5. Day 3 = 28th Sept 2015
Raiganj to Alipurduar.
Total km traveled 325. Ride time 6.30AM to 7.00 PM.
We rode from Raiganj to Alipurduar, crossing Dalkhola, Kishanganj, Islampur, Bagdora, Siliguri, Fulbari Border, Jalpaiguri, Maynaguri, Dhupguri & Falakata.
Initially our plan was to ride to Sandakphu first. But after talking with Neel Da last night, we came to know that, since last two days, it had rained in Siliguri and nearing mountain areas. So we decided to complete Sohra (Cherrapunjee) first and then Sandakphu.
Secondly, Neel Dey can join us in first week of October for Sandakphu due to office leave adjustment. So riding with him was also materializing if we do this adjustment.
This is the Hotel Imperial of Raiganj, where we stayed last night.
At 6.30 am we were ready to ride towards Siliguri.
We were advised by hotel staff that there is one Bengal to Bengal route towards Islampur. This will make our ride shorter by 30km. But due to our last two day’s experience of bad roads, we decided to take National Highways only.
We also learned that there is a railway crossing before Dalkhola and there will be big traffic jam due to long queue of trucks. But somehow we crossed that railway crossing early.
At 7.45 am, I reached Dalkhola. Siliguri was only 129km from here. I waited for Harsh there. He arrived 10 minutes after. His bike needed oil on chain, as it was dry. He went to a local bike repair shop to lubricate chain.
Now the road was 4 lane road and we could ride speedily.
I found a good hotel to have breakfast. I was waiting in front of that hotel. Me & my Pulsar were getting too much attention from locals. Harsh could not mark me there and went ahead, in spite of me shouting and calling him on NH. Good 4 lane road was making him ride too fast.
I had breakfast of Alu Paratha, Curd and a glass of milk on a hotel of NH.
But then I met Harsh at Kishanganj. We reached Islampur at 9.40 am. Looking at google map, it looked that from here Nepal and Bangladesh are very near. If you go to left, you reach Nepal Border and if you go right, you reach Bangladesh Border.
As Harsh did not eat breakfast yet, we stopped there and he had some breakfast.
There are some bad patches of road between Dalkhola and Bagdora. But basically it is a good road.
Scenery around was different with tea gardens on both sides of NH, after crossing Bhagabati. This was our first view of tea garden there. We stopped there and took some pictures at 10.30am.
Harsh was trying a different angle.
Then we crossed Bagdora, I rang up Neel Da and told us about our whereabouts. We decided to meet at Shiv Mandir area on NH.
At around 11.15 am, we met him personally for the first time. We became friends at bcmtouring site. Neel da and I had chatted on that site. Soon we found that we had similar passion of biking.
Neel Da was found of my Ladakh ride and I was found of his Gurudongmor and Zuluk ride.
That’s SAJAL SHETH (me), NEEL DEY and HARSH SINGH SINGLA
I and Harsh were targeting to reach Bongaigaon by the end of day. We were supposed to ride via Sevoke, Malbazar, Birpara route. But Neel Da suggested us to take Jalpaiguri bypass, Dhupguri, Falakata, Alipurduar route. As he had traveled in that road in past and new it is good road.
He also came to see us off up to Fulbari and told us about Bangladesh Border. I gave him my empty jerry can as it was needed only after Sandakphu ride.
But while riding, I could not see the sign board of Fulbari Border. But Harsh was smart enough to notice that and we went to see the India-Bangladesh Border riding 2 km from Fulbari road.
At 12.15pm we were at Fulbari Border. We entered our name in the register of Border Security Force.
This is the gate crossing which one can enter Bangladesh.
One can see Bangladeshi public on the other side.
That’s me at Last gate of Border.
Wire fences are built along the border to stop unwanted border crossing.
Our Arm Forces guarding the border. They look relaxed as after Nepal, India is now having good relationship with Bangladesh.
Our proud tri-color flag at the Border.
I searched for available mobile network there. I found this.
That’s me with our Flag, Border gate at background.
Here our Border Security Forces are stationed.
This is the first check post, where we had entered our name in register.
“STOP - INTERNATIONAL BORDER AHEAD”
My Pulsar is posing at Fulbari Border.
It was too much hot and lunch time was nearing. Posed with the sign board and started for Jalpaiguri.
At 1.00 pm stopped at a roadside dhaba before Jalpaiguri for lunch. I had tasty chana masala, roti and cold drink there.
Road was not 4 lane, but very good road. Crossed Dhupguri and after 4 km, I saw Harsh standing road side and waiving to me to stop. I was 80-90 km speed. Stopped and turned back towards him.
It was around 3.00 pm. He told me that chain sprocket nut were all broken. Royal Enfield Thunder Bird as stranded on road.
I told him to wait there. I rode 2 km ahead. There was a mechanic garage. I bought him to Harsh’s bike. He inspected and found that all the 6 nuts were missing.
On our first day, where RE Thunderbird was lubricated in afternoon, that mechanic had pointed that 3 nuts were missing. But ignoring him that day, was giving us trouble now.
The mechanic I bought went back to his garage and brought some nuts so that RE can be repaired. This was the sprocket and see the missing nut bolt.
He tried to fit the nuts brought by him.
But they did not fit. So he went to Dhupguri in search of specific nut bolts riding 4 km. Harsh was disheartened and was waiting for him to come back with needed spares.
I also had no option but to wait and enjoy greenery around.
After lots of wait, he came but not with needed nuts. He tried to fit them.
But they were big in size. He could not fit them properly. Time was passing on.
Now we decided to ride 2 km ahead to his garage so that we can fit the bolt. At around 4 pm we reached to his garage riding slowly after fitting one nut only.
The name of that garage was written in Bengali.
After lots of trouble that nut was not fitted in sprocket. So he sent one person to Falakata. It was 18 km far. But there also proper nut bolts were not found.
Finally at 5.30 pm, after wasting 2.5 hours, we told him to fit at least 3-4 nut bolts so that we can reach Guwahati at least.
At Guwahati there will be availability of RE’s authorized spares. We can get RE Thunder Bird repaired there.
Nearest big city was Alipurduar and it was around 55 km away. Last 40 km road of NH 31D was much damaged. It was full moon night and even in dark we could see the road.
At around 7.00 pm we reached Alipurduar. In stead of Bongaigaon, we could reach up to Alipurduar only. Any trouble on anybody’s bike could damage the plan.
We found Hotel Ridhi Sidhi nearby. We took an A/c room for Rs.700/=.
I and Harsh were tired. Harsh skipped the dinner and went to sleep. I had noodle soup, baby corn for dinner.
I walked around hotel area and had Amul Taaza milk.
We went to sleep early so that we can start early to reach Guwahati and get RE TB repaired.
This was our ride map for the day.
Click HERE for next update.
Coming up….next…. Alipurduar to Guwahati ride…KamakhyaTemple..& night view of Guwahati.