I hunted for a worthwhile book far and wide, high and low, among bestsellers in book stores, from promising friends.. and finally found one that had somehow escaped notice for a few years, tucked away in the good old family bookcase. Opened the book.. yellow pages and all; and found mom's ink scrawl - Divine book 1983.

Thanks to Ajinkya (Race Director) for co-operation and photos. Neeraj, Trilok, Savvy, Nischal, Divyamann, you are in the article.

Enduro3

The Adventure Race

2010

I started seeing Eskimos. And Red Indians. Sombre families of them along the roadside. Blinking under the starlit sky.

I turned over my shoulder to check and no, it wasn’t an Esky or a Red I. It was just a bush. Ride on, I told myself. And with wide open lemur eyes, tearing at the corners I pushed into the black night, whizzing right behind Trilok on a sort of auto pilot.

My team: Trilok, Savvy and I.

Up Trilok went, up I did. Down he went, down I did. Hairpin in the dark, Ok, hairpin in the dark. Savvy’s rear lights blinked ahead too. For hours I just followed their flashing pedals.

Clockwork.

Nothing pained. No aches, no cramps. We had enough Electrol, Enerzal, Nature Valley energy bars, salted dry fruits, you-name-it. But it was definitely past my bedtime. No need for 1000 thread Egyptian cotton bed linen. Wherever we stopped and got off our bikes, just for a second, I would doze off. 30 seconds later someone would say ‘C’mon’ and I’d shake back to the Western Ghats, the night sky, the road; shake back to Enduro3.

Do Enduro3. If you hate yourself.

We thought we were studs. And directly participated in the Open category. Not the Amateur category, not the Corporate one. Trilok, Savvy and I went for the biggie.

So did Neeraj, Nischal and Divyamann, friends and a competitor team – the Juggernauts, registered by mistake as the JuggerNUTS.

THE RACE

Enduro3 is India’s top adventure race, held in Pune. It takes one through several kilometers of NDA campus, and the Sayadri hills adjoining the backwaters at Panshet dam. 

Each team consists of 3 participants, one of which has to be a girl. Everyone has to carry their own food and sleeping bags (or not). One can’t buy food during the event. The race includes cycling, trekking, rappelling, rifle shooting, river crossing, paddling and swimming over 2 days. About 70% of the race is completed in Day 1 itself. Details and race-format are only given out just 1 hour prior to flag-off. So one has better be up for whatever.

The spirit of Enduro3 rocked. It was hardcore. The volunteers saw you approaching, entered your time, and expected you to just go on. Whether it was 6 m, 10 pm, midnight, 2 am or 3 am.

SUNSHINE HOURS

Early on Friday morning, we gathered in a maidaan, a large ground in Pune. A music system blared out a song that went something like – “I am a young boy, you’re a young girl, ENDURO! ENDURO!” when suddenly, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, the drummers started a heart-thumping beat. They tilted back and swung their arms like demons, beating those nagaadas as hard as they could. It was nuts. Powerful as hell. Animal mania.

And then suddenly we were told, Go! What? No speech? No hi-hello? Nothing? Ok. And all the cyclists shot on the stage and whooshed down the long, red carpet ramp, giving the reporters a grand spectacle, more than they could have asked for.

After some smooth city road, we branched off-road. Pretty soon we were wheeling our cycles up a sandy slope. The sun beat on our heads like a hammer on the anvil. After that, wherever I found a hand-pump, I sat under it. Spotted some contestants who seemed to be from the Middle East. They wore cycling shorts, all the cool gear and still had the hijab in place. Must have been good in the heat.

1st stop. The rifle shooting range. Rule: Only girls would do this. OK. The jawaan cocked the gun and much to my surprise I heard myself say- “Bhaiyya aise mat karo naa. Haath dukhta hai.” All my fine aiming went for a toss. Each time I shot, the rifle recoiled and went several inches off the mark.

Next stop, NDA’s naval area where WaveRunners were parked like cycles. Here, we paddled a boat in the lake.

Cycled. Cycled. Cycled. Crazy Sinhagad uphill. And then we came upon a mountain. So, up we trekked. I wish we could have gone without our backpacks, but as the rule went we had to do it with all our stuff on our backs.

 “Ok, let’s hurry down.” And we descended down the slopes. We crossed to the wrong mountain but finally made it to the road, running down steep grass meadows as night fell. Thomas Hardy’s Tess must be sweeping across these slopes in one of her despair spells, I thought. Ok, road. Here’s road.

