging than he anticipated, but it is a ride he is planning to do again. “The ride was harder than I thought simply because of unexpected issues, like the intense cold at night. But the main thing I learned is that big projects only succeed due to teamwork,” said Goracci.

The team made 15 stops along the way and completed their riding goals by touching the border of each emirate, before returning to their starting point to end the ride on Saturday.  They also collected petrol pump receipts and marked their progress at each stop. The receipts will be submitted to the Long Distance Riders Association, and the Iron Butt Association for certification.  Each member of the team will receive a certificate along with a badge to pin onto their leather jacket.

With congratulations and wishes pouring in on social media, Vicky along with other riders are planning their next challenge- the Coast to Coast challenge in the US, where they will attempt to ride 3,500km in 48 hours.

Jumana Khamis, Staff Reporter
December 13, 2015 – Image Credit: Arshad Ali/Gulf News

On October 17 & 18, 2015, Nicole Snick achieved her largest milestone and that was the Long Distance Rider’s Born To Be Wild Coast to Coast challenge. She also achieved her place as the first female to do so within the LDR organization.  She rode solo, Jacksonville FL to San Diego CA in 41 hours and 40 min. This epic journey turned into a trip of a lifetime.  Her trip lasted 13 days and she added 6810 miles to her odometer.  Read more about her and her coast to coast trip on the LDR Member Spotlight page where she is highlighted.

In early October 2014, almost exactly one year ago, brother Wissam R Zebian invited me to be part of a long distance ride attempt. The challenge was to ride a motorbike 1610 km within 24 hours.

I was so honoured to be chosen to be part of the team making the attempt. I had been riding with the HOGS for only 8 months, my new bike was only about a month old and I was the only non-road crew selected to be part of the challenge.  I learned an important life lesson that day when I saw Wissam personally plan and lead the attempt.

Now Wissam has already achieved the much higher level of KING OF THE ROAD (1500 miles in 36 hours) many years ago. So I started asking myself why would someone who is a KING OF THE ROAD be there for an Easy Rider attempt?  It’s time consuming and tiring.  The answer that made the most sense to me was because he was mentoring us. He wanted to make sure his team succeeded. He would get nothing in return in terms of further patches and certificates but only the gratitude and blessings of his team.  That and the feeling that his knowledge and experience was of help to another being.  As the Dalai Lama said, The prime purpose in life is to help others.

The only way to repay such kindness is to learn by the example and pay it forward.  I was therefore very happy that I could assist a team of three brothers, Antonluca Boracci, Wael Jandali and Monir Abdalla, to attain the certification of Easy Rider (805 km in 12 hours) yesterday.

This was a preparatory scouting ride as part of a KING OF THE ROAD attempt pencilled in for mid November 2015. The main goal was to scout some roads to check suitability for the forthcoming KING OF THE ROAD attempt and for some brothers, to check how the bike and body reacted to an endurance ride. We left at 6 in the morning from Hessa pump. Just to dry run things, the team filled in start forms and started collecting petrol bills with bike number and odometer readings, exactly following the procedure for the KING OF THE ROAD challenge.  I decided we would go to the Liwa region.

At one point, we were rather saddened that what was clearly shown as a good road on Google Maps turned out to be a rough sandy path going steeply up a huge dune. Even 4WD were struggling to go up. Now we would have to go back about 40 km since there was no way the bikes could move forward. The whole route would need to be altered.

Exactly at the moment of great disappointment came great happiness as suddenly about 20 gazelle decided to cross the sand dunes just about 50 metres from us. What a beautiful and rare sight!  Reminded me never to feel sad as you never know what is just around the corner.

At another point, we were approaching a Gas plant in Liwa and there was a security vehicle close to a road block. As we approached them, suddenly 3 mean looking guys jumped out and pointed rifles at us. My blue jeans changed color to brown. I desperately signalled that I would do a U turn and was relieved when one of them opened up a path that allowed us to turn around and disappear as fast as we could. I was so scared, I didn’t realise that it was the first time in my life I did a U Turn within18 feet!

At that point, it appeared that there was still a chance to achieve the TIN BUTT (Easy Rider) certificate if we gave up further scouting  and made a dash for Hessa Pump. I forced the speed up to about 140kph along E11. We made it back to Hessa Pump having done 815 km within 11 hours and 17 minutes ie successfully having completed the TIN BUTT (Easy Rider) challenge.

I remember the feelings in my heart when I had respectful approached brother Wissam and requested him to sign my form as witness for my challenge. Yesterday I could understand the feelings in his heart when my team asked me to sign their forms as their witness for the TIN BUTT (Easy Rider) challenge.  Thank you everybody, not only for helping me become a better biker, but for helping me in life’s journey with your beautiful thoughts, deeds and examples.

                                       Map said this was a perfect road!

Aleksey Popov sends us some photos of his “Full Throttle” designation ride that he completed this year.  The photos were taken in the mountains of the Northern Caucasus (Russia).

               

               

 

 

Name: Clarence Thornton
Road Name: “Heavy”
Iron Horse: 2014 HD Tri Glide

Hello my name is Clarence W. “Heavy” Thornton Jr. I’m retired from the Department of Veteran’s Affairs. I am presently the Chaplain of the LRBSTMC, and my horse is a 2011 Harley Davidson Tri Glide. I started my journey in the U.S. Army as a 19D Cavalry Scout in the Cavalry where I served in numerous units (1/9 Cav.-3/5Cav.-9th CBAA -11th ACR-3rd AD- 4/23 Inf.) across the US and oversees. But most prestigious having actively served as a Buffalo Soldier in the 9th Cavalry; in which I was awarded numerous awards along with The Order of the Spur from my peers in the Cavalry.

I wanted to share my most recent trip where I had a great 3982 mile adventure!  I departed my residence on 13 July 2015 to surprise my “Lady” who was vacationing in Los Angeles, CA.   I picked her up on my Harley Davidson for a romantic getaway in Las Vegas. Then I flew her back to California so I could ride on to Albuquerque, New Mexico for our National convention.  I returned home to Arkansas on 26 July 2015. As we say, It’s All Good!