ET ON A BIKE

I had a grand tour planned for June 2016, exploring the beautiful state of Kashmir. The plan was to start from the foot of the Himalayas and Pathankot seemed the best pick. I wanted to cycle to Dalhousie, the beautiful landscape I’d long been thinking of visiting. En route, I was going to spend a night at Bakloh, an army cantt area I spent my first few months after being born. It seemed exciting to be pedaling to  and exploring places I’d lived in. From Dalhousie I was going to cycle to Rajouri, a small town located in western Kashmir. My uncle is posted there as a Brig. General and he said it would be an amazing ride through the roads of Kashmir valley. The whole route was going to be about 450 km with an average elevation gain of 2000 m daily.

10 days of climbing in the mountains was followed by a bus back to Jammu, where I would pack my bike up in a carton and fly to Ladakh. I had planned on exloring the high altitude region and mostly relaxing after the hectic first two weeks of biking. This would also be a recce of the Manali Leh highway, a biking endeavor for the near future.

I had made this plan in March, the day I returned from my India tour with Tim. All this and more, as part of my graduation trip. Being alone and cycling on difficult terrain was something I was really looking forward to, and every single moment I felt bored or had any free time, I would open Google Maps and keep checking out the route or the lakes and rivers I wanted to take a detour for.

But ever since I returned in March I have been facing some serious stomach problems. TWO MONTHS OF DIARRHEA! I don’t believe my luck. I had been training well and kept a balanced diet. But the pattern became stronger and stronger until it decided it was going to stay longer than it was meant to. My body lost all its strength and soon I realised I had no energy to walk, let alone bike. I have taken my health lightly and made it worse by taking antibiotics off and on, with no regulation. Closer to the date I was supposed to be on a bus to Pathankot, it dawned on me that my plans were going to remain plans for a while and I was in no shape to go on a tour. I bonked hard on a training ride and realised this wasnt to be taken lightly.  I do have some low moments in the day, with body aches and constant visits to the loo all part of the package, but there is nothing i can do about it.

Sitting here in bed, watching some silly Hindi movie with my mum and brother, I at least know what I want from life and what exactly I miss. My doctor told me I had a strong passion for something and not having the same passion anymore has caused all these physical problems.  I miss my bike and all else that goes with it. Packing up my panniers and leaving home on a long journey was a dream long time coming and not being able to do so puts me in an uncomfortable position. I do disagree with my doc and hope to recover soon and get back on the saddle 🙂