Good Morning guys – Another month has slipped into the distance and it’s hard to believe we are now almost halfway through September (too soon to get the Christmas decorations down?). August has been a busy month for the team at Ride Expeditions, with tours, tests and training going on from North India to South Wales. So let’s take a look at what we’ve been up to…

HEROICS IN THE HIMALAYAS

At the start of the month, Toby and the team set up camp in Delhi to welcome fourteen intrepid travellers for the first of this year’s Himalayan Heights tours. With everybody gathered at the Hotel Jivitesh, it was onto the coach for the swift trek up to Manali in the Himalayas where the bikes and the scenery were waiting.

Fourteen days later and after riding the trusty Royal Enfield Classics through some of the most breathtakingly beautiful and rugged terrain on the planet the intrepid band returned to Delhi looking dusty, tired and happier than a bear in a honey factory. This was serious adventure riding done properly and all our customers returned home with a head full of unbelievable memories, and a camera full of stunning images.

The second tour is now well underway. The team left Delhi on the 8th September with another troupe of explorers in tow, and this time our resident keyboard basher and trail-riding correspondent from sunny Bristol has joined the team. He arrived in Aisa for the first time in his life seemingly bringing with him everything but the kitchen sink. ‘Never knowingly under packed’ seems to be a motto he’s taken to heart … find out in next months newsletter how all the riders got on!

The second tour leaves Delhi on the 7^th with another troupe of explorers in tow, and this time our resident keyboard basher and trail-riding correspondent from sunny Bristol is joining the team. As you read this, Julian is just cramming the last of his provisions into the shipping container of kit he seems intent on bringing to India. ‘Never knowingly under packed’ seems to be a motto he’s taking to heart …

HONDA HAPPINESS

And talking of the man Challis and his riding exploits, August saw him head to the glamour of Merthyr Tydfil in South Wales. Aside from having the largest Mormon population outside Salt Lake City, the Welsh town is home to the all-new Honda Adventure Centre and more importantly the base for the Africa Twin Experience. Julian joined a mixed group of seasoned off-roaders and newbies to try out the rather fantastic new adventure bike on the dirt tracks in the valleys and the sweeping tarmac of the Brecon Beacons National Park. To say that he liked the bike would be understating the point, and he particularly liked it when the instructor said he was a good off road rider! Little things …

You can read our full review of the bike right here in a report that has been shared across the world thanks to Facebook, and the write-up of the course itself will be up on the site within hours.

TRAIL TIPS

On the website front, our recent guide to the Golden Rules of Trail Biking has also been pinging around the world, with riders from New Zealand to Nova Scotia enjoying the tips and learning some techniques & systems that they will use on their own rides.
Have a look at the rules here and see if they are the same you are using. If not let us know – we’re always glad to have your input.

CARDOMOM MOUNTAIN EXPLORER

So what are you doing now the summer holidays are over and the kids are back to school? If you find yourself with itchy feet you might be interested to join our Cardamom Mountain Explorer tour that goes out this mid November. Starting off in Siem Reap, a picturesque bustling town in the north of the country, the tour gives you the chance to take in the temples of Angkor Wat before looping south over the stunning Cardamom Mountains. With trail options for both the hard-core dirt biker and off-road novice, Toby and the team will plot a route that captures the beauty of the region, while stretching the more adventurous riders with some tricky and epic climbs. The final destination is the sand of Sihanoukville so you can wash off the trails in the crystal clear water. If that doesn’t sound good, frankly we don’t know what does.

OK that’s all for now, so get off the computer, get the bike out of the lock-up and hit the trails. Your bike’s not going to ride itself …

The Ride Team