Celebrating 60 with a 66 km Olympic Ride in Doha

Olympic Cycle Track - A Great Sporting Facility

Ashgal, the public works department (PWD) of Qatar gifted another cherished gift to the residents of Qatar on the National Sports Day (celebrated on the second Tuesday of February annually) of 2020 - February 11. It holds the record of being the longest asphalt track for bicycle rides and is named Olympic Cycle Track.  It is 33 kilometres in length (32.869 specifically). 

The track is 20 feet wide. All along the path it is fenced on both sides - so no one can enter or exit the track, except for 3 access points around the start (Lusail City - adjacent Qatar University Metro Station) and 4 access/exit points around Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor (where the inaugural match of the world cup 2022 was held).  Thus it connects two major stadia of the country - Al Bait and Lusail (where the World Cup final was played).  It has 29 underpasses and 5 bridges to ensure a hassle-free ride. 

Though Doha appears rather even topographically, the ride offers you adequate toughness by way of regular climbs and inclines.  It is freely accessible 24 hours of the day. There are 3 electronic display stands presenting the data - one each at the beginning, middle and end of the track. Yesterday (Sep. 28th) it indicated 123 cyclists at the start (Lusail) and 102 at the other end when I covered the points. Finally, when I returned, the first one had counted 202, with a total of some 12900 plus cyclists for the year. 

The track, in general has a buffer area on both sides - on the Northern side (right as we go towards Al Khor) - generally 10 ft wide patch, with grass or sand, and similarly on the other side narrower in many places, but in many places much wider zones as well. But for a few 100 metres, the entire stretch has avenue trees on both sides - now having attained an average height of 12 feet, planted 10 metres apart. Roughly a total of 6000 plus trees. When they grow bigger, it will be a real shady green patch in the desert, and may contribute to the efforts to go carbon neutral! 

Safe! Till midnight and perhaps, even beyond, cyclists are riding men and women. The track is suitable to let the bicycles take a speed of 50 km per hour even! There is no fear of any motor vehicles bumping you off - at some points, the high way goes closely parallel, but with adequate distance and safety measures that they don't ram into you. There is no fear of stray dogs or similar animals chasing you. I saw one cat by the side of the track.  The entire stretch is safe, and practically, there is no fear that someone will do you some harm - bindaas!

A Green Patch on the Drab Desert Land - The trees planted are typical of the Indian subcontinent - Alstonia Scholaris (saptaparni), Hibiscus telleucius, Thespesia populnea, Azadaricta indica, Cassia fistula, Ficus religiosa, Ficus benglensis, Cordenia sebestena (Geiger tree), Pithecellobium dulce (jungle jalebi), Cascabela thevetia, Terminalia brachystemma, Cericidium parkinsonia (Palo Verde) and some sort of trumpet flower. 

The entire stretch is adequately illuminated with lights at fixed distance on both sides, though in certain stretches, they were not functional.  Still it was amply visible, and though I could not use the headlight of my bicycle, as the holder had disappeared in the repair process, I could see very well. The turf is  perfectly maintained all through. There are 5 or 6 access points for the ambulance, which are closed.  There are some mechanisms for opening them by authorised personnel. 

The entire stretch is neatly maintained.  However, the human habit of littering was seen here too - not expected of a fitness-conscious crowd. Toffee wrappers, water bottles....However, very minimal. All along the 33 km strech there is not a single outlet to get any stuff, no provision for water or toilet, which I felt could be a very useful addition.  Every kilometre is clearly marked beginning with 1000 mt till 32860 mt, at each point distance from both directions being shown.  A few wooden benches are found here and there, for resting and relaxing. 

