The Wheel of Life Finding Balance in the Himalaya

“The good shine from afar, like the Himalaya mountains.” -Buddha

fter 25 years of bike touring, I decided it was time for A something a little different. Recently I’ve shed a wheel, become an avid unicyclist, and participated in unicycle stage races, unicycle basketball, and mountain unicycling events all over the world. But I’d never toured on one wheel because carrying baggage on a uni (unipacking?) is difficult and long days take a lot more work than on a traditional bike. But the “Unipal” tour presented an opportunity too amazing to pass up. Ken Looi, New Zealand’s “Adventure Unicyclist,” has been organizing unicycle expeditions since 2006 to destinations like Mongolia, Laos, and Uzbekistan. The 2015 tour would be the most ambitious ride yet, attempting to conquer the world-renowned Annapurna Circuit, perhaps the greatest of the Himalayan treks. Annapurna was once accessible only on foot, but in recent years 4x4 roads have been built to some of the villages, opening the possibility of epic cycling adventures. Unipal attracted a diverse group of 28 unicyclists from all over the globe: six women and 22 men, ages 17 to 56. Some had been riding for decades, whereas one participant, Anna, had learned just two months earlier. Support was provided by tour operator Grasshopper Adventures and an intrepid team of 14 Nepali porters, mostly Sherpas. Vehicles can’t travel Thorong La pass so the porters would carry our gear on foot. After meeting up in Kathmandu, we were transported to Besisahar, the end of the paved road, where we loaded into a convoy of 4x4s. Our destination was Bagarchhap, only 52 kilometers from Besisahar, and if you ask Google, that drive should take under two hours. Google apparently doesn’t understand Nepali 4x4 roads; we bounced around like ball bearings in sardine cans for over nine hours. (My advice: skip the 4x4 and start riding in Besisahar.) It was nearly midnight when we arrived at our teahouse. Teahouses are the heart of Nepal’s trekking circuits; they provide meals in a communal dining room, pallet beds, and shared toilets. The convention is to buy breakfast and dinner from the house where you are staying. The typical meal at lower elevations is dal baht (lentils over rice); higher up

12 ADVENTURE CYCLIST july 2016 STORY & PHOTOS The Wheel of Life BY TOM HOLUB Finding Balance in the Himalaya The author balancing with Annapurna II in background. PHOTO BY CHRIS LABONTE

13 you’ll see more potatoes and eggs. The teahouses usually have extra services available for a small fee: these can include charging for your electronics, wifi access (generally poor), and, if you’re lucky, a hot shower, for prices ranging from 100 to 500 rupees (about one to five dollars). In the morning, we had a good, hearty breakfast, heard a briefing about the day’s ride, and got our equipment together. It was fun to see the Sherpas react to the unicycles; several of them immediately wanted to learn to ride. Dawa, our lead guide, eventually picked it up, and now he can probably claim to be the best unicyclist in Nepal. Nathan, our senior member, has uni-toured on all seven continents. His philosophy is that as an American in the developing world, the locals often ask you for something, and if you’re unicycling, you’re already giving them something — smiles are a universal language. We started climbing at a reasonable altitude (2,100 meters) on hills that were not terribly steep but still difficult without oxygen. Even our strongest riders were walking often; one of the nice things about unicycles is that they’re easy to push. The scenery was spectacular — mountain vistas, waterfall crossings, and pockets of tropical jungle. The afternoon was what we learned to call Nepali Flat: up and down, but without much total altitude gain.

“The root of suffering is attachment.” -Buddha

Just short of Chame, I’d stopped to Top: Chris trying the stairs (he made it). Bottom: A “Nepali Flat” 4x4 road near Bagarchaap. take pictures and give candy to two

