Figure this one out.
Here’s some of what our eyes take in along the road or roadside each day:
Massive banyan, locust and other shade trees
Fruit and vegetable vendors squatting on the roadside
hands will be necessary—one for the steering wheel and one for honking the horn. In the rural areas driving’s a challenge; in the cities it’s gauntlet not for the weak of heart.
TO THE NON-WATER WATERFALL AND BACK. It was our rest day, but while Bob tuned up bikes, Joe and John headed out for some sight-seeing on bicycles. We rode 25 miles to see a regionally famous waterfall. We had a great ride and anticipated the sight. We got there and there were great rock formations. But, alas, no water coming over the waterfall. We must come back in August during monsoon, we guess. We had another 25-mile ride back to Sagar savoring our fun tour.
TO SAGAR…ROUGHLY. Today’s ride was just about as rough as yesterday’s. Maybe it seemed that way because we were still sore from yesterday. Thus far, we’ve found National Highway 26 to be bone jarring. The good news is: NH 26 is being upgraded to four lanes as we write. The tough news is: current construction makes a pot-hole riddled road worse for the moment. Still, we held up, our equipment held up (still only one flat tire for the trip!) and we made it safely to Sagar after 86 kilometers / 53 miles. We’ve ridden six straight days. We’ve put 2,388 km / 1,481 mi behind us. We’re ready for a rest day. Photo: John and Bob take a downhill fast!
team from Nagpur to Sagar. Who can ever forget your spirited singing at 5:00 am? Thanks, guys. Best wishes to you, Kuhlo, MVM, and your families. We will welcome a new team of Indian riders and host when we start riding again on Thursday. Photo: a series of rapids under a bridge we crossed.
INTERNET AVAILABILITY. We are on the road and I (John) am in an Internet cafe in a town of which I do not know the name. This is the first Internet connection we have had since leaving Nagpur three days ago. So, the previous two posts are back-dated. Still, we are glad to be able to keep updating our friends as often as we can. Please keep checking back. Sometimes several days will appear at one time.
Thanks for your interest & involvement. Check back often for updates. We welcome your friendly comments and questions. Learn more @ www.bikeindia.org.
TWO THIRDS COMPLETE. We took time this morning to meet for Christian worship with an Anglican congregation in Seoni. The marking on the outside of the building indicated it was founded in 1878. One can only try to imagine the history and transitions of an Anglican community of faith in a small town in central India. The community graciously welcomed us and sent us on our way. We would surpass 1,333 km before the afternoon was over--we’re two thirds of the way to New Delhi!
WHAT WE’RE EATING. We’re eating Indian food for all meals and it is agreeing with us all. It’s edly, dal, roti, dosa, samosas, toasted bread, and/or an omelet at a rustic roadside grill for breakfast. After 60 kilometers of pedaling, we stop at dirt-floor, tin-roof, open-air restaurant for a modest lunch of rice, chipatis, vegetable (or chicken or mutton) curry, and fruit. Each evening we reload our depleted energy with the same (or some soup and fried rice) at a local eatery. Our essential nutrition formula focuses on carbs and protein, with simple sugars for immediate energy. In addition, we eat bananas and whatever fresh fruit Sanjay selects from roadside markets. As we’re riding in 80-100 degree Fahrenheit temps, each of us takes in about 8 liters of bottled water a day. One occasional indulgence (okay, constant obsession) is to comb a village or town for mango jam or mango ice cream. It’s almost as good as Indian chai. Almost.
SIX LEGS OF OUR JOURNEY. We’ve pedaled 2,073 kilometers / 1,285 miles since December 30th. We’re closing in on two thirds of the journey behind us. If you break our 3,200 kilometer / 2,000 mile ride into six legs, they look like this:
VILLAGE LIFE, URBAN SCENE. We’re now one day into the 5th leg of this journey from the southern tip of India to New Delhi. We started the morning with a team of fresh Indian riders from Maharashtra Village Ministries, riding thru the city of Nagpur (population approximately 2 million) before traffic became heavy. As interesting as passing village life is, a bike ride through an urban area is overwhelming. We’ve ridden through a thousand villages and only a handful of large cities, but because the city scene is so concentrated and intense, its impact lingers long on our senses. Photo: Bob repairs a man's flat tire. He rode off very happy!
