CAMPING TIPS FOR LONG RIDE.

Biking and camping is a lethal combination, it gives one a choice to plan a ride in such a way where destination for the night can be made at any place irrespective of hotels or guest houses.

Everyone is a little apprehensive to camp especially when on rides, but believe me once you get used to it, camping will become an integral part of your rides, for one simple reason, (apart from the joy of camping) freedom, freedom from planning a ride according to towns where hotels are available, freedom to go remote where there are no facilities for lodging and boarding.

But however there are a certain rules and ways that one must follow in order to enjoy camping. Below are a few tips I personally think will help you in your camping forays.

Tents & Backpacks

a) There are many types of tents though, they are broadly divided into two categories, the dome and two way sloping roof tent. I prefer the dome tents, as they are easy to set-up with their fiberglass rod system and do not need to be pegged down. So in case you need to camp on a rocky surface you need not worry about pegging the dome tent down, as they stand quite well on their own. The two way sloping roof tent has to be grounded with nails. It’s difficult or impossible to pitch the two way sloping tent with nails on hard/rocky surface and on soft/sand.

b) Most dome tents come with flooring and a mosquito net protection on the doors and windows. This feature is helpful in keeping the insects and pest out.

c) The Indian jungles are hot most of the time and I have camped for the better half of my camping days without a tent, instead I have camped out of a tarpaulin sheet. Most of the time a sleeping bag will do just fine. A sleeping mat, which is laid down on the ground has many advantages. It acts as an insulator, not passing the heat or cold from the ground below. It also cushions your back against hard stony surfaces. The material of the sleeping mat is the same used in cars to insulate heat from the engine to the air conditioner. 

Backpacks

Backpack weight is very important. The pack weight should be 1/4 of your body weight or less. Too much weight, just like blisters, can spoil a trip. Shoulders, hips, knees, ankles and feet are the stress points. Downhill hiking is much harder on joints. Uphill hiking stresses quadriceps and lungs. 

Things which you might need more often, light snacks, torch etc should be packed last or in any of the side pockets so time is not wasted in pondering for them through the whole backpack. Prefer water resistant backpack to others. 

Choosing a Camping spot
Choose flat ground to pitch your tent. If you have to pitch your tent on sloping ground – be sure to sleep with your head on the higher end, if done otherwise excess of blood flow to your head will lead to headache and nausea.

Choose your spot close to a water source that would help you in washing and cleaning. If you are camping in winter or monsoons pitch your tent under a medium size tree, this would offer protection against rain and dew. Use a dew cover in winters or you may awake to find your tent completely drenched. 

When you peg your tent make a note of the peg lines as we all tend to trip over them, sometimes it leads to injury while most of the time the tent gets a bad jolt. 
Do not smoke in a tent or light candles.


Food
I have experimented with various types of outdoor foods, the best and easiest is tin food but tin food increases backpack weight. Maggie noodles with few veggies tossed in are quick and easy to cook. The latest, is the ready-to-eat food packets – “Ashirwad” is one of the brands. All one has to do is put the contents into a pan and heat it or dip the packet into hot water. The food packets are very convenient and tasty.

Chicken bar be que can be quite exciting, you must get along your pre marinade chicken or marinade the chicken at least an hour before roasting it. Cook over slow fire – coals. Fruits like apples and oranges are also good. Though they make a great diet, I avoid bananas cause they invariably get squashed up in the bag and turn all black. Eat light and drink a fair amount of water. While trekking carry atleast two liters of water. You'll determine right amount for you with experience. Trail snacks [bring stuff that's easy to eat such as chocolate bars/chips, dry fruits etc. they give you an instant energy boost.] should be in outside pockets or near the top, this way you don't have to take out lot of gear from your pack while it's raining!


