Lahore to Khunjrab Bike Ride, 2019

Tour highlights in three parts:

The Magic Window

If only every window could give such a view! A look from these magic windows make you forget the worldly worries for a moment, a deep breath, a look through the view window and a little press on the shutter button and you capture the moment forever..

Tour de Rohtas, a Bike Ride

JUST as riding is my passion I love visiting historic places and what could be more exciting than a bike ride to a historic place? Initially when a friend contacted me me and invited to join the gang for the ride I refused as I had to be busy on weekend, but at the eleventh hour I got the opportunity to join them. I was told that we were to visit Rohtas Fort near Jehlum and that it would be roughly a 200km one way trip. It didn't take much to get ready for the ride, the night before I got the tank filled; tyres Check, all lights in working condition Check, licence Check, bike's registration Check, necessary tools Check_ I am ready to ride.

Rohtas fort, located near Jehlum, is a garrison fort built under the orders of Afghan king Sher Shar Suri where work as started in the year 1541. I didn't know much about the history of Rohtas fort before the tour so I googled for some history and got really interesting information. It says that in 1541 when Todar Mal Khatri, the revenue minister in charge of the project started construction he informed Sher Shah that the area belonged to Gakkhars who had refused to provide labour for the construction who wrote in reply, "I know you for a man of business, understanding and intelligence. I see no work can be expected from you, because you consider money as your friend. When I have commanded you to do a thing you ought not to have cared for money in fixing the rate. Whatever be the expenses, shall be borne by my government.” After receiving this reply, he fixed one red ashrafi (gold coin) for each slab on the first day. The rate gradually decreased to one paoli (silver coin) and then to one bahluli (copper coin).Because of the boycott the cost of construction was huge. It would have been much lower had it not been for the Ghakkars. The sources give slightly different estimates of the cost, however, "Waqiat-i-Jahangiri" says the cost was Rs. 34,25,000 Indian rupees. There was a sikh shrine outside the fort, Choa Sahib. The choa (the fountain discovered by Guru Nanak) lies outside the fort. Shershah Suri tried to cover it for the use of water by his military. He built the wall around it to take it inside but every time he tried to cover, the choa miraculously went outside the wall of the fort. He tried seven times and finally gave up.

We were nine riders, all clad in their riding apparel from head to toe. It gets extremely cold in December and January at Lahore and 13th of December, 2014 was not an exceptional day. Our meet point was a gas station at Shahdra. At 6:00am, when it was still pretty dark, I left home for Shahdra and was the fifth one to reach there. We set forth on our journey at 7:00am, it was my second ride in  extremely cold weather and the thought of covering some 200km journey made me shiver a bit. Our route was via Shahdra, Gujranwala, Wazirabad, Gujart, through Jehlum to reach Rohtas fort from the G.T. road. We were able to ride smoothly, maintaining an average speed of 90km/h through major cities as the traffic was light for major part of the journey. We stopped thrice, for breakfast, then for some photosgraphs at Tulip and then for a cup of tea at Dina. Our original plan was to go as far as Tilla Jogian till a local guy advised us not to take that track as our bikes were not suitable for the off-road ride.
Khuram and I were the leading riders till about 10:00am when we reached Wazirabad and learnt that others were some 25km behind. We stopped here for tea, our shivering hands made it difficult to grip the cup. Here I took some snaps:

Our next stop was at Tulip restaurant near Jehlum. Took some lovely pics at the parking:

A group photo of all the riders:

At about 12:30am we reached Rohtas fort. Although our original plan was to go as far as Tilla Jogian but a local advised us against it as our bikes were not suitable for the off-road track so we settled for Rohtas fort only, parked our bikes in the parking and hired a guide who showed us around the fort. Just as you enter the main gate you get this breath taking view: 

 Maan Singh havely:

 This is the archer's post during the times of siege:

I reckon this my best shot from the tour:

 Fort's main well that provided water for soldiers and their horses alike:

A view from the bottom of fort's main well:

It was a great trip despite a severely cold weather we enjoyed a lot. I reached home at 10:30 p.m. with an exhausted body and a refreshed soul, ready to ride again when I can.

Tombs of Amb Sharif

Visited the area a few years ago, it was an awesome bike ride to the neglected relics. I plan to ride there again next year I.A. along with some friends. Some cool shots from the past.

Sit Ins..

WHILE I expected it to be so much full of fun, August has been full of despair primarily because I had to call off my first long bike ride (Lahore to Kashmir) thanks to the prolonged sit in by Imran and Qadri that still continues even after a lapse of more than a month now. I had been planning for this tour for almost a whole year, duh!

So it's a whole long year that I'll have to wait before I can plan my first long ride on my bike. Tough call, waiting..

Tour de Kashmir, Bike Ride

Coming soon, in August Insha Allah. Pretty excited about the upcoming tour, hoping that the weather is not rainy to hamper movement since it's going to be a bike ride.

Flight of the Desert Hawk

Finding some free time and fuel in the bike's tank has its consequences, i.e. RIDING and so it happened today. I had been planning for this trip for quite some time now but time itself was the problem but I got the opportunity today.

The destination was no specific, I only wanted to be in the middle of the desert which is toward South of my city.

I shall post some pics with commentary..This time pics were taken from the digital camera a gift from my uncle. Images have been resized for quick loading.

As the ride began, two things bothered me quite much.
1. I was hearing some cracking kind of sound that really freaked me.
2. Every biker coming from front had his face fully covered (because mostly we don't use helmets) but I was wearing my helmet.

I did some more distance and finally found out that the cracking sound was in fact bugs hitting the helmet and for the same reason other bikers had their faces covered

Time is ripe for the harvesting of gram crop so the desert is covered with a green blanket in this season.

I did a total of 82km on this ride, both ways. This is the second longest ride for me on this bike.
Some pics..

Found a diverging road and stopped for a pic there, it was just me myself and I on this road...Complete wilderness..

The whole place gives an entirely different look in the summer season, but wow here..


Love this shot..


A pic of the Thal Motorway, very nice for speed riding. Needless to say I didn't go fast :-)


It was beginning to get dark as I started on my way back, however I stopped for a few pics..

As it got darker there were more bugs hitting the helmet. On my way up I had spotted this area near the main road, I wanted to be back here while there was still daylight so I could take some good pics but unfortunately I got a bit late. Nevertheless, I took some pics...

Next up it got even darker and my helmet's visor had got little bugs all over it so that made the visibility even poorer. When I got back home I came to know that the bugs were actually mosquitoes, I had killed several today.


A look of the helmet after the ride..


The ride done, the bike now needs a good cleaning... :-)