Till I had a first glimpse of the post (Advt.) by our fellow NITRAn Mr Shreedeep about 5/6 months back about the proposed Expedition he planned to Ladakh on Motorcycles, I didn't really know how it worķs, and so didn't have any big plans.
I am doing long distance riding for past few months as a fun, and the interesting ones are, from my house in the outskirts of Coimbatore to Ooty (100Km) and to Kodaikanal (200Km) both with 50% Ghat Roads.
My preparation for Ladakh primarily involved doing research on the Net, YouTube, taking part in the WhatsApp Group created much ahead by Shreedeep, talking to a couple of riders whom I accidentally met and getting to know from the Shop Owners who sell the riding gear.
As it happened, all that I experienced now in Ladakh is too big as compared to what I learnt!
Himalayas are not the Western and Eastern Ghats! They are gigantic, differently structured geologically, and highly unpredictable in behaviour!
Luckily or otherwise, we didn't see them in their real aggressive Avatar.
As I said before, Himalayas are Himalayas. Nothing comes nearby.
Having said so, practicing on Ghat Roads with Steep Curves/Hairpin Bends, Off Roads (no metal road...full of fine sand/metal/boulders/water logged areas etc.) really helps.
Our Organiser, Shreedeep repeatedly told us that High Altitude Sickness will be big issue due to shortage of Oxygen.
He asked
1. To be medically fit by going to Cardiologist, and get fully checked.
2. To do Cardio Exercise rigorously
My daughter who does some little trekking insisted on us for Gym workouts and getting personal trainer. She also asked to have Protein Suppliments & higher intake of water/electrolytes.
We did the same what she wanted, arranged personal trainer 3 months ahead.
The Personal Trainer designed the regime based on the purpose, and altered some contents over a time according to our defficiencies or improvements.
We defined our main Goal as Bike Riding to very high altitudes for 10 days with about 6 to 8 Hrs of riding per day, and added that we will also have some small trekking amounting to 2 to 4 hours for 5 days in those 10 days.
The trainer then initiated training with some steps, and as we started getting used to it, removed some and added others. In the last one month, our workouts reached some amount of consistency.
It is difficult to classify our workouts with exactness, because there are regular warming with a mix, before the scheme of the day started. We had in general,
1. Cardiovascular Exercise (Twice a week)
2. Strength Exercise (Twice a week)
3. Agility Exercise (Twice a week)
Each day with 1Hr to 1Hr 15Mins.
Sunday holiday.
We get up at 4:00AM, go to Gym by 5:00AM (10Km away), do the workouts and come back.
This is buttressed with Yoga, Meditation etc. which we were anyway doing at home.
Food habits controlled under suggestions of the trainer by measurements of our individual Age & Weights, Calories, Protein, Fats and Fiber.
As regards the bike, I am having a Bajaj V15. What we drive at Ladakh will be Enfield Himalayan.
So, I have taken a Enfield Himalayan on rent for 3 days in advance, driven around Manali and upto Atal Tunnel (Rohtang).
It helped me to get used to its operation.
I bought my riding gear basing on suggestions by Shreedeep in the WhatsApp Group and in consultation with the Shop Salesperson.
We carried important medicines prescribed by our Cardiologist, but let me confess that Dymox Tablets given by our team for High Altitude Sickness was much helpful than what was given by our Cardiologist!
Mr.D.Vijaya Bhaskar Rao & Mrs. Jhansi Rani D