14 ADVENTURE CYCLIST july 2016 children who were begging for sweets (common in Nepal), but I forgot to return the camera to my bag. After only a couple of minutes in town, I noticed I had left it behind, but when I returned it was gone. I was upset, but as we entered the village we saw our first set of Buddhist prayer wheels. While I turned the wheels, I reflected on the wealth disparity between whoever had picked up the camera and me. It was a cheap compact portable, and I still had my DSLR. Deep breath. Find balance. I’m still here in this amazing place. Let it go. A cold wind was blowing down the gorge. We lit a fire in the dining hall, wolfed down dinner, and then crawled into our sleeping bags. The teahouse rooms are not heated, so on a chilly night — most of them, at this altitude — people are either by the fire or in bed. Left: Nathan carefully descending through the snowstorm. Jet lag woke a number of us before Right: An obstacle on the trail leading the way to Yak Kharka. sunrise, treating us to moonset over an amazing landscape that previously and conducted a miniature orchestra. “If a man, traveling along a wilderness had been covered by clouds. We rode We also worked on starting the Pisang track, were to see an ancient path, (and walked) up the valley through the Unicycle Club. traveled by people of former times, increasingly spectacular scenery toward Today’s riding was supposed to be he would follow it.” -Buddha the town of Pisang. On our right, was easy, mostly smooth road — Nepali Flat. the incredible granite bowl of Paungda We’d started to acclimatize so the climbs On our rest day, a group of us got Danda (Gateway to Heaven), and on the weren’t as daunting as the previous day, together for a hike up to the Praban left was Annapurna II, peaking at 7,937 and I rode almost all of them. I didn’t Gompa monastery. Four of us brought meters (over 26,000 feet). We were on ride all of the mud pits, which were in unicycles. The trail was steep, and it the circuit! ugly shape because of jeep traffic. We saw was an effort to carry on a conversation. The next morning, crisp and clear, two jeeps badly stuck. Nicola (one of two Photography provided a great excuse to Chris and I walked to a beautiful statue doctors on the trip) tried to help one out. catch my breath. of Buddha overlooking Pisang from After lunch and a raid on a bakery, The monastery was set into the the funeral pyre. The hillside was we rolled through amazing terrain up to hillside, and the practice of climbing completely covered with prayer flags, Manang at 3,500 meters. Manang was the old stone stairs, removing our shoes, and I hung one for a friend who’s facing the largest town yet so the teahouse had and entering the monk’s chamber a serious illness. At breakfast we had solar showers that were actually hot, and heightened the feeling of the moment. the opportunity to play with the curious espresso! (Most of the coffee up here is We each knelt and presented our local kids. Chris gave out noisemakers Nescafé). offerings as we were blessed. Afterward

ADVENTURECYCLING.ORG 15 a number of us set prayer flags as Himalayan griffons soared overhead. Because Buddhism is strong on practice and light on dogma, it’s accessible to anyone. This was a truly spiritual experience. After riding back to town (fun descent!), Chris and I decided to spend some time with the locals. I had brought balloons and a funnel to make colorful rice-filled balls for the children. We rode to the town square, gathering a crowd as usual, and started preparing. A huge crowd of kids surrounded us, pushing and grabbing. After seeing us make a few balls, the older kids took over, filling balloons with rice and handing them out to their friends. It was totally chaotic and a great way to connect with people. The group was now planning for two shorter riding days before attempting the pass. I was feeling a bit nervous. We would soon be over 4,000 meters, and several people were already struggling. Dawa advised against pushing ourselves, and he reiterated his advice after seeing a few of us trying to crank up one of the early climbs. Mostly walking, we arrived at a teahouse and relaxed, admiring the beautiful views while we regrouped. Several people had physical issues and Bruce did the climb on a mule. We were beyond the end of the jeep road and onto the hiking trail, which made for nicer riding but also a lot more foot traffic. Most of the hikers enjoyed seeing us, and we tried to ignore the few exceptions. We got into Yak Kharka early, had lunch, and went for a hike, which was quite challenging at 4,300 meters. A snowstorm blew in, whitening the bushes on the trail. After dinner, those of us who were still awake got word that Nicola (one of two doctors on the trip) had diagnosed Bruce with high-altitude cerebral edema (HACE), a life-threatening condition that requires returning to lower elevation immediately. Seven porters were assigned to carry him down the trail — in the snow, in the dark.

“Let go of the past, let go of the future.” -Buddha

In the morning, we awoke to a snowscape — not quite a whiteout but

16 ADVENTURE CYCLIST july 2016 Downhill — even though it was Nepali Down — long distances were much more manageable. We decided to do two days in one, about 30 kilometers from Manang all the way to Chame. Riding was extremely fast to the lunch spot in Pisang, and we got there an hour before lunchtime. We hung around with the Pisang Unicycle Club until the teahouse was ready. We felt a lot stronger at lower altitude so the next day we developed a plan to ride down to Tal, past the tour start point. The road was rocky and therefore a bit technically challenging, but the scenery was gorgeous as we descended through several climate zones. I was taking it easy, snapping lots of photos and having fun with the riding. There were a number of stream crossings Laughter from the “Pisang Unicycle Club.” where waterfalls crossed the road, and I made it through them all, although bad riding weather, and two or three agreed with the decision. I wouldn’t have the deepest one took three attempts more days of storm were forecasted. Our led a group into that weather. In 2014, (resulting in soaked shoes). leaders decided that going over Thorong over 40 people died in a snowstorm at Just before Tal, a suspension bridge La pass, 1,400 meters higher than we Thorong La. We were still having an took us to the original Annapurna were now, would not be safe for the group. amazing experience in the Himalaya so trekking route, a crazy footpath cut Many were disappointed, but most of we had to release our expectations and into a cliff. When we got down to river us felt the decision made sense, and a few enjoy the adventure we were on. Even level, we walked out on the granite sand who’d been struggling were obviously unicyclists sometimes need to find their and put our hands in the cold water, relieved. I’d gotten a good night’s sleep balance. gritty from glacial melt. In town the and felt the best I had on the trip, but I So today’s ride reversed yesterday’s, local school was sponsoring a festival and downhill mountain unicycling in the of traditional Nepalese dancing, and we Interested in riding the Annapurna snow was a blast! The ride was pure joy; crashed it and become a big hit. The circuit, but on two wheels? Contribu- everyone was smiling a lot more than they DJ switched to a mix of AC/DC and tor Beth Puliti just pedaled the famed had on the way up. Bollywood hits, and we danced past route and captured beautiful images Back in Manang, Bruce was released midnight. and some practical considerations for from the clinic and was expected to fully For our last riding day, we played riding on the roof of the world. Check recover. At dinner, Nicola praised the “Race the Jeep.” We’d ride our unis as out her journey at adventurecycling. porters for saving his life. In honor of far as we could until the 4x4s caught us. org/annapurna. their feat, and for Nepali New Year’s Eve, CONTINUED ON PAGE 49 we all chipped in to buy beer for the crew.

