"Age is not a big issue but the important things are passion and dedication. If you have these two qualities then you can join the group. On Saturdays, it's compulsory for our members to come to the office. There we make groups and decide which team will trek where," said Prakash Bajracharya, vice president of CCP.
Tirtha Awasthi, a pharmacist at Manipal Teaching Hospital, Pokhara, recently completed Mahakali to Mechi tour on his mountain bike. "I'm one of the dedicated cyclists at CCP. I have already traveled to almost all popular destinations in and around the Pokhara Valley. However, I always wanted to undertake a long distance traveling on my mountain bike, but my fear held me back," he says explaining that things changed when he met Pushkar Shah, the legendary cyclist of Nepal. Shah encouraged Awasthi to cycle from Mahakali to Mechi and it was his inspirational words that finally made Awasthi embark on this arduous journey.
Another group of CCP cyclists had recently returned after accomplishing a very difficult mountain trek called the Millennium trek. There were 13 members who had completed this trek. "The Millennium Trek was not only a difficult trek but also a risky one. So we had carefully selected only highly skilled cyclists from our club. We started from Pokhara and reached Dulegaunda. From there we went on to Gachhepani, Dhorbarahi and Rajasthal. At Rajasthal we saw the ruins of the early kings of Nepal. From here one can see a panoramic view of Dulegaunda, Khairenitar, and Bhimad," said Bajracharya.
Shyam Krishna Shrestha, 50, was the oldest member in the group. "I love cycling very much. Despite my age, I feel very energetic and thus young. I have been cycling for the past decade and I feel my energy levels have remained intact. I believe I can cycle well as long as I can stand. There are people who scaled Mt. Everest even at the age of 80. I'm only 50. There's a lot more for me to do," said Shrestha with a big smile on his face.
There was a sense of pride and satisfaction in the face of Antuman Gubhaju. He is a 45-year old cyclist of the group. "Due to regular business tours abroad I couldn't cycle for quite a long time. However, I did not want to miss the opportunity to go for the Millennium Trek. In the end, my years of cycling experience helped me accomplish the task, otherwise I would have had to quit in the middle of the trek," said Gubhaju.
The most challenging part of the entire trek was a flight of steps leading to the Millennium Cave. There was no other way to reach the Millennium Cave but to follow a steep downhill of 501 steps. But the Millennium cave is worth the efforts. Waterfalls, ponds, birds, flowers, river, forest, cascaded fields, and lush green meadows make this cave a delightful one. "It's quite difficult for people to descend those steps without carrying anything, but we carried our mountain bikes on our shoulders. But we looked out for one another and finally made it to the cave," said Awasthi.
After the Millennium Cave, the group cycled along the Sardi Khola and entered Kolma VDC. They rested for a bit there because the next destination they had in mind required them to gather all their strengths. It was a steep uphill of Kalkhu hill. Cycling on Kalkhu hill was a real test of stamina. All the cyclists had to carry their bicycles on their backs and walk uphill. Some of the senior members of the group had it rough.
"We had no choice. We were in a situation of 'no retreat, no surrender'. I was halfway there when my legs began trembling. I would have fallen severely ill had I not rested immediately. Even the younger ones were having a difficult time. It was truly a test of courage and determination. But I'm glad because no one gave up despite the difficult terrains," said Govinda Parajuli, a 40-year old cyclist.
The team finally reached Kaule village where go a massive landslide had swept away the entire area leaving 19 people dead. After the accident, most of the villagers were forced to abandon the village and never returned.
"The Millennium Trek is not for the novice. This trek is only for the highly skilled cyclists. Along the trek there were many dangerous places the cyclists had to pass through. A slight mistake would have proven to be fatal. I have already been around Lo Manthang and Thorong La Pass on my mountain bike, but I was really scared during the Millennium Trek," said Raju Thapa, a senior cyclist of the team.
The cycling team passed through Rangbhang VDC, Chandrakot, Pelkachaur, Banethok and finally reached Singarkot where they spent a night. Due to continuous cycling for several hours, all the members were exhausted. But as luck would have it, the Singarkot Aama Group had organized a cultural dance program to entertain the cyclists. "One of the elderly men told me how the village got its name. Women, both young and old, would pay so much attention to their clothes and makeup that they began called it Singarkot," said Shrestha, his eyes twinkling with laughter.
The next morning they had breakfast and set out for the last leg of the journey. The cyclists left Singarkot village and passed through Budakot, Maaghkot, Gahate, Manakamana, Walling, Rambachchha before finally returning to Pokhara. Throughout their trip, besides enjoying the landscapes and meeting challenges head on, they also conveyed messages of health, environment and tourism. "Our club is a nonprofit organization and every penny we earn is used for the purpose of social welfare. Besides cycling, we are also involved in several social works. We regularly visit the nearby villages and carry out tree plantation, water management, set up libraries, and work on sanitation issues," says Bajracharya, making you realize that this group of cyclists is united not only by their passion for cycling but also by their strong sense of purpose.
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