Leo

[Leo @4eo]

Unromanticising himalaya rides. Long Read.

Its so good to be back to fresh towels, clean linen and hot shower. This was after 2 weeks of riding a 373cc adv bike through treacherous himalayan passes.

I wish someone told me the brutal reality of such a ride. So here it goes.

The good parts are as obvious as one would expect. Spectacular views, mind numbing heights, soul cleansing terrains, beautiful sunsets, dense starlit sky, camaraderie with strangers and once a lifetime experience of riding on edge of earth, literally everyday.

After few days these scenic landscapes become more like a screen saver while you are trying not to be thrown off the rocky roads into abyss or be run over by the merciless trucks or gasping to take every single breath you could get at 19000ft, all the while carrying half your body weight as riding gears on you and then trying to manoeuvre the bike itself.

I thought I was fairly well prepared for the ride thanks to many riders who went before me giving priceless tips. Even then every morning was a chore. Starts with applying pounds of moisturiser all over the limbs and groin to prevent chaffing, then applying thick layers of sun screen and lip balms. Then wearing thermal inner layer and a performance layer on top of it. Then the thick level 2 armor jackets and riding pants, then the rain gear on top of it. All this before getting into knee length MX boots that wont let you walk easily. You look and feel like a 17th century warrior going for war at this point.

After all this, fill up hydration bladder along with electrolyte tablets. Load up day bag with another jacket, muffler, gloves, protein bars and more. Then chew some gums and get onto bike for a cold start prep. Imagine doing this daily for 14 days. I used to get tired just thinking about it.

Riding through the day was exciting because you never know what to expect next. Like entering scenic Shinkula top and going straight into deep, slushy, muddy downhill for 40kms OR trying to ride through zanskar while evading shooting stones OR the long soft sand no-road terrain from Hanle to Umling la OR the snowy barlach la.

Every half hour, scenery changes, different smell, different color and different air. You get to salute convoy of army trucks, throw candies to kids running to get a hi-fi, giving thumbs up to other riders. No dearth of wide open smiles you get each day.

Daily you stop for ginger-lemon-honey tea or maggi from remote small tent shops. However taking loo breaks is a task because its hard to find your manhood with all the gears. Like Fahadh in 22F kottayam, shivering cold will make that shrivelled piece of junk almost non-existent. Yet you need to constantly hydrate, so you need him every few hours anyways.

By end of the day you are drained from constant riding and radiating pain on shoulders to back due to holding handle bar whole day. All you need is a hot shower but one you can never get easily. Most these places are built for season and hence has no electricity. They switch on generators for few hours from 7pm to charge your gadgets. Provide a bucket of hot water for two. Thats it. Most evenings one would just layer up and snuggle into thick blankets hoping to get some sleep. Or drink copious amounts of rum along with it.

Looks like for most male folks, going to Himalaya is a good excuse to drink, smoke like hell. Mountains will make you pay next day though. It was surreal to watch many struggling to breathe while asking for a lighter for their cigs. They don’t see the irony.

How much is enough though ? Earlier it was Khardung la, now it is Umling la. There is always a taller mountain you can climb, thanks to genuises at BRO. Always another lake, another valley, another scenic landmark you can go. Another circuit, another off road track you can ride.

cont..

[Leo @4eo]

Imagine the misuse if they have to come out with a circular to ‘prohibit reuse of single-use’ devices. So rampant !

[Rema Nagarajan @RemaNagarajan]

Union health ministry prohibits reuse of single-use devices and disposable surgical items in hospitals across India

[Leo @4eo]

@anandmallaya Muniyara at Muniyattukunnu. Near to my place. Went there 2 yrs back.

[Gems @gemsofbabus_]

One reason we have so much pollution is all this Dhool Mitti.

How it is. How it should be

[Leo @4eo]

@roshanonline Yea just crazy how people randomly drop such products. That too so called health influencers!

Maybe @fssaiindia will need to introduce age restrictions on candies due to this and stop them from selling randomly.