FORESTS AND HIGHER GROUND. We passed through much forest area today. Villages were fewer and further between, but the rolling forest areas were shady and full of wildlife. This woodland area, on the border between the states of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, transitions from lower to a significantly higher terrain. The vistas along our big climb were grand. After the ascent, we thought we would have the benefit of a long, fast downhill flight. But there was no descent; 24 km later, we‘re still on high ground.
REPUBLIC DAY ALL ALONG THE WAY. Every town and village we rode through on our way to Nagpur today was having a parade or celebrating. It is Republic Day in India. On this day in 1950 the nation, which gained its independence non-violently from England just three years earlier (on August 15, 1947), became a republic. India is now the world’s largest democracy. You can tell that Indians are very proud of their country and its growing place among nations. It is written on their faces and in the intensity of their patriotism on this day. We celebrated with them, flying the India flag on our bicycles. Photo: Boys celebrate in a Republic Day parade.
the American Midwest. Our 42-mile / 68-kilometer ride was complete before noon, even with two occasions of greetings by local well-wishers. We are in lodging in Nagpur, a major city that is likely closest to being the geographic center of India. This is the last major city we will pass thru before Agra and the New Delhi/Delhi area.
NOW IS THE TIME TO CONTRIBUTE. We want to be clear: the focus of this ride is not about five people riding from the southern tip of India to New Delhi on bicycles. The ride only serves to heighten awareness of Umri Christian Hospital and to call for friends from all over the world to contribute to its reconstruction. Have you made a donation yet? If so, thank you! If not, please consider doing so now. If you live in India and have friends in North America or other places, please call them and encourage them to give at this time. If you know of someone who would be willing to support our cause or effort, now is the time to contact them and encourage contributions—great and small. We appreciate the fact that many people are praying for our safety—and we are grateful for that. If you are praying for us, would you consider shaping your prayers toward the needed resources to reconstruct Umri Christian Hospital? Photo: riders offer brochures about UCH to inquiring people we pass by.
FROM YAVATMAL TO WARDHA. We were sent off by Yavatmal College for Leadership Training early this morning. Also, four boys from a local "Awana" youth program accompanied us on bicycles to the edge of the city. What fun! Five Indian riders are accompanying us to Nagpur; they are from YCLT. One is the institution President Justus; three are teachers at the college; one is a student. They all made the 70-kilometer/42 mile journey quite well.
Three years later the Indian democracy was established on January 26, 1950; Republic Day is commemorated across India with great affection. It seems fitting that we should begin Republic Day at Gandhi’s home tomorrow.
A DAY IN "COTTON CITY." It’s been a scheduled administrative day for Joe in Yavatmal. While Joe was in meetings with regional leaders, Bob and John traipsed around this city of 500,000 inhabitants. Yavatmal is known as "Cotton City" because it is in the heart of cotton production in India. We’ve seen piles of cotton over two stories high. Yavatmal is also home to the first Free Methodist Church in India. The "mother church" is over 100 years old and still thriving. The pastor and his family hosted us for lunch in their parsonage today.
"Bicycle India 2007" is the longest single journey in terms of days and kilometers/miles that he has ever undertaken. We heartily recommend his caring service to all!
FAREWELL TO UMRI. We received an early-morning send-off by the students of the Helen Rose School of Nursing. Having covered 1,762.5 kilometers / 1,093 miles, we traveled the relatively short distance of 60 kilometers / 37 miles before noon. Our destination: Yavatmal, a thriving town that represents the beginning point of Free Methodist work in India over 100 years ago.
WELCOMED TO YAVATMAL. A group of local leaders welcomed us at the edge of town and escorted us by motorcycles to Shanti Bavan, the FM guest house and administrative center. There we were graced again with garlands and many well wishes. We are made to feel like some kind of special dignitaries, but we know full well that we are simply riding our bikes thru India in support of the people who have for many years dedicated themselves to a healing medical service in this area. They have shouldered a heavy financial burden; we are simply trying to bear it with them. Will you also help share the load? Together, it will be lighter for all and a promising future of professional medical service will be advanced.
Thanks for your interest & involvement. Check back often for updates. We welcome your friendly comments and questions. Learn more @ www.bikeindia.org.
