Hello wonderful friends and family out there, sending you an update from us here in Northern India just a short distance away from Nepal. So, in essence this is our last communique from India...a place that has given us so many adventures and a rainbow of emotions. These places, these people and the spiritual energy that is all encompassing here will remain in my heart for a lifetime.
Since we've last written we had so many experiences on this journey and have covered quite a distance on our bikes. We knew the season of the monsoon was upon us but this really didn't seem to show us much of its presence until about 3 weeks ago. Just before we left the ashram it rained hard for more than 24 hours straight and this was incredible. Since we were on the 3rd floor of the ashram over looking the Ganges we could see an exponential rise in the level of wateer in the river. Not only this but landslides were happening all over and we just watched from the comfort of our hammocks, so thankful for the precious rain pouring down from the heavens. 2 or 3 days after the heavy rains we headed by bus to a village called Karnaprayag which was up in the mountains and again close to the river. This place is a starting point for many sadhus and pilgrims that head into the mighty Himalayas which are about 100 miles Northeast of that point. There are 4 sacred temples that you can travel to and here are the sources of 4 huge flowing rivers, one being the Ganges...all starting from enormous mountain glaciers. This place is the place of legends were yogis live for years meditating in caves thousands of feet up in the mountains searching for spiritual enlightenment. However, after all this description we did not travel to this area 1 because we are in the monsoon season and so the mountains are obscured by clouds and 2 we are in the monsoon season which means blocked mountain roads from landslides. So instead we decided to stay up in the foothills of the mountains and do what turned out to be amazing bike trip. We cycled on back roads through small villages on a road that was just wonderful...since there were landslides around we basically had this road to ourselves. Most of the back roads in India are single lane, so this road was just like a slightly over sized bike lane, except that we were about 5,000 feet up cycling through beautiful lush green hills were waterfalls were cascading down and following a glacial fed rushing river. At some points in the journey we crossed people who said don't keep going because there are road blocks, from landslides ahead...but like most things in India and some things in life you just have to see for yourself...and we did. The first landslide we came to was a river that had basically taken out the road and was only cross-able by a small metal ladder that had been placed on 1 side and went half way into the river...upon where you could wade through a smaller portion of the river without getting carried away. Cars were sitting on both sides of the river and so were a lot of people...we picked up bikes and some how managed to balance them across the metal ladder, with one hand on the bike and the other holding very tightly to stay out of the river. People seemed to be very curious and I think impressed..or maybe just amused that we were attempting such a feat. I was impressed with us, we waded through the other side of the river and were on our way again...bikes are awesome!!! We crossed a couple more small landslides that would only allow passage by foot and some larger ones were the entire road had been eroded away and we had to tread very carefully as small boulders would periodically careen down towards your body, needless to say a very adrenaline rushed experience. It was however quite cool that even though people kept telling us, you can't pass ahead that with bikes we were able to...something even the motorcyclists couldn't do...HA! Well after that we haven't run into any more landsliding roadblocks as of yet. We've stayed in some cool little mountain villages and some place that were mountain villages but weren't that cool...but either way we have been combining great workouts (fun might I mention), with awesome views and natural surroundings as well as some pretty curiously cool mountain folks. There just something wonderful about having that special feeling, where you stand out from everyone and they just look at you like ??? ...you're a funny looking monkey riding a bike, are you an alien from another planet, or maybe you're freakin amazing...I'm thinking a combo of all three. Well since Rishikesh we've biked almost 200 miles and are just shy of the western border of Nepal by ~120 miles. We're currently in a small little village about 6,000 feet up called Kasar Devi which is very peaceful, has a great vibe and visionary vistas. It's still monsoon so unless you're up by 5-6 am you can't see the Himalayas because they're surrounded by clouds...so needless to say I've only seen them peaking their heads out once or twice when they decided to stay visible to around 8 or 9 :) But what I've seen has been incredible, giant snow covered gods and goddesses beaming forth from the some distant fairy tale land where dragons circle above and elves dwell below...it's incredible to be so close and heading closer. I remember when I was small and on some road trip, the first time I can really remember seeing mountains and just stood in their presence silent and spellbound by their ancient energy pulsating through my spirit..and these mountains are bringing me back to those days of ole and I am so grateful to be here. Well friends, we'll be in Nepal around the 11th of Sept. and will head towards Bardia National park, which I've probably spoken of before...a wild very natural place where you can still trek with a guide through a land filled with tigers, one horned rhinos and all kinds of spine tingling creatures!! I'm really missing you all and holding positive thoughts for you, but each one of you are here with us in spirit and I am so glad that I know each and everyone of you. I'll try to write in a couple of weeks once we reach the park but before we go on our 8 day rafting trip :) Please feel free to send us a message and keep holding bright light for us. Namaste, Will and Donavon
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| View of Ganges from Ashram |
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| Gazebo in the Ashram |
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| Hibiscus in Ashram |
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| Lily in Ashram |
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| Flowers in Ashram |
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| Hibiscus in the Ashram |
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| View of Ashram |
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| Swollen Ganges coming up to Ashram gate |
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| Me, biking in the rain |
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| Donavon resting on the road |
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| Donavon and waterfall |
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| Donavon lookin beautiful |
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| Beautiful valley/river view |
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| Landslide/roadblock |
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| Crossing over landslide |
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| Himalayas peaking through :) |
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| View from Kausani |
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| Me in Gwaldam |
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| Cool huts in Kausani |
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| Cool view on road to Almora |
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| Our home in Kasar Devi |
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| View from Kasar Devi |
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| Beautiful view :) |
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| Cool sunflower in our garden |
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| Another cool garden flower |