Starting a Fire

In order to cook or make a cup of tea you must have a fire. Staring a fire can get pretty difficult especially when there is no wind or when it’s raining. Start the fire with small twigs and dry leaves, let them burn well and then insert slightly bigger branches and finally the logs. To start a fire quickly, add kerosene, but again kerosene tends to leak and mess your bags. Best is to insert a small-lit candle between the twigs, this gives a permanent source of fire and the twigs will burn quickly. During the rains most of the wood is wet, you would need to dry the wood over a small fire first. A small fire can be started with a candle as mentioned above or by burning a little bit of plastic with the wood. The plastic will give you a persistent flame. Be careful of the fumes emitted by the plastic, hence use plastic only in cases of wet wood. I carry a small portable stove, which works on paraffin inflammable balls. This stove suffices to cook a small meal and some tea. If you are making a campfire be sure that you collect a lot of spare wood. Campfires can get very demanding in their consumption of wood – stick to large logs, as they will not only burn brighter but also last longer, even after the fire has died out the embers will keep you warm.

A note of caution, see that there is a buffer of cleared ground with radius of atleast 1 meter around the fire and make sure that your fire is completely stamped out before you leave. Most forest fires are cause by carelessly lit fires. These fires consume and destroy 100’s of acres of prime forest.


Insects & Insect Repellents

The basic rule is, that if you go camping then brace your self for a few bites, scratches and itches. Although it is a small price to pay.

Mosquitoes : The humming that they make in your ears can be more irritating than the bite. During monsoons the mosquitoes are at their best. Most mosquito repellents are quite effective, but they all wear out pretty quickly. So the trick is to reapply a new coat every 3 to 4 hrs or whenever you feel the mosquitoes have made their undue presence felt. Try Neem leaves, it is a natural repellent – on condition that you find one close at hand.

Leeches : Leeches are by far the most dreaded creatures, as small as they are they will and shall suck your blood. No need to panic, although the sight of a leech sucking blood is unnerving but the bite of a leech is completely harmless and sterile. They have bitten me on numerous occasions with no side effects. They are attracted to the sound of your feet and the heat of your body. Some of them may even choose an Arial attack, don’t worry they don’t fly !! They fall of branches onto your back and when they have had their fill they will comfortably drop off. I have spent a lot of time with the leeches in the Jungles of India, the point is not to frighten the readers but caution them a bit. Most repellents will work with limited success. Salt or tobacco juices are the best preventions. Though in the jungle most smokers would find it a pity to waste their precious cigarettes for making a juice. Try the leeches J Try not to pull the leeches off, instead gently apply the tobacco juice or salt and they will fall of immediately. 

Cow Ticks : I have saved this insect for the last because in comparison it makes a mosquitoes look quite harmless. Cow ticks are found around cattle and feed on their blood. Avoid camping on cattle grazing grounds and near cow dung, also avoid frolicking there in the grass or wayside. Cow ticks are minute insects but deliver a nasty bite. The climax is that the bite does not heal for almost 3 months and will send you into an itching frenzy. The itching will turn into violent scratching and the more you scratch the worse the bite will get. I am a living example – itching at work – home – restaurants –dates everywhere. Till, a good soul took mercy on me and suggested a remedy. Apply a cream called “Propygenta” as often as possible, it is effective! And ofcourse you would have to contain your scratching.

Scorpion : Remember to dust your shoes in the morning when you awake in the jungles, scorpions love cozy warm places. There have been many instances of scorpion bites when campers wear shoes in the morning, which are left outside the tent.


Flashlight

Flashlight should be small enough to fit in your mouth because that's where it will be when you pitch your tent solo after sunset. Carry extra batteries and bulb. Candles are an important source of light and also provide a nice ambience. If you want to spot wildlife in the night carry a 4 or 5 cell sturdy torch, the MAG lights are the best with their adjustable focus.

Camping Ethics

Do not urinate or defecate near any water source, campsite, or at a place where people are likely to congregate. Bury toilet paper in the hole, replace sod/dirt, and tamp down lightly. Wash hands or clothes well away from any water source. Remember, this is the same water you and others use to cook and drink!

Never litter while camping, plastic bags and other non-bio-degradable stuff should be collected in a waste bag and discarded at a waste management spot

Source:http://www.60kph.com/interact/camping.htm

PACKING FOR A LONG RIDE

Carriers / Saddle Bags / Side Boxes

For a long ride Carriers are the best option giving you the freedom to pack the way you want without any space constraint in comparison to saddle bags / side boxes. Carriers made out of hollow Iron pipes are not only light but cheap and sturdy enough to take any kind of weight. The only drawback of the carriers is, your luggage is exposed and cannot be locked.

