Tour De Golden Triangle - List Of Riders And Marshalls With Their Introductions TDGT

Riders:

"Group Photo In Front Of Amer Fort. Captain Kamal Bisht Missing"

1) Gurleen Kaur (The Hardcore MTB Lady! 600 KM Brevet Rider On MTB. A lady with ardent determination and limitless perseverance. An inspiration for many)
2) Gaurav Dasgupta (Super Randonneur, my mentor in cycling, my room partner on this ride. Highly spirited and motivated person.Very helpful and supportive)
3) Dhruv (Young IT professional. Totally belongs to GenX. Someone filled with raw boisterous Zeal. A very strong and Determined Rider too.)
4) Nidhi Sharma (One of the nicest kids I have come across. The fact that she has 4 nationals under her belt, her personality does not reflect even an iota of ego or attitude. This the most amazing thing which I have observed in her and got inspired from. A very strong and aggressive rider; very amiable in demeanour)
5) Kamal Sundriyal (1200 KM Brevet finisher)

Life On The Saddle - 5000 Kms of Cycling

Nearly over an year ago on 4th February 2016 I bought my first cycle: Btwin Rockrider 300. Just 3 months prior to this I was into some brutally heavy drinking. I could have been easily classified into the category of an alcohol addict with my credit card outstanding towering 3 times more than my monthly earnings. I was also a big time chain smoker. All in all I was living a life of a tightrope walker with nothing in his hands for balancing. It took me nearly 15 months after giving up my addictions to conjure up this confidence to speak up about it. I don't know about other people's lives and issues but I know this from my life experiences that whatever happens, it happens for your own good. One thing leads to the other, and one good thing which happened to me following the bad was cycling.

"My Cycle Medusa At India Gate"

Through the movie scene from Vicky Christina Barcelona where all three, Juan Antonio, Christina and Maria Elena, they go for cycling in Spain, I have always associated the idea of cycling with wandering, freedom and a great platform for social interaction. That is exactly what it has been delivering ever since I picked it up. Freedom from my tendencies towards addiction, wandering off to faraway places and meeting new and amazing people along the way. We are slave and masters of our own minds. It is what we choose in the moment of action or inaction that determines what we really are. But neither it is that simple and everything that easy, still it is worth the effort and try; cycling.

Today i.e 27th February I will be completing 5000 Kms of cycling in total. For seasoned cyclists it will just be a trifling number on Strava, but for me it is an Achievement. An achievement which I can proudly boast of, with my children and future wives; just kidding. But seriously these 5000 Kms on the saddle has helped me a lot in growing to be a more accepting, loving and compassionate human being. From Murthal to India Gate, to Rishikesh, to Throttle Shrottle Cafe on Gurgaon - Faridabad Highway it had always been a constant tussle between pain and pleasure. Through cycling I have realised the importance of pain in life and the powerful choice with us to choose between whether to suffer or not to suffer from it. Not that I am a sadist; don't get me wrong here; but in our efforts to avoid pain we miss out on so many small and big pleasures of life which can make this life so full of happiness. All we have to do is to accept the pain as it is; not getting too much affected by it; and understand it's transient nature. This has been my highlight realization while riding.

This is just a post to mark the beginnings of another happening year in 2017. This year I have planned to go for the Golden Triangle (Delhi - Agra - Jaipur - Delhi) on my birthday and Manali - Laddakh route in June. Happy holi to everyone in advance. By the way I got a new Cycle, Scott Aspect 740 this year. A big thank you to my Grandfather and my travel blogger Aunt Mridula:

Kuari Pass Trek - A Short Trail Towards Nature And Self Day Two

This was the day of realizations. One realization/observation that hit me the hardest was the following while trekking alone:

"Trekking Day 2: The View Of Views"

"When on a trek; you are walking one step at a time, giving that one step your full attention and then to the next step, in moments of complete thoughtlessness. In those satori moments, when you get occasional chance to put your head up and look around. You see vastness in those open spaces and magnanimity in those mountains. Then a realization hits you. How petty and small are your troubles, apprehensions, fears, anxieties and the ego when compared to this. In these moments of truth you let go of your fear, anxieties, the ego and surrender. I call it a pilgrimage, people call it a trek."

People face difficulty sleeping in tents, but somehow sleep comes naturally to me in tents and outdoors. Having slept like a log I woke up fresh and expectant other day. After tea, breakfast we were all set to embark upon a sunny day of trekking and hiking ahead of us. 

