Journey to the Peaks: Riding the Ultraviolette F77 Day 6 Episode 9

 Ultraviolette F77 Ride

Journey to the Peaks

A Journey to Remember 💓

Panasonic Lumix S5

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Episode -9

DAY -6

I woke up at 3 am after the alarm went off and started preparing for the day. The bike was fully charged, and the rain from the previous night had settled down, leaving a cloudy sky. I called the security personnel as there was no water in the restroom, and he assisted me with that. After refreshing myself, I went down to the bike and began packing my things. I had a brief conversation with the security guard about my ride, thanked him for his assistance, and said goodbye.

I was all set for another long day of riding, even though I hadn't initially planned for it. With the assistance of Google Maps, I took to the highway from the Sagar Tata showroom. It was a chilly morning, and the ride was exceptionally peaceful. My next destination for charging was Jhansi. By 5 am, I reached the Malthon toll plaza and decided to stop for a tea break. At this point, I noticed the sensation of heavy wind and rain clouds approaching, so I prepared myself for any potential rain. Entering MP to UP state.

At 7:25 am, I reached the Betwa River bridge and decided to take some pictures. By this time, the sun had fully risen, and it was turning into a bright day. The highway remained empty, and I was now in the state of Uttar Pradesh, making my way towards Jhansi.

By 8 am, I arrived in the famous city of Jhansi, which is known for its historical significance. I noticed several army zones and offices while riding through, which made me feel safe and secure. However, when I reached the location that Google Maps had initially shown me, I was disappointed to find that there was no Tata showroom there. This caused some worry and tension. I decided to search again on the map, and it directed me to a different location, which I reached by 8:30 am, and this one was indeed along the highway.

It was a Tata commercial vehicle showroom, but when I arrived, I found the gate was closed. I noticed a security guard walking nearby, so I called out to him and explained my situation, that I needed to charge my bike. To my surprise and concern, the security guard came out holding a big double-barrel gun and started speaking to me in Hindi or Marathi, languages I wasn't familiar with. I could tell he was having trouble understanding what I was saying.

During this encounter, I started to feel quite tense and nervous. Unfortunately, he didn't allow me or my bike to enter the premises. My bike's charge had dropped to below 20%, and I felt stranded for a moment.

After a few minutes, I noticed a well-spoken individual walking around the area. I approached him and asked if he knew English, which he did. I explained my situation, that I needed a place to charge my bike, and shared some details about my long ride. To my relief, he immediately agreed to help.

He instructed me to bring the bike inside the showroom premises. Not only that, but he also invited me to rest inside the customer lounge. He kindly informed the people at the showroom to look after me.

Later, I found out that this helpful individual was the owner's son Rudhra , who was managing the showroom while studying for his undergraduate degree at a nearby college. He even shared his phone number in case I needed further assistance and left for college from there. His assistance was a major relief in a potentially challenging situation.

After refreshing in the lounge, they kindly offered me chai, biscuits, and snacks. I was truly overwhelmed by their hospitality. I took a stroll around the showroom, both inside and out. It was quite spacious and featured various vehicles, including smaller ones like Tata Ace and larger ones like lorries, trailers, and buses.

During my time at the showroom, I had the chance to meet Yogendra Rajput, an employee there. He was the one who engaged with me throughout my visit, showing me around the place and providing assistance. However, there were some charging issues and power cuts that occurred intermittently, causing delays in the charging process. Thankfully, these issues were eventually resolved.

While resting in the lounge, I got in touch with Punith, thanks to Arun's assistance, and we arranged my next charging stop in Gwalior. It was now past 12 noon, and I was feeling hungry, so I grabbed two samosas from the showroom's canteen. With the charge at around 75%, I knew it was enough to reach Gwalior, and I didn't want to waste time reaching my next destination.

I sent a text to Rudhra to thank him for his help with the charging and informed him that I was leaving. He responded happily, and I appreciated his support. Before departing, I also thanked Yogendra and everyone else at the showroom for their assistance and had some photos taken with them. By 1:45 pm, I was back on the road, ready to continue my journey.