Removable Aluminum boxes can be fitted onto the carrier which can be locked but they will have space constraint.

Saddle bags are prone to space and weight constraints. To sustain long rides and tough Indian weather conditions saddle bags have to be of superior quality which are very expensive.

For solo rides.

Ideally there should be only one main bag, a small bag and sleeping bag.

Main Bag should have all your clothes and other stuff which you wouldn't need while riding. Usually this bag(Main) will be heavy, it should be tied or bungeed on the rear/back seat of the bike. But make sure this bag is protruding equally on both sides of the bike. Inequality will lead to bad weight distribution and the bike tending to tilt on the heavier side. Main bag if packed properly on the bike can even act as a backrest, so make sure the side of the bag supporting your back doesn't have sharp objects that can disturb you on the ride.

One small bag can have all the day-to-day stuff, like soap, cream, gloves, etc. Basically stuff you might need during the ride.

Tank Bag is very useful, you can keep your camera, bike papers, map and other handy stuff here. Even your snack, fruits. It also helps in even weight distribution if you have a lot of weight on the rear. Tank bag is a lifesaver if the ride duration is long.

If the ride is long, you will be carrying spares and extra tools for the ride. Keep the spares you think you will need more in right hand side toolbox. Rest of the spares and tools can be put on the right or left hand side of the bike. You can balance the weight by putting sleeping bag and the small bag on the other side. Make sure weights on both sides are more or less same.Balancing weight is the key to smoother ride.

Rest of the luggage like tent, sleeping mat can be packed on the back carrier. That is the carrier behind the rear seat. If you put too much weight here than the bike will tend to jump from the front end.

Use bungee nets instead of bungee cords, for nets can cover the whole luggage.

Covering the luggage with tarpaulin sheets not only safeguards your luggage from the weather but the tarps can also be used as sleeping mat and to cover your bike after the ride. Tarps also comes handy to keep your stuff together if your bag comes apart.

When riding with passenger:

Pack both the main bags( rider's and passenger's) on either side of the bike, usually both the bags will be same in weight. You can also pack respective sleeping bags with the main bags. Rest of the small luggage with tent, spares can be packed on the end carrier.

Tank bag comes very handy while traveling with passenger

Key is to travel light for a smoother ride. Having a common bag for day-to-day stuff helps in decreasing number of bags. Less bags means less bags to pack and unpack everyday.

Use bungee nets instead of bungee cords, for nets can cover the whole luggage.

Covering the luggage with tarpaulin sheets not only safeguards your luggage from the weather but the tarps can also be used as sleeping mat and to cover your bike after a ride. Tarps also comes handy to keep your stuff together if your bag comes apart.

Source:http://www.60kph.com/interact/packride.htm

Planning a Group Ride

For most riding a motorcycle is a personal form of expression, but at times, lot of us find ourselves riding long distance in a group, the group can comprise of personal friends, office colleagues or biker friends. There are many articles on the web explaining the technicalities of a group ride and group riding tips etc.

We are adding our two bits which have come from several long distance group rides we have undertaken, i am putting them the way i see how a group ride should happen, no talk about sign language, technicalities, it's mostly about how to plan a group ride and execute it where in each and every individual enjoys the ride to the fullest, tips on how a group of bikers can go on a long ride together and act as an individual.

Group ride offers all the riders a net of safety, security and share of common jokes, but at the same time a badly planned group ride can leave a bad taste - arguments, attitudes, accidents, different riders with different riding styles etc. It's best not to jump into a group ride just for safety reasons if one is not known to others and others not known to you. Especially if the ride is a long distance ride.

A group ride should have a goal, it can be - ride as fast as possible to a certain place, eat lunch and ride back as fast as possible, it can be - ride, stop, take pictures, ride, stop, take pictures. goal, probably is not the right word, but there are different types of riding and different types of riders, so what is the reason for the ride? To explore, to have fun, to off-road, to ride fast or just to impress the girlfriend.