Planning the Ride   It had been a preparation for over a week, and a search and for over three days - First, I got our former student, Nikhil Jose (a student of the first batch of RISE, Rajagiri) who is a very senior executive with a medical firm in Doha.  When he came to know of my enthusiasm for bicycle, he brought his own bicycle, saying that he was not using it regularly, and let mee use it. It was 2 years back. He had promised to take care of the repairs if any, as he knew someone who does that well. Yes, I did manage with the minor repairs or replacements like a puncture (usually requiring replacement of the tube).  However, since taking this to a shop and getting it ready for a ride was not an easy task to be accomplished in Doha, on the very first day of my arrival in Doha, I called up Nikhil and sought his help.  He readily obliged, and came to our residence. After updating ourselves, he took the bicycle and brought it back by Thursday so that I could go for a ride on Thursday evening.

From Sport to Commuting

Doha - Qatar being, generally a level land, should be quite suitable for bicycle rides - definitely during  the months of November to April (March). However, the problem is that it is promoted more from the angle of sports and fitness. So most of the tracks, which come to many hundreds of kilometres in this small country,  are not connected.  And for the bicycle rider, getting across the highways and flyovers to reach another stretch is nearly impossible and dangerous as well. My plan was to ride to the Olympic Track. However, I found no way to reach there riding a bike; so riding presupposes that you have a motor vehicle (car) to reach you to the riding track.  The beautiful Doha Metro does not permit bicycles to be carried on them - perhaps, if this is brought to the attention of the authorities from a carbon or sustainability angle, I trust they would definitely rethink it. 

Personal Adventure @ 60

When I completed 50, I had a great ride up the hill towards Shabarimala - a 90 km stretch. I thought of having one on a smaller scale as I approached 60. 

Come Thursday evening, and I tried many ways to find the route to reach the bicycle track, but the internet was not giving any clue. Then I sought the help of our transport department, and they arranged for a vehicle (Innova) to drop me at Lusail, where the starting point was supposed to be. In between, Alan, our heartian alumnus, and my regular companion in the Middle East (UAE, Qatar, Saudi, Bahrain), and who had thrown this challenge before me, when I first arrived in Doha, also tried to be helpful by guiding us. But around Lusail Boulevard or the stadium, we could not trace the place.  He directed us to go to Al Khor road and to find the track there. And we did, but found the track impenetrably fenced. Phew!! Again, Alan sends a location, and we found to our frustration, that we had to go another 14 kms back. And Alan had added some confusion by having given me the intro that the track is some 50-plus kilometres long, and the descriptions were not matching, making me think that we are in the wrong place. With the new directions, the Doha expert driver Vijendar confidently led me, but started missing one turn after the other, adding to the kilometres to be covered. After a few attempts, I sensed that we are not going to make it. And I called back the mission, after almost one hour of futile attempt.  I also was not sure of the distance to be covered, whether I would require some support, whether track be through till the end etc. 

Fortunately, I didn't attempt. We came to realise that contrary to our understanding the bicycle track is usable only on one side of the Al Khor highway - though almost the entire stretch has a northern wing of bicycle track, it is yet to be fully functional, and is not yet opened to the public. 

Another day of surfing didn't yield any results. The third day, our colleague, also a small-circle bicycle enthusiast Ashok, almost definitively found that the starting point was adjacent to Qatar University Metro station. That was specific, though on Friday morning, on our Friday outing we had passed by that, and Alan had shown it, the specific station was not clear.  Now armed with that, we explored the possibility of fixing the bicycle into the boot of the Corolla car used by the Principal.  We managed that, and the Principal himself drove me to the location - here again, there was confusion in the directions, google adding to confusion, but Waze, coming to rescue;  we finally managed to arrive at the starting point at Qatar University Metro station. Seeing the well-laid track, the Principal got enthusiastic, saying that someday, he too would do the stretch.  He left me to undertake the ride, promising to coming to Al-Khor if required, or at the starting point itself, depending on the need. 

