Character building, the Marquis de Sade way....... PART 2

Continued...

Once we got to Mannar we checked into the 'Mannar Guest House'. 
Having now experienced the good, the bad and the downright fugly (fucking ugly) in terms of accommodation, we came in expecting the worst. At first site, picture the outcome of a Macaw raped by Liberace.. then toss in a generous mix of concrete statues of multiple hues, the most garishly ornate metal spiral staircase humanly imaginable and if that weren't enough, multi coloured floor tiles, fuzzy curtains and furniture and you may get close to the visual horror of our abode for the night. I need to warn you that anyone who suffers from migraine should avoid this place at all cost. See it in bright light and you will be writhing in agony within minutes. 

Before you enter, in a small glass fronted room that double as a 'reception'  is the 'manager'. A surly, undershirted fellow who seemed to control everything from the remote controls to the AC's, to the soap, towels and spare sheets; all stacked rather haphazardly along with a mix of groceries and his clothes... shirts, pants and of course a pile of undershirts, which seemed to be his particular fashion choice. 

In the middle of this mess is a fridge stocked full of cool beer. What more can a tired man ask for. Having asked 'Scrooge' for a beer and been given one, after painstakingly taking down my room number on a single ruled note book, he grudgingly gave one and then a second glass from some unseen contained below his table and Charlene and I joined the others in a welcome beer. 

Now having given you the visual of the place, i have to tell you that if you could ignore the decor and architecture from hell, and the miser in the 'reception' who's beady eyes follow your every move, you have a clean, comfortable, air-conditioned room, with a working toilet, good water pressure and all the comforts a tired rider needs to re charge his / her batteries for the next ride to come. 

Our next destination from here was a brutal 180km haul through the Wilpattu National park to Chilaw. While riding in Jehan had a brilliant idea. 'Since the ride was so long, why don't we do a nite ride of 45km's to Sillawaturai, which is the last proper town before the jungle stretch and start our morning ride that much close to Chilaw?'. Absolutely no objections from anyone, and we all showered, gobbled down the food that had been provided by the Navy (Ravi had made arangments for us again) avoiding 'Scrooge's' culinary delights and flopped into our beds to get a couple of hours sleep before we hit the road again and the scheduled time for 5.30 pm. 

As is always the case, sleep never seems to be adequate and in what seemed like an instant after i closed my eyes, the irritating buzz of my alarm had me bolt upright and wondering for a moment when Alice and the Rabbit would skip through my candy coloured room. 

The nite ride was a brilliant idea. In spite of what we had done in the morning, we had an awesome ride to our stop, cool breeze and moonlight accompanying us; a far cry from the usual condition. We stopped along the way for an amazing meal of hot hot Egg Roti's washed down with sweet tea that hit every 'spot' i could think of. sprits were high and everyone was anticipating the 'dream' ride through Wilpattu we faced the next morning. On our return to 'Wonderland', a fairly decent dinner was prepared but an immediate complaint came from Scrooge who was frazzled that 'people were eating more than one piece of chicken'. Having duly dismissed him we continued our meal. 

My colleagues Lalith and Sanjeewa had made the drive up to see us and we had a chat and a quick drink out in the parking lot for a few minutes before we rolled in to our beds. 

Our dawn snack was supposed to have been jam sandwiches and fish sandwiches. We were given piles of lightly toasted bread that appeared to have had an accidental brush with a knife that had once made contact with Jam, and fish sandwiches, where that fish had appeared to have swum away to a distant ocean. This time it was Shivi's turn to howl and some hasty damage control was done by scrooge and his cahoots and we were happy to see the last of that place. Never to visited again.

We switched to mountain bikes on the next section. The ride began at Sillawathurai and we had 26km's of riding to the Wilpattu gate. that was made 32 as we had a un planned detour for breakfast at an [albeit spectacular] Naval base. Cool weather and energy coming at a premium i can't say i was happy with this senseless detour but never the less grateful for the effort taken. We then rolled on to the section that was the highlite of my ride. The Wilpattu National Park. 

I had driven this road on several occasions and riding through it on a bicycle was a big ticket item on my bucket list. I would have loved to have ridden through it in 28 Degree weather, on a cloudy day, with a mild drizzle dampening the dust and a cool wind blowing from behind.. However what i had to settle for was 40 Degree heat, scorching sun, and clouds of dust every time a vehicle passed. Approximately 35km of off road riding. Threat of elephants was real but we were told 'they generally come out in the evening'. 

In spite of this being a 'dream ride' it was still tough and hot and we had our share of tumbles but still it was spectacular. Riding through thick jungle that sporadically gave way to open 'tanks' of water and grasslands that were synonymous with this beautiful park was an experience not to be forgotten; Bird and animal calls accompanied us; The occasional spotted deer and buffalo and the odd troop of Monkeys all added to the atmosphere as we rode on trying hard to appreciate the beauty of our surroundings in spite of the fatigue. 