If you have one rider who wants to ride fast, another who wants to ride faster to impress his girlfriend, another who is stopping and clicking pictures everywhere, another wanting to explore all the small roads is not much of a fun ride, it's a ride where everybody is having their own separate fun and not as a group, it can't even be called a group ride, if everybody is doing their own thing which is bothering others. A group ride without a goal is a disaster, even footloose wandering has a goal, that is to go just about anywhere, no plan in this case is the goal itself.

A group ride is about all riders looking at the ride in the same way, group of bikers having individual fun without disturbing others or their ride. This happens when all riders know the ride plan, the route plan, the pace of the ride, the fun part in the ride, things to watch out for and most importantly know each other.

A group ride should ideally have a road captain, he can be an experienced rider, or someone who has been to the region of the ride, or someone who has done the maximum planning for the ride and knows all the details.

The road captain can lay down the basic rules for the ride, the day wise distance to be covered, rough night halts, the weather condition, the kind of terrain, once all interested riders go over the details, each one will have a fair idea of how the ride is being planned and if that's the kind of ride they would enjoy being part of. It is at this stage that all confusions regarding the ride plan and day wise breakdown should be cleared, discussions about the same on the road are irritating.

Before the ride starts, all bikes should be in a condition to negotiate the terrain of the ride, breakdowns not only delay the ride but are also irritating, some can't be avoided but a basic service and change of old spares should avoid repairs on the road. Each rider should carry basic tools and spares with him.

Depending on the region of the ride and the time of the year, each rider must carry "The trip essentials" for e.g thermals, warm clothing for North, rain gear waterproofing for ride down south etc.

Blood Groups, emergency contact numbers of all riders and their co-riders should be known to all. Sometimes we only have cell numbers of fellow riders which is of no use in an unlikely case of an accident.

Once on the road, either the road captain or an experienced rider should lead the pack, the rider leading should have a fair idea of the route. The pack should ideally be tailed by another experienced biker who has loads of patience and some mechanical knowledge, he comes handy in times of breakdown.

To avoid confusion, none in the group should overtake the lead or stay behind the biker on the tail. The biker tailing should keep the bike's headlight switched on at all times during the ride. This helps the rider leading the pack to take a turn or diversion knowing very well that none of the riders in the group are missing. If the head and tail bikes keep on changing in random order, it gets difficult to keep track of all riders especially in a large group.

Another way of riding in a pack is - to decide after how many kilometers the riders would meet, this system allows all riders to ride separately and the way they want to and meet with the rest of the group at a pre-determined spot. In a day's ride three places can be marked on the map with a certain time frame and each rider can work his way around the schedule taking brief stops where ever he likes, but reaches at the pre-determined spot/ meeting point in the given time frame.

Lot of theories about the safe distance one should have from a fellow biker on the road, it depends on the speed you are travelling, the road condition, traffic and most importantly how well tuned are you with the rider ahead of you. I'll rather use a bikers instinct than a theory here, each rider knows about this space through experience or instinct, but a good 20 feet of distance is ideal.

I don't vote for hand signals to co-riders for overtakes, each rider has his own judgment and others shouldn't influence it, let them negotiate an overtake or a corner using their own judgement and skill. This also ensures that the rider in front does not break his concentration to make a signal. However hand signals should be given to alert the co-rider of a pothole or an obstacle on the road.

On a long ride, distance to be covered in a day should be according to the terrain, weather conditions and the speed of the slowest rider in the group. There is no point in stretching a day's ride to keep up with the paper schedule made before the ride. Covering 700 Kms in a day, waking up late the next and only covering 300 doesn't make sense, dividing 500 Kms over two days is a better option. Start early and finish the ride at sunset, riding in a pack in the night is again a confusing affair, practise it only if the situation demands.

For knowledge about the road conditions, traffic and places to stay always ask the locals, if the locals take 2 hours on a particular stretch, you'll take more unless you're in a rally. Judgment of time on strange roads should be calculated using local experience.

Never force a rider who is tired or sleepy to ride on, a 15-20 minute rest, a hot cup of tea or cold soda sprayed on the face should make him feel better. Even after that if he's not up to it, let him rest and call it a day.

