Preliminaries for getting Leh-ed - Part 2

To be quite honest, preparing for a trip like this is as much fun as the ride itself. You play out in your mind, over and over again, what it will be like, being part of a picture postcard perfect landscape. If gifted with a fairly vivid imagination like me, you also introduce a background music score into your day dreams. Usually sublime stuff like U2 & Rolling Stones, but I won’t lie, some bhangra does sneak in once in a while. And I like it, like it, yes I do.
Outfitting your bike, spending weekends buying the accessories & equipment, planning out the route, the stops, talking to those who know the lay of the land and weather patterns, reading blogs, thinking of a fortnight of blasting down the road with the steady pushrod thump of the Enfield engine below you and finally, designing the T-shirt can lift a sagging spirit like nothing else.
It gets you through review meetings that would otherwise make you want to fling the LCD projector, really really hard at the geeky bespectacled head of the next guy who wants to discuss new initiatives, nevermind the bad right shoulder; and breeze through repetitive processes like grocery shopping, bill payments, social outings and the gnawing of existential angst.
Now the first wave of panic hits. All of this put together is the size of a Tata Nano strapped to your saddle. How in God’s name are you going to carry all of this? And what if your bike breaks down right in the middle of Sarchu and Leh? You get a hernia just by thinking about how much gut-busting effort it will take to push your fully laden motorcycle more than 10 paces. And there will be less oxygen. And if you have been a smoker, all your little life, you will question the wisdom of your adopted lifestyle.
There is a fair bit of information available on the net. The sum total of all this, plus my experience says that you finally need the following items to be carried with you to make the most of the trip. However, packing all of this will be quite a different ball game altogether.


1. Here’s a list of things you need to get /get done to make sure your bike keeps running. But make sure, only from authorised Royal Enfield Service Centres or really good mechanics. Use only stock parts and original spares. NO MODIFICATIONS:
Make sure you have disc brakes (very handy)
Pre-ride full service
Change tubes / tyres if needed (recommended)
Wheel / rim balancing
Check shock absorbers & adjust/replace if needed
Check shocker and swing arm bushes
Check Chain & sprocket/replace if needed
Learn to fix punctures
Learn to replace clutch, throttle cables
Learn to manage air/petrol intake at high altitude
The MRF Meteor is a fantastic
2. List of items you should have with you and you can buy most of this stuff at Gopinath Market - Standard Army Store -
A) Clothing / Accessories:
Light Gloves
Waterproof insulated warm gloves
All weather jacket
Full thermals
Thick Jeans /insulated pants
Good, insulated Boots
Gum Boots
Balaclava (Monkey cap)
Shades
Cap
Waterproof wallets
Full body rain suit
Extra shades

B) First Aid / Personal Grooming:
Liquid soap
Toilet paper
Maximum SPF Sunscreen
First Aid kit with AMS medication
Moisturiser
Nail clipper/scissors/personal grooming
Vaseline
Mosquito repellant (optional)
Alcohol based hand sanitiser

C) Personal Equipment:
Saddle bags / Ladakh Carrier (bags are lighter hence preferred)
Flashlight
Bungee Cords
Duct Tape
Nylon Rope
Plastic bags
Waterproof rucksack
Jerry cans
Min 5 function Swiss knife
Matches / Lighter
Insulated Water bottle
Spare bike key
Camera
Spare batteries for camera etc
Phone
Walkie Talkie (optional)
Plastic sheets (cheap pastic dining sheets will do) lashed down with bungees to keep stuff dry
Extra Helmet visor
A really good watch, preferably with Thermometer and Altimeter
A compass if that sort of thing excites you.

D) Spares & Mech:
Tyre Tubes
Puncture kit
Clutch cable
Brake cable
Accelerator cable
Engine oil
Spark plug
Spark plug spanner
Spanners / tool kit
Wrench
Fuse
Bulbs
Foot pump (kill for this if you have to)

E) Camping (in case you want to really rough it out - not recommended for first timers):
Camping Mattress
Sleeping bag
Tent
Cooking stove/container
Fuel cakes
Air pillow
Spoon/Fork
Chocolates/dry fruit/Maggie

All this is likely to burn a bit of a hole in your pocket. Budget about 10 to 15 k. But its a worthwhile investment. You will be riding your beloved motorcycle into the Himalayas with Khardungla as your ultimate destination. At 18380 ft, its 10 ft higher than the Mt Everest Base Camp.

Hmmm...getting all this stuff will give you the kind of satisfaction that material acquisition seldom provides. Oh yeah, this isn't all the stuff you can carry of course. But more on that later.