Having reached the gate and the 'carpet' road we got off our Mountain Bikes for the last time on the ride and switched to the street bikes to ride on to Chilaw. Still a hot, tiring 80km's away. 

We kept good pace to Putlam, our lunch stop. Average speeds in excess of 24kmph on great roads with a few rolling hills and some nice long downhills. It was still hot but the regular stops and the support of the untiring crew of Ajani, Yasas's wife and professional backer upper, Shivi Jayasinghe, Caryl Van Dort and Shamlan Lye all of Leo Burnett was excellent as always. 

These four, along with their colleague  Surani 'Tall Sue' Perera and Krishi Kotalawela (both who joined for a few days)were absolutely incredible. Not only were they always at the right place at the right time, but always well stocked with ice, Milo, water, Jeevani, King Coconut water and a variety of sandwiches, and snacks to feed us and quench our thirst. In addition, their wit, humour and encouragement kept this exhausted rider going during many a rough patch. They always seemed to know when to drive alongside us with a cool bottle of water, a banana or a smart remark to make light of the situation. Its safe to say that without their amazing support this ride would have had a very different outcome. 

Ajani in particular found her way to the most unmemorable part of the Mullaitivu Jaffana torture trail to single-handedly provide us with some welcome relief when most of us were one straw away from that metaphorical 'last straw'. 

Thank you ladies and Shamlan. I bow deeply to you in gratitude and appreciation. 

Putlam reached and a great meal of fried rice and devilled chicken consumed, we hopped back on the bike and rode on towards Chilaw and our last stop. For most, the ride was all but over. I sadly could afford no such luxury as my tired body was teetering on the edge of revolt and i was still unsure if there was a point where it would yell out one big 'fuck you' to me and shut down. 

Therefore, i still rode reasonably conservatively and headed to our final night stop. Ajith, Sanjay, Charlene, Yasas (who back tracked to join us having taken off with the front pack) and I were a few minuted behind the rest. A short distance from the hotel, Yasas had the urge to have one more sweet tea and we stopped at a small roadside eatery. Peter, worried about our absence decided to come looking for us joined us again and an impromptu picnic was had, with Egg Roti, Gravy and of course Sweet Tea. for those who don't know what a sweet tea is, its basically a cup of tea made with a generous portion of sweet condensed milk and sugar resulting in a explosion of 'sweet' in your system. Jet fuel to riders. 

Having had our snack we rode on to the hotel and settled in for our final night before the ride home. A dip in the pool, a few margarita's, many high fives and hugs and bed. 

The final morning dawned with Lilantha one of the riders of the early segment and a couple of others joining us. Malik had re joined in Putlam and the humour and banter instantly turned up a notch. It was a bitter sweet feeling sitting there on the bikes for the last 'start' picture. I have to admit i was choking up when i told the guys and the crew how honoured i was to have ridden with them over the past few days and thanked them for being there for me and making sure i completed the ride. 

We headed out into the cool morning to ride into Colombo and bring to a close The ride Around The Pearl.

A strong ride into Negambo, one last roti stop along the way and we were into the thick of the city traffic. Something i can't say we missed at all. Tuk Tuk's, insane bus drivers, suicidal pedestrians, it started all over agin. A few close calls along the way but in time we were rolling into the heart of the city. I was chocking up with emotion and while riding the last few km's i had issues with visibility as for some inexplicable reason, i seems to have got all teary. Very inconvenient when trying to avoid the rutty road but in spite of that, we were now outside the gathering point at St Bridgets and the ride was over. All that was left to be done was a ceremonial ride down Independence Avenue and the celebration at the 80 club. 

We hugged each other, euphoric, sad, tired, relieved and a whole bag of other feelings and emotions. The twelve riders who completed the Pearl were set out in front and we made a slow ride for the last couple of hundred meters. 

There were cars and people. Friends and family, well-wishers, supporters all lined the road. It was surreal. We were done. We had completed 'The Pearl'. My body was still intact and there was significantly less of it as well. my father came up to hug me, Charlene and I hugged, we hugged everyone around us, even though we were wet, grimy and probably smelled like farm animals. There were photographers and reporters and cheering crowds. People seemed to appreciate what we had done. We had ridden around our island nation, and lived to tell the tale. 

Cerebral Palsy, is a largely ignore condition in these parts of the world. Most economically challenged families rather ignore and simply 'put away' a child afflicted with this condition than attempt to give the child any kind of 'normalcy' in their life. 
We were riding to collect funds to buy a thousand wheel chairs. That meant a thousand children's life would change in one fell swoop. 

Ten of these children were at the club to receive the first of the chairs. What i saw melted my heart. I fought hard to control my emotions and sadly had to avert looking at these children, contorted and strapped into their chairs for fear of losing it completely. I came to one realisation. With an amount of money that would be a portion of the bill of a good night out I could change a life. Anyone of us could. We could give a child who's life was confined to a room or a house, the gift of mobility. Most of these children have fully functional brains; minds; they now had a chance of at least experiencing the world around them; of seeing beyond a confined space. This is what these wheel chairs do. 

