Ex-policeman Ronnie back from tragic biker trek

Jul 10 2008 by Lesley Brown, Hamilton Advertiser

A EX-cop last week returned from a tragic 16-day fundraising motorcycle tour through the Himalayas in which a man died.

Dad-of-two Ronnie Buchanan was one of 25 riders from across the UK who took part in the ride through the mountains.

They travelled along narrow mountain roads and precipices at altitudes of up to 15,000 feet. Sadly, one of the participants died in a fall. Ronnie said the accident cast a giant shadow over the trip.

The group had been riding Indian-made 500cc Royal Enfield motorcycles and were accompanied by a GP, paramedic and surgeon.

Ronnie, who arrived back at Heathrow on July 2 having travelled over 1200km through the Asian mountain range, said: “The accident happened eight or nine days into the trip.

"We were up ahead and didn’t get involved. The man, who I believe came from England, came off the road and ended up rolling down the slope.”

The 58-year-old former police superintendent, who lives in Larkhall with wife Kate, added: “The trip was not without its difficulties. Several people suffered from sunstroke and altitude sickness.

“At times, I felt my breathing get extremely laboured, but thankfully it didn’t get so bad that it disabled me.” He added that the monsoon season had come early to the region for the first time in 18 years, which created yet more difficulties for the group.

Although the motorcyclists were not caught up in the strong winds, the devastation wreaked on roads and villages did pose problems for the riders.

“There were landslides and boulders in the roads,” he added. “Some mountain roads were completely obliterated and there were rivers where roads used to be.

“The terrain was much tougher than I expected. Some of the men in our group had quite a lot of off-road experience, and I didn’t, so it was hard work.

"The bikes themselves suffered a lot and there were a few minor falls, but the mechanics that travelled with us did an amazing job of keeping the bikes operational.”

The trip, which began on June 16 with a flight from Heathrow to Delhi, cost around £4000, which Ronnie paid for himself.

The group covered between 90km and 220km per day. Ronnie admitted that he struggled with the pace initially. He said: “I found it extremely difficult at times. The level of concentration you have to maintain was exhausting. I picked up a lot of new riding skills, though, which I am quite proud of.”

Ronnie, a keen motorcyclist who owns a Kawasaki ZZR 1400cc bike, said: “I met a great bunch of people on the trip. There were fathers with their sons, a vet and another police officer. It was such a vast range of ages and skills and that made it very memorable.”

Ronnie hopes to raise between £6000 and £7000 through sponsorship of his efforts, with the cash split between the Samantha Dickson Brain Tumour Trust and St Andrew’s Hospice.