Night halts should be chosen carefully, places with enough parking space for the bikes, safety of vehicles and luggage. A place with ample rooms for all riders especially one bathroom for 2-3 people or a open space to accommodate all :o) If staying in a strange city, inquire about the exit route to the highway in advance as there might not be many locals to guide you early in the morning. Also tank up fuel before the night halt.

Keep atleast one rest day for every 4-5 days of riding, fatigue levels increase by each passing day, no one's is as fresh as they were when the ride started, a day away from the bike and the road helps one unwind, relax and raring to go the next day.

In India, best time to ride is early morning, best and swift ride plan for a group ride is to start early and finish the day's ride before dark, keeping a tab on fellow riders in the dark is confusing, finding a place to stay and eat in certain regions of India after dark is again a problem.

To sum it up group rides are best enjoyed when all riders know very well about the ride plan and the pace of the ride, avoid joining group rides just for the sake of safety and security, instead ride alone, in worst case scenario, u'll have nobody to help you in case of a breakdown, but that experience will teach you more about travel and biking, it is any day better than riding with complete strangers without knowing why we as a group are on the road.

A ride is not about sitting on the motorcycle and riding it to different places, if we say riding is about freedom, breaking free, then riding is about the mind and not the body. A well planned group ride can give you a lifetime of memories through common jokes, incidents and moments of crisis, on the other hand a badly planned group ride or a ride with strangers will be irritating. The difference between the two is what the mind going through, cos wheels are turning in both the rides.

Source:http://www.60kph.com/interact/group_ride_tips.htm

Riding in the Rain and Wind

Wet roads and bad weather offer some challenges 

By Jeff Cobb

Depending on your experience, skill, preparation and risk tolerance, riding a motorcycle in the rain can be anything from frightening to fun. In any case, it is at least more complicated, potentially more hazardous, and afterward, your bike will need a bath.

Some riders avoid rain, but others, especially in areas with more annual rainfall, learn to deal with it. And odds are if you ride long and far enough, sooner or later you'll be confronted with it, willingly or not.

If you think you may have to ride in rain, it helps if you think of it as essentially learning a whole new subset of skills. Accepting it, and seeing it as a challenge, not necessarily a threat can also help.

And as alluded to, some riders actually like the rain. Nor are MotoGP races cancelled just because it's raining either, which proves rain is not an automatic no-go if you learn to work with the demands made on you and your machine.

Covering up

If there is ever a time when most riders agree on the value of a full-face helmet, rain riding could be one. Raindrops sting at speed, and storm winds can blow larger things out of nowhere into your face.

Having suitable clothing is also vital. Many rain suits work well, especially for lighter rain. Heavy precipitation will test any suit however, and even some expensive designs can let water creep in if you let it.

Motorcyclist raingear has the extra job of fighting constant wind currents that want to flow in and around the suit. Any opening - collar, sleeve, or pant cuff - is an invitation for water to enter.

For example, even if you have a watertight coat and gauntlet gloves, air pressure can drive rainwater down the gauntlets and into your sleeves. Some riders find tucking in the gloves works better for their setup, and others do OK as long as their adjustments are tight. The same goes around the neck. A high protruding collar or neck warmer can channel water in.

If planning a long trip, you might want to test your gear on a rainy day close to home. Working out these issues can make the difference between actually getting along fine with rain, and cursing the day.

And if you do get wet, whether it's warm or cooler will affect how you'll like it. If heading toward rain, wearing a base layer that insulates when wet - like polyester, fleece or wool - may help. When uncomfortable, you are distracted, and more likely to make mistakes. But it is during inclement weather that all the more focus is needed, so think of preparation as a word to the wise.

Traction

Rainwater makes even clean pavement less grippy and simultaneously prevents your tires from warming up as quickly or as well.

What's more, if it hasn't rained lately, accumulated dirt and oils will form a slippery film until they are washed off. This could take a while depending on how hard the rain is falling.

And just as dry traction varies depending on the surface, so does wet. Some roads offer surprisingly good wet traction, and others surprisingly bad. It's your job to figure out which is which and everything in between!

A way to test traction is to carefully and very briefly use the rear brake to the point of lock-up. This works in the dry too, and is a better-than-nothing gauge based on how easily your tire breaks loose. Do it on a flat part of the road - not on a crowned or cambered section, because the wheel will follow gravity and go out of line.