ORIGINATING COMPASSION. Umri Christian Hospital and its related onsite educational and outreach institutions are the stuff of an evolving vision. Christian compassion opened a place of care and healing on these 25 acres over a generation ago. The spirit of compassion--ebbing and flowing over the decades--has brought complementary additions to the core hospital service. Today an entire campus of healing, education, and service pulses with that originating vision.
many people with tuberculosis and complications related to it. They treat folks with malaria and other preventable diseases. The outpatient clinic has been busy all day. Staff also attends to a growing number of HIV/AIDS cases, but without immediate access to medications that are readily available elsewhere. They work with short supplies and in less than optimum conditions. The buildings were built before 1920. We believe a new hospital facility will regenerate strength at the core of this campus and impact every related service.
are orphaned, many live here and go to public school in the community as very hopeful option for parents who cannot afford to feed, clothe, and care for them at home year-round. Supported by the modest monthly commitments of people who contribute to the International Childcare Ministries of the Free Methodist Church, these children are accessing education and care that offers a promising future for their lives.
and leaders to their mission despite a very tight financial situation. We believe this heroic service deserves an investment in capital improvement as well as a growing base of intranational and international partners committed to ensuring ongoing, high-quality professional medical care in this very specific place of vision and Christian care. We hope you will, in one way or another, become one of those partners.
CENTRAL IN OUR HEARTS. On our "Bicycle India 2007" logo, three locations are pinpointed: NAGERCOIL, our southern India beginning point; NEW DELHI, our anticipated destination to the north; in between is a village that can't be found on most maps--UMRI. This village, located two kilometers off NH7 in the eastern portion of Maharashtra state, is the home of a significant charity hospital, nursing school, youth hostel, and an English medium school. As far as our ride thru India is concerned, UMRI is central in our minds and hearts. That's where we headed today.
HOMECOMING WELCOME. Near the hospital, we were greeted on the road by children from the youth hostel, students from the Yardy English Medium School, nursing students from the Helen Rose School of Nursing, Umri Christian Hospital staff, church officials and community representatives. Donna Yardy, who had flown from the USA, met Bob in the throng. Bob's brother and sister-in-law, David and Sherrill Yardy, were also in the crowd. In all, about 500 people lined the road and guided us up to a celebration tent pitched close to the hospital. Gracious words and gestures made us all feel so appreciated.
the day's activities. Construction is planned to begin in March, though significantly more funds are needed to complete hospital reconstruction. We are barely halfway to our financial goal. If you have already contributed, thank you! If you have not yet done so, please consider a one-time donation for this very worthy project.
1,000 MILES BEHIND US. What a January it’s been so far! We’re two and a half weeks into the New Year and we’ve pedaled over 1,000 miles / 1,600 kilometers. It’s a milestone to which we’ve been looking forward. But you just don’t realize it’s happening out on the road. Bob and John forgot about the moment and decided to really crank it the last 20 km into Nirmal, averaging over 30 kph / 18 mph for the distance. All eventually made it to the town safely. Photo: villagers hitch a ride to a nearby town in the back of a lory/truck.
hard to imagine what village people we passed thought about a young woman riding a bicycle along in our single-file entourage. Photo: David Goodnight pushes himself up a hill.
about us. A caravan of oxcarts with sugar cane piled high creates a challenge for steering your bike as you approach them from behind. There’s an ancient fort on the right. See that little Hindu shrine over there? Monkeys play along the side of the road. And this is just the countryside; India’s cities and towns are even more interesting. India by bicycle is an effervescent feast for the senses and an artesian well for the heart. Photo: how large loads of laundry get cleaned.
BACK ON THE BIKES. It felt good to get back on the bikes today and ride 104 kilometers / 64 miles north on National Highway 7. After three days of NOT riding, we were anxious to pedal toward our goal. Not long after 6:30 am, we left Hyderabad with two new Indian riders and David Goodnight of Seattle, Washington with us. The first of our group arrived in Kamareddi, our day’s destination, around 4:00 pm in 100-degree Fahrenheit heat. We received a gracious welcome and spent an extended 2-hour lunchtime in Ramayampet, about 70 km into the ride. Another group welcomed us in a small village about 15 kilometers further up the road. We had no punctured tires on our bikes, but our support vehicle experienced two flat tires today. All is repaired and Sanje Sumadra’s Tata Victa is ready to go forward.
