Sumerpur – Sirohi - 45 km
Leaving Sumerpur was amidst camel carts and scavenging cows. Reaching Sirohi, a
formidable mountain loomed ahead, and lacking the mental strength to continue I
called it a day.
Sirohi – Abu Road - 73 km
The next day nothing came of the daunting-looking mountains. Instead, the road
weaved through valleys and soon spat me out on the other side of the mountain.
During the ride, I met Ashish Pali and his two kids en route to Mount Abu to
participate in a festival. We chatted briefly, and he gave me his contact details in case
I needed assistance. How sweet of him?
At first, the plan was to go up the mountain, but feeling lazy the afternoon was spent
chilling out.
Abu Road – Mehsana - 121 km
Before departing, I had tea and crustless toast; I guessed it was a leftover from
colonial times. The day became effortless riding though not overly exciting (being a
highway). That said, riding through rural areas, little frequented by foreigners, I
scared the living daylight out of kids. They ran for the safety of their mother’s hems,
only to peek out once safely tucked behind her apron or sari. Of course, one can’t
blame them as they’ve most likely never seen a white woman on a bicycle.
On this day, my route left the state of Rajasthan and entered little-explored Gujarat.
It was officially a dry state and to buy alcoholic drinks one needed a permit which
could be obtained from the larger hotels, but I lacked the motivation to try.