THE LONG HAUL BLAZING A TRAIL LIFE IN THE FAST LANE WOMEN’S SPECIAL
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The CRANK with ProCycle Team Publisher and Managing Editor Vikram Limsay Editor Rahul K Thomas Technical Editor Nilesh Dhumal Content and Image Contributions Anita Bora, Divya Tate, Kathrin Heim, Vicki Nicholson, Shalini Rao, Malvika Jain, Robin Groser, Deepak Rao, Sandeep Reddy and Sven Schirmer
Registered to Procycle and Sports India Private Limited. Corporate Office: Indiranagar, 889, First Floor, 7th Main, 4th Cross, HAL II stage, Bangalore - 560008. Tel: +91 80 41161902 or +91 99450 11116 Showroom: Indiranagar, 37, 11th Cross, 1st Stage, Bangalore- 560038 Tel: +91 80 25202004Â +91 98802 16064 Website www.procycle.in. For queries regarding advertising and subscription, mail us at subscribecrank@procycle.in
Cover Photograph: Vicki NIcholson burning up the tarmac on her victorious race to Nandi Hills. Image by Rahul K Thomas Rear cover photograph: The ProCycle car with bikes ready to hit the slopes
THE PROCYCLE STORE
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IN THIS ISSUE 1. Blazing a Trail: Anita Groser 2. Firestorm 2013 by Mailvika Jain 3. Profiled by ProCycle: Sangita Kalia 4. Coming through! by Monica Pillai 5. Divya Tate: Super Randonneuse 6. Going the Distance by Anita Bora 7. Life in the Fast Lane by Vicki Nicholson 8. Across the Americas Part II by Kathrin Heim 9. The Foldies go to France: Jura by Shalini Rao
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10. Gear for the Girls!
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HEYA!
Hello readers! What’s with all the purple you ask? Well, white, purple, green and (now) gold or yellow are the colours of International Womens Day. Among them, white stands for purity, green stands for hope and yellow stands for a new dawn. Purple however stands for justice, dignity, self reverence and self respect. And we couldn’t think of a better way to dedicate this edition to all you strong, independent ladies out there, than by adopting this as our standard. This edition is all about women on the bike. We cover mountain-bikers Anita Groser and Malvika Jain. Anita is a mother of two who is passionate about her time on the trails and who is weaning her boys on the outdoors. Malvika’s a familiar face on the riding circuits of Delhi and Mumbai. We take a look at what it takes for a woman to commute in a crowded city like Bangalore through the words of Monica Pillai and Sangita Kalia. Then we peek into the mind of India’s first Super Randonneuse Divya Tate, after which Anita Bora tells us what it takes to ‘go the distance.’ Vicki Nicholson’s been tearing up the tarmac for the last couple of years and she recounts her journey in Life in the Fast Lane. Kathrin Heim picks up where Sven Schirmer left off last month and takes us through her epic trip across Central and into South America. Shalini Rao rounds off their trip to the Jura Mountains (which began last month) and then shows us her favourite riding gear which we’ve covered. These are the stories of strong women who juggle their passion for riding bikes with successful careers, social and personal lives. We dedicate this edition to all of you ladies out there who pedal and to all of you who dream of pedalling too.
Editor - CRANK with ProCycle
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OFF THE BEATEN PATH In this section, we feature the women who live to get off the beaten path, explore and ride remote trails Anita Groser and Malvika Jain.
BLAZING A TRAIL: ANITA GROSER Images by Robin Groser and Aman Puri
UP IN LADAKH
In 2005 Anita Grosser and her husband Robin walked into a Firefox showroom in Ghitorni and bought themselves two mountain bikes. They then proceeded to chuck them in the car and head for the hills. Today Anita looks back and laughs at their naivete. Riding in the hills was like nothing they anticipated. It was torturous! But, they enjoyed it. They cycled around McCleodganj and Dharamshala. Then they headed off to Manali and rode from there to Nagar and back. They rode around Dalhousie. Their mountain holiday made them fall in love with the sport of mountain biking. Anita has a background in sport having worked at Ten Sports in Dubai. She recounts how they used to be glued to the Tour de France reports and clips which would trickle in. Mad about cycling they were, but more as spectators, until they returned to India.