[Deepal.‏‎‎Trivedi @DeepalTrevedie]

The real crisis in Gujarat is NOT the power cut. It’s businesses running out of money power to survive. Yes, few rich are getting richer, vulgarly rich but take a glance at MSMEs, the backbone of Gujarat.
1. How many have closed down?
2. Their reduced turn overs of your pulling along.
3 Sharply declined profits.
Pre-Diwali power cuts was expected. Hormuz closure affected. Current Indian economy is preempting closures & lay offs.
“Exports are skewed, domestic demand is weak, and people can barely afford to buy. We’ve cut production because there simply isn’t enough business. Forget bonuses—even meeting basic costs is becoming difficult. Layoffs are mounting. Power cut is not the story. Our dying business is..." is the refrain.
The story is that except for the super rich, doing business in #Gujarat is getting difficult.
#GujaratModel #economy

[Arshiet Dhamnaskar @arshiet]

Hi

Neurosurgeon here

Helmets literally save lives

Always wear a helmet while riding a two wheeler

[The Mirror @DailyMirror]

World-leading cardiac surgeon Asif Hasan was surrounded by the children who received the gift of life thanks to his unerring skills at the emotional climax of another memorable Pride of Britain ceremony. 🥹

Now 70 years old, Mr Hasan has just retired after 35 years of service at the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle upon Tyne, but just after receiving his Lifetime Achievement Award, he had an extra special surprise: a cast of patients who would not be alive without him. ❤️

[Prof Zenkus @anthonyzenkus]

Neon is the company that distributed "Parasite", which grossed $53M in the US and was the first non-English language film to win Best Picture at the Academy Awards.

The is a devastating blow to the pro-Israel camp and their mission to suppress the truth about the Gaza genocide.

[Leo @4eo]

@nikhilnarayanan Prime can has almost 200mg of caffeine. Not recommended to kids as it takes longer time to metabolise thus affecting sleep, induces anxiety and affects brain development.

High doses of caffeine to work at night was made popular by another Indian with his 5 hour energy drink.

[Leo @4eo]

Now kids who get buzz from Sting can have candies instead. Addiction sells.

[Chirag Barjatya @chiragbarjatya]

My first product. Only 100 jars dropping tomorrow. A 2₹ candy that will make you go buzz!! Thank you everyone who gave feedback on the samples and taste in last 6-8 months. 🙏

[Dr. Catharine Young @DrCatharineY]

Woooooowww. This is the confirmation we’ve been waiting for!

Moderna and Merck’s personalized mRNA cancer vaccine reduced the risk of melanoma recurrence or death by 42% when added to Keytruda after surgery, compared with Keytruda alone!

And yes, it uses the same mRNA technology behind the COVID vaccines!

[Dr Rishabh Jain @DrRishabhOnco]

Met a young woman diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer.

She had a real chance of being cured.

But someone promised her a “100% natural cancer cure.” No chemotherapy. No surgery. Just herbal remedies and miracle therapies.

She believed them.

Months passed. Her cancer spread.

Today, she has Stage IV breast cancer.

A potentially curable disease became metastatic while she was being sold false hope.

And the people who misled her?

Still running their so-called “cancer healing centres.”

Meanwhile, qualified doctors who spend 10–15 years studying medicine face endless scrutiny and regulation.

Regulate doctors. Absolutely. But who is holding these fake cancer healers accountable?

This isn’t alternative medicine.

This is exploitation of vulnerable patients.

India needs stronger action against fraudulent cure claims.

False hope should never be allowed to steal someone’s chance of survival.

@MoHFW_INDIA @NMC_IND @PMOIndia

#CancerAwareness #PatientSafety

[Leo @4eo]

Mornings

[Neil Scott @MrNeilScott]

Forget 15 minute cities, here is everything that is on Wikipedia located within a 30 minute walk of where you are:

https://t.co/oRsYGmwehL

[‏ً @justjargons]

We are in the final stage of capitalism where global capital can’t expand or sustain past profits. It now consumes public institutions and key systems, sacrificing democracy, welfare, infrastructure, education, healthcare, and ecosystems for short-term gain.

[VIVEK @Mr_Vivekji]

What’s the point of writing your profession on your car, like Advocate, CA, or Doctor? I’ve traveled abroad too, and this practice is prevalent only in India. I still wonder what the heck you’re trying to prove?

[Leo @4eo]

@ixadilx @darthdevi Bhai promotes cancer pan parag for money. This is nothing. He is a face for sale.

[athreya @athreya49]

Is it normal for Indian govt officials to be absent in a discussion between foreign official/envoy and a billionaire running strategic businesses? I get it that such meetings can always happen secretly so why do the brazen flaunting now?

[Joy @Joydas]

Very true

[Leo @4eo]

@thekaipullai All hail Ambani. Nobody sees an issue when a US minister side steps India’s democratically elected govt and meets industry directly to make energy deals.

US showing who matters here. Made 56” into puppet.