Cycling Goa is planning a cycling trip in August 2019 from Manali to Leh. This news is making
rounds among the cycling community in Goa because trying out new terrain
requires a lot of dedication and training. In 2013, Rainer Dias from Panjim and
four other members – Brian Soares, Raghav Gawda, Nilesh Salkar and Manoj Soman
– set their goal to reach Leh from Manali with their mountain bikes. They were
the first group of Goans to cycle this stretch. There were many cyclists from
Chennai, Delhi, Pune, Himachal Pradesh and Bangalore making up a total of 15
cyclists who set out on the journey together. After going through the thrill of
riding on this terrain, they now want more Goans to experience this ride.
“Now, Goa has five times more cyclists
compared to when we went on the Manali-Leh route and we can give them our
support by sharing our experience. The route is a challenge and very difficult
compared to the rides in Goa. Experienced cyclists are the most determined to
complete the full route, down to up and back down, on their own,” says Rainer.
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The journey will require the cyclists to
study the terrain, undergo endurance training and get acclimated to the
altitude. Every morning, the cyclists will be briefed about their journey for
that particular day; they will cover a distance of approximately 45-50 kms per
day. Since the months of June to August are considered the best time of the
year to travel for cyclists, the trip is being planned accordingly.
Rainer has cycled across countries like the United States of
America, Austria, Italy, Portugal, New Zealand and different parts of India.
“There are people who cycle for fitness and participate in cycling events and
triathlons and those who cycle on their vacations or do a cycle tour of the
place which is becoming a big trend. Cycling gives me a sense of freedom and
it’s great for exercise; a fun activity,” he says.
Though the number of cyclists on Goa roads have increased
exponentially, making roads safer for cyclists is still not on the priority
list. “Roads are not safe even for motorists. Cyclists have to be practical in
whatever they do and there is some degree of risk in every activity. It is a
leisure activity that turns into an adventure sport when it comes to the
traffic on the road. However, I have noticed that local buses and cars have
become more courteous towards us cyclists on route,” he says.
Comparing cycling in India and abroad, he says, “In Goa, there
is no space for cycle lanes and abroad there is less traffic on the road and
the drivers are more aware of cyclists. But in the cities of US, Indian drivers
can be aggressive towards cyclists. I do not mean to generalise as even
cyclists there flout the rules. For now, cyclists will have to learn to
co-exist on the roads in India.”
Coming
back to the much awaited Manali-Leh trip, Rainer says there are no criteria for
cyclists who want to make this adventurous ride. “What they should be aiming
towards is getting fit for the trip. The older cyclists are very determined and
take cycling seriously while the younger cyclists have a more casual attitude.
It will be a different experience with levels of difficulty. The challenge is
to finish the ride without any assistance – from going up to coming back down.
It will not be a fruitful ride if you find other means of going up in order to
click photographs to post on social media and only choose to cycle down; a
round trip will be the most fulfilling,” advises Rainer.
