Inspired biking

The last time Sasidharan undertook a long drive on a motorbike was almost two decades ago. He had cruised down the Goa-Kerala NH on his Royal Enfield Bullet to reach his home at Palayam in two days time. At 65, he feels the Bullet would be a little too heavy for easy handling. So this time, he has opted for a Bajaj Aventure 220 for his journey across the country, which began on August 2.

If you ask the robust Sasidharan about his recent adventure streak, he will attribute it to his love for riding. “I have always nurtured a love for vehicles,” says Sasidharan, an employee of Kallingal Motors, Palayam. “In fact, I learned driving quite early and drove a car all the way from Kolkata to Thiruvananthapuram at the age of 21.”

He had bought a brand new Ambassador from Kolkata and enjoyed driving it down to Kerala. Much later, Sasidharan travelled up the Delhi-Manali route in his Fiat. “It has always remained a dream to scale the hilly regions above Manali. I hope to realise it during this trip,” he says.

Sasidharan has begun from Kanyakumari and will go all the way to Kashmir. The trip will take four weeks.

“Over the years, I have undertaken trips of various lengths to different parts of the country,” he says. “I have observed that there has been a change for the better in terms of food and accommodation facilities.” But during the early years, he would plan for a halt every 300 kilometres but often found himself  travelling for 800 kilometres at a stretch in search of a decent place to stay.

But for this trip, arrangements for stay have been made at a few destinations beforehand since he does not want to take chances at his age. “Halts have been planned at Baroda, Delhi and Srinagar,” he says. “I will also stop at some spots within Kerala to attend the felicitation events organsied by well-wishers.”

Sasidharan envisages the biking expedition as a message for peace and unity. “I will also pass on information about safe biking and the importance of following traffic rules,” he says. The only regret he has is that the proposed meeting with P T Usha at Payyoli will not take place as the ace coach-sprinter is away in London attending the Olympics.