On the ride, we suffered, but it was a voluntary suffering, that brought us a lot of satisfaction and a feeling of accomplishment, to us all. These children suffer with very little to look forward to. We can make a difference; if only we make the effort. 

Thank you one and all of you for taking the time to read this blog... I conclude the part about the ride with this post. I hope you enjoyed reading it at least a tiny bit as much as i enjoyed writing it.. 

The Bone Marrow Diaries will continue. It is based on life experience of an average man who wants to go on living, parenting, loving, working, traveling, helping others and basically SUCKING THE MARROW OUT OF LIFE. In a month i turn 50. I look forward to the next chapter of my life and I look forward to sharing my thoughts and experiences with you. 

Thank you again.
Blessings

Sarinda 

Character building, the Marquis de Sade way.......

Home.

Day 11. 

Part 1

I am in my 'cave'. Tyson, our neurotic, hyperactive boxer, is outside the door, making an occasional grunt to let us know he is there and I am sprawled on my sofa. Law and Order re runs are on TV, Ice and drink close by, The AC is humming at 18 Degrees, just the way i like it. Charlene is dozing off next to me. Dinner should be up shortly. Its just another Sunday evening and it all seems so 'normal'. 

I don't even know where to begin. I sit dazed and a bit 'vacant'. Ok.. so that's my normal state anyway.. but today, maybe a bit more so. I have just fulfilled a dream. A big tick off the bucket list, and pushed my mind and body beyond what i thought was ever possible. I took on a challenge that was either going to be achieved through a lot of pain and suffering or leave me a quivering lump of blubber, not necessarily with a pulse on some sun scorched patch of tarmac or sand as it turned out) in some far flung location of my Island home. Either way, i told my self, this would be a life changing experience. 

As you may recall from my previous posts, i was not even close to the kind of level of fitness, that was needed to take on this kind of a test. I weighed in the heaviest i had been in my life, the day before the ride. I had never do more than 85km in on day, i hated the heat, i cramp badly and often. Yet, here I was 11 days, 1400km's and and exhausting 80+ hours of riding later, alive and well and feeling a bit "stoned" and as was synonymous with me being "stoned" a senseless grin on my face. 

We expected the ride to Trinco, and part 1 of the journey to be the tough one. I do recall several of the riders saying day three would 'separate the men from the boys', and if we survived that, we would be cruising for the rest of it. Well... someone forgot to circulate that memo. I can't think of a more spectacularly inaccurate prediction, since 2012 apocalypse. 

In spite of the best efforts of the bumbling staff of Chaaya Blu, we managed to have a very relaxing day off, lounging around, sipping margarita's (damn decent ones i must add), reading or flopping around in the pool. Sleep was caught up with and I have to admit, a pretty decent spread was laid out for us for dinner. I shall spare my dear friends and former colleagues at Keells  blushes by not elaborating on our collective experience post dinner but all in all the rest day was a good idea. The lack of a Spa deprived us of a massage but everyone was pretty relaxed and ready to take on the 'nice part' of the ride. 

Trinco to Mullaitivu lived up to the hype and we rode through spectacular beachscapes, waterways, had a short boat ride to cross the picturesque Kilali lagoon, and rode our bikes on beautiful carpeted and shady (for most of it) roads. We were done early and were taken to our accommodation. We had been informed of good quality residential facilities of the Sri Lanka Army but didn't expect more than the basics, and were not disappointed. 

I have been at some really top notch military 'guest houses' but this one was not in the running... maybe not in the top seven hundred and forty nine. It was a dump. 

The Navy had prepared a hasty lunch which was gratefully partaken, chased by ice cold Lion Lager and we got as much sleep as we could get. 

That night a 'collective' decision was made to change our route. To make it more interesting and push it out of reach of anyone trying to better our ride, by riding a previously un 'ridden' road used purely by the LTTE first and now post war by the Military to service their most remote of out posts in the country. Desolate clusters of buildings huddled together in the middle of nowhere and waste areas of open landscape. It all seemed rather romantic with a Benson and a Johnny Walker in hand.. a cool fan blowing overhead, but what awaited us was pure hell, that nearly broke our spirit, a few bones, scorched the skin off us, dehydrated us to a dry powder and ended our attempt at The Pearl. It was a brutal 75km on sand, rock, gravel, sand, rock and did I mention sand, rock and gravel?... in 42 degree heat. The land scape was featureless; the tree line was too far to offer even a pool of shadow and if and when there was a tiny patch of shadow, there was a huddle of riders, trying desperately to get some respite from the searing heat. 