I found several people riding,  most of them in the opposite direction; however, there were more people joining. All of them were riding at a pace greater than mine - I assume to some extent, on account of the bike as well. My broad-tyred (3 inches) Hummer was no match for the thin tyred race bikes. I had to struggle.  Long absence and not using the bike - I had forgotten the speed system - it is a 15-speed bike, with 3 for the smaller front and 5 for the back.  I got in grips with the system only after covering some 10 kilometres.  I took a small break after completing 12 kms, had some passion-fruit juice I had prepared and brought.  At 27th kilometre, Al Bayt stadium becomes visible - and like the 3 Kings who rejoiced while seeing the star again, I felt overjoyed.  I didn't really believe that the distance was only 33 kilometres. I covered the distance with the break in 1 hour and 42 mts. Got down, stretched the legs, took pictures - Al Bayt in the background was not becoming very visible. 

I walked 2 hundred metres, and began the ride back. It was tougher this time.  Since the afternoon news of a young Malayalee having died during an Uttarakhand trek was there in my mind, I was observing my breath and any sign of exhaustion. Though I was not puffing or panting, I felt that the breath was becoming belaboured. After 12 kilometres, I took a break - to relax my flailing knees and thighs, I almost walked 1 km. It was becoming tougher and thighs and calf muscles were under great strain. I stopped again at the 26th km, and my store of water was exhausted. All the cyclists were going past me rather fast, but that didn't disappoint me.  Lusail Stadium was visible about 28th km. It was gloriously shining like the big Arabian cap it was meant to be, with the four tall blue Hyundai towers standing behind it as sentinels.  I stopped in front of it, and took a picture. Walked a bit more, and then made the final leg. This stretch took me 2 hours and 10 mts including the 2 km (app) walking bit. 

Though this was not any big feat - as far as my record is concerned, or for any cyclist, still I thought my small crowd of supporters would have been there - at least with some water to replenish me - Yes, some glucose or a banana would have been fantastic! But none there. I was, or my lower half was really exhausted. I could not sit or stand. I lay on the cushioned bench, which was wet with dew - it was not helping. I lay on the cement floor of the parking lot, and tried to relax. My reconnaissance (read pick-up) team arrived 15 minutes later, and gave me some water. I struggled to be seated in the car - with muscles aching and exhausted. I feared whether there would be a muscular cramp, with salts having been depleted. But fortunately, no. 

It was heartian Santhosh who had come with the Principal (another heartian) to give me the ride. He was treating us to dinner at Al Saitoon. After many rounds of missing the route, we finally reached the destination, by which time, my muscles had relaxed, and I was free of the aches and exhaustion. That was amazing grace! And awaiting us was the seafood platter - a half platter was sufficient to fill the three of us! 

Personally, a very gratifying way to celebrate 60, though for the rest of the world, this is just an aam baat! 

Acknowledgements: Nikhil Jose, Alan Jerson, Ashok, Santhosh, Joshy Abraham

https://marhaba.qa/cycling-tracks-of-qatar/

Bicycle Ride along the Hilly Kochi and Meeting People of my History

I got this blue & silver BSA bicycle somewhere around 2002. I think it had a name - i-bike. Now the name has been smudged, and I am not able to fully make out the name on the bike. Its original shape resembles the one given in the picture. Our young neighbour and friend Jeffrin at Rajagiri wanted to get rid of his bike and he approached me asking if I would take it.  I was not very keen. The one I was using was a much better version with very good shock absorber and gear suited for the undulated terrain of Kalamassery.  But somehow it got into bad repair, and our young kitchen assistant was keen to get that if I were to dispose it off. I had bought it in 1997 for about Rs. 2500.00. He agreed to give me Rs. 1000.00 in instalments and I let him have it. And then, there comes the request from Jeffrin.  With some reluctance I purchased it for Rs. 1000.00. I don't think we had any haggling on that. Apparently, he needed some money and in those days, even Rs. 1000.00 was not a small amount - especially for a student; and even for a religious like me.

