FROM CALICUT TO SOMNATH - MY SOLO CYCLING ODYSSEY

My target for the day was 50 miles. The previous night was terrific. A storm had passed, and the beach house where I had stayed was rattling for almost half an hour. I tried to sail through the darkness as mosquitoes took over my room. Water supply had ceased, and even a shower in the morning was impossible. With a fully drained power bank, a phone with less than 70% battery- life, no sleep and poor breakfast, I had to ride from Kunkeshwar to Ratnagiri. Pedal For The Planet turned out to be a process to accustom to the uncertainty of life!

Preparation:

My career in Travel and Tourism turned ambiguous due to the pandemic! I needed something that could nurture the ember left in me. Solo Bicycle Tour to Discuss Sustainable Travel, Lifestyle and Mental Health – was my solution.

After a quick research, I bought a touring bike home. I decided to ride to fetch groceries and explore trails to nearby places. My first bike-packing tour was for about 36 miles with bare minimum accessories. The trip confronted me with challenges that helped me get a better idea about do’s and don’ts. Input from seasoned tourers helped me plan this stupendous voyage leaving no room for hiccups. On the 12th of November 2023, I started my maiden bicycle tour from Tali Mahadeva Temple, Calicut at 5:30 am. I wanted a silent farewell, but to my surprise, a gathering of friends and well-wishers were seeing me off in the early hours of a Sunday! My destination, Somnath Temple in Gujarat was 1400 miles away.

It is impossible to gather all the details of a 28-day trip and make it an interesting article. I will include a few things that made this tour an unforgettable learning process.

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Fear:

I avoided uncertainty, and that was not helping me progress in life. Therefore, I wanted to experiment by letting things happen. Trust me- it was not easy at all! How will my house function without me? What if someone stalks me?- I had numerous questions in my mind while I made plans for this bicycle tour. Most of my friends refrained from discouraging me with their concerns. It was that determination that helped me at Kunkeshwar to turn courageous and calm during a storm-stricken night at the beach. Now I know for sure, that storms do not last forever.

“The only thing we have to fear is fear itself” – Franklin D. Roosevelt

Travel and Women:

I was riding in the scorching heat, and a warm rush of blood between my legs caught me by surprise. I got my periods in advance, and there were no homes or buildings in the vastness of the Mango orchards where I could stop by and do the needful. Sweat and blood began trickling down my thighs, and I had to complete another 30 miles for the day. I saw a stranger weeding dry grass in front of an abandoned house. It was not his home, and the toilet was locked! Inserting a menstrual cup was beyond my imagination in such a situation, and all I had to hide in the bushes to clean up and move further. Travel is a scary affair for many just because of the absence of clean public toilets, and this remains a fact in most places, not just in India.

India is Incredible:

After childbirth, fatigue from housekeeping and repeated failures in entrepreneurial ventures, I succumbed to severe health issues. My body and mind badly wanted to escape from the agony and revive my spirits. And I knew that I had to travel to heal! My journey along the Western Coast of this peninsula was one-of-its-kind. You can time travel when you reach Sri Mahabaleshwara Temple at Gokarna. The region still offers a true cultural experience with its ancient salt fields and agricultural activities.

I was sceptical about Mumbai City, but the best memories of this ride belong to this metro. Surat amazed me with its large textile and jewellery manufacturing units. Gujarati cuisine and hospitality are something that would make me repeat this trail. Arriving at Bhavnagar in Gujarat, knowing I was barely two days away from my destination, I slipped into a sense of achievement.

In 28 days, I passed through 5 states (Kerala, Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra and Gujarat) and diverse indigenous cultures. I never felt like a stranger, and this magic belongs to my homeland India.

“Barriers are limited only to our minds and, all we need to do is to give that chance to ourselves to overcome them.” – Aparna Vinod

Special thanks to the Rotary Club of Calicut Beach for the overall support I received. Thanks to the Past District Governor Rtn. Sethu Shivshankar for his whole-hearted encouragement. Thanks to the Rotary Club of Neeleshwar, the Rotary Club of Kasargod, the Rotary Club of
Dona Paula (Goa), and the Rotary Club of Surat for their support along my way.