Our friends and competitor team, the Juggernuts were still up the mountain, figuring their way among boulders. Their cycles lay waiting for them. Without a backward glance, my team and I shot off.

SUNDOWN HOURS

It took me a while to get used to night cycling. As the headlamp shone on the road, it didn’t look like a path, but more like a white wall I had to adamantly ride into. I couldn’t see if it was uphill or downhill ahead; just had to be super alert and immediately position my body to the incline, decline or the potholes.

Night. Highway. Cycling in the middle of nowhere. The locals helpfully directed us the correct way. Savvy, my team-mate would stop and tell strangers our entire route and plan. “Whoa” I thought, “If I were in Delhi or Gurgaon, I I wouldn’t be doing this. I’d just proclaim that there are 20 cyclists behind us, 20 ahead and that I am the Police Commissioner’s daughter.”

I lost idea of time. I didn’t know if it was 8 pm or 10 pm or midnight. As we passed villages, we caught strains of full-bodied, melodious singing from village temples. The idea of a spot where people gathered in warmth was so tempting. While the sun had blazed in the day, it was now cold. My fingers froze on the brakes. But we could not stop. We moved on. Jai MahaShivratri!

And then I started falling asleep on my cycle. Caught myself snoozing on downhills. “Why am I doing this race?” was a question I just didn’t have an answer to. Maybe Nischal is right. It’s just an event of masochists.

When I could go on no more, I dropped into zzzzzzz. It was 2 am. My team-mates still wanted to go on, but sorry guys, that was it for me. I dropped under a tree, far enough from the road to avoid passing, swerving trucks. And no sooner did I rest my head on earth, than I fell into sleep that a hundred shaadi-baraats couldn’t mess with.

____________the end________________

FROM OTHER PARTICIPANTS –
 
Divyaman Singh Rawat (Open Category)

For me the most memorable (and painful) moment would be when we spent the whole night trying to sleep on the roadside. It was cold and we were sweaty which kind of made us feel even more cold. Only one of our team mates (Nischal) had a sleeping bag and even that wasn't fully functional (The zip wasn't working). Me and Neeraj spread a piece of newspaper on the ground and tried to sleep on that.

We could barely sleep for 20 mins and early in the morning tried to light a fire to keep us warm. We tried everything that we could remember from 'Man Vs Wild' to get a decent fire going but the fundas just failed. Finally, we stopped a taxi waala, piled our bicylces on top of the taxi and headed back to Pune.

Lesson learnt: - The 'Open' in Open Category doesn't mean any joker can taken part in it.

Neeraj Saini – Team Leader nut of Juggernuts  (Open Category)

We used all our gadgets NOT for finishing the race but just for our own survival in the middle of nowhere.

• Lighter/Match - To light a bonfire and keep warm in the cold night.
• Torch - To hunt for wood to burn, I almost burnt the wooden shop next to us.
• The Route map - To lie down on after we burned all the newspapers in the bonfire.
• Reflective jerseys  - To help incoming traffic not to run me over while I was taking my sweet nap almost on the road.
• Rucksack - to keep our legs inside it and keep them warm because our team-mate Nischal was too strong for us to snatch the only sleeping bag in our team.
• Compass- To climb all the wrong hills before we actually got on the right one.

Manjula Sridhar (Amateur Category)

My most memorable moment is crashing on the hard lake shore after gruelling cycling and trek; I slept few hours like a log. One thing that has to be highlighted in this is it is an out and out team event. Strategy is as important as stamina.

ENDURO INFO

8^th edition of Enduro3 held in 2010.

Organised by NEF – National Education Foundation in Pune

Route: NDA campus > Sahyadri mountains> Panshet backwaters

Total distance: 200 km

Cycling+ Trekking + Orienteering + Paddling + River Crossing + Rapelling

Teams spent almost 21 hours on road

80% of distance was cycling

TEAMS

Total: 200 teams

60% teams were from Pune. The rest from Nagpur, Mumbai, Nasik, Bangalore, Kolkota, Secunderabad, Delhi and other cities.

SURVIVORS

70 out of 200 teams dropped out at 1^st day itself 

WHO PARTICIPATES -

In the open category, it’s mostly Defence people and others hardcore adventure athletes.

Amateur sports enthusiast from all walks of life participate in other categories.

