EAT, SLEEP, RIDE – REPEAT!

Bhutan Done….. Now mission Nepal

Total Cycling distance : appor. 160-170 kilometers

Total cycling time : 13-14 hours

Route: Hasimaara, Jaladmara National Park, Birpara, Gairkata, Dhupguri, Jalpaygudi, Bagdogra, Siliguri

The first night halt was in a guest house at Jaygaon. In the previous mission of Kashmir to Kanyakumari the rest stops were not timed and were of very short periods of time. In this mission the case is different……..  Preeti takes rest stops at night…. As this is a solo unsupported mission along with finding her own route and making arrangements for stay and food, Preeti also has to do routine chores like washing her clothes, loading and unloading her stuff from the bike every time she takes a rest stop.

Around 7:30 in the morning she started her journey…….. the weather was pleasant but due to the head wind there  was a limitation on the speed. The road was in good condition but the half repaired cycle was adding to the challenge created by the head wind.

 Seeing a lady made the locals curious… the locals specially the kids waved when they saw her passing by…. She also met a few cyclists on the way. In those were a couple who were on an expedition on non geared cycles…….. They also were doing the expedition without carry any money with them….. That’s when Preeti realized…. “I’m not the only crazy person in this world…. There are many more like me……”

Making use of the curiosity generated…. Preeti was spreading the message of organ donation and the work of ReBirth in this area. She also encouraged the people to sign up on the ReBirth website….. sirprizingly this time some of the locals googled her and actually checked if she was telling the truth…

On reaching siliguri she started her search for a good cycle repair shop and that is when she found Track and Trail….. she gave the cycle to repair the chain and went on to have lunch…. When back, the mechanic also gave her an idea about the other things in the cycle that would need some basic tuning…… in all her previous missions she always had an expert who knew the cycles in and out and was available at her beck and call for repairs……… This time she had gathered information about the basic maintenance and also had carried the tools for the same. Alas that wasn’t enough…  she had to visit the mechanics shop for repairs……….. after all her repairs were done she called the couple who also were on an expedition and had their cycles checked and repaired where it was necessary…….

Preeti took a night halt at Hotel Sunrise as it was already sundown….. 

When asked about which was the biggest challenge she has faced in this solo unsupported mission till now……  she said apart from looking for a route, food and stay arrangements herself ……… she has to wash her own clothes … dry them in the night and get moving the following morning…. Apart from using google maps for the route she also uses it for finding public toilets……… the most challenging is doing all this alone….. runtime decision making is also a new challenge for her….. what keeps her going is the sheer satisfaction of getting new experiences…. And that’s the success of her mission

Cycling long distances wasn’t something she was worried about as she had done a record breaking cycling expedition just a few months back…….

She wanted to try something new this time is what she says………..

Bestest wishes to Preeti for her journey forward…….

LIFE IS A ONE TIME OFFER AND PREETI IS MAKING THE BEST OF IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Original Blog By : Kavita Pipada
English Translation By : Girija Shirurkar