Life in day
of nomad cyclist.
Rider generally
Wake up by 4.30.
It is a new day, whatever happened yesterday. You learnt from it . And it is a new day .
If hot water is
available rider will take quick bath,
Gathering everything, chargers, lights pack in baggage . Put on gear. Stuff
essentials in back pockets of jersey. Take some hydration for the way. Take his
baggage to support vehicle.
Then check his cycle, fix light. It is still dark. Watchmen
and truckers are taking warmth from makeshift fire place. Leader gives you some dry snacks to eat.
Coffee pouch and hot water in paper cup. Someone opens his bag and get
something out for quick bite. if it is not too late riders do some warm up.
Then out captain gather everyone for brief for
day ahead, probable breakfast and lunch time and place of stay that
night.
then everyone lines
up for national anthem.
That gives us boost of energy. A sense of doing something
great feel our heart. By the time we
start it is past 6 or later in expedition almost 7 because of Cold weather
As a habit you are
craving for Tea, so you decide to have your tea on the way .
But air is cool. There is no traffic on road and you can as
speed up as you wish. so, you don't stop even if you see a open Tea shop. You
don't want to break momentum. Legs are fresh and peddling is incredibly easy.
morning shadows are long. You can see shadow of your trailing riders. It gives
you more boost. You think you can finish today's distance in daylight only.
Slowly shadows start shortening. You can't guess your
trailing rider .and your leading rides looks half a km ahead. you get little
tired and look for tea joint. Sometimes you are lucky. Sometimes you have to
pedal few km more. In early days of ride there used to be a predetermined
mileage or time for leaders to stop for
breakfast.
But as expedition progress it becomes very time consuming to
wait for everyone. So people started to take breakfast whenever they feel
hungry. But you need to have some descent mileage in your kitty.
By the time you
finish your Paratha or poha with some banter sun comes pretty up .
you start good, but soon shadows are in your wheels.
You try to guess which direction you are going based on
shadow. Mostly it has to North, north
east or East, because you know there is where Delhi is. But it confuses you
more.
After breakfast
riders chat with other while pedalling. Soon distance between them increase beyond earshot, so chat stops. Your
buddy is either too ahead of you or behind you.
Fatigue comes fast. So, he waits for you at intervals. At the start of
expedition, we used to tire very early and wait at every 5 km, 2nd day it be
become every 10 k. It increased up to 15 /20 km as riders become more used to
conditions as expedition progressed.
first day we took group breakfast at 95 km, 2nd day 82 then
55 depending upon energy and convenience.
Then after between 50
and 60 become norms.
1st day people were riding like they are racing . So
everyone was having own team. Riding mostly solo. Then depending upon speeds
small buddy teams were defined automatically.
Leading teams were usually fast. They used to spot some food joint for
breakfast and lunch and post Google location in the group, then small buddy
teams joins them one by one. Whatever ordered by first team if tastes ok orders
everyone. Chatting continue while eating and when you realise that you spent
more time here than necessary, you wear your helmet , put on gloves , signal
your buddy , refill the water bottles and move .
The next stop is Lunch. Generally, it is at 120 km. first
few km after breakfast go really fast.
You stop for buddy every 15 /20 km. But then sun is nearly above your
head. Shadows are short now. Running just ahead of your wheel. Then water
breaks become bit more frequent. On couple of days route was not certain. So,
checking messages, live location of leaders becomes part of hydration
break. Hydration packs consisting energy
bars and energy drink become handy to keep energy level in hot sun. since every
day you are getting just 5 hours sleep or less you feel sleepy while riding. so
stopping for lunch become more urgent.
Finding right spot
for lunch was real challenge in Rajasthan leg of expedition. mostly highway was catering to mostly trucks.
So Dhaba’s were for catering to truck drivers only. Dust was everywhere. On the
road, outside Dhaba and inside too . For safer side our lunch was mostly Dal
rice, curd, and butter milk .
Generally, lunch time used to be catching up point. Teams
come and join, have chat , eat , some take quick nap . And leave in batches.
By the time it is mostly 4.00 PM. You have 80/90 odd
kilometre to go. You calculate and you
know that it will again late in evening to reach. Again our time breakfast and lunch breaks has
overshoot its time allocation and you have to slog to reach .
But weather is pleasant now. You can ride at whatever speed
you want. you even overtake a truck or too . You are racing with your partner.
Shadows are getting longer. Desert wind is cool . You notice bahbul shrubs,
flocks of sheep’s sometimes.
Some team is stopped
for hydration, you stop there with them for few minutes. Eat something from pack,
sip water .then proceed . Shadows are even longer .you can guess direction
where you are heading. You can sense presence of your buddies without glancing back.
there is evening smell in air .
In North India December day is very short. Sun sets just
after 5.00. You notice that you no longer have shadow
You pause for a
minute to switch on lights
fun is over now It is
time to slog . Still 60 km to go. Suddenly you feel hurry to reach destination.
You are not Enjoying ride. Your buddy is tagging you within earshot . But you
don't talk to each other. Now you can sense your buddy by headlight of cycle in your tires . When you don’t see
that for some time you slow down for
your buddy .
Sometimes in fading light you see a rider is struggling to
repair a flat tire. You stop to help him. You offer your spare tube to him.
Sometimes he needs support vehicle. You wait for help to come. Then proceed.
In night you pedal really fast, but every kilometre seems
like taking eternity.
When you are not worried about distance, and not able to see
much ahead because of dark, and there is nothing to talk to your buddy you
notice something bigger accompanying you from the beginning.
The highway, it's continuous humming or rather roar. That sound is with you from
beginning but you are too occupied to notice it. Highway user , mostly truck
drivers seldom bother you .They all are in their own world .That loud highway humming calms you down. You pedal fast but no longer
feel in hurry .You exactly don't go into
meditation , but you go in some kind of trance thinking about life events from different perspective.
A random horn or
shout from your partner awakes you. You
stop for few minutes rest. You think
about stay of the night . what leaders have found by pedalling fast without
rest and sometimes without lunch .Check your mobile for location . Calculate,
curse or thank the leaders and proceed.
By the time you reach
your hotel or sometimes truckers lodge it is cold, dark.
Watchman and driver
huddling around a fire to warm themselves.
You feel very happy. you high five your buddy and early riders.
You check who is left behind. Next challenge is checking if
there is hot water for a quick shower.
Then it is time for calling home.
Dinner is ordered . The team recalls a day's adventures . Laugh loudly about troubles, detours , breakdowns , nearly giving up . Every trouble is forgotten .
Going to bed to dream about tomorrow ride .