Hazard zones include repaired, or tarred pavement, old slick asphalt, some concrete surfaces, debris washed onto the roadway, and intersections rippled or soaked with oil. Toll booths and concrete parking garages that get wet, but never washed clean can also be sketchy. And watch out for railroad or trolley tracks, metal grates, expansion joints, and plates, which grip like Teflon. Rail tracks hit on an angle can steer your front wheel and instantly put you down. Likewise painted crosswalks and lines can be very slick when wet, offer poor traction for cornering or braking, and it's best to run over them when you're vertical as well.

Naturally, on wet roads lowered speeds, and careful movements are the watchwords. Keeping a relaxed body, and not a death grip on the bars also lets the bike do its thing. Progressively use the brakes. Take turns and accelerate smoothly. Going up a gear can help prevent spinning the rear wheel.

Hydroplaning is less likely for a motorcycle's rounded tire than a car's, but the wider the tire, or the faster you go, the more you increase your chances of it happening. The sipes, or cuts in the treads, also need to be deep enough.

Generally rain-oriented street tires have more sipes, and high performance street tires have fewer. Where sport tires may partially overcome this otherwise handicap is the quality of their compounds. Just as in the dry, softer rubber offers better traction than harder compounds.

Vision and visibility

In lieu of wipers, Rain-X helps on the outside of the face shield, especially at speed. Some sort of anti-fog may help on the inside. At lower speeds fogging and rain buildup are more likely. Ratcheting the shield up a notch helps vent, and if you absolutely can't see through the rain, raising it so you can see either through or under it may do the trick at low speed.

Eyewear with yellow or orange lenses may also help your visual acuity, especially for daytime rain riding.

If you have a fairing windshield, it should not be so high that you can't peer over it. Think about trimming or replacing it if you can't.

Hi-visibility colors and reflective bits are better than black or neutral colors without reflection. If you fell on the road, you would want to be easily identifiable as a human, not a piece of tarp or invisible.

Carve out a place

Try to maintain a safe following distance, and get away from drivers who want to tailgate. Sadly, many drivers who tend to follow too closely will not suddenly amend their ways in the rain. A trick that may or may not work is to look back for a moment, and put an open hand up to the tailgating driver. An alternate to this is to make a one-handed pushing motion. Other riders find waving their hand back and forth, while reaching behind, works. Some drivers may not realize they are risking a person's life until you assertively but politely wake them up to this reality.

Thunderstorms

It is not advisable to ride if you are where lightning is striking. Riders have been killed or knocked unconscious while riding in lightning. The lucky ones wake up in a ditch. According to NASA, Florida has twice as many lightning-caused deaths and injuries than any other state. Other states with a high incidence of lightning strikes are Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Colorado and Texas. July is the peak month for lightning.

Wind

A motorcycle is like a little sail. Full fairings and lighter bikes are especially susceptible to side winds. Be prepared to have to lean into the crosswind just to stay upright. But if leaning into the breeze, also be ready to compensate if the crosswind abruptly stops. Alternately, some riders have been known to parallel cars or larger vehicles to let them block extreme crosswinds. Be careful not to ride in anyone's blind spot though, if you try this.

Conclusion

A lot about how your rain riding experience goes is up to you. If, however, you are caught in a situation you feel is too much to handle, find the nearest safe spot to pull over. Otherwise, proactively teaching yourself to ride in the rain pushes back your fear threshold. Panic is the common denominator of all sorts of rider-induced crashes, so thinking about what you are doing, learning as you go, and not riding beyond the capacity of you or your machine is key

Source:http://www.motorcycle.com/rider-safety/riding-in-the-rain-and-wind-88363.html

Wild India: Elephant Attack – How to know an elephant is going to charge

Human-elephant conflict is increasing due to ever increasing human-habitations encroaching on the forest lands, forest fires destroying habitats, invasives reducing the amount of food available for elephants, increased exploitation of forest produce (NTFP), cultivation of species preferred by elephants like paddy, banana close to the forests and elephant corridors etc.

