How a Ride Expeditions Competition Changed Everything
I have never been one of those people who win competitions. When I entered the Ride Expeditions draw at the motorcycle show in Birmingham, it was more of a ‘why not?’ moment than anything serious. My partner, Renata, and I were wandering the halls with our five-year-old son, who was climbing onto every bike, quad and anything else with wheels. We stopped by the Ride Expeditions stand, had a great chat, and I typed in my email without thinking twice.
Months later, in February, my phone rang.
“Hi John, this is Ride Expeditions. You have won the Himalayan tour.”
It took a few moments for the shock to settle in. Then it hit me. We are going to India. We are riding the Himalayas. This is really happening.
The Himalayas had been on my bucket list for as long as I can remember. Renata had always wanted to visit India, and she told me the moment she heard the word Ladakh she felt something spark. Winning the tour felt as though the universe had lined everything up in a way we never could have planned.
The Start of Something Big
From the moment we touched down in Leh, it felt as though we had stepped into another world. The mountains did not just tower. They swallowed the sky. I had read about the altitude, but nothing prepares you for climbing a single flight of stairs and feeling your lungs protest.
Arriving a day and a half early helped. We had time to acclimatise, wander slowly, and ease into the rhythm of the place.
What surprised me most was how organised everything was. Every morning started with a clear briefing. Where we were going, what to expect, and what the terrain would be like. The Ride Expeditions app became our little travel bible. Distances, routes, maps, and accommodation details. All the thinking was done for us. All we had to do was ride.
The Support Vehicle That Made All the Difference
This might not sound glamorous, but the support vehicle changed everything. Especially for Renata, who rode pillion with me. Some sections were steep, rocky, or simply tough. Knowing she could hop into the vehicle whenever she wanted gave her huge confidence. It gave me peace of mind too.
We were not there to prove anything. We were there to enjoy it. And Ride Expeditions made that possible. When the terrain got tricky, she would jump in the vehicle, chat with the crew, and take in the scenery without stress. Then she would hop back on the bike when the road opened up again.
It meant we both got the best out of the experience, together.
Meeting the Ride Expeditions Crew
I cannot talk about this trip without mentioning Danie and Tuto. These two were not just guides. They became friends. The kind you trust instantly. The kind who look after you without making a fuss.
I had a fear of off-roading before this trip. I had done some, but nothing like the Himalayas. Tutu spent time helping me build confidence and taught me how to pick lines, relax into the bike, and how to enjoy the loose stuff instead of fighting it.
By the end, I was tackling terrain I would probably not have attempted previously. The whole support team were the same. Calm, experienced, and genuinely invested in making sure we loved every second.
A Landscape That Changes Every Hour
What stood out most was how quickly the scenery shifted. One moment, you are riding beside the Indus River on smooth tarmac with crisp air and towering rock walls on either side. Renata leaned forward that day and said, “If this is day one, nothing will ever beat it.”
Yet every day delivered something new.
Pangong Lake, which I had never heard of before the trip, felt like stepping into a dream. Renata stood silently watching the colours move across the water. Llingad, one of the highest motorable roads in the world, was my highlight. We climbed in sunshine, only for tiny snowflakes to drift across the road near the top. Reaching that viewpoint felt like standing at the edge of the world.
Little Moments That Made It Special
It was not only the big sights. It was the small touches that made the journey feel effortless.
- The team waiting with chai or snacks whenever we stopped.
- Mechanics checking the bikes with hawklike focus.
- WhatsApp banter that never seemed to slow down.
- Evening meals where everyone swapped stories like old friends.
Those are the moments you find yourself missing when you get home.
New Friends, New Adventures, New Plans
We are still in touch with several people from the tour. Mark from England, the Lithuanian family, the crew. Our WhatsApp group is still going. It is incredible how quickly you bond with people when you share cold mornings, mountain passes, river crossings, and endless laughs.
We are already looking at our next ride. South Africa is calling. Morocco is tempting. Colombia too. But Africa sits high on the list.
If You Are Thinking About It, Do It
If you are wondering whether you could do a trip like this, especially if you are a pillion, my answer is simple. Yes. You absolutely can.
The support, the safety net, the organisation, the team. Ride Expeditions makes the Himalayas approachable, even for riders who are not hardcore off-roaders.
This was not just a prize, and it was not just a holiday, but rather a trip I will talk about for the rest of my life. It was an adventure that changed how we see the world and ourselves. And to think, it all started with a random competition entry at a motorbike show.
Sometimes the best stories begin by chance.