This is the story of Mamu, this is the story of Mobi, Jit, Vikram, Agoo, Bullu, Bobo, Esingjao, Jamamg, Malsawma, Joshua and many riders who really had an adventure filled days and went away home happy and satisfied.
Fun and thrill ride by the Royal Enfield Riders in the nature bounty North East and camping at a place make it all a happening get up. Started with just 15 riders participating the first meet five years back, the meet has 300 riders in its fifth meet at Mizoram. The theme of the bullet riders’ North East Riders Meet is “When We Meet We Grow”.
Manipur will be hosting the next year’s meet as was announced in the meet. More riders are expected to participate as it is growing with love and compassion among riders every time they meet.
The aesthetic landscape along the highway, the favourable climate and friendly people who greeted with smile and show you the way when you felt lost. The unity ride, the uniform machine, the buzz from the silencer or rather a noisier, the vibration, the pump that make the riders balance even in rough terrain, all but it was a great time together in a family like gathering.
Set at an outskirt with a bumpy road at the entrance with a banner ‘Welcome Home’. The enjoyment was hidden as it was in the night most riders reached the venue, after a day or two rides from their respective States. In fact the meet turn out to be an adventure packed days at Zotlang of Champai subdivision in Mizoram.
Post arrival – Riders started setting up their tents in the electric light from the generator in the aloof land few kilometres away from resident areas. The slope in the hillock were trimmed, there was a set of traditional Mizo bamboo huts which the organisers took a month to build.
Bamboo built lavatories with bamboo floor. Water taps and bamboo shelf which is a basic built just for the event is astonishing. Well music was in the air from the central stage as everyone had their dinner and prepares to sleep in their tents.
Registration card, stickers, T shirt, water bottles and bamboo crafted mementoes are given as soon as one arrives in the venue at the reception counter. Attired in traditional mizo wear the ladies at the reception counter were busy distributing cards and maintaining the registry, documenting and making the participants comfortable with the guidelines like the food coupon.
Royal Riders Manipur set out for the event on 18th October morning, flagged off by Angam, SP Imphal East. 16 people including riders and pillion took the ride until Jiribam the same day and rest the night at Jiribam Police Station under a hospitable officer in charge who is a well-wisher to the club.
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After dusting and cleaning the clothes and luggage, the riders charged their phone battery. Jokes and sharing on the journey incidents of bumpy ride in the National Highway noised as everyone got settled in the dormitory. The towels hanging on the sling for drying was the picture of the room. What was packed inside the luggage carriage of the motorcycle rolled out as sleeping mats, sleeping bags, night wear and slippers etc.
One needs good rest, sound food and sound sleep during the tour. Mutton and chicken was the dinner served with rice, dal on vegetarian menu. Yummy indeed from the morning breakfast at the riders’ club office and a highway lunch at Nonney Bazar.
After dinner the facebook page admin switch on the mini laptop for the picture upload to keep an update, while some are busy with the phone, some play music but the sounds started disappearing as the sleeping adrenaline started shutting an eye or two or three to everyone in the room. ‘Bdroom bdroom to badrat badrat’ or the yelling laughter got divorced in the first track court as noise is nowhere around.
The activity along the highway, the muscles that accelerated the speed or repair a punctured tyre and unscrew and screw the motorcycle parts for mending the breakdown were put to rest as respiration pumped in more oxygen to refresh the sleeping boys.
The first day ride covered 220 kilometres of which around 10 kilometres are bumpy ride, 30 kilometres in moderate road. Stoppage at Army Check Post, punctured tyre fixing, disc burnt repairing and snacks break were the ride story. Most importantly there was public interaction every time the riders stop as inquisitive questions pile out from the passer-by.
Wake up buzz and morning strikes a zeal for more milestones. A bath is refreshing, breakfast at the market place and a visit at the nearest workshop for cleaning and repairing from the long ride. After lunch at Jiribam Police Station riders set out till Silchar which is 48 kilometres away from the last stoppage.
Silchar Thumpers greeted the RRM guys and guided them to a hotel for night stay. They also arranged a safe parking space for the motorcycles. The sense of helping an Enfield rider by other Enfield riders seems universal.
The next day straight to Aizawl after 200 kilometres ride. As RRM leaves Silchar, Nagaland riders who came passing through Manipur contacted and RRM met them on the highway at Manipur Market little far away from Silchar market. Assam Bulls came riding through at the same time and thrill unfolded as riders get nearer to Aizawl. After two days of ride and on the third day when riders sighted other riders and greetings started exchanging it felt like wow it’s going to happen.
There was a new zeal in the drive. Happiness and smile from the worn out face came in a flick of second and all fun grew each passing mile. Everyone felt like it’s getting nearer.
Royal Riders Manipur (RRM), Royal Enfield Riders Association of Meghalaya (RERAM), Bulls of Assam, Silchar Thumpers, Arunachal Bullet Club, Nagaland Motor Cycle Club, Aizawl Thunder, Indi Thumpers, 60 KPH Mumbai, Madras Bulls, Tripura Riders, Club Royal Enfield Wokha, Nagaland (CREW), Royal Riders, Churachandpur, Senapati Bulls, Nagpur representative, Road Shaker Pune etc. OUTLAWS Mizoram, Sikkim riders and other solo riders took part in the fifth NERM.
Youth Hostel Luangmual, Aizawl comforted the riders as they make it to the stoppage. Winter has already set in and a warm tea at the reception counter was exceptionally exciting. Mizoram has inner line permit system and there was checking at the entrance. But Aizawl Thunder has worked out all for the riders at the time of registration and riders have to confirm their name in the lists of the posted officials at the gate.
To be continued.
