N O V E L PAT H S INDRANIL ROY relies on his luck, stamina and two wheels to embark on a journey that makes him rethink the purpose of being at a place at a given time
ON
a chilly evening, sitting by the fireplace and sipping on my artisanal martini, I wondered if a bicycle ride covering some of the breathtaking landscapes of Kumaon would be too arduous. Although, I had a fair idea about the terrain and elevation, I had no clue of what awaited me in the next few days. I’d often heard that sometimes the worst brings out the best ... but I actually lived through it. After spending almost nine months locked up in Delhi, I had to get out of the city as, more than the pandemic it was the extreme emotional turmoil that threatened to throw me off keel. I decided to move to the hills and fortunately found a very serene and peaceful cottage on the outskirts of Almora, close to Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary, and decided to spend at least a month there. Uttarakhand is divided into two main regions — Kumaon and Garhwal — and Almora, the heart of the latter, is of great cultural and historical value. My days there were quiet and extremely peaceful. While I worked, I also explored some villages and faraway temples where tourists had never set foot. In the midst of all this I started riding my bicycle for the first time in the hills, which is absolutely different from doing it in the plains. Initially, I was extremely sceptical of whether I would be able to ride even 10 km in a day, due to the extreme steep climbs and winding roads, but within less than a week I was covering 60+ km which made me confident. With my improved stamina, I made up my mind to do a long cycling trip covering two pristine destinations — Chaukori and Munsiyari. I was eagerly looking forward to what seemed to be an ethereal experience as the locals, who I had got acquainted with, had raved about the routes. Next, came the logistics and I was lucky to find a bike shop in the local market which fitted a carrier rack on my vehicle. Since pannier bags, which are recommended for bike journeys, weren’t available I settled for a regular backpack.
THE
Day 1 [ALMORA TO CHAUKORI]
day I started my journey happened to be one of the coldest that I had experienced so far. I left my cottage at around 8 am after having a light breakfast. Pro tip: Eat light and easy to digest food during long distance cycling.
EXOTICA [28] FEBRUARY 2021