A major part of the elephant habitat is outside our protected areas. The Government has not agreed to the recommendation of the Elephant Task Force to create a separate authority for elephants. In that Elephant Task Force report, there was a suggestion to buy back land and recreate the elephant corridors. Even that is not happening. So the conflict is going to continue. In this article I am going to show how to tell an elephant is going to charge and whether it is a mock charge or serious charge.

Speed of a Wild Elephant: 

Usain Bolt ran the London 2012 100m Olympics final at 9.63 seconds, so his speed was 37.383kmph. An elephant can run at an estimated speed of between 35-40kmph speeds, crushing all the bushes on the way. So the only way one can evade an elephant attack in Wild India is if the person can read the intent of the elephant and starts running and creating a big enough distance between himself and the elephant before the elephant starts the charge.

How to tell an elephant will charge:

Iain Douglas-Hamilton as a 22 year old youngster had gone to Africa to do a study on Lions. When he saw that Dr. George Schallar was already doing study on Lions he did a study on Elephants. It was indeed a boon for all the elephant lovers, as his work in Manyara National Park, was the first to do systematic research on elephants in Africa. His pioneering effort resulted in the book “Among the Elephants”.

Wild Asiatic elephant ready to charge. It is still, only the raised foreleg indicating that it will charge

In the Page 68, 4^th paragraph of the book “Among the Elephants” By Iain & Oria Douglas-Hamilton, he has given the signs to know if an elephant is going to charge:

“Another distinct pattern of behaviour with practical as well as theoretical interest was the twiddling of the trunk, the swinging of one of the front legs to and fro, and rocking from side to side which I saw when an elephant appeared to be deciding between attack an retreat. These were typical ‘displacement activities’. In elephants they were a great help to me in predicting their behaviour. The more marked these activities the less likely the elephant was to charge. Very often the most impressive threat displays emanated from the most frightened elephants which were unlikely to make a serious attack.”

“Niko was particularly interested in the differences in character between individual elephants where this led to their behaviour becoming predictable. As we passed one matriarch named Inkosikaas, with an upswept tusk like a sabre, she shook her head in mild annoyance. I stopped the car and told him to watch these elephants, because within about five minutes they would charge. Inkosiakaas fiddled with her trunk, then turned to the other cows on either side of her and clashed tusks with them in turn, putting her trunk in their mouths one after the other. This seemed to reassure her and almost exactly five minutes later she delivered a beautifully impressive threat charge. This was her own predictable quirk, unique among the elephants of Manyara: the tendency for delayed action aggressive displays.”

Unfortunately, this knowledge is not disseminated among people. I first read this from a book written by a hunter. I read it in the late 70′s and saw the behaviour in 90′s. This hunter had experienced this behaviour in the 1930′s and 1940s. Unfortunately, not many people have read it since this book was written in a local language (Oriya). Douglas-Hamilton recorded this behaviour in African elephants in the late 1960′s and early 1970s. I hope to educate all the people in the human-elephant conflict areas, so that lives can be saved. You will also find this behavior in the short film “A God in Distress”.

Elephants can stand remarkably still and people often don’t realize what is going to unfold. So they move closer with small zoom lenses hoping to get a closeup of a Wild elephant. And then the charge is unleashed. Because the realization dawns late, people lose precious seconds, which can be the difference between life and death.

There have been cases of journalists losing their life in South India while trying to photograph wild elephants in Indian jungles. A wildlife enthusiast working in IBM in Bangalore was reported to have died due to heart-attack when a wild elephant charged.

How to know it is a serious charge:

Wild elephants often mock charge. A lot of people mistake a serious charge of a wild elephant to be mock charge and either hold their ground or start running late. When the elephant has got serious intent, you can see that its trunk is coiled inwards and its ears are close to the head. If you are roaming around in Wild India in the elephant habitat, then you have to look for these signs.

Wild Indian elephant makes a determined charge

In 1963, A Border Roads Construction department truck was kicked down a cliff by an elephant and nine people had died. In South India, there have been many cases of elephants attacking vehicles. So when you know that it is a determined charge by a wild elephant, it is better to back off.