Almost every one fell at some point. Some just gentle 'cleat falls' trying to dismount our rides, but some genuine tumbles on the un forgiving terrain. Yasas, had a bad bruise on his hand that crippled him for most of the ride. He was barely able to hold the grip with his left hand but soldiered on. Charlene added to her collection of scars and bruises and a few others ended up on their already sore 'derriere's. We were suffering. Our misery was reduced to some extent thanks to Ravi's arrangement with the scattering of Navy camps to arrange Kurumba (Coconut Water) fresh off trees, and replenish our rapidly depleting water supply. 

The terrain meant that this ride was done sans any back up. No one close to us in case of an emergency. We were well and truly on our own. Ajith kept saying "sun builds character" .... at 50 I had all the fucking character i need and let him know so and i was just absolutely miserable but we soldiered on. I was fortunate that i had no more bouts of cramp and had i started cramping on this stretch of road i was as good as dead. 

Every time i looked up, all i saw was what loosely passed off as road, meandering into a hazy, mirage, no shade and no respite in site. The sky was cloudless and there was nothing to give us any indication of how long this would last. 

I made a list of things I learned. 

Lesson One: Mother nature was a heartless old cow. Praying, begging, pleading, demanding doesn't work with her. I did all of the above asking her for one cloud.. one single cloud, but instead of obliging the only cloud the cranky old bag sent stayed over head for about thirty seconds and then scooted across the road into the uncleared mine fields we were riding through. Oh.. I didn't tell you about the minefields did I?? yes. We were riding for a fare distance through uncleared mine fields. This meant that if you had to piss, you had to do so on the road. A particularly daunting challenge for Charlene the only woman on the ride. 

Lesson Two: testicles, bad road and a hard bike seat are not a good combination to experiment with. I am immensely pleased that i completed this ride all intact and in good working order. Close call though. Better keep checking, just in case one or both fall off in a delayed reaction to the battering they got. 

Lesson Three: Ice is great, not just in cocktails but on tired legs, head, neck and those bruised 'boys' I was talking about earlier. Basically, Ice is the gold of a biker. 

Lesson Four: Underwear and Bike Pants don't go hand in hand. No undies with the bib shorts. They bunch up and create bad friction with the nether regions and cause a lot of grief. This means you need to ensure that all assets are carefully arranged to as to avoid sudden detachment from body due to undue stress caused by bumps in road. 

Lesson Five: Humans are incredibly resilient animals. Just when you think your body is going to shut down, move into a foetal position, and your going to burst into tears and cry like a little girl.. you dig out some reserves that you thought you never had. The compulsion to live, to survive and trundle one is greater than the compulsion to give up. You just have to believe that. Too many people just give up. 

Lesson Six: There is nothing like suffering together to bond a team. 

Lesson Seven: A hot shower and a good nights sleep makes the world seem like a much nicer place . 

Lessons having been listed, we trundled on. Finally making it onto a proper "carpet" road was an incredibly satisfying experience. We made it alive and in reasonably 'useable' shape to Point Pedro, the Northern most point in Sri Lanka and then we headed back down South. Jaffna. 

Our marathon detour from Mullaitivu meant we had been on the road for 14 hours and in the saddle for 10. We were sore, tired, but un believably cheerful for a bunch of riders who had just ridden through hell and back. Amazing fellows these creatures called humans.. but especially amazing were the 11 others who rode along side me through that day. It took some serious effort to complete that ride and here we were, laughing and joking about it while wolfing down ice creams at the famed Rio Ice Cream parlour. 

If Mullaitivu to Jaffna didn't kill us, Jaffna to Mannar gave it a pretty decent shot as well. We were back on street bikes, and cruising along nicely on beautiful road surface till about 30km to go and suddenly it all became rather ugly. Road works, gravel, broken bridges, and rough concrete to end the day on. Not good on suspension less street bikes. 

To add to our misery, Mother Nature decided to show us who was boss again, turning up the heat and  the wind and clearing the sky of all clouds.

One would think, while riding around an island, at some point you would enjoy a 'tail wind'?? Right???? Riiiight?? .. But Noooo. The wind hit us from head on, from the left, from the right, i swear it even came from on top of us, but not once, not for even a fleeting moment did we enjoy a tail wind. It seemed that Ma Nat had conspired against us. But then again according to my dear friend Ajith... it all builds character. 

The riders were and  incredibly mixed bunch. Jehan, the thespian, who would break into song with me, rattling through Simon and Garfunkle, show tunes and some good old fashioned limericks. Although fatigues himself he would always find energy to encourage and energise inspire and keep on 'trucking' through the toughest patches of road. 

Dushmantha, a man of few words, who would get on his bike in the morning and just ride on. Daubed in Sunscreen from head to toe, he never seems tired or frazzled. No complaints.. just riding along. If ever there was a man to replace the energizer bunny, here he was. 

