FOR COIMBATORE 21/09/2017: Mini Augustine, age 51 years Wentvon Himalayan Odyssey 2017 to Leh, Ladakh, in Coimbatore on September 21, 2017. Photo:S. SIVA SARAVANAN
The silver sand dunes of Hunder in Nubra Valley were stunning, recalls biker Mini Augustine, who is just back from a Royal Enfield biking trip to Leh. “The journey took my breath away. In Himachal Pradesh there is so much greenery, and in the cold deserts of Ladakh, there is not even a blade of grass,” she adds.
The 51-year-old Augustine says she found the Himalayan odyssey a test of endurance and strength. “When I turned 40, my husband advised me to stop riding a bike and instead shift to a car to stay safe. I was insulted! I didn’t give up. Riding a bike gives me the thrills and helps me stay young,” says the banker.
Describing the scenery from Chandigarh to Manali, Augustine says, “As we ascend the mountain, we have the Beas River for company. The terrain keeps changing with altitude. The Deodar trees can be seen only at Manali after which there is no greenery.”
It was not easy and Augustine suffered from high altitude sickness. “Because of landslides, we took a five hour break enroute from Kelong to Sarchu. The hot sun drained me out. At Sarchu, I became so drowsy that I fell off the bike!”
But she was soon up and riding. But not all of them, she says. “Some of my young fellow riders required oxygen; some were hospitalised and sent back. At my age, I could manage because of my religious fitness regimen. My day is incomplete without a morning walk, coupled with a two-km jog and Suryanamaskar. I am careful about what I eat too. I avoid meat. Instead, consume fish and eggs for my protein requirement. And, fruits and nuts for energy.”
Mini first learnt to ride on a 350 CC bullet, and then she rode Bajaj Chetak, Bajaj Samurai, the bulky Eterno (which many women hate!) and the Honda Unicorn, a light and powerful bike. The bike which she rides now is the Cruiser Thunderbird 500 CC. “I enjoy riding the Thunderbird. While other bikers may zip past me, I go slow and steady commanding my space on the road. It’s like being the king of the road. It gives me the ultimate high.”
Currently, Mini works out of Kozhikode in Kerala. She enjoys her short biking trips to Kannur, Wayanad, Kochi, Kasargode, and to Coimbatore where her parents live. She describes her five-year stint in Kolkata on a posting as her best biking days. As a part of Bengal Thumpers, a biking group in Kolkata, she was actively involved in rides for social causes like the Nirmal Bangal cleanliness drive, traffic awareness rides with the police, and rides to promote safety. She also went biking with her husband to Bhutan. “My husband Biju Paul is my role model. It’s his love for biking that rubbed off on me. He taught me to ride a bike and I emulate him. He is a cautious rider.”
She never steps out without a helmet and safety gear. “Once I broke my ribs after a crash and it took three-months to recover. My helmet save my head, and life. A good pair of boots, knee guard, and a riding jacket is a must during long rides.” Augustine dreams of doing a cross-country ride next or may be the golden triangle of New Delhi, Agra and Rajasthan.
Her biking journey is replete with anecdotes. In Thrissur, a middle-aged man who stopped her bike to hitch a lift, refused to ride pillion with her. “He only got on the bike reluctantly, but kept calling me sister. I managed to get him to a place where he travelled everyday for a free meal. We made it on time and it made my day.”
She also recalls making friends with two young men from Tamil Nadu in Bhutan during the ride along the winding roads and deep valley. “But, there is one occasion when I got really nervous. It was in Malappuram where a large group of men at a tea shop stared at me. They were waiting to see me clamber on to the bike, I think. Because of the height of the bike, most women find it difficult to climb on. I was scared that I might fall and embarrass myself. But I put up a brave face and did not disgrace myself, and rode off looking more confident than I felt.”