Having ridden around a bit in 2005, cycling took a bit of a backseat for Anita over the next couple of years. She had her first child in 2006 and her second in 2007. While Robin was thoroughly hooked and was busy riding around, her bike gathered dust. Then in 2009 they joined a group of riders in the Gurgaon area and every weekend Anita began to head out on group rides, quickly falling in love with her trail-time. She was the quintessential weekend warrior - taking care of the kids, ferrying them to school and back during the week, and trying to make some time for herself on the weekends. As she says, her time away from the kids floods her with guilt. Now though she’s managed to work out a system - they get dropped off at the grandparents’ place the night before a ride. In 2010, Anita and Robin headed off to Singapore to watch the Grand Prix. They returned with a Scott hardtail for her and took things to the CRANK with ProCycle MARCH 15TH, 2013
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next level. In 2011, she decided to participate in the weekend category of MTB Himachal - arguably the most gruelling mountain biking event in India. As she likes to put it, she ‘ate humble pie’ and came back. She and Robin realised the tremendous levels of fitness required for this sport, particularly at high altitudes. Later that year, she competed in Firestorm (a mountain biking competition held on the outskirts on Delhi) and ended up so dehydrated that she needed to go on a drip. None of that stopped her though. In 2012, Anita rode the Tour of Kangra and had a blast doing it despite snapping her chain and having to finish on Robin’s bike.
ON THE WAY FROM MANALI TO LEH THROUGH THIN AIR
Finally, it was time to realise a long-awaited dream. From the time they had first gotten bikes, Anita and Robin had talked about riding from Manali to Leh. For nearly 7 years, these plans were put on hold for various reasons. In August, they finally decided that if they kept waiting for the perfect moment, it would never happen. Virtually overnight, they made the decision to head out. They packed their bikes into the car and headed out to Manali. Landing up on a Saturday morning, they spent just enough time there to recuperate from their drive before beginning the long haul. Riding their bikes with a driver bringing up the car in support, they set off on Sunday morning and survived on a diet of dry fruits and gatorade as they were too exhausted to keep down solid food. They have lovely memories of that ride - the group of intrepid Aussies riding a line that was so scary it was a sheer drop on one side, the kind lady who fed them soup to keep them going and so much more. They made it up to Leh in just five days where the kids were there to greet them, having flown up with the grandparents earlier. She laughs about how she’s constantly struggling to keep up with her husband and how he surprised with a gorgeous new carbon fibre 29er, on which she valiantly tries to keep up with him. And how the boys are now fascinated with this sport which has hooked their parents. There’s a lot of obvious love for family and the outdoors and the need to unite the two. It must indeed be a happy house to grow up in. Anita draws lots of support from Robin and his passion for riding. She candidly told us how she may not have ridden the 2013 edition of Firestorm (the race which landed her on drips) if it hadn’t been for Robin’s encouragement. Well, it was certainly not in vain. Anita went ahead to win the Expert category of Firestorm in style. More than competition, one clearly gets the impression that it is a love for the outdoors, and nature in particular, that fuels Anita. She rides out and explores trails with Robin several times a week. They are lucky enough to have the Aravallis within striking distance and make use of it they certainly do. There certainly are problems but she shrugs them off cheerfully. She talks about how guys with milk
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ANITA ON HER WAY TO WINNING FIRESTORM
cans follow her and ask her to race. About how she certainly feels a sense of insecurity when she enters village areas and how she is constantly scanning the road. Interestingly, she says its not just women, but men too who face trouble. The men who ride with them in their group also have trouble, even when in numbers.
VICTORIOUS
She doesn’t let any of this discourage her though. She gets out at 4 in the morning and is back by 6 or 7. She says riding in the dark, funnily enough, allows her some amount of anonymity. She keeps intending to take out her road bike but, as she says, “If you’re a mountain biker, nothing replaces the feeling of hitting the trails.” This year, they plan on taking the boys on a trip to the hills where they will camp and ride and hike and introduce them to the wanderer life. They have some sort of plan. But, as always, they’ve left enough room to let the road take them where it wants to.
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FIRESTORM 2013
by Malvika Jain
Image courtesy Aman Puri
The course was a good combination of uphill and downhill. Sometimes we went though rocks literally placing the wheel from one boulder to another, while at others we had to dismount and walk. Each lap was 5 kms long and with the Enthusiast category doing 1 lap and the Experts doing 5, there was something in it for everyone. Throw in dodging a few camels (you read that right) and this was a fun challenge. There was lots of support along the track with designated water points. The track had been well prepared with the thorny kikar plants being cut back and the track swept well. Despite this there were many punctures so one can only imagine how many were averted. This event was more about bonhomie and happy socializing and it was good to see all the familiar Delhi, Noida and Gurgaon faces. With so many endorphins in the air it is hard not to have a good time. Given the ease of the event and the safety precautions taken, this is one event women should participate in for sure. While there were quite a few women participants, these were the usual suspects on the cycling scene. It would have been nice to see a few more noobs. I was delighted that the expert category was won by Anita Groser - a mother of two and a darn good rider from Gurgaon. Kavita, a sweetspoken, shy girl of nineteen who had come for the event with her father, came in second - a surprise package indeed. The not-so-surprise package was Monica. A regular cyclist from Haryana who participates in many races, she came and won in the enthusiast category as her cycle did not arrive in time to participate in the expert category. She accepted the prize in her signature crisp salwar kameez and promptly left for Amritsar. Having been in Mumbai for a while, this was back to Dilli for me – hard baked earth and the infamous kikar thorns. Happening on a Sunday, close to home and yet giving the impression of being lost in the wilderness, Firestorm is an event many more women from the National Capital Region ought to give a shot.
