Ten youths from Darjeeling and Bangalore today set out on a 111km
mountain cycle rally to a region where even vehicles without a
four-wheel drive refuse to travel. Sandakphu is 53km from here.
The region is inhospitable at this time of the year because of the
cold unpredictable weather and the slippery cobbled roads. However, this
has not deterred 13-year-old Nawang Tenzing Sherpa, the youngest in the
group, from participating in the event.
"I have never been to Sandakphu before but this time I am cycling to
the place and the thought itself is providing me much excitement," said
the Class VII student of St Joseph's School (North Point).
The rally has 10 participants, including a youth from Bangalore, who
has never cycled in a hilly area. "I have just heard of the names of
these places (Sandakphu-Phalut). I have never cycled in the hills and
this is going to be a new experience for me," said Dinesh Kumar, a
resident of Bangalore.
The rally, which was flagged off from Chowrasta by Prakash Gurung,
GTA Sabha elected member from Rimbick and Dawa Lepcha, executive GTA
Sabha member in-charge of the tourism department, is being organised by
Alpine Wheels, a Darjeeling based organisation of mountain bikers. The
cyclists will stay overnight at Tumling today.
Tumling, is situated at an altitude of 9,600 feet and is 34km from Darjeeling.
"This is a six day event. After Tumling, we will halt at Sandakphu,
Phalut, Gorkhey and Samendan before ending at Rimbick," said Tenzing
Chomba Sherpa of Alipine Wheels. Even though the use of cycles in day to
day life is non-existent in the hills given the steep gradient of the
region, biking trails is slowly catching up in the hills as an adventure
sport.
A few organisations have started mountain bike trails across the hills of late.
"We are trying to promote mountain bikes as an adventure sport in the
hills and also make a component of eco-tourism. After all, this is an
eco-friendly sport and also helps people keep fit," said Tenzing Chomba.
Migma Sherpa, another participant said: "The hills are a good place for mountain biking."
Chief minister Mamata Banerjee had cancelled her October 14 trip to
Sandakphu-Phalut. Nabanna sources had said that several senior
bureaucrats had requested Mamata not to go on the trip, a part of which
was planned as a trek, citing security, difficulty of terrain, the near
lack of telecommunication network and the chilly weather as reasons.
Source: The Telegraph
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