In today's jet age, speed is the essence. Two intrepid students from Pune, Vivek Sharma and Tajinder Pal Singh, accomplished a record-breaking expedition on the motorcycle from Shimla to the Khardungla Pass and back - in four days, six hours and 30 minutes, covering a total of 1,600 km.The Limca Book of Records has taken note of this feat and has already featured the duo for an All India Tour, covering the state capitals on the mobike in the shortest time in 1996. This year, their task was to touch Khardungla, the highest motorable pass in the world, a ride as tough as it is dangerous. Sharma, a student of the Symbiosis Law College and Singh, who studies at the University of Pune, had planned the trip for long.``We were given to understand that the terrain was hilly and the road conditions bad. At such high altitudes, low oxygen levels demand that we don't exert ourselves too much, to avoid nausea and fainting. The roads are muddy and slippery and the extreme cold makes them difficult to traverse,'' summarises Sharma, about some of the hardships they had to face.The ride uphill was perilous, flanked as the road is by a towering mountain full of loose boulders on one side and a deep gorge on the other. Water cascades and a dearth of bridges created many a hurdle. The duo made an initial stopover at Manali, and went ahead to the Rohtang Pass, till they reached Keylong, at a height of 3,185 m.``It would not be out of place to say that the untarred road from Keylong to Leh was tough and devoid of even a patch of greenery, oxygen was scarce and the mountains were topped with snow. However, the unique landscape, stark and beautiful, was a thrilling sight to behold,'' reminisces Sharma.The road to Khardungla is open only between July 15 and August 15. From Leh, permission from the district magistrate is compulsory. On the way, travellers have to pass a fitness test at the Army checkpost, otherwise, any unfit adventurer is sent back. Incidentally, the road from Manali is maintained by GREF (Himank project), another arm of the Army. From Leh, the riders moved to Tanglungla pass, the second highest motorable pass, at a height of 5,328 m.Driving their motorcycles only in first gear, the duo then wound their way slowly to Khardungla. ``Our joy on reaching there was so great, we forgot all the fatigue and difficulties of the mission. At Khardungla, we were served hot tea and snacks by the army personnel manning the post. We stayed there for about one and a half hours and took photographs. The temperature was -3 degrees centigrade and it soon began to snow. On our way back, we had to ride through the snowfall,'' says Sharma.After arriving at Shimla, it was with a feeling of accomplishment. Very deserving, too!