“DELHI – 1459 KM.” On the far north side of Hyderabad we saw the first road sign with the name “Delhi” and an official measurement in distance to our goal—“1459 km” (that’s 926 miles). Actually, it will take us quite a few more kilometers/miles than that, since we will veer off NH7 toward Umri and Yavatmal. We plan to rejoin NH7 in Nagpur, riding along it until NH28 splits off to the northwest--directing us to Agra, Delhi and New Delhi. Tomorrow, we should pass 1000 miles by the time we reach Nirmal So far, we’ve ridden 1523 kilometers / 944 miles. We’ve got a long way to go! But it was great to begin to see road signs that remind us of our hoped-for destination. By the way, Delhi is the older city that is next to New Delhi, a newer city that is now the central government center for India.
THANK YOU. We must say “thank you” to all our friends and supporters in Hyderabad who celebrated our journey and made us feel good about our effort. Your smiles, words, laughter, songs, dances, processions, garlands, shawls, flower petals, offerings, meals, hospitality and prayers will be in our hearts and minds as we forge ahead. May your expressions sustain us from Nagpur to New Delhi. And may all you have offered and expended come back to you multiplied! 
FOUR LEGS OF THE JOURNEY. We're dividing the journey from Nagercoil to New Delhi in four legs. The first leg took us from Nagercoil to Bangalore. Bangalore to Hyderabad was the second leg. Hyderabad to Nagpur will be the third leg. The final push will be the longest--from Nagpur to New Delhi.
SYMBOLS OF SACRIFICE AND PARTNERSHIP. Each of our core team members spoke about our project of raising funds and awareness for rebuilding Umri Christian Hospital at different locations yesterday morning. People here seem sincerely interested in and inspired by Bicycle India 2007. Unexpectedly, individuals and groups in India have offered thousands of rupees in support of the hospital--a real sacrifice and a symbol to all in North America of a partnership in the desire to see a bright future for UCH.
welcome celebration by the Emmanuel Conference of the Free Methodist Church. This welcome was an uproarious one, with garlands, dancing, signs, and children throwing flower petals. Men danced the “tiger dance,” encircling each of our cycling team members and gyrating to tribal drums and instruments. We were then offered a foot washing--an ancient rite of both honor and humble service--by two bishops of the church. A large group meeting with singing and sharing lasted late into the evening. Seriously, this is way too much! We hadn’t ridden our bikes at all, but we were exhausted when we fell into bed Sunday night.
for a second day in a row since we started. This much time in one place seems like forever. We’re anxious to get riding again.
A JAUNT BECOMES A HARROWING ORDEAL. Today’s ride was supposed to be a short 40-kilometer/24-mile jaunt: 20 k to the outskirts of the city where a welcome ceremony would occur and then another 20 k thru Hyderabad (nicknamed "Cyberabad" for its computer technolgy development) to a retreat center just beyond the city’s north side. But as we have come to expect, plans change--sometimes not by our choice or to our liking. At the end of the day we’d logged 100 kilometers/62 miles, finishing in the dark at nearly 7:00 pm. The good news is we arrived safely if a bit frazzled at the retreat center and are looking forward to a few days of rest and rejuvenation.
overwhelming welcome for us. We were escorted in a 1k-long parade—with drums, singing, dancing, and placards—to a meeting facility. We were showered with flower petals by supporters. In an afternoon meeting of about 400 people, we received garlands and shawls--a gracious Indian gesture of honor and goodwill. Each of us shared about our experience on the road thus far. There was singing, food, and encouragement all around. Congregations and individuals offered contributions for Umri Christian Hospital totaling about 35,000 rupees—this from people who really don’t have margin in their small incomes. This was a very encouraging moment for us. We are so grateful for this expression of care for the project to rebuild Umri Christian Hospital.
THE WEEKEND AHEAD. For the record, after today’s ride from Shadnegar to the north side of Hyderabad we’ve ridden 1416 kilometers/878 miles in 14 days. We’ve each been invited to talk about our journey and the project to rebuild Umri Christian Hospital at various locations tomorrow. On Monday, Joe and John have been asked to facilitate some equipping workshops for local leaders. On Tuesday, while Joe works in an administrative capacity, Bob and John hope to explore the city. We resume our ride northward on Wednesday at 6:30 am—sharp.