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ProCycle Profiled
SANGITA KALIA Image by Rahul K. Thomas
Sangita Kalia rides her new KHS Alite 150 mountain bike with surprising poise for someone who just picked up a bike. Delve a little further and it all becomes clear. As it turns out, she grew up in Pilani (home of the famous BITS) and much of her childhood was spent cycling around the place. In fact, her entire family used to cycle around. It was no big deal according to her. It was simply transport - a means to get from one point to another. Of course it helped that things were ordered and safe - perfect conditions for cycling. Then, life caught up, she moved away, finally ended up here in Bangalore and raised two kids. As she candidly says, she was counting the days until they were independent and could fend for themselves so that she could focus on herself. Well, that time has finally come. The first thing she did was to buy herself a bicycle and start riding. That was only a few weeks ago but Sangita seems to epitomise the phrase ‘you never forget how to ride a bike.’ We wish her many happy, fun-filled miles in the years to come.
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CITY SLICKER
COMING THROUGH! by Monica Pillai Genesis It all (re)started when I was 29. I was turning the big three-oh and life was beginning to come apart at the seams. Career options weren’t as wildly exciting as advertised. And the bugle sounded the Battle of the Bulge. That in conjunction with a nudge from my brother landed me in the saddle of a Trek 3700. One height-adjusted seatpost later, I had my epiphany! Early days I started with tentative rides around Ulsoor lake, slowly moved on to meeting friends on weekends and then to commuting to and from work. I cross trained (with my running) out on the airport road, towards Sarjapura Road and Whitefield with the odd (rare) Nandi ride thrown in. Why I ride James E Starr’s line about ‘melancholy being incompatible with cycling’ best describes it for me. There’s no anger or sadness or irritation that a cycle ride can’t cure me of. Einstein’s ‘I thought of it while I was cycling’ comes in a close second. Cycling really helps me feel happy and footloose and I can let my thoughts drift as I drift. The cardio helps my brain kick into high gear and get creative. Between running & cycling, the fount for all my creativity is taken care of! The freedom to wriggle through narrow spaces and get through traffic doesn’t hurt.
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My cycling regimen I try to ride thrice a week. Commute to work and back is 18 km, including two laps around Ulsoor lake. I didn’t have a pre-ride bike check routine till some very forceful cycling friends happened. Now I check tyre pressure before heading out. And do at least a basic cleaning once a week. Experiences I’ve been riding in Bangalore for six years. In the first two, I’d attract shouts of ‘Good show, Lance Armstrong’ and suchlike. Wrong gender notwithstanding, the very fact that a cricket obsessed nation knew the name of a cyclist back in 2007 was great. Over the last few years, there is the additional joy of meeting other cyclists. 24 out of 50 people in my office cycle! As a woman cyclist, I have had more experiences of thumbs up and ‘How much this cycle?’ and ‘how much mileage?’ (accompanied by cheeky grins) than experiences of being driven off the road. I also play it safe by never cycling solo pre-dawn or post 9 p.m. The more amusing (and often annoying) experiences involve random men who get really angry when I overtake them. This one memorable time, there was a swarm of thirteen people on cycle, all trying to outdo each other on the narrow Ulsoor lake stretch. And poor me just trying to make my way back home. There are the good ones too. Two weeks ago, a man slowed down when riding past on his scooter to say he was amazed that locals are bravely cycling. He paid me the highest compliment when he said, “I have a 15 year old daughter. I am going to get her a cycle, so she can also go flying down roads like you are. She will also have strong legs and she will be independent. That is all I want for her.” I won’t lie and say all is hunky dory. I do get baleful looks, ugly comments and leers. But, that happens even if you are walking or running or using a scooter… Or just breathing for that matter. Having been in a mugging incident a few years back on a scooter, I know this – the next bad incident may be around the corner. But, I’m not going to let that scare me off cycling. Nor am I going to let that incident force me off the saddle. This is my city and I love it here. And I love to cycle. That means there’s going to be a lot more of me cycling in the city!
