Been There

Done That

And Now we’re ready to do it AGAIN

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Hi Guys,

This is Raakesh and I am glad to inform that we are now back on track and getting all geared up for the Raid-De-Himalaya in 2010. I can’t tell you how long I have waited for this moment. I have always waited for that one day when everything will fall in place - my work, my family, my home, my kids, finances, sponsorships and friends, finally the day has come. Thank you all for your good wishes and prayers. As far as I am concerned, I have some serious work to do now.

It is very important for me to shed a lot of extra pounds I have gained in the last 5 years.

It is also important for me to get back into shape, get my stamina and endurance levels up.

Need to get a new 530EXC-R and start practicing.

The Raid will be held in October 2010 and I am still looking for the key sponsor who will come and take ownership of the team. During my training, and practice, I will record everything using my iFlip camcorder - my workouts, my endurance training, buying a motorcycle, practicing, and finally the rally and also provide action videos by installing a camera on my helmet and one on the handlebar of the motorcycle and sure enough, this will be given to the sponsor and all rights will be released to the sponsor.

Anyhow, there is a lot to think about, but for now I am building our web presence on Twitter and Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/pages/KTMRALLYING/189798139281). IF you are not a fan or follower yet, become one now.

I will keep you posted on our progress and update you with more pictures and videos soon.

Cheers

I am back and this time with vengeance…… I have waited though the long winter to ride yet again. I was out there riding this Wednesday and OH BOY! it was the best workout as usual. For those who have not ridden in the McLean Creek area before - it is by far the toughest terrain in the world, at least what I have ridden on. In the coming weeks I am going to upload video files for everyone. Last year, I was not riding even half as good as this year. Last year I thought I was going to die but this year it seems like I was just a fool thinking that the easiest of the riding sections were a nightmare. Guess what? I did the toughest sections in a flash and with great ease. the logs which I thought was craziness is just a very good workout with a little of technique. I am yet to improve a lot and the good part is that I am learning at the speed of light. I try to live my fears and learn from my short comings. I am glad that I have gotten the opportunity to be the sportsman riding group to ride and learn more from the fine group of people I ride with. We are off to Waipurous area on Sunday and I am so looking forward to it. 

It was a very cool ride on Friday, I felt very comfortable riding again and wasnt so sore afterwords. I guess I have to also learn some more uphill climb techniques. Maybe riding while leaning on the handlebar would work better for me. I try to work it this way and it seems to work better and better each time since the first time Brad told me to use this technique. It has been raining today and I guess Wednesday’s ride would be a slushy one. My bike would be behaving differently this time(I hope) since I have gotten it detuned for emissions and other stuff. I am eager to ride my bike again.

Another update….we went obstacle riding today and it was a very cool experience for me. I have never ridden a motorbike on such an obstacle course which included logs, hill mounds, woody tree trunks and various other blockages to practice ones skills. I felt so very confident today, almost like I am ready to do a racing event. However, I am far from being fit for a whole day or a longer event, but at this time I feel that I will be there and that the grapes are not that sour after all. I am sort of getting myself ready for another ride this Friday in the McLean Creek area. This time I feel that I will be able to perform better than the last time and live up my dream once again…..till then…..hang in there and wait for another update.

Wow! It was so thrilling and fascinating and as a matter of fact I have never done such riding before. I have raced the Rocky Mountains, the desert, and broken tarmacs but this was a better adventure. Even though I have been racing in the national circuit for racing in India but this does not compare to anything at all. It has also been about 10 years for me since I was in my best form, and here in this mountain terrain I found myself out of strength within 20 minutes of riding till fatigue took over and made my riding clumsier than ever. Anyway, this is a crazy terrain but I am adamant on riding on and riding better on my KTM.

I am back once again to talk about how I feel that there is a comeback in time. Today again it almost feels like those old racing days to me, yet it has been ten years since I last raced in an event. As everyday goes by, I continuously have this gut wrenching feeling to race my KTM 450 EXCR in the woods and on the dirt. There is so much excitement in me that I some times find myself reading moto-cross magazines even when I am visiting friends and family. As a result I am always in the mood to go out riding and wanting to fulfill my hobby hiding behind these wonderful books and videos. This is one very big reason I feel relieved once I go out riding, and this somehow heals the lost time and rages the urge to ride on till the end of time . I am going to be out again riding my orange beauty on this coming Wednesday on the dirt and rip it through the rivers and wooded tracks. I will keep you posted accordingly after Wednesday.  

Hi all, I went riding on Sunday in the mountains. I would like to share with all the readers that the KTM 450 EXCR is a damn powerful motorbike. Very easy to ride and oh man! does it ever jump smoothly over any ruts, pot holes and jumps. I have not ridden on such a smooth suspension before. This bike makes ridding so easy. I went riding with a few friends in the Waipurous area and it is one of the most wonderful riding areas in

Alberta. I also tested my bike in the dirt-straights and took it up to a thrilling speed of over 80 miles an hour. Crossed the Ghost River 1 2 a few times and took the bike through the woody area ad it was so exciting.

Power-bend: I was almost astonished to feel that the power bend of the bike comes early in the second gear at just a quarter twist of the accelerator and believe be me it wants to slip out from under me as if a wild fury has been let loose.

I guess I am going to get back to my old self soon. “Ride well and Race hard.”