This is about Mr R. He is related to me through a complex chain: he is my sister-in law's brother in law. However, this post is not about explaining relations.
The otherday I received a mail urging to explain what biking means to me or recount the experience of a passionate biker. I am a die-hard biker (oops, bike-rider) myself, but I would like to grab this opportunity to share an interaction with Mr R, one of the most passionate bikers I have met.
We were invited to Modi Nagar, a suburb of Delhi in the month of August. The weather at this time of the year is particularly unpredictable: the sun scorches you, it rains for few minutes drenching you, causing traffic jams and stops all of a sudden. Although the distance to be covered was about 60 km, we were sceptical about our choice of mode. Finally we hired a car.
On the way, we crossed a Honda City carrying two lovely children, and driven by their mother. It was Mr R's wife. And there he was, little ahead, on his monstrous bike. It was a Thunderbird (by Royal Enfield). A majestic machine, it is every biker's dream. Given his passion for biking, it was almost obvious that Mr R would be riding his Thunderbird, and let his family enjoy the car ride.
"Isn't it too strenuous to ride a bike for such a long distance?", I asked.
"No way! I can drive endlessly, as long as the fuel permits", replied Mr R.
-"This heat?"
- "No issues"
-"If it rains?"
- "Its exciting to ride in the rain"
-"Isn't a car more comfortable?"
- "Riding this baby (his bike) is anyday more lucrative!"
- "But... ", I am not to be convinced easily.
-"See, I love biking", [my husband nods in agreement in the background as Mr R continues,] "Rarely do we get the oportunity to go for long bike rides in cities. So when the opportunity has come, I let my wife drive with the children, while I rode"
-"If it rains?"
- "Its exciting to ride in the rain"
-"Isn't a car more comfortable?"
- "Riding this baby (his bike) is anyday more lucrative!"
- "But... ", I am not to be convinced easily.
-"See, I love biking", [my husband nods in agreement in the background as Mr R continues,] "Rarely do we get the oportunity to go for long bike rides in cities. So when the opportunity has come, I let my wife drive with the children, while I rode"
I was about to ask something further, but he told me that he had gone into the Himalayan ranges from Delhi on his bike with his biker-friends, and the sheer joy of riding a good bike eggs him on.
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This is an entry for a contest organized by Castrol on Indiblogger.