NAME THAT INDIAN TOWN. We’ve been traveling from town to town just long enough for the names of our daily destinations to be hard to recall. Like the name of the town in which we arrived this afternoon. What is it? It’s Shadnagar. But where did we sleep last night? Uh… O, yes, (after asking another more map-minded team member): Kathakota. And the day before that? We may not remember the names of all these places we’ve been over the past two weeks, but we’ve not had a single dull moment. Every day is an adventure full of unique, never-to-be-repeated encounters with incredible, real, hard-working people. Local folk are very interested in our bikes, helmets, fluorescent lime green vests with “Bicycle India 2007” scribed in Hindi and English on the back. But they may not know that we are also very interested in them. It is one of our goals to make the day of every person we encounter, even with a smile, a wave, and a “hi!” from the bike as we pass by. Photo: Typical interest in our bikes at many stops.
INDIA FLOWS. Our ride today was 87 kilometers/54 miles, mostly uphill with a headwind and humid. When we’re on the bike, we can tell it’s humid by the number of times we’re reaching for water or Gatorade to replenish the moisture and nutrients we’re sweating away. We’ve now covered 1,316 kilometers/816 miles out of an anticipated 3,240 kilometers/2,000 miles. We ride on the road or, when it’s paved and marked, on the shoulder. Rarely are there any markings on the roads and where there ARE white lines, it’s clear they don’t mean much. India flows. That’s a reality which is expressed in many dimensions in multiple personal, social, political and religious applications. Driving and traffic is just one very visible expression of the heart and mind of this diverse, colorful land. Photo: Joe James rides along.
READY FOR HYDERABAD. We are about 46 kilometers/26 miles from Hyderabad. We anticipate riding to the city by mid-morning, being joined by other local riders at the city limits, and cycling through this metropolitan area of 6 million + people to our weekend quarters—the Operation Mobilization (OM) campus. That will put an exclamation point on 14 days of riding. It will also prepare us for next week’s push—a trek to Umri Christian Hospital, an overnight stay at Gandhi’s ashram at Sevagram, and visits with our friends who bicycled between Umri and Yavatmal with us last January. But first we rest in…what was the name of this town?
AN 80-MILE THURSDAY. We rode 80 miles to get to a busy little town that puts us about 150 kilometers from Hyderabad--the major Indian city that is our destination for the weekend. We started at 6:30 am, got in 50 miles before noon, had a leisurely lunch around 1:00 pm, and thought we would finish the ride shortly. But it was one of those days when the town we were looking for was really much further than expected. It’s when "only 20 kilometers to go" really is 40 k down the road in the sun, heat, dust, and honking trucks. We were over six hours in the saddle. But we all arrived safely and will look forward to a restful evening.
LOOKING FORWARD TO HYDERABAD. We’re looking forward to getting to Hyderabad. Marilyn, Joe’s wife, will meet us there. We will meet a number of folks Joe and John met there last January. We’ll have Sunday and Monday as rest days. Our ride from Bangalore has been swift as we have settled into a daily rhythm and routine. Friday will be our 13th day to ride. Nagercoil seems like such a long time ago and such a distant place. Thankful for the opportunity to ride for Umri Christian Hospital, we’re enjoying each day and looking forward to what lies ahead.
TO DHONE. We rode 100 k into Dhone (except John, who missed the turn-off to the town and got to ride a few more kilometers! His excuse: "I can’t read Telegu--who knew?"). Along the way we encountered wonderfully hilly countryside. We had our longest, toughest climb of the trek--a 7 k hill that seemed never to peak. But we got to sail down the other side. Our afternoon arrival in these small Indian towns draws a lot of interest; folks aren’t sure what’s happening, just that they’re seeing five men on very odd-looking bicycles with shiny helmets and pale bright vests riding through their marketplace. What’s that about?
THE ROAD ZOO. Some local folk refer to Indian roads as "the zoo." Seriously, we’ve seen enough variety of animals on, beside or near National Highway 7 to populate a small zoo. Motorized vehicles and bicycles share the road with oxcarts and pony-drawn carriages, with goat and sheep herders, with all kinds of cows and water buffalo. Alongside the roads one frequently sees chickens, pigs, monkeys, and a variety of unfamiliar birds. Strangely, all this seems normal to us by now. Why NOT use this main north-south roadway to move India’s dynamic life along?
