At many a juncture, the Bullet rider inspired shock and awe. Some advised her to adopt more ‘womanly’ modes of transport. But for this ‘unwomanly’ vehicle, Mini Augustine would have missed some of the best experiences in her life.
This 51-year-old bank officer is probably the oldest woman to scale the treacherous Himalayas on a motorcycle. Having just returned from the 10-day Himalayan Odyssey, Mini and her ‘Thunder Bird’ is still trying to adjust to ‘normal life’.
Mini was part of a 59-member team of riders that went on the Royal Enfield Himalayan Odyssey 2017 from Delhi to Leh and back to Chandigarh from July 6 to 17. Though the organisers had planned a less adventurous rally for women riders, it had to be cancelled owing to insufficient number of participants. This gave Mini and two more women who had already registered a chance to ride along with the men, through one of the trickiest and most dangerous mountain routes.
“Though I have been riding a motorcycle for the past 24 years, I have never travelled off-road and have never come across rough terrains. The Himalayan Odyssey thus was a huge challenge that I am proud to have fulfilled despite odds. It really taught me to ride,” Ms. Augustine said.
The 2,400-km trip was rarely through proper roads. “The terrain was mostly rocky or sometimes slushy. There were turbulent rivers to be crossed, landslips that blocked our paths, and snowfall that made the roads slippery,” she said, adding that five riders could not complete the trip owing to various reasons.
Ghostly stretch
The team started from Delhi on July 8 and passed through Chandigarh, Manali, Keylong, and Sarchu to reach Leh on July 12. Ms. Augustine said the 178 km from Keylong to Kaza was so ghostly that the riders wondered if they were lost. “The best experience was when soft, tiny snow flakes fell on us at the Kardung La pass,” she recalled.
Besides the hurdles on the path, the weather proved to be a real challenge. The sudden dip in temperature caused mountain sickness and many, including Ms. Augustine, collapsed because of fatigue. Many had to make use of oxygen kits and two were indeed hospitalised. They spent two days in a place just for acclimatisation.
Back in Kozhikode, Ms. Augustine now wants to go back to Leh as a tourist. “As we were focussed on riding, we couldn’t actually see the place. But I am sure a touristy visit will not be as exciting as what I just experienced,” she said.
Mini wants to encourage other women to take up such adventures. “If I can do it at this age, younger women can do much more,” she said, going through the her pictures.
