Cycle Explorations

Being on the wrong side of the fifties brings more than silver glints to hair... And my knee suitably reminded me of this. That put paid to my dream trek to the Valley of Flowers or ambitious EBC. However as my Ortho Doc freely permitted cycling, I found new options opening up. 

Having spent up to five years in the North East, Assam had a special place in our lives . On Facebook, I had seen Bishwajit (Jitda) pedaling across this state. The curated routes of the Brahmaputra Cycling Expedition  were attractive and seemed doable to me. After Jitda cleared all my doubts, we decided to take the (metaphoric) plunge and signed up for the tour. 

Note: This is NOT a sponsored post.

Being a weekend cyclist meant I had to focus on daily cycling to be able to complete the tour. Even though the monsoon chose to stay longer in Pune, we managed to train. I got a good idea of my endurance, and even increased it to an extent. The more difficult part was in choosing the right clothing for our tour, saddle covers, compact packing (is there such a thing?????) and so on. 

Sigh.. it was easier to cycle...

Along side, I was researching plants that I was likely to see. I prepared notes, local names and created my own reference guide for the tour. This helped to some extent but since we had cell phone connectivity all through, I often referred to Flowers of India. My study was vital as we were planned to do a forest walk at Kakoijana (home to the endangered Golden Langur) and were visiting the Manas Wildlife Sanctuary (Manas is a world heritage site). As it happened, we made an unplanned visit to the Pobitora Sanctuary as well! 

We worked our way through the rain fury in Pune, packing travails and D day arrived. Armed with good wishes of friends and family we reached Guwahati and met our enthusiastic co cyclists! A diverse interesting group of all ages and backgrounds. The next week looked very promising.

I had to make 'friends' (and quickly) with 'my' cycle and it was reassuring to interact with the BCE team who adjusted cycles for all of us. The back up logistics support and the bus were superb and gave me confidence and helped overcome last minute doubts. 

Click here for a glimpse

Instead of a day-by-day photos, I have tried to make short day-wise videos which will give a better idea. (Videos have no sound) All the excellent photos are by Bishwajeet Bezbaruah and the rest by yours truly. 

Day 1 ended at a quaint camp located across a lake and accessed only by boat! Lunch was yet another boat ride away across the Kulsi River. The waterfall was a great spot to cool off. The roads and weather were superb which made cycling effortless! 

Day 2 began with a surreal ride across a mist laden lake. The silence was broken only by the sound of water as the boat floated amid the blooming lotus. Unforgettable! We rode through a forest patch (where elephants had been spotted only a few hours earlier), rice fields, tea gardens --- over wide smooth empty roads. We ended our day at a unique site with backyard camping.

Day 3 took us to Surya Hills which is a site of archeological importance. Clean and well maintained. We went across the Narayan Setu - a double decker bridge (rail and road) across the Brahmaputra. The majestic mighty river is breathtaking in its expanse. Our overnight stay was at a quaint property with colonial style bungalows situated around a pond. 

Day 4 took us to the Kakoijana forest and we saw the rich fauna it is home to. The endemic Golden Langur was (almost) waiting for us and the Rhino and Gaur sightings made everyone happy. Elephants checked alertness of the safari guard which was found to be satisfactory. A day to experience the rich flora and fauna of Assam and retire to a (more than) comfortable resort.

Day 5 saw the culmination of our rides at the Indo-Bhutan border. We met several Bhutan registered vehicles on the gentle drive up (and hence exhilarating ride down). At all villages enroute we saw women in colourful traditional Bodo attire (Dokhona) ferrying kids to school - on cycles!! The child stood on the carrier behind Mommy as she navigated traffic and pot holes confidently. Some ladies were spotted cycling with an open umbrella to protect against the Sun. Amazing balance.  

For our efforts we 'cycle explorers' were awarded a certificate.. a thoughtfully crafted quilt of fabrics of the five tribes in areas we crossed. Here it is.. from left to right Assamese, Karbi, Rabha, Koch Rajbongshi and Bodo. 

The tour totally lived up to all it promised and was much more. India has so much to offer, and if we don't go out there  to see and experience it, the loss is ours! 

Each day revealed something unique as this route is off regular tourist maps. This means foods and comforts that we take for granted may not be available or not be the same. One just needs to be mentally prepared to explore, experience  and everything just falls in place. Obviously one has to train seriously, learn ones limits and work within that. One's self confidence gets a tremendous boost. Drool worthy photos (not featured above) and are side-benefit!! 

A heavily recommended tour for anyone who is willing to go out of their comfort zone, push their limits to some extent and has an adventurous spirit. The clean environment, colourful palette of the surrounding fields, tea gardens and forests will make you say 'Yeh Dil Maange More!!' 

Note: This is not a sponsored post.