The Himalayan Challenge - Day 19 & 20
Reports by Syd Stelvio. Photos by Gerard Brown
~~~~ Day 19: October 9, 2018 ~~~~
Kathmandu to Chitwan
Back to the jungle
Sadly, today we said tatasidelek to Kathmandu, left the Himalayas behind us, and set a course for home. On the way though we enjoyed a spectacular last hurrah and finished up in another safari park surrounded by rhino and elephants.
Mindu, a Sherpa friend of Dr Delle Grimsmo, had made the journey to the capital to bestow a Buddhist scarf on each of us before we left, and to wish us well for our onward travel.
From the tranquility of the hotel the journey out of Kathmandu was much less fraught than the journey in had been and pretty soon we were all safely round the infamous ring road and down ‘the staircase’ that led us pretty quickly to the first Time Control in the small town of Naubise where the sweep crew of Jamie Turner and Tony Jones had made themselves comfortable next to a roadside chai stall.
Naturally, the big red ERA Toyota Hilux and the unfamiliar cars that were passing by attracted a crowd but it was very good natured and all the crews were more than happy to pose for selfies and answer whatever questions were asked.
The clock was ticking though and at minute intervals each car was sent in its way to the start of the Regularity at Sopyang. This was the last one of the rally and was therefore the last chance for anyone else to break Mike Velasco’s stranglehold on this event.
It was a testing Regularity as well, with multiple speed changes and multiple timing points adding to the difficult terrain. There are few straight and level roads in the Himalayas and maintaining any speed / distance equilibrium requires a rare skill. Upon finishing their run, Ludovic Bois and Julia Coleman we’re obviously delighted - punching the air and whooping with delight, “we got a zero”.
Once the crews reached the end of this section they were free to enjoy the views. And, there were plenty of them, including some tantalising glimpses of jagged snow covered mountains before they disappeared again behind the clouds.
The road itself was almost traffic free but it was rough, and the drivers had to carefully pick their line to keep themselves on schedule and to preserve their car for the final two days.
Keith Ashworth lost his exhaust through this section and along with David and Jo Roberts and the sweeps he was busily tying it all back together with wire.
On reaching the Time Control at Simbhjyang, at an altitude of 2,448m, the rally was rewarded with a cup of hot soup courtesy of Sarah Ormerod and Guy Woodcock's impromptu roadside Bistro.
Roy Stephenson had more rear suspension issues to sort out on his Datsun however, before he could enjoy his lunch.
The Passage Control at Bhaise was another SV (sans vehicule) affair, where the navigators were required to exit their cars and then run across a cable stayed suspension bridge towards John Spiller and Rikki Proffit, to get their time card stamped.
The day's final section into the night halt was straightforward, and within a few hours we were all safely ensconced in the Barahi Jungle Lodge Resort in the Chitwan National Park.
Tomorrow we cross the border back into India and there’s another early start to negotiate.
~~~~ Day 20: October 10, 2018 ~~~~
Chitwan to Lucknow
Plains sailing
Another early start, another border day and another incredible drive through rural India. We left the hills behind once and for all and we also got to savour the final hairpin of the Himalayan Challenge.
Despite the hot and dusty reputation of the Indian Plains it was heavy fog that greeted us as we opened the curtains this morning and by mid morning the dampness had turned into another downpour but at least the rain kept dust down.
The first Passage Control was at at Bardaghat after 100km and saw Tony Jones and Jamie Turner stationed outside the Tara Hotel, a very agreeable chai house which was also dishing out that popular breakfast staple of masala dosas to the hungry local drivers. As we arrived boxes of live chickens were being traded and as we left, boxes of dead chickens were being strapped to the back of the buyers motorcycles.
The road surface was quite rough in places and once or twice we imagined ourselves back on the road to Rishikesh but with the right line and some careful use of the throttle good progress was made.
Just before the border, John Spiller sat with his check sheet and kettle prepping the crews for what to expect in the border area.
The Sonauli frontier is the main crossing point between Nepal and India and with the former being a landlocked country that relies heavily on road transport the area is often very congested and so it was today.
So, exactly as the Clerk of the Course had promised, the border experience was typically ‘authentic’. Busy, noisy and dusty although this time the challenge was actually getting out of Nepal. Passports were checked, and double checked, and the carnets scrutinised to the ’nth degree. Given this therefore, there was plenty of time for the crews to fully take in the unique ambiance of our surroundings.
Sadly, Jonathan and Freddie Turner’s Bentley arrived in the midst of this madness on the end of a row rope courtesy of Drs Delle Grimsmo and Bushan Lal. The likely problem was a blown clutch so the crew settled in to wait for some mechanical assistance.
The ‘India in’ part of the border actually flowed quite easily, despite our worst fears, and once we were out of the border area, the character of the road changed completely. For mile after mile, through town after town, the amazing sights of small town India revealed itself to us in a succession of noisy, colourful and enthusiastic scenes.
Today, Hindus are celebrating the festival of Chandra Darshan when statues of the Goddess Durga are driven around the locality in open trailers, and devotees follow behind chanting and singing her praises.
The final passage control in Basti then sent the rally on its way down the fast and smooth expressway for the final 200km into the very cosmopolitan Lucknow and the night halt at the ever so luxurious Vivanta by Taj, hotel.
Waiting for us when we arrived, were members of the Lucknow based Oudh Heritage Car Club and they generously presented each of the crews with a commemorative gift.
With no timing today, Mike Velasco and Peter St George might just have started dreaming that this could be the moment for their long awaited maiden win, but other crews have lost it all on the last day before, so it’s possible that they’ll be sleeping with their fingers well and truly crossed.
Tomorrow we have the triumphant arrival into Agra where the Times of India is waiting for interviews and photographs. We’re sure they’ll get quite a story.
Reports by Syd Stelvio. Photos by Gerard Brown