ProCycle Tips RIDING Look ahead: Always scan the road at least five metres ahead of you. Do not look down and stare at your tyres. If you look ahead, it gives you time to react in the event of a ditch or pothole or stone. If you’re looking at your tyres its usually too late to do anything. Scan the road at all times, particularly at junctions. Predictability: When you’re out on the road, ride in a predictable manner. Make sure that you don’t make any sudden changes in direction. The vehicles around you need to be able to anticipate your moves in order for you to be safe. Changing lanes or crossing: If you’re moving over a lane (or three), make sure you look over your shoulder first and then, when you’re sure its safe, signal with your hand in the direction you’re moving. Confidence: This is very important, particularly in our part of the world. If you show confidence in your line on the road, other vehicles will back off and move around you. If you look nervous or unsure about your decision, chances are that someone will try and push you off your line. So, even if you don’t feel it, try looking confident. Your feelings will soon match your appearance. TECHNIQUE Stay loose: Relax your arms. Keep them limber. This allows you to easily absorb any impact that may happen. It also allows you to react smoothly to anything and reduces stress on the body. Stand up on your legs (with the pedals level) when you go over a speed-breaker or through a pothole. A stiff body is a sure recipe for aches and pains.
Pedalling: Be smooth while pedalling. Imagine you are turning circles with your pedals rather than just going up and down. Thus, you can transfer force throughout the pedal stroke making you more efficient. Turning: In a turn, always try to put the outside foot down at the six o’clock position. This will ensure that the inside pedal is raised at twelve o’clock so it can’t hit anything while you lean. So, if you’re turning right, you will lean to the right so make sure your left foot is down and your right foot is up. Looking back: When you want to look back (which you should before crossing), drop the shoulder over which you plan to look. If you want to look back and to the right, drop the right shoulder when you do. But, make sure the pressure on the handlebars remains the same. Having a rearview mirror is not a bad idea at all, if you commute a lot. SAFETY AND SECURITY Gear: Always wear a helmet and gloves. Always use a blinkie at night so you can be seen miles away. Also use a headlight if you can. Routes: Women who travel alone in particular should ensure that they know their route well. Be familiar with entries and exits to the road. Try and let someone know the route you are taking and have your cellphone handy in a handlebar bag or bento box or pocket. Confrontation: We hope you never have occasion to use this tip but, in case you find yourself in a tight spot, try not to panic. First try to find the nearest exit. If you can’t avoid confrontation, then be prepared for it. Carry pepper spray in an easily accessible location. And if you don’t have it, be aware that even a bike lock or bike pump can be swung as effective weapons. The key is awareness. Be constantly aware of your surroundings and most situations can be managed successfully. CRANK with ProCycle MARCH 15TH, 2013
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ProCycle Tête-à-Tête
IN IT FOR THE LONG HAUL
DIVYA TATE - SUPER RANDONNEUSE Images courtesy Divya Tate
Randonneuring is a distance-cycling sport wherein the competitors ride hundreds of kilometres (you read right). The ride (most popularly called a Brevet) is monitored with the riders passing through predetermined checkpoints, in their attempt to finish the ride in a specified timeframe. What’s interesting is that, by design and regulation, it is not a race. All riders receive equal recognition regardless of the order in which they finish, the goal being to challenge oneself instead of each other. In 2010, the very first Brevet in India was conducted in Mumbai (of which she was a part). Today, barely three years later, it has spread like wildfire with brevets being conducted in as many as eight cities across the country.
clean air. I continued riding for various reasons - to commute, for environmental reasons, to stay fit, as a sport, and of course to tour. I'm unabashedly passionate about cycling! In the absence of sophisticated cycles or company to ride with, for the first 15 years I rode heavy iron clunkers, touring by myself and fell in love with our countryside. It is only since early 2010, when i took part in India's first brevet, a 200 km ride, that the focus of my riding has become long distance endurance cycling and I've upgraded to a road bike!
Divya Tate is India’s first woman Super Randonneuse. What does that mean? Well, she is the first lady from India to have completed 200, 300, 400 and 600km brevet rides in a single ACP (Audax Club Parisien) calendar year. This was in the year 2010-11. Eye-popping to most people but now par-for-the-course for her, Divya has pioneered the randonneuring craze (both riding and organising) that has caught the Indian bicycling imagination.
DT: It's a mix of a lot of things. When I started I had not planned on pushing the envelope this much, but there is a certain strength and resolve that seeps into you every time you challenge you own limitations, or boundaries. Failures contribute as much as success to building your resolve! And on a lighter note, it allows me to maintain a good guilt-free appetite and it'd be dishonest not to admit to the role played by 'bragging rights' in motivating me to push myself.