Gihan, struggling with a pinched nerve in his neck, visibly in pain but gritting his way through that. Never too tired to help me 'move on' in his slip stream. Covering for me through the wind and helping me get through some tough patches. He and his room mate Sanjay, who was also always there to push me on when i needed some 'lift', created the comedy pairing for the trip. The 'happy couple' continuously bickered at each other much to the mirth of all around. Sanjay had the addition burden of a large blister on his butt that meant, he gets to claim to be the poster boy for Femmes sanitary napkins. He had to pad his pants with several of them on order to sit on his bike. 

Yasas was our ride leader and and incredibly strong rider and clearly the best among the group, barely breaking a sweat most days but always the first to drop back and help a straggler or pull the group together. His timely stop calls helped keep the group hydrated and capable of taking on the heat and the elements. It was his early ride management that ensured our latter success. 

Anu and Suren, The lone Ranger and Tonto, were both strong riders who would take off like rabbits at any given chance and be mere dots in the distance on most day. Both preferring to set their own aggressive pace rather than trundle along with the pack. They were the two elder statesmen of the group at 57 and 54 and incredibly fit. It would be insulting to add 'at their age' as they are fit by any yardstick you want to measure them by. They would kick most twenty year olds asses on any given day. 

Peter is an adventure sport specialist. Need i say more. One of the strongest riders in the group, supremely fit and experienced in the saddle. Always smiling and ready to give you a bit of cover by riding in front of you to protect you from a head wind. Great fun on the road and at the bar post ride, to enjoy a cold beer with. 

Ravi was an ex Naval officer who could not be separated from his phone no matter what. He was great at getting us permission to do some rare bits of road such as the Wilpattu stretch but could not ride the entire route and was compelled to hitch a ride in a support vehicle on several stretches. Ravi was also responsible for keeping us alive during that horrific Mullaitivu Jaffna stretch by calling on his military contacts to provide us with refreshments. 

Ajith, was the brains behind the ride.  It was his plan of doing something special for his 50th that started this all off. We had know each other from childhood and having him arrange this gave me immense confidence in what we were taking on. He is an obsessive rider who is extremely fit and had no problems what so ever in completing this ride. He was also the first person to drop back should any rider have problems. Quick to provide a 'pull' and encouragement to get you back to the front and apart from his ideas on 'character building' a solid human being. 

Charlene, my partner and the only woman on the ride was a revelation. I was certain that she was biting off more than she could chew, but boy were we all surprised. She turned out to be an excellent rider with a determination and grit that i had never seen before. She earned her stripes on this one.. and we suspect 'grew a pair' in the process as apparently this ride was to 'separate the men from the boys'. 

This was the bunch that did it.... that rode the Pearl. 

                                                                To be continued.......

Sore bums and numb thumbs and two toes that appear to have died.

Day 6......
Its almost surreal to think that we have ridden over 650km and made it half way across Sri Lanka, on bicycles. Seriously?? What was i thinking. 

This is what I was waiting for, this is what all the anticipation and excitement was about and now here I am, at Chaaya BLAAH (that's another story in itself) in Trincomalee and looking back at the past five days it all seems like a blur. A blur of mental trauma, physical torment, teeth gritting, legs spinning, heart thumping, skin searing riding. 

We began day one at 4.00 in the morning outside independence square. A handful of our near and dear to see us off. A mixed bunch of hardcore riders and Charlene and me. Two totally unprepared, inexperienced rookies; Taking on a challenge that most hard core riders would think twice about. This is a classic, living breathing example of the bliss of ignorance. Both of us combined had spend less time ( in our lives) on a bike that most of the other rider had done one week. But here we are.. me looking like the Pillsbury Dough boy in my bike gear. The start is rather inauspicious for me. After all the careful preparation, checking and re checking, i drop my light and it dies. I guess I ride in the dark from today. 

We roll out at a sedate pace. and we are off. Will spare the details, but basically speeds were manageable and we chugged along without too much grief. My heart rate never got below 135 and I consoled myself by thinking of the calories I was burning. By mid morning, the sun started to become a factor. Still a few clouds around but my body likes air-conditioning and shade a lot more than heat and direct sunlight. I was feeling a bit like Dracula... felt my skin burning off and smouldering.

Yasas Hewage, our ride leader had planned stops every 30km. This meant every hour and a half or so we stopped to ice ourselves, hydrate, eat PBJ sandwiches provided by his amazing wife Ajani and the brilliant support team of Shivi and Caryll from Leo Burnett. 
The 30 km was a welcome break. While this was good for the early part of the ride as the day got hotter we stopped more and more frequently; me feeling like i was run over by a cattle train, and the others looking quite unconcerned. I was hurting. Burning, searing, scorching and just plain exhausted. 10 days of this shit?? Fuck my life. What the hell was i thinking. I seriously must have fallen on my head as a child. No one voluntarily puts themselves through this. 

We complete day one, reasonably easily. C and I have now done our first 100+ ride and feel confident but I still have heebie jeebies at the thought of whats to come. 

