My first bicycle may have been a tri-cycle but it has been a long journey from then on. I remember bicycling in the most odd conditions- in 101 degrees fever, pedalling to my school following the school rickshaw, going for my first ever vegetables shopping on it, riding the fast and pacy hawk during college days…..
And today, at 25, I’m still fond of bicycles. I own two of them and they’ve been good associates over a period of time.
From the ealrier Classic semi-circle handled Hero Cycles (and they’re still very popular) to the technologically advanced ones in the present day, there has been a quantum leap. I can still picture olden (or golden) days at Chandigarh, when the beautiful streets made for a lovable ride. The good thing is that such riding pleasures are still possible today in that town, courtsey good roads. I used to ride to school because of two things:
1. It gave me a lot of independence even at the age of 7
2. I could avoid some torture of sitting pillion to my mom who was still honing her two-wheeler driving skills
In the present times, Chandigarh has seen some of bicycling events. A file picture from one such fest in Nov 2006:
At present, biking for me has been a mix of pleasure and endurance. At a recent Mountain Biking event in Himachal Pradesh, I managed to finish the approx 700 kms race in 9 days. Not only this lead to soaring confidence but also an expanded view of the world.
Besides that, the Himalayas looked beautiful and I’m vying to go back. Kaaren, a doctor and a social worker from New-Zealand, who finished at the top in the women’s category has sent me this picture. It is from the same place which about 2 months ago was the mountain that was raided by some 60 riders from around the world. We bicycled on this now snow clad mountain. It is at an approximate height of 3200 meters above the sea level.
Bicycles are a wonderful gift of man; to man. In their softness lies a whole untouched world; which only its rider can explore.
The moot question is, “Are you ready”?