CRANK with ProCycle caught up with Divya to get a little peek into the mind of India’s first Super Randonneuse.
CwP: Are there specific challenges that women cyclists face? Are they different for a privateer than for a professional?
CwP: How did you get into cycling and what inspires you to keep on pedalling?
DT: In long distance riding, the biggest issue for women is safety on the road, particularly in India. One has to be prepared to ride through the night, and often alone, knowing there is no safety net.
DT: I've been cycling for about 20 years. I started when i moved to Pune from Bombay, riding out into the countryside for fun, to explore enjoy the
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CwP: What drives you to ride such long distances?
CwP: How do you juggle a career, personal time and your
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training? DT: My other work and interests definitely have taken a back seat, especially due to the organisational workload of managing the coordination for India's Brevets with Audax Club Parisien, France. Training regularly has also meant cutting back on socializing, but making these choices was not hard. I've been crazy about cycling for two decades and am quite happy to inspire (read infect) others. CwP: Do you have any suggestions for other women out there who want to get out and ride but have reservations about it? DT: Well just get out there and ride, find company, a group, to get going, there are a lot of fun options out there now.
The thing is that cycling emancipates you. It has emancipated women through its history, and if you to want to be free, there can be no better vehicle of liberation than a cycle. If you are not comfortable with riding alone, it's better not to right at the start! Most of us who have been using motorised vehicles all our lives have in some way been protected from the dust, noise and reality of our country. Being on a cycle exposes you to it all, this is a great country, and there is adventure to be had from letting it all in, but it can be daunting. To start with, find company to ride with, all big towns in India now have large numbers of cyclists. As your confidence grows, explore your boundaries, stay alert, follow your instincts and enjoy the journey!
DIVYA AT LAKE SHORE
ON THE ROAD
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GOING THE DISTANCE by Anita Bora Images by Sandeep Reddy
If Divya Tate sparked a randonneuring revolution, Anita Bora is one of the relatively recent inductees into the tribe. She writes about her newly-discovered long-distance riding obsession, why she wants to do what she does and how she goes about it. Currently recovering from a tear in her Achilles tendon, she is counting the days until she can get back into the saddle for her next marathon ride. There's a beautiful long road with hardly a human in sight stretching out in front of you. It's 2 pm in the afternoon. It's hot. You're tired. Your shoulder hurts. Your body aches in places you didn't know existed. You have a puncture. And to top it off, you forgot to pack your pump. Then comes another rider who offers to help you out and the world is a better place again. Your faith is restored. You are back on the cycle, feeling the wind on your face, admiring the scenic countryside. All is well. Being a long distance cyclist means often being on the receiving end of some interesting reactions ranging from ‘You’re riding a hundred kilometers?! Why? Can you not afford a car?’ to the more pithy ‘You’re mad!’
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Sometimes I have a sneaking suspicion I do it just to witness these reactions. While distances counted in the hundreds seem unimaginable to most folks, over the last three years its become a pretty common phenomenon among active riders. In fact, their reaction is something more along the lines of, “Just 100 kms?” Until the time I decided to give 400kms a shot, my longest ride had been 300 kms – from Bangalore to Chamundi and back in about 12 hours.
One of the things I need on a long ride is company - people to chit-chat with and exchange both gossip and gyaan. Let's face it, things can get pretty boring so once in a while, I try and find someone I can keep pace with. Most folks who know me can vouch for the fact that I need to know when my next meal is going to be. There is a standing joke about my constant craving for fish burgers. Towards the end of the 300 km BangaloreMysore ride, when everyone was focused on simply reaching the finish, I stopped to enjoy a delicious fish burger. Oh, the joy! True story - I can ride anywhere for a good meal.
Why would I do such a thing? Good question. As any other long distance rider might tell you, it boils down to the thrill of pushing yourself to the limit and (hopefully) emerging successful. That feeling that emerges when you know there are so many miles ahead of you, you’re struggling with a flat, battling the elements or grinding up a tough slope. That’s what brings out either the worst or the best in you. At the risk of sounding clichéd, unless you stretch your limits, you'll never know what you're capable of. Besides learning many lessons on the road, one also gets to see places one otherwise wouldn’t. I mean, why else would you travel to Rannebannur or Malavalli? What keeps me going?
I’m sure you’re now wondering what one does when... er... nature calls. Here’s the secret - I have made a fine art out of spotting feasible locations from a distance. A word of advice ladies – carry some toilet paper, tissues, sanitiser – you never know what you'll need when you're out there riding! And do learn how to fix a flat - YouTube really helps. What I do not really enjoy is riding through the night. The next time I attempt a long distance, I plan on gathering together a motley crew of women to support one another. We can ride, tell women’s-only jokes and giggle to keep us going through the night. Anyone game? We’ll have miles to go before we sleep.