Day two.. We make it to Hambantota. Its 42 in the shade and I an absolutely dying. I feel the life draining out of me. I ask my self my name, my date of birth, my address, i make lists, I recall events.. all in the hope that i can tell myself, my mind is going blank and i need to stop. My mind was fine, but my body; that was another story. 

i come up a hill in Hambantota town. The new highway complex and just lock up. Cramp. Doom. i hobble off the bike and after much ice and water i manage to get back on, and ride another 20 or so km and cramps. This time both legs back and front and I collapse. C, Yasas, Sajith and Ajith were near at hand and immediately set about resuscitation. Well... more like recovery but that sounded more dramatic. I was flat on my back under a 'andara' tree on the side on the Katharagama highway. locked up in cramps and in absolute agony. 

Again, ice, jeevani ( re hydrant) water and some leg rubbing and i was up. Back on the bike and riding. made it to Weerawila junction and cramp again.. this time i just grit my teeth and rode on. White light and searing pain and tears popping out of my eyes, i rode on. Ever bit of road seemed to be a fucking hill and grainy surface. This was hell. I needed to quit. I didn't have to put my 50 year old beat up, battered body through this. I had nothing to prove to anyone. Every rational thought i had was to call it a day. But i rode on. I have no idea why. I hated myself and loathed the fact that i was in such bad shape and just pushed on. 

I got to Yodakandiya junction and went down like a sack of 'bathala'. Sprawled out in front of a tuk tuk stand, with incredulous looking tuk drivers and ladies going shopping staring at me like i was an alien. Well... a 97kg, greying, balding man, in lycra, sprawled in the middled of the sidewalk, writhing in pain... what do you expect. 

The van driver from Aqua was near at hand as were C and Ajith but I made them go. I decided to call it a day. Enough was enough. My plan was to come back in the evening and finish the ride. I just lay there with ice on my legs and sucking down fluids. i was done. This was potentially the end of the ride. i was sad and angry but decided to call it a day. 

Standing up, i felt no cramps. I was about to load my bike in the van when i thought, lets push on to see how far i would get. I hopped on the bike and set my self mini targets. I know this road and part of the country well. I thought i would get to Tissa tank. Then the rest house. Then Priyankara hotel etc.. I passed the rest of the crew having a 'thambili' stop along the way. The looks I got were priceless. I was cheered and whistled on and i just plodded on. my mind a blank. My legs on auto pilot. i thought of life, of death of how good or bad a father I was. Of my family of happy of sad and just rode on. It was the longest half hour of my life. 

Two hills to go and then a long down hill to Katharagama. I was within spitting distance. i can do this. i was still riding out alone. I had less than 3 km to go. two more hills and then down i went in a heap; legs locked and body one big mass of cramp. I was a few meters from a small boutique on the side of the road. Some old men scuttled out and helped my onto a chair. i was stiff as a plank. Sucking down what was left of the water i had. No other riders or support car in site. I was in agony. Then i see them come. Peter in front as always and the rest trundling along I wave them by telling them it's almost done and then the van, ice and instant relief comes to me. 

Ravi, one of the riders decides that he has had enough and quits. I called him over and told him we only had two hills to go and that we could do this. I said i was going to do it even if it meant pushing my bike. He changed his mind and joined me. We hobbled onto our bikes, got on the easiest gear and as Yasas had told me, and just 'spun'. Kept spinning till we passed the first hill. Bottom of second hill and 200 meters of climb left before i was home and dry and down i went again. Flat on the ground. Usual drill. Ice, Water and up again. Struggled on and hit the top of the hill and bliss. I had made it. I grinned to no one in particular. Tearing up a bit.. but over the moon. The down hill was bliss. 40km+ and all the way to the hotel. I passed Sanjay who had had a puncture, C was there as well.. and rode on to the gates of Mandara Resort. The team is there to greet me. I had made it. I got to the gate and for one last time, I collapsed in a heap. 

That was the barrier i needed to cross. the point where had i stopped, i would never have made it this far. It has fortified my belief in my ability to take pain and to push myself and i am now riding with new found confidence and pleasure. 

We encountered an elephant in Buttala who blocked out way for half an hour. Long meandering down hills in Monaragala, and scorching headwinds in Arugam Bay. We sang rugby songs through Muttur and ate amazing Vadai in Kalmunai. We laughed and joked and 'spun'. 

Charlene had a nasty crash in Buttala but has been an absolute 'discovery' on this ride. Her grit and determination to keep pushing in spite of her injuries has been incredible. She keeps me going. Always there to help when I need it and just energising the entire team with her infectious 'buzz'. 

Malik and Kimali were a fun addition for two days. Koluu and Ranil have been great company as well, entertaining and supportive. 

Cheryl and Shivi worth their combined weight in gold and Shamlan, chipping in with invaluable support. 

Today, we eat, swim, sleep, read and clearly... some of us blog. We are burnt, tired, sore and in a considerable amount of pain but we are here. We have made it half way and we are living. We are blessed to be able to be a part of something special like this. We truly are. This is where I wish i believed in a god. I would have someone to thank. 