17 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 33 members were present. “Truly, love can the fellowship of community, and SIPLE: DONNA AND JOHN BRIGGS be blind; we certainly were!” the groom burning the candle at both ends to a tent. Donna recalled writing in her recalled. make impossible dreams come true,” journal something like “I hope I never For the last 31 years, they have been John said. As former missionaries of have to travel with him again.” Back in working and living in a community of the bicycle, they continue to hone their Montana, they hiked together almost Christian missionaries called Youth Bikecentennial skills. every weekend and grew closer by With A Mission (YWAM), near Lakeside, increments. Montana. “It’s amazing how similar June J. Siple is a Bikecentennial cofounder, former They married on February 18, 1978, my job is now, compared to what it was staff member, former board member, and the first at the Sons of Norway lodge just south at Bikecentennial,” Donna recently woman to bicycle from Alaska to Argentina. of Missoula. Many of the original staff pointed out. They are still “enjoying

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17 of us had made the 40 kilometers to always clockwise, and spin the prayer HOLUB: WHEEL OF LIFE Besisahar before the 4x4s. wheels, always with the right hand. Not wanting to spend any time in those After lunch, we piled into minibuses Being there, I felt the power of the sardine cans again, we shot off down the to head off to Pokhara. Arriving at practice. valley. It was Nepali Down, so there was sunset, we were surprised with a boat It was a fitting end to the trip, giving a lot of climbing, and it became hot and trip out to an island with a beautiful us a quiet moment to reflect on the humid as the terrain changed from sub- Hindu temple. There we ceremonially practices of Buddhism and how they are alpine to subtropical. married Nicola and his fiancé Natascia, woven into the fabric of Nepal. There was a long stretch in which I who had changed their original wedding was alone on the road with my thoughts date in order to go on this trip. “Give, even if you only have a little.” about the trip. It had been an epic, We had a full day to explore Pokhara, -Buddha intense experience, in a place as remote a scenic city on Phewa Lake. Chris as anywhere I’d been on the planet, and I went out for a trip to the World Only hours after our trip, a magnitude in a land where I couldn’t hope to Peace Monument on a hill above the 7.8 earthquake struck Nepal, destroying understand a word beyond namaste, and lake. Following our noses and getting buildings in and around Kathmandu we were dealing with real-life risk. I was help from locals, we found a troop of and killing thousands. If you’ve come to glad to be riding strong on the last day, macaques as we climbed some trails appreciate the beauty of this place and but I was also ready to experience a little through the jungle. Arriving at the peak, its people, please consider contributing bit of comfort. Most times at the end of a we sat in one of the nearby restaurants to the Nepal earthquake relief efforts, bike tour, I wish I could just keep riding. enjoying spectacular views of the city which in many places are only just This time, I would be glad to get home. and lake. beginning. Our group was out of water and a The next day, we hopped a short Namaste. number of us were out of juice so we flight to Kathmandu and visited stopped at the next roadside stand and Boudhanath, a Tibetan Buddhist Tom Holub continues to tour on two wheels had the most delicious Fanta of our pilgrimage destination for 1,500 years. despite his love of mountain unicycling. He lives in lives. Just then, Blair rolled up in the The winds blowing the prayer flags Oakland, California, and is currently a student at the University of California-Berkeley where he’s jeep. We’d done about 23 kilometers in and fringes on the stupa made the site researching U.S. cycling culture. four hours, which was pretty good on feel almost alive. At sunset, hundreds that terrain, although three riders ahead of people circumambulate the stupa,

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