This time we had only our official Guide with us. Mohan Jee (Our cook, also the acting guide for me on day 1) had to take a different route with the pony man to the next campsite. I was faster and more experienced in trekking than my fellow companions. So I was left with directions and instructions to fend on my own.

Trekking route on this particular trek has been trekked a lot, it being the most famous trek of the area. So the path is very clear and conspicuous; easily identifiable. Day 2 was many folds better than day 1 in terms of the following:

1. It had better view than what I had on day 1, Auli being a dampener with garbage and people.
2. I was all alone; filled with a loner's excitement; walking at my own pace, taking stops to read and relax.
3. The path was very beautifully crafted by all the walking and nature. There was a high point on this route with the name, Jhandidhaar. An ideal place to chill. It was windy, with soft and grassy ground to lie down, rocks to sit upon and eat one's lunch.   

"Trekking Day 2 The Route The Path"

Up till this point the trekking had been smooth and cruising. I took a long halt at the high point called Jhandidhaar for an hour and a half. Eating, reading, and sleeping. Which gave a chance to my fellow trekkers and guide to catch up with me. I too wanted this to happen as I had my doubts about the route as there were many going off in different directions from this point. Jhandidhaar like a crossing junction of trekking routes it became confusing which one to choose. Losing your path in mountains is not a very desirable situation to find yourself in. The rule : choosing the most distinct and visible path out of 2-3 different paths; seemed like it would not work here. 

"The Majestic Jhandhidhaar: Lunch Junction"

Even after taking directions from my guide I took a wrong path and got lost for a little while. I went to the opposite direction from where our tents were. It was still fun. It is not about losing your path, but about realization of being on the wrong path is important. In mountains it is about how quickly that realization comes, so you retract your steps before it is dark. I had ample time as it was only 2-3 in the afternoon, so I was not scared. I retracted my steps, took the other path this time and reached the camp to find everyone expectantly waiting for me. I was handed over my cup of tea which I drank with thorough delight, sunbathed, got wet in rain a little, read, slept and woke up again for dinner. 

“For what it’s worth: it’s never too late or, in my case, too early to be whoever you want to be. There’s no time limit, stop whenever you want. You can change or stay the same, there are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it. And I hope you see things that startle you. I hope you feel things you never felt before. I hope you meet people with a different point of view. I hope you live a life you’re proud of. If you find that you’re not, I hope you have the courage to start all over again.”

― Eric Roth, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

This last incident of losing the path and getting back so much reminded me of this epic screenplay dialogue from the epic movie. 

Kuari Pass Trek - A Short Trail Towards Nature And Self Day One

After sleeping off the tiredness; from the previous day's 20 hour long marathon road and rail journey; I woke up expectantly at 6:00 AM in the morning.

We had to leave for Auli; the starting point of our trek; on a hired jeep/taxi. 9:00 AM bang on schedule, finally our trek took off. I had been off cigarettes for 6 months and 5 days at the time. Let me take this opportunity to be condescending to people who are still into the habit and tell them, it is not worth it! I was witnessing a conspicuous positive change in myself as a result of leaving behind a bad habit of which I had been a slave for nearly 9 years.

"Wild Flowers And Shrubs - En route Taali, Kuari Pass Trek"

The environment was tiding itself up as we progressed our trek uphill and away from civilization. The air cleaned itself up miraculously, the scenery was changing every frame from magical to stupendous, and people were getting filtered out until only I and Mohan Jee (our cook) were left; laughing out loud and chatting animatedly. The path on the trek is not marked, but easily visible and identifiable. It is an easy trek, so no tricky curves, thin narrow paths, but an easy walk into the wild.

"On the way from Chonnya To Taali (Camp 1)"

In trekking there are campsites where there is water. Basically from Auli; on route of Kuari Pass Trek there are three campsites:

#Patihaar 
#Chonnya
#Taali

At first two campsite locations, i.e. Patihaar and Chonnya there was no water. My guide/cook Mohan Jee informed me that there had been a time some three to four years ago when there had been water at these two campsites all season long, which is now becoming scarce year after year. That was when I realized the extent of effect of global warming in its stark nakedness and not a mere conceptualization in a vicarious isolation.

"About to reach Taali - Kuari Pass Trek Path On Day One"

After 4.5 - 5 hours of walking we reached our first campsite; Taali. We all pitched our tents, had tea and went on with our own chores. I went into the woods with my book, notebook and pen. I found a spot under a tree where there was sunlight. Basking under the sun I was devouring the pages of my book. Suddenly my gaze fell upon my backpack which was lying in the corner of the kitchen tent. The entire tent was in dark with the exception of this very spot where lay my backpack. The sunlight was falling upon it like a spotlight. This sight compelled me to pull out my notebook and pen. 