TICK TOK....

And the countdown continues. 

Two days to go and I am 'shitting bricks'. I guess this is the first time I am taking on a challenge of distance and time without having ever completed a practice day of the distance or time we are setting ourselves. 

When climbing Kilimanjaro the first time, I worked out like a mad man. Amanda, my partner in 'many crimes' and I trained by carrying packs and walking up and down 14 flights of stairs for hours on end. Before TRAIL, we ( Amanda and I again) walked in all kinds of conditions for hours on end. walking, on days, distances well over what we had planned. 

We set out on the ride and Charlene and I have done a maximum of 80km per ride. A smidgen over half of the distance we would be covering on a daily basis..... on ten consecutive days . (oh sorry.. we do get a days break on the beach in Trincomalee)
My trepidation is justified. I am a meticulous 'preparer' for physical challenges. Training, kit, nutrition, planning of day; this time, I have to admit, kit, nutrition and day plan is under control but as for the physical element, we find out what a 150km ride is less than 48 hours from now.

My one consolation is that we are in good hands. Yasas and Ajith are seasoned riders and not the 'cowboy' types who would throw too much risk into the ride. We are planning 1.5 hourly stops for fuelling up and hoping to keep a modes pace of less that 25kmph. We also have the option of just taking it easy, or if the going gets too tough or bodies start to break down, stopping the days ride at any point and hopping into a support vehicle to the end point. The end points are comfortable hotels with air-conditioned rooms. Most on the beach to make them additionally attractive beacons to ride towards. 

I however know, that in my make up, stopping aint an option. This both calms me and worries me. On Kili II ( second climb) I pushed myself, minus proper hydration to a point of collapsing in a heap of cramps at the top. I knew I was doing this but went ahead never the less. Lets put that down to a loss of sensibility due to altitude. If I push myself to those lengths on this, could I blame the sun??? Well; the sun is my biggest fear at this point. Sri Lanka is fucking hot. Gorgeous and tropical as it may be, its still fucking 'brick oven', 'sweat out of your eyeballs' hot. 

I am older and wiser ( we hope). This time I will respect my limits. I have no desire to quit but I have less desire to end up a lifeless heap on some rural highway. This time I will listen to my body and take it easy. Famous last words?? lets see. I have a lot to live for. I have to score 50. The lord knows those were few and far between in my cricket career. 

Today i weighed myself. 96.8kg's. I am the heavier than iI have been. Ever. Great point to start.

On the bright side. I feel good. I am nervous and excited; a good combination. I have had the privilege of playing sport at a pretty high level and this feels no different to the approach of 'game day. Lets get this show on the road. Lets DO THIS. 

Less than a week and nervous as all hell

I have been to the Doctor. I Went for my follow up visit and spent an hour in his company. He advised me on my diet, what to and not to do. He gave me lecture on stress and the effect on our bodies, the lack of Vitamin D, the dangers of the wrong carbs and the perils of drinking. There was no compromise of "have the occasional drink" or "drink in moderation". It was just "stop drinking". 

 I put it down to him being a totally ‘goodie goodie’. He had the softest hands, man or woman, I have ever felt, thus he can’t possibly understand the ways of the ‘real’ world right? Bloody sheltered Mama’s boy; How can a man survive without a drink (or with soft palms) ?? Well, I am not about to find out. Lets see if I can bring the counts down while I still indulge in on of my great pleasures.

He also prescribed a list of meds and supplements and a regular exercise regime, including strength training that I have clearly neglected over the past few months. He was thorough and patient and did take the time to walk me through each negative in the long list of negatives that were my test results. On the bright side, I don’t have Hepatitis A or B and I don’t have HIV. Yet. !!!

During my conversation I mentioned to him that I was taking on ‘The Pearl’. He gave me an incredulous look and says “well… I’ll just prescribe twenty days worth of meds as you are going to kill yourself”. I wish I could put a goggle-eyed ‘imoji’ at this point, as that’s what I felt like when I heard this.

He then, thankfully laughed, not very convincingly and said, “i was kidding, just make sure you hydrate, take the pills for your blood pressure and take it easy”; a little more reassuring than his first utterances but not as convincing as I wish he would have been.

Why am I nervous?? The Doc has nothing to do with it. I have sat and watched a reputed physician do a mathematical calculation and tell me why people should die at 19,000 feet if they don’t take oxygen. I am still very much alive, yo this type of medical hysteria is not new to me. It is a combination of non-medical factors that are giving me the ‘heebie jeebies’.

For one, I am in terrible shape. Forget the bulges where they shouldn’t be, but the way I feel; Lethargic and creaky, stiff and achy. Next, I have been traveling so much during the past few months that I have had far from ideal sleep patterns, diet or time on the bike. 

