Day-0 and before : My cycling trip to Himalayas

It all started when I wanted to travel for a long time, around two weeks.  As I have done enough tours in south India, I planned to visit north. I planned to go to Valley of flowers, Kedarnath and then head to McLeod gunj and finish the trip there. All by public transport. While browsing about Himachal, my friend came across Spiti valley and told me about that.  When I searched, I was awe struck by the beauty and adventures one has to do for travelling there. In that course I learnt that people travel there on bicycle also. Reading about the conditions what a cyclist can come across, the planning that needs to be done and mostly the feeling of being independent, made me decide that I should definitely visit that on bicycle.

I got myself a new bicycle, practiced 50 km on it every day for a month, learnt about basic fixes. (For Cycling related info please check out the below post (Cycling in Celestial lands). There is still a lot of uncertainty going on in my mind about the route, what if’s and How can I ‘s  ? .Luck favoured me many times and I have met a person in Chennai, who has already went on this route. Some of the places he suggested were not there in Google maps too! Yet I have decided to see, what’s there. Even as I packed a lot of doubts were present in my mind, riding, surviving there. Finally it’s time and I headed to the mountains. 

I had a tough time in Chennai airport dismantling front wheel and pedals to fit the bicycle in Xray machine. After reaching Delhi, I hired a cab till ISBT, Kashmiri gate. To my disappointment last bus to Shimla is completely occupied and I had to take a Chandigarh bus. I had to plead driver a lot for getting help to put my bicycle on top of Shimla bus. It was nearly a sleepless journey and in Chandigarh I took help of co-passengers to place it on top.  Reached Shimla around 10.30 am.

With lot of questions, curiosity, uncertainity in mind and a lot of enthusiasm to ride in celestial lands ahead, I have stepped down from the bus. I have accepted the welcome from the brightly shining sun and blue sky.


(got my bicycle down in Shimla also with help of other passengers.)

Checkout my next post for Day-1.