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TARMAC TALES
LIFE IN THE FAST LANE by Vicki Nicholson Images by Hari Menon and Rahul K. Thomas
Vicki Nicholson grew up in Ireland before moving to India twenty years ago. A couple of years ago the cycling bug bit her and she’s been tearing up the tarmac ever since. Good roads and beautiful scenery with a few hills thrown in and some interesting company to ride with make for the best kind of cycling for her. I got into cycling two years ago after my partner Hari and I started seeing each other. I had no idea there was a cycling scene in Bangalore before that. It all began when I went to see off Hari on the 2010 Tour of the Nilgiris. The sight of some fit (and some not-so-fit) looking people heading off on bicycles for a week aroused my curiosity. While Hari was on the TfN, I went off to Sri Lanka for a yoga retreat. On getting back home, there was Bianchi hybrid waiting for me - a present from him.
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I started riding around Bangalore in the early mornings. Then I did a few rides outside Bangalore and really enjoyed getting into the countryside. I did a couple of community races in 2011 on Hari’s old Merida (which was way too big for me) and enjoyed meeting the cycling community. I also rode Hari's Willier a few times and discovered the difference between a carbon fibre bike that fits you and a metal one that doesn't! By August 2011 I had my new bike - a Colnago CLX 2.0 which arrived just two days before a trip. We cycled to Masnagudi and up the Kalhatty (Segor) Ghat covering the 36 hairpin bends to Ooty. It was a challenging experience first time up but it completing it left me with an amazing feeling. This is when I really got hooked. I rode the TfN that year and it all just came together for me. I got better with each passing day and learnt so much riding with good riders and
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BELOW AND ABOVE: VICKI AT THE TFN IN 2011
doing the daily time trial. I finished up 7th overall, which was way beyond anything I imagined I could have done. Back home two days later I rode up Nandi in twenty-nine and a half minutes - still my best time but one I plan to beat this year.
3 hours. More significantly, I stayed with the national women riders all the way to the finish and made it across the line despite getting a flat in the last 200 meters.
Now however, I’ve been able to sort a few things out and am back at it.
Currently my typical week involves me practicing Ashtanga yoga three times, running once or twice, doing one long ride on the weekend and a two or three sessions on the trainer during the week. I am usually up at 5 a.m and that means being in bed by 10 p.m. I love being on the bike or running in Cubbon Park early morning. It’s such a great start to the day.
In late December I started training for the Ahmedabad Cyclotron - a 100 km road race and was able to get fit enough to finish in just under
I compete because it gives me something to train for. And yes of course I enjoy the attention I get when I do well, I would be lying if I didn't admit it.
After that, things got a little tougher what with trying to juggle a consulting business, a graduate programme and my riding, not to mention a personal and social life.
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All this does take a toll on the social life and I’m not quite as popular as I used to be. People find it hard to understand why I want to leave by 10 p.m and won't eat food at that time! Being in a relationship with someone who is equally committed to running and riding, makes it all possible because our lifestyles match, we sleep and get up at the same time and we support each other a lot.
INDIVIDUAL TIME TRIAL ON HER WAY TO WINNING THE HAROHALLI-JIGANI RACE
Its difficult for women to cycle alone. I am lucky in that Hari is with me most of the time and I also have the other Spectrum riders (the team I am now part of) to accompany me. So far I have not had any unpleasant incidents riding alone, but it is always possible and its a risk I take because I love the sport and I love being out in the countryside. Since I began cycling, I have surprised myself with what i have been able to do. I guess a lot of it is about your ability to push yourself hard and take pain, something I seem to be reasonably good at. Of course, I have also had an amazing coach in Hari right from the beginning. He has had this great ability to keep giving me new challenges, knowing just how much to push me, and when to back off, and besides the knowledge and techniques he passes on, being such a huge emotional support. In truth, without him I very much doubt I would be doing it. I really admire the women who ride and don't have the support of a husband or partner who does it with them. I used to be a competitive show jumper until I retired my horse about four years ago. This left a gap for me to get into cycling. At some point I would like to get back to the horse scene but, I’m not sure what that might mean for cycling. For now, I am loving this sport!
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THE ROAD LESS TAKEN In this edition of ‘The Road Less Taken’, we pay homage to the women who tour on their bicycles. This is the continuing saga of the trips begun in last month’s edition, told through the eyes of the ladies. Kathrin Heim and Shalini Rao give you their stories from the road.
