DAY 6

25/09/2009 by admin.

I slept for 10 hours solid awaking to a cup of tea in bed. We had stayed in an eco guesthouse. The water was from the spring, and many of the ingredients for our dinner and breakfast were grown on the farm. The buildings are made of wood and mud. It is an amazing place.

We departed the Himalayan Orchards just after 8.30am and our destination today was Jot.  The first 5kms was downhill and was a nice way to start. The next 5kms was uphill. We cycled into the town of Chamba to visit the temples before heading further down the valley. At approximately 1000m we turned onto the road to Jot. Jot means pass and was at the ridge of the mountain at 2650m. Ankur, our guide said it was uphill all the way. We wouldn’t even have the luxury of a flat stretch.

We started our climb to Jot about 11am and stopped for a short lunch just after noon. It was going very well. It was hard and parts were steeper than any previous day.  After lunch we continued. It was scorching hot and every few kms we would stop for water and a breather.

As we set off after a water stop, I had acute pain shooting through my right knee every time I pushed down. This was serious. I had no option but to stop. Ian had my foot in his stomach and was massaging the knee and the tendon around the kneecap.

We were both very concerned. This was threatening the rest of my journey. And the dilemma was could I do more damage and then not be able to ride the next day. I said to myself I was going to make it, though I was now scared. I didn’t want it to end here.

I found that it was worse after I stopped. I didn’t know what this meant but if I could avoid stopping, perhaps I could make it. I kept a slow and steady rhythm and after about 4 hours the pain had slowly gone.

I told Ian to set his own pace. I was either going to make it or not. I had decided quite quickly I was going to get to the top. I had learnt Reiki (a form of spiritual healing from Tibet) a few years ago so I figured being so close now to its origins, that I should use it. It definately helped.

Every village I went through, people would stop and stare. It turns out, as far as Ankur could establish, we were the first people to ever cycle this route. Ankur was speaking to locals and they were saying it wasn’t possible and yet we continued.

I was still 20kms away and the light was starting to fade. Time was slowly turning against me. I was becoming very tired. I had decided I was going to make it. Having local kids run through the village and for a couple of kms after really helped. There was one girl with her younger brother. She jogged with me for ages smiling and puffing for breath herself.

And so I continued up hill. The support team was amazing. They provided rest stops with bananas and juice - I would also top up my water. I drank 7 litres of water throughout this ride.

I passed a sign saying 10kms. Then 9. The next was 7. Darkness was now closing in. I passed the 5km marker and kept going. I kept saying I was going to make it. Then the support car came down the hill and Ian jumped out. He told me it was now less than 2km. The car followed me with the headlights on full beam. It was now dark. Having the team there was incredibly emotional. I started to cry. I had to hold back the emotion as I had to see where I was going. I knew I had made it.

I do not regard sport as easy for me. Yet this was a major achievement. I was going to make it. With one corner to go, the car overtook and I cycled the last 50m. I made the pass. I made it to Jot. Ankur took the bike from me and I crouched down and just wept. I have never done anything so physically demanding in my life. I worked so hard to get there with great support from the team. The ride started at 1000m and I was now at 2650m and it had taken nearly 8 hours to do this.

We drank tea in the local cafe. Dinner that evening was a huge spread of dishes from Dinesh our cook. All I ate was 3 plates full of noodles. Perfect, with a glass of beer.

If the earth was flat, we are quite simply on the edge. Our tent pitched on a grassy plateau. I look forward to the views in the morning.

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 Temple in the town of Chamba

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