The Wobbling Sprocket

Adrienne is a dedicated Hasher, the running/social organization that spans the globe.  There aren't many places in the world where you can't find a run/meet-up of this group, but Sikkim is one of them.  I don't think there are any.  For sure  in Delhi, where we meet, but not in Sikkim.  That's ok,  I can't imagine anyone will be looking for additional exercise opportunities in Sikkim.

Adrienne is always lots of fun and game for any adventure.  She has been to India and Spain previously so she knows our approach.  She is also Janice's daughter, so we'll have mother-daughter on the same tour.  We always like that. 

Adrienne with BF Tom on left and Jim, our primo driver, on the right. This was at the Ruins of Acinipo in Southern Spain last fall. Adrienne is a runner, but she has been "on a roll" with bike tours in India, Spain and now Sikkim.

"Namaste" Adrienne and Janice in India (Kerala)...I think the day we departed Kodaikanal and met the medicine man who told all our fortunes.

We are big fans of people doing lots of research before signing up for ANY tour, ANY where.  That's why we are thrilled that David is on board for Sikkim in October.  He and his partner, Hannah, are the people behind Biciklo.   Biciklo is a bike touring resource that has, count 'em, no less than 8,000 tours listed worldwide. David and Hannah also put together an annual guide which looks to be a wealth of information.

David mentioned to me that he had never heard of Sikkim.  Join the club.   We hadn't heard of it either before we decided to go there. 

Sikkim, sandwiched between Nepal and Bhutan and now part of India, was it's own Himalayan Kingdom up until 1975.  At that point, the country was faced with the choice of becoming part of India or China.  The fact that Sikkim and India scheduled some joint military exercises and the Indian Army never left, might have swayed the voting. 

It still feels like a separate country.  There are border crossings, you need special permits to enter and Indian citizens living in the rest of country can't relocate there even though it is part of India.  Most of the people of Sikkim are of Nepalese origin and Buddhist temples abound.

We have no doubt that some Biciklo exposure will help put Sikkim, aka "The Last Shangri-La", on the world cycling map. 

Here is David:

David H.

And here is Sikkim:

Once you see it, it sticks out like a sore thumb.

Let's see, in reverse order, Janice has been to Spain, Laos, India (Kerala), Croatia, the Canadian Rockies and Corsica with us.  She is ticking them off one by one.

Janice is up for the more adventuresome challenges and she also has has an appreciation of the finer things in life.

In Sikkim one gets both wrapped up in one.  We stay in some pretty posh joints, but it also is a Himalayan Kingdom.  The roads are rugged and in some places, getting from A to B can be challenging.  At the end of the day you need and deserve a posh joint.

Janice is an extremely active person:  she's a runner, a rider, she hikes, she loves the theater, reads a lot, participates in her book club and works full time.  Most of us wonder where she hides the cape.

See if you detect a pattern in this sequence:  Janice came on a few tours, then Janice came on a tour with  her daughter Adrienne, then Janice came on a tour with daughter Adrienne and Adrienne's boyfriend, Tom. 

So, I will have my eye on the in-box for the next couple days.  You never know. 

Janice is ever active....no matter where she is.