Godfather

Awake 4.30 a.m full of enthusiasm for a days road riding, no getting lost on the agenda. Take on copious amounts of tea, which is a precursor to any good days riding in India. I discard clothes in a gung ho fashion to ease the weight in the plastic bag Sportswear t-shirts bought my mother form Marks and Spencer’s in 1998 appear to have a shelf life about 3000 hand washes and innumerable batterings from Indian Dhobi Wallahs. They will be happy never to see the filthy rag again.
The road to Joshimath is the main pilgrimage route to the ancient temples of Badrinath one of the four holiest points in all of India for the Hindu’s. Whilst for the Sikhs the 4000-meter plus high lake of Hem Khund Sahib is the pilgrims aim. Whilst many drive the pilgrimage trails many still walk for hundreds of miles and more. Most of these pilgrims are Sadhus, those who renounced materialism and roam about from temple to temple. These Sadhus all adopt a particular look; bearded, straggly, half crazed and boggle eyed and mostly travel alone so its good company to be alone in. They appear happy to see a sweating cyclist struggling up the climbs and cheer or raise their tridents in appreciation. No questions of are you alone from these men its obvious and part of the journey so to speak. I feel quite proud to be cycling past them and acknowledge their efforts with the odd pulled wheelie and a few rounds of tea for all the chaii shops.
Big climb up to Auli another 800-meter height gain. But something is driving me on. Another worldly force. A feeling so strong I can not account for it. I fly up the hill exhilarated, reborn, an epiphonous moment you ask? Errm not quite. I had read the previous night in a guidebook that the Ski resort of Auli “had a well stocked bar”. The only one for hundreds of kilometers and I am beer less for almost a month now.
The bar is portakabin. There is a big clock ticking loudly. There are no other customers. The barman looks annoyed to be doing his job if only every 20 minutes to pass me a beer. 4 Godfather super strongs and I am out of it.