After bidding farewell to Jhansi, the historic city, I continued my journey towards Gwalior. Punith, who had been in touch, provided me with updates about the location. By 3 pm, I had reached the outskirts of Gwalior and called him for the exact location. He shared the location with me, and I followed the map, arriving at the destination by 3:30 pm. To my surprise, I was greeted by a small group of his friends, and we were at RPM Racing Store, which is a bike accessories shop.

Meeting Punith for the first time, he introduced me to his friends and led me into the RPM Racing Store. The shop graciously provided me with a plug point to charge my F77. My bike's presence attracted a small crowd of curious onlookers who were eager to learn more about the bike and my journey.

I also had the pleasure of meeting a female rider who was incredibly enthusiastic and part of a well-established riding community. We engaged in a lengthy conversation about our shared passion for riding and the riding community in general.

The shop itself had a wide range of biking accessories, including helmets, luggage bags, lubricants, oils, and more. It was a great place to relax and have some downtime while my bike charged.

A local YouTuber from Gwalior was present, and he asked for my permission to shoot videos and even requested an interview. This turned out to be my first interview about my ride, which was featured on his YouTube channel.

After the interview, these kind-hearted folks took me out for a late lunch. They asked me about my food preferences, and I opted for local cuisine over South Indian food. We went to a restaurant and enjoyed a delicious, hearty meal together before returning to the RPM Racing Store.

During lunch, we had a discussion about the route from Gwalior to Agra. I heard that traveling at night on that highway wasn't safe. There were several stories of people getting attacked on that stretch, especially truck drivers who often fell victim to theft and assaults. Given that I was traveling by bike and would be more vulnerable, there was a small fear in my mind. However, I was determined to cross Agra and continue my journey towards Gurgaon or Delhi.

Punith and his friend gave me the confidence to proceed further despite the delay. They recommended avoiding the city due to heavy traffic and guided me to the highway. I thanked them for their wonderful hospitality and support, and with a determined heart, I headed towards Agra. I removed all my gadgets and stored them safely before hitting the road.

Riding on the highway with mixed feelings and uncertainty, I couldn't go too fast, as I needed to maintain a speed below 70 km/h to get the best range from my bike. I was extremely cautious, following larger vehicles and staying in the middle of the left lane. To my surprise, the highway was quite active, and there didn't seem to be any issues. Well-lit roads boosted my confidence, and thankfully, nothing untoward happened on the way.

By 10 pm, I had reached the outskirts of Agra and entered the city in search of a charging place. Unfortunately, things took a turn for the worse. My friend Prafulla had connected me with his friend for charging and accommodation in a hotel. I called him once I reached the tollgate in Agra, and he provided the location. However, when I reached that place and inquired about the charging point, the person at the hotel told me I had to lift the bike and put it inside the hotel for charging. I couldn't believe what I was hearing - my bike weighed 210 kg, and lifting it was impossible.

Frustrated, I explored other options. I checked with the hotel opposite, but they weren't sure about their power line's capability. Moreover, they were demanding a high price for a stay. It seemed they were trying to take advantage of tourists. Disheartened, I left the place, and to make matters worse, my bike's charge was also running low. I began searching for a Tata charging location, wandering around and eventually returning to the same location, only to find out that the given location didn't exist. The situation was becoming increasingly difficult.

Afterward, I returned to the highway and spotted an Indian Oil fuel station where I hoped to charge my bike. However, the plug point there was also in poor condition and didn't work. At this point, I was utterly exhausted, having started the ride at 3 am.

With no other options, I continued on the main highway toward Madura, stopping at various hotels along the way to check for charging facilities, but all my efforts were in vain. Finally, I came across a large resort and tried my luck there, but even they couldn't help.

However, the resort's owner mentioned the Avexia Hotel, which was located on the opposite side of the highway. I reached the location around 12:30 am and inquired at the reception. Thankfully, this time everything went smoothly. I got access to a charging point near the security room, booked a room, took a much-needed bath, and fell asleep immediately. I set my alarm for the next day, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.

ONE LONG DAY CAME TO AN END..

Read more about my journey...... >

DAY 6 :  Distance Covered : 480 Km 

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