CATEGORIES
Open Mix 

Open Men

Amateur Mix

Collegian Mix

Collegian Men

Collegian Girls

IT Mix

Corporate Mix

Juniors Mix

40+ Mix

Doctors Mix

IN THE HAVERSACK

Compass

Matchbox

Bicycle repair tool-kit + puncture kit + 1 pump

1mountaineering rope (20 ft minimum)

First aid kit

Torch per participant

Water/ Food/ Clothes for 3 days

Sleeping bag (optional)

Food included dry items like theplas, chocolates, energy bars, glucose powder.

Route map

PRIZES

Total Cash prizes given was worth Rs 5 lacs

Total Gift vouchers worth Rs. 2.5 lacs given to winners. Vouchers for Trek bicycles, Bofyfuels, etc.

The male models stand about, their tight waists folded in deep white towels and over that, barrel chests exploding huge. They’re short but that’s ok. We just need close up shots. They stand quietly until they’re called upon to perform for the lens.

The photographer adjusts his lenses and frowns as he realizes the dark background is absorbing his subject. He needs light. Anyhow. Whether it is by putting chart paper in the background, that he will suitably blur. And a splash of green. Helpers! Bring green. From anywhere. Pots of plants or branches to hold.

Small issues like light he plug doesn’t fit extension board irritates one and all. Whose responsibility was it? Creativity is so subject to technical soundness.
.
.
.
(Oh wow… great revelation. Duh…)

Look I know
I’m attractive n all
Hard to resist
But please control yourself
DON’T KISS ME.

When I sit in my pilot seat
A chequered muffler across my nose
Squinting eyes
Intense with bidi smoke
I know you want to
But
DON’T KISS ME.

You can enjoy pretense
Brush your fingers
When I change gears.
Maybe pour me lote se paani
Old school ishtyle
But lissun miss
DON’T KISS ME.

Jibhi.

Don’t enter a village, not a town. No maal road on the Himalayas. Just take an unassuming turn from a gravely, slim mountain road and there you are. Just above the river. And below an invisible but not quiet waterfall. Encircled by mountains densely covered with skyscraperish conifers.

“Roshan! Roshan! Where are you?” And out comes a shiny-skinned, superbly mountain-fit guy smiling to his ears. “Can I have my omelette with this much chilli and that much pyaaz and this much pepper?” Sure you can buddy. But don’t expect instant service. And guess what, it doesn’t matter. Suddenly one is not the “Here’s-my-money-Where’s-my-service?” Delhi customer in an irate McDonald’s line anymore. One is – “Sure Roshan take your time. Life’s going along just fine. Water’s gushing down boulders at its own pace. Cat (who is a dog) is sniffing around at leisure. Let the omelette perform its crescendo slow and easy.”

After a while, “Ok Roshan..enough with all this Wordsworthy repose; where is my omelette!!??” But Roshan wins the duel as we’re clear; we just won’t lift our asses to pursue the O. Finally when the omelette arrives, moods have changed once again like shifting shadows. With food in front, people feel kindlier and all we do is order a round of pancakes. “Dripping with honey or maple syrup please” adds Rajat.

So where was I? Right. Recommending Jibhi like a good travelogue. Systematically. Do you know the route to Manali? That awesome long cold tunnel on the way? Well, don’t take that. Take a detour from the mouth of that tunnel towards Shoja and stop at Jibhi. Lay your bags down at Om Shanti tents.

How to get to Jibhi:
Load 3 Enfields with all you need (Spare parts extremely necessary as we realised). Pull on all your gear (Balaclava. Check. Riding jacket. Check. Camelbak. Check. Helmet. Check. Gloves. Check. Forgot the ipod? Ok.. undo. Redo from step 1). And braaaaang braaaang braaanggggg. A straight dash to Chandigarh (120 kmph) and then just corners all the way to Jibhi (80 kmph). Deep leans on the bike towards the green Beas every now and then. The universe keeps tilting side to side. The sky keeps dipping down. Night is fireworks against asphalt. Occasional foot scrapes too. I think I lost some toe.

P.S: Beware of involuntary initiation into the RE cult; to Raid, Odyssey, KTM, Roadshakers, Sachin Chavan, Chhotu Baljit, Karol Bagh, BMW, FI, Rann. Or what the hell, just soak it in.

If you encounter any bike-trouble in the Mandi area, put your fears at rest and head to the mechanic in town, who may say to you "Oh Ji Tension na leyo Tussi. Spare koi nahin haiga, siddha sab kuch kar deange!". Meanwhile, buy your chips & biscuits at shopkeeper next door; the guy who asked us "Ooji kithe chale?". Rajat (based on our uncertain plans): "Rohtang, barf dekhne." Shopkeeper: "errrr.. Baarf?.. elo sade fridge vich kinni lelo."