Wild India: Narrow escapes from Elephants:

If one is on foot in Wild India, there are theories that if you hide behind a bush, the elephant may not see you. In his book “Elephant Gold” by P. D. Stracey, he has mentioned a few such narrow escapes from a charging elephant. In Page 198, he writes “Walsh, another tea-planter, described to me how he was following an elephant in thick bush when it suddenly whipped round and charged him; he tripped as he took a step backwards in the act of raising a rifle and sat down at the base of a tree and perhaps this may have made the elephant lose sight of him and charge on and past him.”

1. Elephants have very keen sense of smell and acute hearing. So if one can hide without making any sound and if the wind is blowing from the side of the elephant towards you, then perhaps you can survive.
2. Throwing away any cap or part of clothing can also help in distracting the elephant before you make good your escape. In one case a person threw his white lungi and when the wild elephant got busy in shredding it into pieces, the person ran away to safety.
3. One can also escape the wrath of an attacking elephant, by climbing a large tree and sitting on a branch beyond the reach of the elephant’s trunk. Not many city bred wildlife enthusiasts know how to climb a tree. So this is another reason to be cautious when you are on foot in Wild India.
4. If there is a big enough ditch, then try to remember your school days when you were involved in long jump competitions and jump over. The elephant is most likely to stop. However, if the ditch is small enough, then the elephant is more likely to take a detour and try to reach you with its trunk.

Since prevention is better than cure, if you are trekking on foot, better to get a local trekker. Their senses would be much better than us. In one case my trekker could smell elephant, and I could smell it only after a further 15 feet or so. That could be the difference between life and death. Similarly, watching TV and exposed to loud sounds has got its impact on our hearing abilities. So a local tribal is likely to be of a lot of help and invaluable in saving you from elephant attacks in wild India.

 Source:http://www.indiawilds.com/diary/how-to-know-if-an-elephant-is-about-to-charge/

 Woman In India who Own Harley Davidson

There was a TV commercial some time back with a catchy tagline, ‘Why should boys have all the fun?’ This lady from Bangalore believes in it reality. Sheeja Mathews became the first woman in India to own a mascular Harley-Davidson. This 34-year-old HR Professional with an MNC in Bangalore, will cruise on just delivered new Harley Davidson Iron 883. She has been riding to her office on her husband’s Yamaha RD 350 for the past 10 years.

“I didn’t know that I was the first woman to buy a Harley Davidson in India till the company people told me. I thought of upgrading to a Harley when they opened a showroom here,” Mathews said.

“Though there are other superbikes available in India, I always dreamed of owning what I firmly believe is the ultimate superbike: a Harley-Davidson ,” she added.

Sheeja has a passion for bikes and adventure sports, like drag racing. She has been riding bikes from the age of 15.

Mother of a 7-year-old son, Mathews said even her son is excited about the new bike, on which the family has spent about Rs 8 lakh in total, although the ex-showroom price of the bike is Rs 6.5 lakh. “Oh, he wants me to drop him to school on the bike so that he could show off his mother’s bike to his friends,” she said, adding, she would be taking the bike on long rides on weekends.

Source:http://www.autoplugged.com/2011/07/sheeja-mathews-becomes-first-woman-in-india-to-own-harley-davidson/

Kasthuri Deodhar Second Woman In India To Own Harley Davidson :

Kasthuri Deodhar from Hyderabad has bought a Harley Davidson bike. This 33-year old architect by profession has become the second women to own a Harley in India.

Harley Davidson getting some light on the women side as in one single month there were two women’s who bought this iconic bike in India and will catch more in the coming months.

“I am sure many more ladies would love to ride a Harley. I really liked when so many people stared at me while I was riding the bike,” Deodhar said.

“While we strongly believe Harley Davidson is more of a state of mind and it transcends gender and age, we see a tremendous potential with Indian women riders,” Harley Davidson India, Director (Marketing) Sanjay Tripathi said.

Deodhar was a bike enthusiast from childhood and got the Harley Davidson Iron 883 bike priced at Rs 6.5-lakh and she received as a gift from her husband.

“We used to have a Yamaha Rajdoot 350 and before that we had Bajaj Eliminator and now the Iron, the best that one can ask for,” Deodhar said.

Source:http://burnyourfuel.com/27659/kasthuri-deodhar-harley-davidson-iron-883/