They say that as a UI/UX designer, my job is to create “seamless journeys” for users. But in October 2023, I decided to design a journey for myself that was anything but seamless. I traded my dual-monitor setup in Pune for a single visor view, my ergonomic chair for the saddle of a KTM 390 Adventure, and my predictable routine for the unpredictable winds of the Himalayas.
I call it The Great Loop.
What is The Great Loop?
It wasn’t just a road trip; it was an 8,254-kilometer circumnavigation of my own limits. Spanning 33 days, this expedition took me from the familiar hills of Maharashtra, through the industrial heart of India, to the restricted, oxygen-thin borders of Bumla Pass at 15,200 feet, and finally down to the sun-soaked sands of Goa for India Bike Week.
Why read this series?
This isn’t just a “ride report” filled with technical jargon and fuel averages (though there’s plenty of that for the nerds!). This series is a deep dive into:
- The Solo Reality: What it’s actually like to navigate India as a solo woman rider—the safety calculations, the pre-booked nights, and the sheer empowerment of being your own mechanic and navigator.
- The Micro-Experiences: Beyond the famous landmarks, it’s about the roadside thukpa in Arunachal, the nod of respect from a truck driver in Raipur, and the silence of a frozen lake at 13,000 feet.
- The Gear & Grit: How a 373cc engine and a BluArmor C30 became my best friends when the GPS failed and the mist rolled in.
- The Transition: Moving from the silence of the mountains to the roar of thousands of bikers at IBW.
What to Expect
Over the next few weeks, I’ll be breaking this monster of a trip into three distinct phases. We’ll start with the high-speed grit of the Trans-India Sprint, climb into the clouds for the North-East Odyssey, and finish with the Coastal Victory Lap.
Whether you’re a fellow rider looking for route tips, a dreamer planning your first solo trip, or just someone who enjoys a good story about a girl and her machine—welcome to the loop.
The kickstand is up. Let’s go.