HOT RIDE TO ANATAPUR. We had a 72-mile (117 k) ride today from the village of Bagepalli to the town of Anatapur in 86-degree Fahrenheit temperatures and bright sun. We drank lots of water and Gatorade, even downed a few power bars. We were drained by the time we made it to our place of lodging. But the day’s effort puts us at 997.75 kilometers – just a few kilometers shy of 1,000. It’s still less than one-third of the way, but it feels good to be able to say we’ve traveled that far. Photo: Bob Yardy stops with his bike, a Fuji Royale.
BIRD WACHING ALONG THE WAY. Bob Yardy, our team leader, is an avid bird watcher. He’s been pointing out all kinds of bird that are unique to India as we ride 
along. He sees birds where the rest of us see merely trees and scrub brush. So far Bob (and some of the rest of us) have seen the following kinds of birds along the route: Brahmany kite, Pariah kite, black ibis, white-necked stork, peacock, shorebird, red-wattled lapwing, rose-ringed parakeet (in photo we took today), little green bee-eater, white-breasted kingfisher, Indian roller, red-vented bulbul, Indian gray shrike, purple sunbird, common myna, and many black drongo (must be India’s equivalent to a crow or starling). We’re sure to see more.
ENCOUNTERING VILLAGES AND PEOPLE. One of the differences in rural America and rural India is that in America there are relatively few villages between towns or cities. In India, there is a village every two miles or so. And each village bustles with people, markets, outdoor dining, bartering, and community life. In America I can ride my bike for many miles without seeing a single person; in India, people are walking along the road even in what seems to be a desolate section of the roadway. One gets the feeling one is never far from a village.
Thanks for your interest & involvement. Check back often for updates. We welcome your friendly comments and questions. Learn more @ www.bikeindia.org.
SUNDAY REST DAY. We had our first break from cycling on Sunday, but it was a full schedule. John spoke at a church in Bangalore and then participated in the dedication of a new facility for the congregation. Joe, Bob, Gope and Sathisam, having had a very good meeting with faculty and staff at Christian Medical College and Hospital in Vellore (about 140 k from Bangalore) on Saturday evening, set out to return Sunday afternoon. A religious parade on National Highway 7 and a rock slide delayed their return until early evening. Once they got to Bangalore, we all packed into the Tata Victa and headed north of Bangalore to visit the Free Methodist International Child Care Ministries Children’s Hostel. 83 children, who stay at the hostel nine months out of the year and attend public school in the area, sang and danced (photo) and we had a great time together. Photo: Bob, Joe, and Sathisam meet with faculty at CMC.
MONDAY: REJOINING THE JOURNEY. We set out early this morning with two new riders from Bangalore, Mohan and Shereesh. We have passed from the state of Tamil Nadu into Karnataka. The predominant language here is Kanata, one of many official languages in India. These Indian riders, along with our Karnataka guide, Sagar, help us communicate and make our way through this particular state. We made it through more climbs and rolling hills into the small town of Bagepalli, about 100 km north of Bangalore. It was a cool day – high was 80 degrees Fahrenheit (just thought we’d remind our American Midwest friends, who will not see temps like this at least until June).
Hyderabad is another one of India’s growing technology centers, smaller but similar to Bangalore in its striving to compete in the global information and communication technology market. Both Bangalore and Hyderabad were featured prominently in Thomas Friedman’s recent bestselling book The World Is Flat. This is a good read for anyone interested in understanding some of the mind-boggling dynamics that are bringing India and China into the limelight as emerging global economic powers. Map: we've journeyed from south to north along the blue line, which represents National Highway 7. The blue marking ends on the map at Umri Christian Hospital. That will be about half way to New Delhi. Right now, we are 200 k north of Bangalore.
