© IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd
Tags:
Journalism of Courage
Mini Augustine, 56-year-old senior manager (scale 3) at the regional office of Canara Bank in Kerala’s Kottayam district, is an accomplished rider. While it is assumed that people shy away from adventure and danger as they age, Augustine has defied stereotypes by becoming one of the oldest women to reach the Khardung La pass in Ladakh on a motorbike in 2017. She recently went on a 2600 km trip to Rajasthan on bike.
She has been riding motorbikes for 28 years now. “My last trip was to Rajasthan. Royal Enfield took us on a heritage tour through the state and it was a mesmerizing journey to witness the cultural artefacts. There were 27 riders with me and we set on a 2,600-kilometre road trip from December 17 to 26, last year. I hired a ‘Classic’ model Bullet and it took a while for me to get a grip of the vehicle.”
Recalling her ride to Ladakh in 2017, Augustine said that it was her dream. “I could not find any woman who did that. I prepared myself for a year before venturing on the journey. During an earlier trek, I had mountain sickness and a porter had to carry my backpack. I did not want that to be repeated during my dream journey.”
Talking about the prep that went into it, she said, “I practised Surya Namaskar and did jogging for a year and it helped me embark on my trip sans backache or mountain sickness. I even went blindly over the tips and tricks I heard here and there. Somebody told me garlic will help me with mountain sickness. Out of my desire to fulfil my dream, I consumed garlic a lot.”
She said she became the oldest Indian woman to achieve the feat. “There were 61 riders in the team and there were men over the age of 60. Among women, I was the oldest at the age of 51. So far, nobody has crossed the benchmark. Out of the 61 riders, five people could not, unfortunately, complete their journey due to mountain sickness and mechanical issues of their bikes.”
The journey came with its own set of challenges. “Manoeuvring a bullet from Delhi to Ladakh was a daunting yet possible task. It was difficult to ride through the rough terrain. I was not sure if I would be able to complete the journey. With determination and courage, I moved on. My husband helped me relentlessly as he stayed connected with me through WhatsApp and text messages,” she said.
She recalled one particular incident that still sends shivers down her spine. “We went beyond 80-kilometre speed and there was a sharp dip. I was cautious throughout the journey, keeping in mind my age. I was riding through a curve and saw one rider ahead of me falling into a depression. Another rider also followed suit. I was witnessing the accidents right in front of me while I was riding,” Augustine said.
She also speaks about the joy that came with overcoming the challenges. “One time, I had to stay behind as my boots got soaked. It grew dark and I had to go 40 kms further when it was 11 pm. All others had left. There were two Royal Enfield riders who escorted me. We kept riding through the night amid the deep gorges. The terrain was rough with not even a blade of grass. I was relieved and ecstatic as I traversed the area to reach a serene land glimmering in bright sunshine.”
The veteran motorbike rider also craves guidance and friendship from women riders of her age. However, she could not find anybody. She also said that she was late to join riders group. “I have witnessed a sea change in the way people ride. Earlier, it was really hard to repair bikes. If a wheel gets punctured, it used to take half a day for a mechanic to reach the spot. Nowadays, bikes are good and rides have become relatively easy with technological upgradation. There are kickstart, self-start options. Notably, acceptance for women riders in the society has also increased. There were no surveillance cameras and the looming fear of mischief mongers deterred my solo trips.”
Augustine also fondly remembers how she helped a man in need get a free lunch. “A man waved me to stop while I was riding in Thrissur. He asked me if I can drop him to a nearby temple. As he sat behind me, he realized it was a woman clad in jacket and helmet. He felt uneasy and was hesitant. However, I reassured him that everything was fine and happily dropped him at the temple.”
Augustine proudly recalled that she learnt to ride a bike at the age of 27, and already knew how to ride a moped. “It was in 1994 when I was working in Chennai, my husband Biji Paul persuaded me to ride a Bullet. First, he taught me to kickstart a bike and today he is my relentless supporter for long road trips.”
The Covid pandemic halted her trips but she plans to start again soon. “I bought a new bike in January, last year. However, it was idle for a long time,” she said. Augustine plans to embark on trips through the Konkan coast, Gujarat and the Northeast next.
However, after TheIndianExpress.com published the story, Augustine clarified on Facebook on Sunday that the she is not the oldest woman to reach Khardung La on a motorbike at the age of 51. The feat was achieved by a woman, Pintueli Gajjar, who was 53 in 2011 when she made the journey. Gajjar, 63 now, plans to make the trip again after two years.
