Event: BRMs are brevets, non -supported, self-navigated rides done in a stipulated time. After Tandem attempt and successful finish of 200 km what next? I had seen international super randonneuse long back but never imagined of having such a great support in terms of logistics, funding and enthusiasm that I got unconditionally from Sheetal.
Planning
As always, I had problems with good bicycle as I keep working with different brands and use cycle for that stipulated contract period. Unfortunately, no cycling brand in India has been able to provide me correct size of 43 that is XXS and I have also not bothered much to invest in correct bike so far as it is the addition perk that I get with my cash component when I work on such assignments. Have to give a serious thought on this if I decide to continue doing serious, signature events in respectable time.
Tickets, registration, bike transportation, hotel bookings, gels, everything was singly managed by Sheetal and she used to update me (and I used to calculate how much more I owe to Sheetal). We kind of had this unwritten agreement that all the financials was her responsibility and training, technical aspects, on route decisions and captainship of the entire ride was mine along with this very original idea of mine to pursue this goal.
Bike
As we decided to start rides of international super randonneuse and it required rides in 3 more countries, we took help from Kishor Kale and Jalspal from Nashik. Our basic bike of 18,000 was with us and these guys even did not ask us anytime on financials. So it was Fantom tandem bike. Bike that gave us lot of trouble during transportation , bike that no hotel accepts, fits in no lift, not accepted by any airline, does not turn well since it is a long tandem. Every time we are at the end session of practise or ride, 15 km before I tell Sheetal, let’s throw this in some corner and then we relax. I should not behave like this with that bike but my shoulders start aching when I look at it.
Thailand
I have heard so many stories on nice family vacation in Thailand. People finishing endurance events like Ironman. With my own last year’s travel to Putrajaya, Malaysia for half Ironman, I was excited. When we landed in Thailand, on airport it was very evident that we cannot keep the box, landed in hotel that was 90 km away in a small city of Nakorn Pathom. From here real fun part started. We did assemble the bike and we realised after approximately 4 hrs that hotel staff is not so cooperative, they do not understand our language, we do not know any cycle shop and we need some last minute bike check. Hotel guys were even charging money for warming up food that we had with us.
We started remembering some of the very warm brevet hosts from India, Raghu and Zala from Baroda, Krish A from Hyderabad, Chennai guys, so many in my case who have helped me achieve my 2 SRs in India.( Delhi, Mumbai and Cochin )
I again started cursing the bike and my shoulders started to pain. I told Sheetal “kis manhus ghadi me ye plan banaya tha yaar…”. That was the first alarm that I did not sense as Sheetal was in quite normal mood all engrossed with taking pictures with selfie stick.
Ride day
Do not want to write a big DNF story, I could never see Sheetal that I see in India on that day. It was a disastrous day, in terms of bike, finishing the ride, giving 100 %, maintaining team ethics, we failed. We collectively could not achieve this 300 BRM on Tandem.
Repair and Recovery
We evaluated this failure and we made plans for coming months. This DNF will stay with us for long. Sheetal and me will probably never ride again on Tandem, simple reason being she wants more practise with me and I stay in a different city.