I would have liked to have spent more time riding. Just getting out there and getting my body used to the 8 hours in a saddle that it has to look forward to. Instead I have spent many an hour in airline seats, hotel rooms and on restaurant and bar stools. Instead of wracking up the miles and the hours, I have piled on the calories and the air miles. Hardly the best preparation for an endurance bike ride. 

Then there is the heat. Now, I know those of you who know me well, know how much I hate the heat. I was not born to deal with anything more than 24 degrees Celsius and the idea of spending hour upon hour in over 35 degree heat is enough to make me want to quit this before we even get on the bikes. I was seriously pursuing the options of some kind of ‘cool suit’ or portable cooling device, both of which were scratched off the list for obvious reasons. Hydration will have to be spot on in this weather. Do we have the right combinations of electrolytes? Do we have the right nutrition? This type of endurance riding is new to most people on the ride, are we taking this too lightly?

Thirdly, there is the traffic. We are riding along one of Sri Lanka’s busiest arteries, The Galle Road. A road full of manic bus drivers, suicidal tuk tuk’s pedestrians and a fairly random collection of domestic animals that seem to dice with death quite unconcerned. Charlene and I particularly are not used to this level of congestion on the roads and this could prove an additional challenge.

But, there is the overriding excitement and anticipation of actually getting down to doing this. To many of us, the possession of our first bicycle was a massive event in our life. To me, it was freedom. I could escape. Go wherever I wanted to and feel the wind in my once full head of long hair. This sense of joy and freedom still remains. However, with the onset of year and kilo's the joy quickly departs at the mere sight of the first hill.

Thus mounting our bikes with a group of guys ( and one girl) who are fundamentally out to go out and ride a bicycle and combining it with raising money for a very charitable cause has a strong personal appeal. We are a group of individuals who don’t necessarily know each other but over the next few days will forge a bond through the common achievement. I have experienced this before on TRAIL and on several tough mountain treks. It’s an amazing phenomenon. It’s a life long bond that seems to be strengthened if the experience is one that will test you and push you to your limits; the tougher the test the tougher the bond.

While I don’t disagree that such bonds could be formed over a less testing activity such as endurance carom (if such a thing should exist), there is something about shared suffering, pain, mental and physical exhaustion, that brings people together like no other. Knowing there is someone next to you, feeling the same pain and sticking with it, is an amazing bond and I look forward to that more than anything else.

The inevitable camaraderie and banter, the bickering of a few, and the true characters of people that emerges only when really tested, both mentally and physically. I always felt that the adrenaline pumping through your veins before running onto a rugby field was akin to a primal feeling of ‘going to war’. This ride is really, no different. You suit up early morning, you gather your troops, mount your steeds and head out. All very dramatic I know but all somewhat the same.

Yasas and Ajith our fearless leaders have assured us that this is a ‘smell the roses’ ride. In other words, we are not going to be pelting down the road at ungodly speeds. We are hoping to maintain average speeds of under 25kmph and I am hoping this would ensure my creaky legs would endure. There are scheduled ‘stretch and nutrition’ breaks planned every 1.5 hours and a longer break after 100km. This means that the ride will be broken down into manageable chunks.

We have some concern about elephants on some stretches. The Katharagama- Bundala stretch being one and the Lahugala stretch being the other. These big boys and girls tend to congregate around the roadside, more on the look out for a free handout of food from passersby than as pedestrians, but have been known to be grumpy and short tempered, and not averse to ‘charging’ any vehicle they consider a threat in anyway.

I have had the pleasure at being charged by one particularly grumpy young lady while in my 4WD and have no desire to have that experience repeated while I am on a bicycle.

Thus plans have been made for ‘close escorts’ and later departures to ensure we don’t come across these Pachyderms at dawn. At least we will have the advantage of visibility if there is good light. We are also planning on riding through Wilpattu National Park which is a leg I am really looking forward to. This will be on Mountain Bikes due to the rough terrain and takes us through some sensational jungle country with more of our four legged friends to look out for. 

While we have planned for the foreseeable, there are many unforeseen challenges that will hurl out of the blues. This is where the strength and character of this bunch will be tested. This is all a part of the team experience. I am sure we will handle it. 

While I write this, I am seated about 35,000 feet above sea level on a flight back home. It appears that the weather gods are not happy today and we are bouncing along like a rubber ball across the Bay of Bengal. I am sleep deprived, jet lagged and badly in need of a good shower and my bed. My plan this evening is to ride my stationary bike for a minimum of an hour and tomorrow morning, do a ride of at least 50kms if not 75. Sunday, I will try and do one longer ride and then a shorter ride on Monday. Tuesday and Wednesday I rest and Thursday we take on The Pearl.

Three productive days on the bike, in preparation for 10 days of 150km’s each. I guess being nervous isn’t unreasonable but 'fuck it' . Life is short and this is a bicycle ride. it's a fun ride right?? Lets go out and have fun. Prepared or not, lets give it our best shot. Its all in the experience. We will do the best we can and enjoy the experience to its absolute limit. We will 'suck the marrow' out of this one.