Since then, this lady's cycle, with no gears (single speed), with a peculiar handlebar and braking system had been my companion bicycle. When I got transferred to Thevara, I took that along. After shifting my stuff by car, I came back another day to pick up the cycle and rode it to Thevara. In Thevara, I discovered a discarded race bicycle when we cleaned up the store - that was in 2010. I got it repaired, and my good bicycle friend Denny got a gear system fixed onto it.  It was done by Murugan and it cost about Rs. 3000.00. I learnt to ride that and I could go at a fairly good speed, and with hands off the handle.  It was fun. We had a trip to Munnar - since I had no day to spare, this bicycle was taken to Munnar by car, and I travelled during the night and reached Munnar early morning.  Then Dr Shaji, Denny, Anand and I rode the bikes to Kochi - around 140 kms.  That was fun. There was a reconnaissance vehicle - I don't know who drove that. Anyway, my good friend Thomas was there till Nellimattam on that. 

I was content to celebrate my 50th birthday solemnly (in 2014, as usual, privately) riding that bike from somewhere near Thiruvalla to Pampa altogether 90 kilometres on the hills - though I would have loved to do a para-jump like the venerable Sr George Bush.  Our trio - Dennis, Dr Shaji and me, managed to maintain a position between 40 and 50, among the 110 odd participants, most of them regular bikers, much younger and equipped with much better bikes. Later, with the same bike, I joined a brevet of 200 kms (altogether 222 kms) from Kaloor to Athirappally and back in 13 hours. (Now that bike is found discarded at SH Monastery parking lot. Apparently nobody is game for that old bike). 

It was this Denny, who had also completed 600 kms and 1200 kms randonneues, who met with an accident near his home in Kalamassery and was almost incapacitated in the past 8 years. Now he is halfway back to normalcy - can speak, understand, walk wobbly, and remember many things though some of the items of the past - people & events -  have been totally deleted.  Thank God, he is alive and is struggling back to normalcy - the support of his wife and 3 lovely kids, and of his maternal uncle, Dr Shaji a bio-chemistry scientist, industrialist and bicycle enthusiast had been commendable in all this. 

Today, they were here - at my request, Dr Shaji brought Denny and 2 of his kids (Rajagiri students) and we spent some time talking, and praying.  When I blessed Denny, he too blessed me, and made a sign of the cross on me. 

A Ride on Kochi Hills 

After almost 3 months, I was using my BSA bicycle - it is kept unlocked at the Provincial House, but hardly anyone uses it. If at all someone wants to use a bicycle, there are better bicycles there. I had inflated its tyres last time I had come, had corrected its pedal riding all the way up to Aluva (8 kms) to get that done. On arrival from UP, I found the bike neglected, tyres deflated. I inflated it, and even after 3 days, they are intact. The rim of the wheels and the frame are gradually gathering rust. The humble silver-coated machine is getting almost near its silver jubilee. 

Yesterday, I took it out for a ride along the hilly terrains of Kochi - to our Prior General's house at Chavara Hills, Kakkanadu.  Just about 10 kms away.  Could visit our Fr General and get my daily workout done. I didn't attempt to scale all the steep inclines riding, as my crumbling knees could not afford it. However, in less than 30 mts I was there.  Met the general and enquired after his khushaal. He enquired if I had to 'share something' - that is very natural. Hardly anyone comes to make a courtesy call. Always having an agenda - an axe to grind - maintaining the relationship is not generally an agenda.  At times, people are surprised - 'why did you come?' 'just like that'.  'Oh come on! What is it about?'   'Nothing.  Just to say hello'.  

Our watchman at the PG house Mr Pauly was not amused that a bicycle-riding commoner had come into the glorious precincts of the CMI headquarters - parked the bicycle right in front, had entered the PG house and had gone in.  He had gone for a minute to relieve himself, and from the washroom window, he observed this uncommon entity of an old man on a bicycle riding uphill and going into the house. He somehow managed to get out of the washroom and hurried in looking for this man. How dare such a commoner come into this sanctum sanctorum thus - Perhaps, in his whole tenure, he might not have seen a CMI coming riding a bicycle, even a motorbike riding CMI would be a rare specimen for the PG house.  They expect the priests to come in a car, or in exceptional cases, perhaps come by an autorickshaw or Uber taxi, if they were dependent on public transport.  So he was not amused, but I was, Fr General put him at ease. 

