Going solo: Biking from Kanyakumari to Leh

It's been nearly a decade since she first flicked her wrist and went 'vroom-vroom', experiencing the wind in her hand, connecting with nature and feeling "liberated". Ever since, it has been exhilarating for 29-year-old Merryl D'Souza to set off on her bike on roads - and off them too - around Mumbai. Many small journeys later, the corporate communications manager is ready to go solo on her biggest journey thus far. On the morning of June 24, D'Souza will set off from Kanyakumari and ride her Avenger through eight states, covering a distance of nearly 4,200 km, before arriving in Leh —realising a dream she's long nurtured. As she packs her gear and charts her route, D'Souza talks about her biggest ride yet. Excerpts:

What prompted you to go on this solo ride?
My friends and I had been wanting to ride from Mumbai to Leh for more than two years now, but either someone was getting married or having babies, so the trip never materialised. At Godrej, where I work, we have an annual programme called LOUD or Live Out Your Dreams for employees to pursue their dreams within a budget of Rs1.5 lakh. So I applied this year and was selected among 100 entries to pursue my dream of riding. With the financial backing, I decided to make it more challenging by riding from Kanyakumari instead of from Mumbai.

What do you hope to achieve with this trip?
I want to explore India, see how the diversity changes from the south to the north. Riding makes me very happy... my soul feels free. It is very liberating. And after I was selected (by Godrej's LOUD), many colleagues came forward and asked me to teach them to ride a bike. I feel if I can empower even one girl by teaching her to ride, she can then teach others in return and spread the joy. If 500 people see me complete this journey successfully and even if 10 people are inspired, it will make me really happy. I'm also going to promote the message of an NGO called Safe City, which helps women in distress by making them aware of measures they can take if they are bring troubled.

How do you plan to go about the ride in terms of routes and distances?
I hope to start riding by 5:30 a.m. and stop at around 4 p.m., riding about eight-nine hours and covering between 245-250 km each day. I haven't yet decided whether I will take the coastal road via Maharashtra and Gujarat or go via Madhya Pradesh, but I will take the Srinagar-Leh highway because that's a gradual climb to Leh compared to the Manali-Leh Highway so as to avoid AMS (acute mountain sickness). I plan to stop at hotels and guest houses for the nights and don't intend to stay beyond one night at any place until I reach the mountains. But if I get my periods, then I'll definitely take a two-day break.

What will you be carrying with yourself?
Am travelling with one bag because I don't want extra load on my bike. I will carry a lot of energy bars and plenty of water, but I will mostly eat on the road. I also have my spare kit and tools ready, including helmet, jacket, pants, boots and gloves. I'm using Google Maps to plan the route, but will also carry the Atlas-Eicher map and fit a GPS tracker on my bike.

Have you trained physically for the ride? Or follow any other routine that helps you?
I used to swim and bicycle a lot earlier, but now I do yoga. I learnt it in Dharamsala last year. My day starts at 5:30 a.m. with 15-20 minutes of meditation followed by surya namaskar, pranayams and a few asanas. So I will continue following the same routine. Even if I don't do yoga, I will meditate daily.

Are you afraid or have any safety concerns?
I'm a little scared... especially about the Madhya Pradesh and the interior region because a lot of my friends have told me that that area may not be safe. So I plan to ride on national highways and avoid other roads. If I feel a particular area is unsafe, I'll go to the local police station and see how I can get out safely. I'll also have a knife and pepper spray handy. Also, one of my colleagues has given me a Devi locket, saying the goddess will look after me. So I am a wee bit afraid. I feel confident I'll be fine.

How will you come back home after reaching Leh?
Am most looking forward to that part – because I will ride the Manali-Leh highway on my way to Chandigarh, from where I'll take a flight back home.