BANGALORE TRAFFIC. We arrived in Bangalore, a city of 10 million souls—and we think they were all on National Highway 7, our route into the metropolis. We were in thick traffic all the way into Bangalore. There, we met our host, who led us on his motorcycle to the guest house. “He led us” means that we wound our way through four lanes of traffic packed with all sorts of vehicles, turning left and right, crossing lanes back and forth. Harrowing. But, we all made it to the guest house, a respite in the heart of this city. Our “easy day” was a breeze until the last five kilometers; that 5k will be with us for a while. We’re thankful Indian drivers are not rude (relative to American drivers) or else we would all be toast by now.
of great humor. But we are passing out of their native language area and two riders who are familiar with the state we are currently in will join us as we resume our journey northward on Monday morning at 6:30 am. Thanks for your great effort, Jose and Anand. We are proud of you and honor you! We also say "see you later" to Sathisam (in blue shirt), the Umri Christian Hospital Administrator. But we plan to see him again when we arrive in Umri two weeks from now.
CLIMB EVERY MOUNTAIN. “On the Twelfth Day of Christmas my true love gave to me...” -- twelve mountains to climb! We rode out of Dharmapuri at 6:45 am this morning and hit our first climb, unexpectedly, around 9:30 am. Glad we got that one out of the way. Oh, my, here’s another long, steady climb. A quick downhill glide…followed by another climb. And another, and another… So, out of 97 kilometers (60.5 miles), we spent over half the day mountain climbing, bringing us steadily up toward the city of Bangalore. We arrived in Hosur around 2:00 pm thoroughly exhausted but also invigorated by the great vistas we’d taken in from these heights. (Note from John: I attached my aero bar to my handlebars at the start of our journey just for the sake of having options for positioning my hands. I never dreamed I’d use the aero bar for sailing down a mountain in India. I coasted over 31 mph (52 kph) on one hill, and I was holding back for the sake of caution.)
TO BANGALORE AND VELLORE. Tomorrow, we are anticipating a relatively short ride (40 km) into Bangalore, India’s technology center. We hope to be at the Free Methodist youth hostel before noon so Bob, Joe, Gope, and Sathisam can travel by vehicle to the Christian Medical College and Hospital at Vellore. There, they will meet with medical teaching staff and administrators in a meeting on Saturday to explore partnership opportunities between Umri Christian Hospital and the Christian Medical College. CMC, by the way, is where Dr. Paul Brand (author of Fearfully and Wonderfully Made and other books) did his significant work with people with leprosy. CMC has been a significant source of medical staffing for Umri Christian Hospital in the past. While the rest of the team is in Vellore, John will tour Bangalore on Saturday afternoon and then speak to two groups on Sunday. The Vellore group will return Sunday evening for a special dedication ceremony at the youth hostel. Busy weekend!
TO DHARMAPURI. We rode 77 miles from Dundigul to Dharmapuri today. We are nearing Bangalore, our weekend destination. The “Silicon Valley of India” is about 90 miles to the north. On Friday we cover about 60 miles, finishing with a 30-mile jaunt into the city before noon on Saturday. John will speak to two groups in Bangalore on Sunday. Joe and Bob will travel to Vellore to a medical school to recruit medical personnel for Umri Christian Hospital.
focused on making it up the hill to stop and take photos. Near the top, a roadside vender was selling coconuts, so we drank coconut milk and ate some of the soft center before carrying on.
Thanks for your interest & involvement. Check back often for updates. Learn more @ http://www.bikeindia.org/
FIFTH DAY RIDING. Today was our fifth day riding north from Nagercoil and Kaniyakumari at the southern tip of India to New Delhi. We rode 74 miles from Dundigal to Namakkal. We are striving to make it to Bangalore by Saturday. Bangalore is a major cit in India, called the "Silicon Valley of India" for its computer technology centers. We had the best ride day yet. The wind was at our backs and it seemed like we were riding on the clouds.
OUR SUPPORT. Our journey would not be possible without our Indian team members. Sanju "Gope" Sumadre (far right) is not oly a professional driver by vocation, he makes all sorts of arrangements to make our riding smooth, supported, and refreshed. Gope is from Yavatmal in Maharashtra, near Umri. We are also supported by Sathi Sam (next to Gope), the Hospital Administrator at Umri Christian Hospital. Sathi Sam is from Tamil Nadu, the stat through which we are now passing, and his ability to translate and talk to local folk has been invaluable. He will leave us in a few days, replaced by another host in another state. We appreciate his guidance and help. In the photo, our Tamil Nadu riders are Anand and Jose. All are healthy. All are safe. We press on.