Fr General wore a pleasant look and appeared in good health after his kidney transplant.  He recalled our 47-year-old association - I as a schoolboy at SH Thevara and him as a scholastic for UG programme in Chemistry at SHC Thevara. That was good. I made a tour of the campus with my batchmate and our finance secretary Rev. Paulson - the campus has grown greener, the trees have grown big.  and the building is being stretched to the boundaries to accommodate delegates for any possible meet at the general level.  The cruel ways in which the land is exploited by the users is having its impact on the campus with the eastern boundary sliced off sharply at almost 90 degrees by our neighbour to maximise profit, now crumbling down, and requiring a retention wall which could cost millions! 

To my gladness I observe a Noni tree, rather full-grown and bearing abundant fruit - I recall Prof KV Peter of Agricultural University promoting Noni products in a big way. I also see that Wisteria had grown into a great pandal with flowers and cool green shade; however, the exotic plant is said to grow very strong and widespread roots all around, likely to damage the adjacent humanly erected structures - buildings and roads. The sapling I had planted at SH has grown and started flowering, I should warn my successors of these consequences.

A Chance Meeting with Justice Cyriac Joseph

Then riding back, I notice on the way 'Justice Villa' and the name board of Justice Cyriac Joseph - once upon a time our inspiring President of KCSL.  I decide to stop over, knock and see if he was around. And I did. And the Justice came out, after an initial moment of recollection, could place me (I believe so), and received me and we had a long conversation on his experiences as a young leader and later on as Justice in different parts of the country - how the CMIs were in his life, especially Fr Austin, his tenure as Chief Justice of Uttarakhand and association with our members and institutions in those areas; again as CJ of Karnataka and the occasion of inaugurating the law school at Christ university.  I learnt that it was the golden jubilee of his wedding - August 25th, and they were looking forward to an opportune time to celebrate the same. I click a picture with him and depart. 

Yes, I do recall him as an inspirational leader. I attended many KCSL camps with him, where I had some important role as a student leader. I made some caustic remarks during the evaluation of a camp, perhaps trying ot make an impression or thinking that was being fashionable. My mentor Fr Earathara was annnoyed, and he expressed the same in as many words.  However, Adv Cyriac Joseph intervened - He said that if the youngsters feel something is amiss let us relook at them, and try to improve.  However, I was embarrassed - I don't think I had really something to say, but I still fumbled something sensible I think. He recalled many students (especially Vinson Xavier, my junior in school and a good friend) and animators associated with KCSL and said that he had been the President for a record 12 years, almost always spending money from his pocket for his various travels associated with the league. 

Vijobhavan - Priesthome and Some Palakkapilly Links

I move further and seeing the Priest Home for the aged, Vijobhavan, stop over.  This is the place where many of our beloved pastors spent their last days - I remember Frs. Malamel, Kakkattuchira...I enquire with the unfriendly appearing receptionist cum support staff there (that is what people holding any responsibility in Keralam think - they ought to be rude and brusque - it's the combination - commifeudalism - though these people are neither commi nor feudal, but that is the culture built up over the years) regarding the present inmates.  As I revealed my identity as a priest he comes forth with some details, and I notice that many are known to me. I decide to say hello to them - Fr Vayalikodath immediately recognizes me and warmly enquires after, and we connect again, sharing our WhatsApp numbers. I meet Fr  on the way and he is happy to see me. But I have no great association with him. Then I search for Fr Zacharias Paranilam and we get into a prolonged conversation which unfolds some Palakkappillil story - though that takes up time beyond my budgeted time, I still listen to eagerly. 

His mother Eliswa is from Palakkappilly Koonamveedu which has almost come to nil with our generation. Her father was Scaria.  Scaria's mother was from the Vadayar Chakkunkal family. 

