Riding to Relax

I started riding on a bicycle in 1977 while I was in the 9th standard. In my college days drove a moped Suvega that was sold from the 1960s to the early 1980s. The word Suvega means moving very fast and rapid. I wonder how fast a moped with less than 50 CC engine can move. As I grew up, Yezdi, Lambretta, Hero Honda etc came as companions for my travel. 

While studying in the Philippines, I owned a Japan Honda for 6 years. One of my memorable trips was a solo ride around Lacuna de Bay (250 Kms) on January 2, 1998. I don't know how many Filipinos even thought about it or did that trip. In 1998, when mobile network was not popular, no GPS handsets, relying solely on the paper maps was a venture I took. But I realized the real riding pleasure in 2012 when I bought a Royal Enfield Classic 350.

I was planning to buy a 100-CC bike for my shopping and other errand works. While surfing the net I saw the classic Royal Enfield and was mesmerized. The classic look of the bike enkindled the passion in me to have a motorcycle for pleasure trips. It is a mere passion that took control over me when I booked the bike. The Royal Enfield Classic 350 gives a vintage look. It produces 19.8 bhp of peak power and a mileage of 38-40 km/l of Petrol. The inauguration of the bike was done on International Mountain Day, 11th December by organizing a Motorcycle Expedition to Western Ghats (150 KMs) for a Nature photo shooting. Travelling in a group of 48 motorcycles was a pleasure which I can remember for many more years. 

Life with Classic 350 was boring at times as I had the custom of driving the car at three-digit speeds. I expected the same speed and thrill in the motorcycle too. Instead, what I got from Classic 350 was vibrations above 80 km speed. I was contemplating getting rid of the Classic 350 and buying a 500-CC motorcycle. With this idea, I booked an Enfield Stealth Black, 500-cc in 2017. The waiting period was 6 months and by the time the vehicle arrived at the showroom, I was in Nagaland. The showroom was not ready to transfer my order to Dimapur. Therefore, I aborted the plan completely. After settling in Dimapur, I heard about a new entry of classic motorcycle from Benelli in the Indian market and I booked an Imperiale 400 from Guwahati in November 2019 and received the delivery in 2020 February. Imperiale 400 was a vehicle far better than the Royal Enfield, both in terms of vibrations and speed. However, the Corona pandemic put a block to all my riding intentions. Once the country recovered from the pandemic, my solo rides became group riding as I find out few motor motorcycle enthusiasts among the faculty and enjoyed five trips in the last six months.   

Diphu:  The trip to Diphu was not planned. It was a leisurely ride of 100 KMs on a fine afternoon in the Karbi Anglong area. The weather was very pleasant and the roads were in excellent condition. Diphu is located in an evaluated place. While looking Northern side of the city from the heights of Diphu one gets a feeling that Makir Hills are blocking the view of the Brahmaputra river. The Botanical garden was a welcome place for our leisurely sit and chat, to chill out our spirits from the seclusion of the pandemic. 

On our way back, the Don Bosco College, Diphu was another place we visited and felt at home. The beautiful garden of the college and the massive building in the backdrop was memorable. Visit to Woilawun Buddhist Monastery on the top of a small hillock near Manja, though not an old monastery, was fascinating. 

Garampani Wildlife Sanctuary:

One of our planned rides was to Garampani Wildlife Sanctuary. It was a 140 KMs trip to a sanctuary that contains a hot water pond surrounded by Nambor Sanctuary. Though leeches prevented us from hiking trails of the sanctuary, we enjoyed walking in the park and the ride. It was a relaxing ride through Dhansiri valley, viewing the Balipathar paddy fields, enjoying the Makir Hills on the Western side and the Naga Hills on the Eastern side. The roads were wonderful to drive as some of the starches were straight less crowded with traffic. 

Doyang Hydro Project Dam: Doyong was 140 KMs away from Dimapur. It was two days trip filled with fun. Staying in a rustic resort, sleeping in a small tent near the dam water, boat ride in the dam, campfire, cooking and dancing were added highlights of the trip. We took the Assam Merapani route and enjoyed the pleasant paved roads. Though Pangti village, the breeding place of Amur falcon (Falco amurensis) is not far away, we had to cancel venturing into visiting the falcons due to poor road conditions. It was a relaxing and rejuvenating trip for us who are tied up most of the time on the college campus.

Jalukie: On our trip to Jalukie town and a remote historical Kuki villages Athibung was a tiring 150 KMs ride. We visited some churches in Jalukie town, St Xavier College and relaxed few hours in the Forest viewpoint. The highlight of the trip was visiting Athibung village and the Kuki memorial park. Riding a motorcycle in the small Naga mountainous roads and seeing the hills and interacting with innocent brave faces of the village people in the remote places was a unique experience. Such experiences broaden the thinking, and for sure, help people come out of self-centred narrow viewing of reality. 

     

Nuone resort was our next trip. It was more of a relaxation spending a few hours in the resort. The drive in the newly constructed four land bypass road from Assam was memorable as it was not open to traffic. On the contrary, it is regrettable that the condition of Nuiland-Dimapur Road that leads to the resort was pathetic. 

Dzuleke and Khonoma: The recent trip our group had in February was a wonderful journey to Dzuleke and Khonoma. This was a 210 Kms ride. Hearing our constant motorcycle trips, one student from the History department also joined our riding company. It was tricky to travel on the motorcycle to such a far village, as the road conditions of Jatsoma to Khonoma was in very poor shape. Dzuleke is a paradise to the eyes and the valley view was amazing. One needs to spend a few days at Dzuleke to embrace fully the serenity of nature in the self and experience being one with nature. It will give a total transformation to the mind and brain. Such is the calm and quietness of the place. This valley has every potential for a tourist hotspot (provided, good roads are paved). Khonoma, an Angami village has its secluded lifestyle and charm. The rice terraces at Khonoma reminded me of Ifugao rice terraces at Banaue, Philippines. Eat a locally prepared lunch in a hamlet, while enjoying the cool breeze and viewing the rice terraces, is a lifetime experience.

Loktak Lake, Manipur was our latest addition during Holi holidays. The Myanmar border was temporarily closed that halted our Moreh trip. Majuli island, Sivasagar Ahom memorials and the Bogibeel Bridge was an alternative, however, Loktak lake came as a rescuer for few of us to take a long trip. The lake is one of the largest lakes in India, known for its floating island-like swamps known locally as Phumdis. Some of the phumdis are natural and some are man-made for fishing and tourism purposes. The chilly evening with beautiful bloody skyline, the cool night of the moon lit sky in the floating home and the magnificent sunrise sipping a cup of tea was a lifetime experience for us. 

Planned Future Trips: 1. Dimapur – Majuli - Bogibeel Bridge - Rang Ghar (550 Kms)

Riding to relax makes you psychologically healthy, mentally sound and physically fit in routine urbanised life. It enriches the spirits with new vigour and gives new vistas. A new perspective of the place and people emerge as you travel to new places and meet new people. Motorcycling, and thus visiting new places and people makes the younger generation occupied and makes them more mature. Otherwise, people tend to run after thespians, politicians and their corrupt ideology and their malicious way of life. Riding to relax is a dynamic hobby everyone needs to develop.