ACROSS THE AMERICAS - PART II by Kathrin Heim Images by Kathrin Heim and Sven Schirmer
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POPOCATÉPETL VOLCANO IN MEXICO
In our last edition we followed Sven Schirmer across North America in Part 1 of Across the Americas. In California he met Kahtrin Heim and they proceeded to ride on together into Central America. Kathrin is a tourer herself (obviously) and this is her story of their journey into Central and South America. San Diego on a sunny morning in November – Sven and I cross the revolving doors at the border to Tijuana, enjoy our first taste of Mexico with great Tacos. Although I have prepared myself for the desert with maps, outdoor equipment and some Spanish, I am very glad that Sven is riding ahead of me. Never mind drafting - I´m mortally afraid of rattlesnakes. Luckily, we never get to see one. A few days later we leave the coast and enter the real desert. Fully loaded with gallons of water and food for two days we climb up the Sierra through countless vados - dry river beds where the street drops down some ten meters, and rises again. Headwind, blood sweat and tears, not more than 5 kilometers an hour. Sven waits for me at every hilltop (there are many), taking pictures when I arrive there wheezing, sweating and cursing. But the fantastic landscape makes up for the trials. Cactus of all sorts and sizes and some dry and thorny bushes are the main vegetation out here, with some lovely rocks strewn in between. Loneliness, no trace of civilisation for kilometers - not even power lines. The few truck drivers greet the cyclists enthusiastically. At night we camp beside the road, sharing great food and conversation at the camp fire under a million sparkling stars. After months of cycling and camping alone in the American Southwest, I really enjoy having a companion to share the days and evenings with.
RIDING THROUGH ICY CLIMES
BAJA CALIFORNIA
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HITCHING A LIFT
After four nights in the wild without running fresh water, we reach Guerrero Negro and really enjoy the comfort of a cheap motel. A lukewarm shower, what a blessing! And lots of Negro Modelo (best beer in Mexico), even better! Vultures and eagles circle on the cloudless blue sky as we continue South. Eventually we reach San Ignacio, a vivid green date palm oasis between naked brown rocky hills. There is a turquoise blue fresh water lake where we put up our tents, swim and share a great dinner with other travellers, before cycling further through the windy and hilly desert. Exhausted but happy we reach the end of Baja California. The first 1300 kilometers of joint riding worked out incredibly well, so we decide to continue our journey South together. On Christmas Eve, we fly from La Paz to Mexico City, having two cans of beer and a small pack of peanuts in the plane for Christmas dinner. Mexico City is a big buzzing place around Christmas, with crowded funfairs on every plaza. Leaving the vast city with very few usefull road signs - we head for the lovely little town of Amecameca on our way over the Paso de Cortez, where the air is thin, but much
MAYAN RUINS
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Travellers play guitar here, make jewellery, good vibes. Fireflies and howling monkeys at night. What a peaceful place. Our friend Werner arrives a day later. We visit the ancient ruins - steep pyramids with well conserved temples on top, overgrown by the jungle.
BELIZE - THE CARIBBEAN
From Palenque, it takes us two marvelous days through the vivid green to the Guatemalan border. Turquoise rivers and waterfalls beside the road for refreshment and camping - cyclists heaven! A boat brings us over the river to Guatemala. That's the end of paved roads. And the end of good food. Only a single place offers microwave rice and beans. A fierce looking guy walks around with a colt in his belt. I have to argue with the border guards about some dodgy entry tax, while Sven, not grasping a word, entertains them with his pidgin Spanish. Little thrilled we leave the border town Bethel and head on towards Flores. The road is nothing but potholes and rocks. I am close to tears, Sven is far ahead, and the few pickup trucks that pass by, won´t stop to give me a lift. Finally, a bus stops, and what's even better, our friend Werner is on it, waving frantically at me. Within a minute, my bike is on the roof and we rumble along the road, now considerably faster (if only slightly less bumpy). Sven looks relieved too, when we pick him up some time later. We continue to the famous ancient Maya city of Tikal, stroll through the thick jungle to various temples and pyramids. Monkeys and colorful toucans swarm above our heads. Between 0 and 900 AD the city was built and prospered, with 200,000 people living here before it was all abandoned and reclaimed by nature. The temples, some as high as 65 meters above the ground top the canopies of the tallest trees, provide a splendid outlook to the other temple tops. A famous Star Wars scene was taken here, and that is how extraterrestrial that place looks in the morning mist. Eager to get to the Carribbean we cross the border to Belize where people speak English for a change. There is hardly any traffic on the roads, but lots of rain. And finally an occasional 2 meter long boa on the road, which leads to a sleepless night in the tent. The Hummingbird Highway leads through jungle mountains and many citrus plantations. The few trucks out here are loaded with tons of oranges - the best smelling trucks we've ever experienced.
better than the smog of the big city. It takes us two days to climb to the top - 3700 metres. We arrive at the summit of the pass at noon of New Years Eve in roaring thunderstorms with icy winds and hail showers. Luckily there is hot coffee, and the sky clears up later in the afternoon for magnificent views of the volcanoes Popocatepetl and Ixtacchihuatl. We leave the chilly highlands, marvelous colonial cities and Aztec settlements and zip for warmer climates, to the Mayan lands. Nearby the famous Maya ruins of Palenque there are camp grounds in the jungle.