ON TO DINDIGUL. After Monday’s epic ride, we were thankful to have a relatively brief jaunt on Tuesday. Our trek took us from the outskirts of Madurai (a city of 4 million inhabitants) to Dindigul, 74 kilometers (47 miles) to the north. We passed through many villages along the way, about one every two miles. Village life seems consistent with Bible times. As we pass water wells, shepherds, goats, fields of ripening grain, and so many living people seemingly living hand to mouth, we recall some of Jesus’ stories, parables, and teachings. We actually saw a man with his ox stuck in the roadside ditch. We would have stopped to help, but it was the Sabbath. Just kidding.
OBSERVING SOCIAL LIFE. It is impossible not to notice the wide stratification of social life as we ride along, stroll through villages, eat in restaurants, and stay at hotels (accommodation not equal to a Dollar Inn), guest houses, and churches. While India has the fastest growing economy in the world (comparable to China), hundreds of millions of people are locked tight in the grip of poverty and caste. India’s population is more than triple that of the United States—1.2 billion people, or one fifth of the world’s total population—dwelling in an area one third the size of the USA. Of these 1.2 billion, it is estimated that as many as 300 million people are considered spiritual and social untouchables, outcasts--a vast swath of the population now referred to as dilats (pronounced “daleets”). Untouchability was officially outlawed in India shortly after it gained independence from England in the late 1940’s, but this millennia-old practice continues with impunity the way unlawful race prejudice and de facto segregation continues to function in America. This situation, along with human trafficking and the rights of women, are challenges the world’s largest democracy is trying to address in various ways. One dilat was recently appointed to a position equivalent to Supreme Court Justice. The way out for most dilats in this rapidly growing economy is education, which India investing in heavily.
brisk headwind, so our average speed is about 12 mph. That translates into long hours in the saddle, even on shorter rides like this 47-miler. We are riding in 80 to 90-degrees and sun. About 80 percent of the road surfaces are paved and smooth. It’s that 20 percent that are potholed and broken up that really slows us down. There is a lot of construction long National Highway 7. It is being upgraded to a four-lane road in some places. In most places, however, it’s like any secondary or county road. We are taking the road conditions and terrain in stride, however, grateful for the possibility of riding thru India to raise funds to rebuild Umri Christian Hospital. (Note: This photo does NOT depict the road conditions; this tarmac was broken up for replacement, but we couldn't resist the photo op)
LONG RIDE ON NEW YEAR’S DAY. “Happy New Year.” That’s the greeting we exchanged with hundreds of Indian villagers and townsfolk on this first day of 2007. All day we traveled north on National Highway 7, the main north-south artery thru India. Leaving the guest house provided by the Church of South India at 6:30 am, we pedaled further today than expected. Our lodging arrangements changed en route and a planned 120 kilometer ride turned into 140 kilometers—over 87 miles. Weary, we arrived on the outskirts of Madurai around 4:30 pm. Saddle time was 7 hours, 42 minutes…and we are feeling every bit of it this evening in our legs, shoulders, and backs. On the other hand, we have now covered 312 kilometers. That’s 194 miles out of a planned 2,000 total miles to New Delhi. You might say that in three days we’ve ridden 10% of the distance. Not bad for just getting started.
KEEPING SAFE ON THE ROADS. We want all to know that we are all healthy at this point and have thus far had a safe time on the roads. Few mishaps. It is true that buses and trucks sometimes pass by at high speeds within feet of us, but we know the Indian “rules of the road” and are but one of many types of vehicles and people on the roads. Bicycles are much more prevalent that cars in India. Animals also wander or are driven along the roads--donkeys, chickens, ducks, sheep, goats, pigs and, of course, the sacred cows. We are wearing iridescent yellow vests with reflective striping (they have our logo emblazoned on the back), not only for us to be well seen, but for us to be able to distinguish our riders from many others on bicycles.
and men looking over our bikes and gear. People ask us about our purpose and Jose, Anand tell them in the Tamil language. No one has been rude to us; on the contrary, we have been greeted graciously everywhere so far. One person saw our entourage riding and slowed down his limbo to inquire. We stopped to talk to the man who turns out to be a high-ranking trade official from Dubai. He pledged support for Umri Christian Hospital. Imagine that: an official from Dubai contributes to UCH because he sees an international team from Canada, USA and India riding purposefully through the heart of India!
