A number of months ago the organization HASTPA invited me to
come and race in the 11th edition of the Hero Himalaya MTB Stage
Race. They would organize
everything and not one ever to turn down an opportunity like this I immediately
said yes. Gradually plans were put
in place and I started looking at last year’s stages. The race looked very tough, not only based at altitude but
also climbing around 3000m every day, 500km over 7 days and with some days
taking the leaders last year over 6 hours. Rob, my every supportive husband suggest I try get hold of
an altitude tent which I quickly dismissed on the grounds that even if we did
find one in Yorkshire to rent which sounded highly unlikely, the cat would no
doubt claw a hole in it in order to reach her duvet!
With much appreciation HASTPA booked my flight to Delhi all
be it from Heathrow and the morning after an event we were working at in
Harrogate finished. So on Sunday
night I got on a National Express, toured UK airports and finally arrived at
Heathrow at 6am. I must say
despite the time it took, a bus takes all the stress out of travelling and on
this one I didn’t even have to trek across London Victoria to change buses. 6 hours to kill/stay awake before
getting on my Air India flight to Delhi.
Air India isn’t famous for luxury travel but with roughly one person to
every three seats, very friendly staff and good non-spicy food it might have
well have been first class travel. I arrived in India quite nervous about
getting various taxis to the hotel then to the bus station the next morning but
was saved by Srishti, working for the race, who was waiting for me despite it
been 2am and who, only 3 hours later got a cab with myself, Andreas and Manuel
from Austria to make sure we met the correct bus. In my mind I pictured the public bus would have a few
chickens strapped to the roof and would have 50 standing people in the aisles
but instead it had seats that almost fully reclined with comfortable leg rests
and I slept nicely till the lunch stop.
About three hours later we
started climbing and it felt like the end was near yet the journey went on and
on. We stopped at some rough
looking places and the hand gel post toilet stops became very handy. Our driver who had been on the go since
8.30am was driving like a mad man up the mountain roads overtaking and relying
on the horn on blind bends. I was
glad I wasn’t on the valley side of the bus even if the views were
impressive. The lights of Shimla
finally came into view and 11 hours after embarking we staggered off to be
welcomed by Ashish Sood whom I felt I already knew, as he was the one who
answered every rider’s questions via our race Whats App group. We were checked into one of the best
hotels in Shimla; Woodville Palace, in the best part of town amongst the trees and
only a short walk to the main tourist street, The Mall. After a great dinner, sat outside in a
restaurant overlooking the hustle and bustle I slept like a log and woke up to
the sound of birds and crickets.
The next few days passed nicely as I gradually got used to
the thin air and a sore throat either from the air con on the bus, or the
altitude went away. We were taken for a short ride by one of the local riders
riding for Hero. A hero he will be
if he finishes the event as he dislocated his wrist a week ago and will be
racing with a pot right up to his elbow!
He took us right up to the world’s highest positioned statue at around
2500m altitude I think and as it was the God of Power I asked him quietly if I
could borrow a little, he was bright orange and matched my KTM after all! I also joined Team Rocky Mountain up
the main road to where the race would start on Sunday and though we rode easy,
the traffic was that bad I am sure my heart rate was through the roof.
Each night that week I ate in the same restaurant until I
waved at the chef on the way out and the waiters were super friendly. I even ended up with one and a half
dinners one night after asking for extra sour cream as my chicken wrap was too
spicy for me and instead of sour cream he came back with a whole new wrap! I felt rude not eating the whole thing
again but it was that tasty it wasn’t such a hard challenge!
On Friday most of the riders had arrived and a Press Conference
was held. It’s the first time I’ve
ever sat at the front with a microphone and I tried not to show how nervous I
was. I wasn’t so much asked a
question, rather asked to say a few words about the event and for a split second
I panicked, had no words to say then all of a sudden I started waffling and all
was fine again. Some snacks and a
chance to chat to other riders filled the rest of the afternoon and after
showing some guys from Dubai the square as if I were now a local I joined them
for one final dinner at my favorite restaurant.
Pre race day is finally here now, it seems a lifetime ago
that I waved Rob off at Leeds bus station and I am very much over the honking
of horns and hustle and bustle of Shimla.
I planned the morning spot on.
We were to all ride behind a taxi carrying our bags through the morning
down to the race hotel. Knowing
the hotel had a swimming pool (distraught to find it closed a little later!!) I
came down behind an early taxi in kit ready to ride. The rooms were to be ready in 20 minutes and knowing Indian
time I headed out for a ride knowing by the time I got back the room may
actually be ready. True enough, 2
hours later having filled my lungs with some more truck fumes before finding a
quiet road all be it way down the mountain, I came back to find my room just
about ready. My last night in a
real bed before heading off into the unknown tomorrow begins. With temperatures predicted of anything
up to 30 degrees and down to minus 4 at night tonight I will make the most of
four walls and a thick duvet!!
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