You Call That a Road: 3500km

Posted on October 14, 2013 by The Wandering Nomads

“I’m going to succeed because I’m crazy enough to think I can.”

I have just spent the last few days on what is known to be one of the worst roads in India. To give you an idea how bad it really is, another cyclist described it as, “One of the top ten worst roads in the world, a road so bad even goats avoid walking on it.” It was so rough, in fact, that even on the flat sections I could only manage 7 or 8km/h. The “road” was a rocky trail that often passed through nalas (streams), and in some sections, it became so rough I was forced to slowly push my bike. The hardest part about this terrain was that I was unable to zone out or get into a rhythm because I was constantly having to navigate my route. This left me mentally drained by the end of the day. Many roads here in the Himalayas have small sections that are this rough, but they never last more than a few kilometers. This section was over 100km of tedious unpaved mess.

At the Dhaba: 3465km

Posted on October 12, 2013 by The Wandering Nomads

“Don’t be afraid to give yourself everything you have ever wanted in life.”

After I arrived up and over the pass I decided to spend the night in a dhaba instead of camping since my gear was soaked and another storm was on its way (plus it costs less than two dollars). Dhabas are tea side stalls that sell rice and dal (the most typical meal here), along with a few basic snacks. It costs less than a dollar for an all you can eat meal (they refill your plate as many times as you want), which is definitely a hungry cyclist’s dream. Dhabas are found just outside of cities, or in the middle of nowhere, and out here, they are especially popular amongst truckers. In this area, two or three dhabas make up a village. These “villages” are only inhabited for four months of the year, because starting in October, this mountainous region is snowed in.

Back On The Bike: 3440km

Posted on October 11, 2013 by The Wandering Nomads

“If you aren’t living on the edge, you’re taking up too much space.”

*Since I haven’t had internet the last few weeks, I will post the entries I have been writing along the way every day or two until you guy are caught up! In the meanwhile, I am now making my way to Nepal.

After a three week break from cycling, I found myself, once again, planning a bit of a ridiculous warm-up to get back into the world of touring. I decided that a 55km climb, up a pass with a 2,500m gain, sounded just about perfect. And it was. Though I could feel my legs had lost most of their strength, I climbed 40km uphill the first day through the beautiful lush landscape. Unlike the high mountains in Ladakh, the ones surrounding Manali are much lower, making a green, rather than dusty gray ride. Most of the road was paved, though there were a few difficult sections that were dirt packed and rocky, which left me pushing my bike through ankle deep mud.

Two Indian Girls on a Mission

Posted on October 5, 2013 by The Wandering Nomads

“This is my simple religion. There is no need for temples; no need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple; the philosophy is kindness.”

I heard about the inspiring story I am about to share with you, about two college girls mission to help mentally ill women, on the podcast “All in the Mind,” and was deeply moved by how these girls have chosen to do their part to make a difference in their community.

A Crime of Honor

Posted on October 2, 2013 by The Wandering Nomads

“But ever since he had been a child, he had wanted to know the world, and this was much more important to him than knowing god and learning about man’s sins.”

Those of you who follow the news heard about the “honor-crime,” that happened recently in India. The crime? A couple fell in love. The punishment? Death.

A Divide Like None-Other

Posted on September 30, 2013 by The Wandering Nomads

“Equality is the soul of liberty; there is, in fact, no liberty without it.”

“Poverty in India is widespread, with the nation estimated to have a third of the world’s poor. In 2010, the World Bank reported that 32.7% of the total Indian people fall below the international poverty line of US$ 1.25 per day (PPP) while 68.7% live on less than US$ 2 per day.” And, even more shocking, 96.9% live off of less than five dollars a day. “The latest UNICEF data shows that one in three malnourished children worldwide are found in India, whilst 42% of the nation’s children under five years of age are underweight.” The rich here are astonishingly rich, but unfortunately, the poor here are just as poor.

All in Your Head

Posted on September 28, 2013 by The Wandering Nomads

“The advantages? Exercise, no parking problems, gas prices, it’s fun. An automobile is expensive. You have to find a place to park and it’s not fun. So why not ride a bicycle? I recommend it.”

How is it that 20km of flat can be harder than 40km straight uphill? Because cycling is a mental game. Most five year olds can happily ride their bike around the block, and touring really isn’t that different. Sure, you are doing a few more kilometers, and hopefully can cycle a bit faster than them, but it’s the same simple motion. It is always possible to turn your pedals just one more time. Sometimes though, that one push seems much harder than others.

Home Sweet Home

Posted on September 25, 2013 by The Wandering Nomads

“A child on a farm looks up at the sky at the passing airplane and dreams of far away places. The man on the airplane looks down at the farm and dreams of home.”

After working in the field with the ladies, we headed back to one of their house’s for tea. The house was absolutely perfect. Downstairs was for the cows, including a week old baby cow who was one of the cutest animals I have ever encountered. Then upstairs consisted of one room with a bed and some cushions on the floor to hang out on. There was no clutter, in fact, besides a few blankets, there was nothing. Up from there (after the most amazing tree stairs I have ever seen) was the kitchen. Outside the second story there was a balcony where some food was kept, and some clothes were hanging to dry. The house was small and cozy, and unlike most houses in the west, this house had character. It truly felt like a home.

A Day in the Fields

Posted on September 23, 2013 by The Wandering Nomads

“The woman who follows the crowd will usually go no further than the crowd. The woman who walks alone is likely to find herself in places no one has ever been before.”

Today was the perfect example of why I travel. In the morning, with an English friend I met a few weeks ago in Leh, I headed up into the hills in order to meet six local women who were working in the field. The English gal had met them yesterday as they worked, and had promised to come back and help for the afternoon. We spent the day helping these ladies cut grass and plants that are then dried and stored as food for their cows in the winter. The work was all done by hand, with small machete like knives, and I think my knees and back will feel it tomorrow after spending the day squatting. Though it was hard work, the women laughed and gossiped like girls anywhere, and took many tea breaks in order to make the day more enjoyable. A few of these women were sisters, and the others, (my guess) were relatives of some kind. They were extremely friendly, and though only one spoke a few words of English, we had a great day laughing and working together.

When Life Comes Crashing Down

Posted on September 20, 2013 by The Wandering Nomads

“Nostalgia in reverse, the longing for yet another strange land.”

Most people with tonsillitis get over it within a week. Mine, of course, lasted longer. Then instead of disappearing with the antibiotics I was prescribed (which, by the way, didn’t work), the infection spread. I ended up with swollen gums, open lesions, and a very painful case of gingivitis. I spent two weeks, stuck in a tourist town, unable to cycle. During this time, the temperature started to drop, the snow appeared in the mountains, and my time to spend weeks cycling through the Indian Himalayas came to a close- before it had even started. Then, to make matters worst, the infection in my mouth increased to the point where I couldn’t eat anything (besides a banana lassi).