Motorcycle Diaries, A doc's adventures

[lovebikes]

Day 8: Last day of the trip.
We woke up early as usual but took our time in loading and breakfast as it was supposed to be a straight forward drive with negotiating the traffic on busy roads as the only worry. It turned out just like that for Tahir but the fate had written another twist for me in the story and I had more adventure in store for me. Remember I told in the beginning that due to shortage of time we ditched the idea of taking Marri, Nathiagali route to Abottabad and took direct route instead. I had decided at that time that I will take this route while returning and did just that. Tahir took the straight route and we separated in Abbotabad. I had not gone too far on Nathiagali-Marri road when the very familiar happened which had been the common theme on this trip. First the sun was covered by clouds very fast and then it started raining, in the beginning it was slow drizzle and I didnt mind it but soon it got heavier and I had to take shelter in a bus stop along with many locals. While waiting for the rain to stop I noticed something was different and rain drops behaved strangely. It suddenly occurred to me that it was snowing.

See what I mean.

[kkkkkk1]

beautiful shots

[VCheng]

This thread reminds me of my trips to the northern areas on my GTO, but I did not have a decent camera back then, specially not a digital one!

[ToofaneBatameezi]

Doc. This is classy stuff. Keep us rocking.

[lovebikes]

As soon as I realized it was snowing, I didnt waste any further time and hit the road to race against weather. It was my first experience of riding in snow and it was really difficult, on few occasions I had close calls. By the time I reached Nathiagali it was snowing heavily and the road was covered with fresh snow. Due to a lost glove I was wearing fabric gloves instead of heavy water proof ones and riding in cold weather with wet gloves was no fun, I had no choice but to stop and warm myself up.

Nathiagali

[arfanmahmood1]

It's my wish to travel whole Pakistan on Bike but don't got company and time. Any tip for solo trips and how you manage your time for work and family.

[lovebikes]

It's my wish to travel whole Pakistan on Bike but don't got company and time. Any tip for solo trips and how you manage your time for work and family.

It all becomes possible when the passion for motorcycle riding and travel combine, as in my case.
As far as tips for solo riding is concerned, my only advice would be to be self sufficient.
As for managing time, for that I took Master's degree course in management. Just kidding. I do as every body else does, plan in advance and try to plan ur trips in holidays.

[arfanmahmood1]

Are you from Karachi? Can you share you FB ID?

[lovebikes]

Are you from Karachi? Can you share you FB ID?

No I am from Lasbela. Sorry about FB ID but you can have my phone number and are welcome to call any time.

[lovebikes]

By the time I left hotel after two cups of tea and drying my gloves a little bit the snow had stopped falling but the road now was fully covered by the fresh snow. It was tricky riding in that white stuff and every few feet I feared of slipping and dropping the bike but I managed quite a distance before I actually did that and I couldnt have chosen a better place. I rounded a corner and instead of deserted road which so far I had been following was full of vehicles and people, I was so surprised that I lost concentration for a moment and down I went right in the middle of the road. Thankfully few youngsters were nearby to pick me and my bike up. The fall called for another tea break and soon after I was again struggling and dragging my bike in the snow.

Watching cars slipping and sliding despite people pushing them, I wondered how am I gonna negotiate this thing on two wheels with out ending up somewhere on the steep slope alongside the road. I even didnt have the option of fastening chains to the tires which locals were offering to the cars drivers.

[hameed777]

It all becomes possible when the passion for motorcycle riding and travel combine, as in my case.
As far as tips for solo riding is concerned, my only advice would be to be self sufficient.
As for managing time, for that I took Master's degree course in management. Just kidding. I do as every body else does, plan in advance and try to plan ur trips in holidays.

A.O.A. AND GOOD DAY, DOCTOR SAHIB

THIS IS MY FIRST POST ON THIS THREAD, BECAUSE I AM NEWLY BORN MEMBER ON PAKWHEEL, ANYWAY JUST SEEN YOUR THREADS SPECIALLY YOUR NARRATIONS IS ABSOLUTELY MARVELOUS ON BOTH THREADS KAR TO NORTHER AREA COVERED MORE-THAN FIVE THOUSANDS KMS AND FOLLOWING THREADS.

THE PURPOSE OF FOLLOWING FEW LINES IS TO APPRECIATE YOUR HARDSHIP, DEDICATION AND BRAVENESS FOR THIS TYPE OF ADVENTURES IS REQUIRED ON MOTOR BIKE TOUR SPECIALLY FOR SOLO RIDE.:o

I AM ALSO LIKE LONG DRIVE AND BIKING, HAD A PREVIOUS LONG DRIVE EXPERIENCE FROM KARACHI TO ISLAMABAD TO KARACHI AND MURREE ETC LONG TIME AGO ON MY SMALL SUZUKI CAR AND AFTER THAT I AM BUSY IN MY MATRIMONIAL LIFE AND OTHER RELATIVE ACTIVITIES SO ON.........

AND NOW WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY OF SOME SPARE TIME IN NEAR FUTURE SO I AM GATHERING INFORMATION/TIPS ABOUT THIS TYPE OF LONG BIKE TRIP FROM KARACHI TO NORTHERN AREA OR KASHMIR ETC A LONG AWAITED DREAM......

A REQUEST WITH YOU BEFORE ENDING OF THIS THREAD PLEASE HAVE A SOME SPARE TIME FOR ME OR LIKE ME OTHERS WHO NOW EAGER TO DO THE SAME LIKE YOU, YOU SHOULD SHARE YOUR DETAILS IN WRITING WHICH WILL ENCLOSE ALL DETAILS FROM PREPARATION TO END SPECIALLY THOSE FACTORS WHERE YOU FACE A HARDSHIP, PROBLEMS AND HAPPENS IN DETAILS AND NECESSARY ITEMS MUST BE CARRY WITH ME/US, (I CAN FIX TIRE AND CAN REPAIR OF A FLAT TYRE OF BIKE ETC just kiding) BECAUSE EVERYBODY IS NOT SOooooooooo SMART & STRONG LIKE YOU:P THANKS

WITH BEST REGARDS
ABDUL HAMEED
abdul-hameed777@hotmail.com

[ALPAYAL]

Simply Awesome, excellent, breathtaking. Words can't explain the feeling after watching this thread, and your courage to take on such trips... you are making lazy people to think about life again.....

[shuja_khattak]

dear DOC.
A.A
mujhey aap ka naaam pata nahin....lekin aap ko buhut muddat sey jaanta hun. aapki 5000 km across pakistan thread main nay kisi bahir ki site pe pardhi thi...aap nay wo kia jo mujh jaisey buhut sey logon ki khwahish hoti hai.....main peshawar se Taluq rakhta hun....2007 key mid tak KHUZDAR mein posted tha....aap kay rout ko mein peshawar aanay kay liye use karta tha...is route ko kai baar dekha...phir meri posting D.I.khan hogayee...aur aap ka safar nama bhi pardh liya....D.I.Khan sey main nay kai chhotey safar kiye lekin northern area na jaa paya....ab khushkismati kahen ya khwahish ki inteha,,,main nay GS 150 bhi kharid li hai aur meri posting bhi SWAT ho gai hai...inshallah is saal SWAT-bisham-giligit-chitral-DIR-swat rout follow karnay ka irada hai...merey liye dua kijye ga...
haan agar aap SWAT aye to zaroor merey mehman banyega....
mujh sey rabitay kay liye shuja_ktk@yahoo.com pe raabita karlijye ga...taaruf mein 5000 km ka reference zaroor dijye ga.

[rulfat]

wow beautiful .