At Jibhi, once you have settled in the tents and bumbled about, if you wish for some goosebumpy action like Cranium-Contraction, walk up to the ridiculously close and totally pvt waterfall, over quaint bridges and dunk thyself in the cold H2O. Trust me, that should do the job. Or if you don’t trust me ask Rajat, Neeraj or Sidhu. Caution: It is advised not to have children around, as you react to the water and sudden change in temeperature.

At night, you can ask Roshan for a bonfire on the river-rocks, with your feet dipped in the running (freezing) water. We didn’t. As I said, we just lowtowed.

As Euripides, a Greek playwright, has said, “Experience, travel – these are an education in themselves.” We learnt a lot on the trip ourselves, such as:
Aunties who smoke are ‘cool’.
One does not shoot the messenger.
Lolling about beats exploration of natural beauty and magnificence.
Ideal girl-to-marry should be able to play Behnji & Babe with Jekyll & Hyde ease.
Never doubt a Mandi mechanic.

Adding to learnings with reminders from Rajat Gandhi:

On asking for directions, you might encounter the Epidemic of Dumbness that claims its Himalayan victims swiftly and painlessly.
The best green chutneys are not always green. (After a night of praising green chutney, one may realise it's rhododendron-red when the first rays of the sun shineth.)

More as I recollect:

Rajat is a mutant and his –ve vibes extinguish bonfires.
Drunk men think if they rub your bike’s tank (with ringed fingers) a genie might appear.
Drunk men will buy your bike at any cost because they are very rich.

Roshan, Om Shanti tents (and rooms), Jibhi @ 09418411837

Hi Malvika di......m Aishwarya.... i want to make career in fashion designing n i've been shortlisted for nift situation test 2010.... n i need your guidance for that....
I checked out your blog.....its really helpful n interesting....
i've made a pen-stand.....please guide me what are my mistakes and how i can i make it more presentable and attractive..

MICKEY MOUSE PEN-STAND

FUNCTIONS:
·         a pen-holder
·         The larger cylindrical part can be used for storing things like mobile batteries, markers,
·         gum-tubes, tapes, etc.
·         Can be used as a dater optionally.

This is a dater cum pen-stand. It is a multipurpose stand as it serves other purposes too like storing mobile batteries, markers, or even keys as required. Further’ one of the small columns can also be optionally used to display the date

I’ve given it a name mickey mouse pen-stand as it possess the shape of mickey’s face as viewed from top . It has a square base and is decorated with bangles all round giving it a more funky look .

It also contains a circular bangle wrapped with glowy cellophane which makes it easy to locate(can be used optionally). Moreover, the base is slightly decorated with oval shapes made out of unused paper bits.

______

From me to Aishwarya:

Good points:
You have tried
·         Multifunction
·         Theme
·         Decoration

Ok, now aishwarya, let me point out a few things right away:

First thing everyone thinks of when they say pen-stand is a cylindrical receptacle for pens, rulers, pencils, gum tubes. THAT is what you must break out of RIGHT AWAY.
Your pen-stand should look different from afar itself, when the judges approach.

Use properties of pencils and pens. Like they poke. They can be stuck into things. You could make a pin-cushion kind of pen stand. A hedgehog pen-stand with holes on its back. So that every pen/pencil inserted is like the hedgehog’s quill. A line on the pen-stand could say – Oh ye Scholar, pick thy quill.

THEME: Your current Mickey Mouse theme doesn’t show strongly in the pen-stand to be justified as a theme.
COLOURS: Why no colours?

MULTIFUNCTION: Can you think of a quirkier multifunction? Why a separate calendar? That’s just like sticking a pen-stand and calendar together. It would be better if you integrated the design. You could make bands around the pen-stand. One band with week – M T W T F S S M T .. (and so on). Second band could gives dates like 1, 2, 3..31. Now, by adjusting the bands, one could set the calendar for that month.

Glowy cellophane. Never heard of it. And anyway, a pen-stand is not difficult to find. It’s always right in front on the table-top right? Solve real problems.

PROBLEM-SOLVING: One problem with pen-stands is that they have an open top and therefore can’t be carried easily. If a pen-stand topples, all the contents fall on the floor/table. Maybe you could make a pen stand that automatically becomes a pencil box. But this is not enough… there should be more to the pencilbox-penstand.