"Campsite at Taali - The Kitchen Tent"

Next I was writing a poem on my backpack. After a 2 - 2.5 hours of fulfilling and uninterrupted reading and writing session; with a few pleasant disturbances of chirping of birds, humming of the bees, rustling of the leaves; I finally got up. Having finished the poem which I had started and the chapter that I was reading, I was pleased with the self, and with everything else.

"Bee's Eye View From Our Kitchen Tent"

By this time my fellow trekkers; a middle aged couple; too had arrived. Amidst the lighter moments of chatting, laughter and simple joys of life we broke our bread together. The food was prepared very well and served hot. 8:00 PM we were all in our tents, tucked in, ready to sleep and ready to wake up for the next day to come.

Following is the complete poem which I wrote sitting in the woods, under that benign sunlight:

A Poem Dedicated To My Backpack:

               "Our Backpacks With Mine In The Center"

"City you cannot hold her long with your tentacular grips
Because she is a woman of mountains and wild trips.
Your lights may amuse her in the nights but she loves sleeping under stars and moonlights.

The glitter and glamour that you throw at her it catches her attention, 
but it is the vast open spaces which has always been the fuel for her imagination.

City, in this ever changing world and surroundings, your role has been to state the obvious, 
whereas her wanderlust has been to unravel the inconspicuous.

She may seem to have city belongings, 
but mountains and wild have always been in her yearnings and longings.

The oscillating conflict in her had always been between whether to run away or stay,
Weather to follow her drapetomania, or to linger and delay."

Kuari Pass Trek - A Short Trail Towards Nature And Self Day Zero

This trek trip was planned very erratically. At the time when I decided to do this trek I was not feeling very comfortable with myself. The sheer uneasiness and discomfort which was brewing up inside me compelled me to make a decision to do this trek. In my right state of mind I would have never done this trek so sporadically. But here I was, on the phone with our family guide; Sohan Bisht Jee (Phone: 081267-42291 & 094103-65281; Email : sonubisht65@gmail.com). My initial plan was to do Valley of flowers trek, but fortunately that route was closed. When one door closes, another opens; Sohan Jee (Phone: 081267-42291 & 094103-65281; Email : sonubisht65@gmail.com) offered me to join two other people to do Kuari Pass Trek. The trek cost would have had been Rs. 1700- Rs. 1800 per day per head if one of my friend would have had joined me. It was 2000 per day per head without him, which was still very well under budget. Rs. 2000 per day per head included tents, food, guide, a cooking staff and an experience of a lifetime. 13th – 16th of May was the date range chosen for this trek.

#From Kashmere Gate To Joshimath – Trekking Starts On Day 0 

It is 6 hours journey from Delhi to Rishikesh (See my Rishikesh post for more details) and from Haridwar/Rishikesh it is still 10 – 11 hours journey to Joshimath. The latter part is literally a pain in the ass. One can only acquire a Jeep, Sumo, or Pilgrimage Bus to cover the latter part of this journey. Despite the rivers and the mountains accompanying you; the journey is assiduous and tiresome.

I reached Haridwar railway station at 4:30 AM and came to know that there are not many UK transport buses which ply from Haridwar to Joshimath at that hour, they start sometime after 5:30 AM. So I had to take one of the pilgrimage buses which were going to Badrinath - Kedarnath en route Joshimath. These buses are mostly pre-booked so all you get is a seat just behind the driver's seat for Rs. 400. Shared taxis also ply from Haridwar - Joshimath they charge you around Rs. 600 per passenger. My bus was full with pilgrims going to Badrinath so the bus had to take more than normal stops before breaking down 13 Kilometers short of Joshimath.

After 11 hours long tiring journey with a backdrop of 7 hours Train trip there was still 13 Kms to be covered to reach Joshimath.


For normal people the trek normally starts on Day 1. But that is for normal people. Trekking started for me on Day 0. I had to walk 7 Kilometers before a very kind young gentleman stopped and offered me a much needed lift in his car. I was tired, drenched and cold as it had started raining. Finally, I reached Joshimath at around 6:00 PM and ran into Sohan Bisht Jee (Phone: 081267-42291 & 094103-65281; Email : sonubisht65@gmail.com) and the other two fellow trekkers right away at a tea shop accidentally.

"View From The Hotel Room In Joshimath"

After having some tea; chai; I rented a room for sleeping off the tiredness from the marathon 20 hour long non-stop bus and train journey. Sleep came easily and early as I dozed off reading a few pages of Way of the peaceful warrior that night.