Yeeha! We finally reach the Carribean beaches. Never mind that the water is brown from the pooring rain of the last few days, and the tiny mosquitos are the worst ever. We meet up with some friends again, enjoy camping on a beach and snorkeling before a boat brings us back to Guatemala. 8000 kilometers cycled - time for a break. We hitch through the country, eventually rent a house at Lake Atitlan between the volcanoes. There we host other travelling cyclists zooming down the Pan Americana and share laughs, experiences and self-made food from our own proper kitchen. How to continue this journey? Why not fly to Chile next, and cycle from there towards Peru, towards Macchu Pichu?
CRANK with ProCycle MARCH 15TH, 2013
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FOLDIES GO TO FRANCE - THE JURA MOUNTAINS by Shalini Rao Images by Shalini and Deepak Rao
THE COTTAGE IN JURA
The second part of the ‘Foldies go to France’ is related by Shalini Rao. As we mentioned in our last edition, from learning to cycling rather late, she’s now become a bike-tourer par excellence. While Deepak likes to click away, it is Shalini who is the expert in planning all their trips. Shalini enjoys the solitude that being in the saddle affords her. She enjoys long rides in scenic places, preferring to enjoy the experience and take in the scenery than race the clock (or Garmin). After our week in the Alps, we drove to to the Jura mountains - north and west of Geneva. Everyone warned us about region
that’s remote and 'wild'. We landed up and rested the next day. We reach our cottage in the Jura (from which the word 'Jurassic' comes from], owned by a local Frenchman. Here, all the French I’ve been learning comes in more than a little handy. Co-incidentally he has visited India a couple of times about 20 years ago, and is very excited to have Indian visitors. We find this common, as very often we are the first Indians that have visited the village that we stay in. So remote are the locations thatBAGUETTES we usuallyAND choose. BREADS TO DIE FOR PIE!
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PLANNING FOR THE NEXT DAY
A ROADSIDE SNACK
COUNTRYSIDE ART - TRULY THE LAND OF BICYCLING
The big climbs that we did in the Jura were the Col de la Faucille (from both sides), Gorges du Flumens, Col du Mollendruz (again both sides) and Col du Marchairuz.
DEEPAK LOOKS OFF INTO THE DISTANCE
Its amazing how when you cross the border into Switzerland, nature seems magnified. Even the cows seem fatter. The climbs are steep but short with brilliant views. Deepak turned back at some points as he didn’t expect me to make it over the steepest portions. But, to his amazement, I did! We again manage 5 riding days out of six, with one day of rain. Seventh day is checkout at an unearthly hour of 4:30am or so, drive back to Geneva to catch the flight back home. 11 days of cycling, 12,000 meters of climbing, 24 cols, fantastic food and fantastic views. The beauty of the region is beyond description. Can’t wait to come back in 2013, this time with our daughter.
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GEAR FOR THE GIRLS
THE ITALIAN ROAD BIKE MIRROR THE ITALIAN ROAD BIKE MIRROR (YES THAT’S A BRAND) COMES IS MADE OF REAL GLASS AND IS REALLY EASY TO INSTALL. A VERY COOL LITTLE PIECE OF KIT WHICH’LL ENSURE YOU DON’T HAVE TO KEEP LOOKING OVER YOUR SHOULDER. GEAR COURTESY OF SHALINI RAO
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TIFOSI ENVY SUNGLASSES THE TIFOSI ENVY, LIKE MANY OTHER SUNGLASSES, HAS INTERCHANGEABLE LENSES. BUT, WHAT OUGHT TO BE OF INTEREST TO EVERY GIRL OUT THERE IS THAT IT COMES IN A SMALLER SIZE THAN THE REGULAR UNISEX SPORTS SHADES MAKING IT PERFECT FOR YE OF THE FAIRER SEX. FOR MORE DETAILS DROP US A LINE AT CRANK@PROCYCLE.IN
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GET OUT AND RIDE!
WOMEN’S SPECIAL
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