Ammini chechi almost as old as my eldest sister is the only daughter of that branch of Palakkappilly and she is now married to James of a Manayath family - people used to call them cross belt, as his father used to wear a traditional Kerala shawl - randam mundu - across his arms in an impressive manner) and she is having four daughters and thus there ends Koonamveedu Palakkappilly and even Kanatt branch of James. But his younger brothers - my contemporaries - Thaddeus and Simon, excellent athletes, are still there, said to be settled in Switzerland.

I have often found Fr Paranilam at some of our functions, but I did not know how exactly was his connection. His mother was the eldest of 3 daughters followed by a brother Chackochan. So the mother was bit too taxed with the care of the 3 kids in quick succession, and a way out was sought. Then came the aunt at Vyttila who was without any issues and volunteered to take care of one of them.  And she took away the eldest, and brought her up as her own daughter.  She did schooling up to IV or V grade which was too good for those times. The adoptee mother and the daughter developed a very close bond that when the father of Eliswa came to take her back when she was some 12 year old, she refused.  However, the father would have nothing to do with her refusal and took her back home by force.  Admitted her to a school at Perumanur.  On the very first day, she walked off the school to Vyttila (some 6 kilometres away - perhaps, having to cross one or two canals en route) and there was no more coercion to come back. 

After a while, the adoptee mother, who had lost her husband and having no children,  prepared a will by which her estate would belong to the adopted daughter, with a condition that she herself was taken care of by the daughter's family till her end. This was thus carried out. However, nobody bothered about the property being there at Vyttila. 

And when the normal time of marrying the daughter off came, she was married to the Paranilam family of Chalakkudy.  This was also a great family with a glorious past now towards decline - but having a lot of farming and related assets like hordes of cattle. Fr Zacharias recalls the three-storeyed ancestral home, which was later purchased by the CMIs of Sagar Province.  To cut the long story short, the new bride was not at home at this farming environment. The bridegroom, having been a meek person, decided to shift to Kochi with his bride so as to make her at home. 

At this juncture, it was recalled that the bride had a property in her name with a house and all necessary systems to support a family.  Hence it was decided that the couple to be housed at this Vyttila estate, and thus Zacharias who is originally from Chalakkudy Paranilam, came to be a native of Vyttila. 

Scaria's younger brother George was a Police Inspector, who got settled at Mala (Muttikkal Parish) from where his wife, who inherited her ancestral property hailed.  His son Thomas inherited the paternal property at Perumanur and in Vyttila and his children are George and Babu.  Thomas chettan and his wife, the then senior most members of the Palakkappillil family died recently. 

That much engaged listening, and Fr Zacharias gifted me with his jubilee book - vachana cherathukal. I received gracefully - not sure of reading it, but still aware of my bad habit of trying to do that when any book is gifted. But, lo & behold, I rushed through it in 2 days time: and I would recommend it for a reading by the faithful, and even by the clergy.

To me, it served as a useful revision of some Theology, Ecclesiology and Comparative Religion (don't know if the term is right).  Some of the articles, especially the ones on culture and implied incarnational theology are very appealing to me, and I feel the Catholic church is still a slave of the Greco-Roman world view and cannot free itself from its hegemony, and hence, I am afraid, the gospel suffers.  There could be a much deeper dialogue between Hinduism and Christianity and an understanding of Christ and his message from an Indian worldview - especially Vedantic, I feel.  (I am no authority to make any such statements; however, I had felt so).

Grateful for Life 

With the onset of osteoarthritis, I am now troubled mildly with quick movements of my feet - walking, jogging, running etc are becoming tough. The doctor advises that one should avoid activities that cause extra stress to the knees which will expedite the deterioration - squats, hiking etc. to be avoided. walking on level planes may not adversely affect the condition. And my left elbow was severely hurting on account of tennis elbow, and the right shoulder, with a recurrent, slipped shoulder (the last incidence being yesterday). So the ride made me feel happy, energised and confident  - that even at this stage, in spite of all this, I am able to do a ride of 20 kms in an undulated terrain. Deo Gracias!