She did it! DIL did it!

She did it! DIL did it!

DIL was talking of her unfulfilled wish Her eyes used to shine with the very mention of the word ‘cycling trip’...i.e a long distance cycling tour- to be precise!

‘DKT, why don’t the two of us plan this? Princess is a big girl now. She doesn’t need me much. Moreover, aaji is around, and if she doesn’t want to look after her, then I will keep her with one of my relatives or friends in Chennai.” DIL would plead her case strongly.

But DKT had his own reasons not to fall for his wifey’s plot.

“Ghar mein bhi tu aur bahar mein bhi tu! I have better things to do without you. Tu ja na baba” – was DKTs unuttered response.

“You have become a couch potato these days. You didn’t join me either in a full or half marathon! First you say yes, and then you chicken out...tu nahin sudhrega” DIL said in frustration.

“I am like this only. My mom also tried her best to sudharo me, but even she couldn’t do a bit in that respect. You want to go – so go na! Nobody is stopping you my darling.” DKT would say and get engrossed in a game that keeps 11 million people busy in watching 11 players hitting a ball and then running to either catch it or miss it.

“Chee chee ...MIL, you never exercised your control on your boys at the right age, thats why  your DILs have to bear their nakharas. Only if I was his mother I would have straightened him out.” Said DIL , now pointing her gun at her poor MIL.

MIL looked at her and shook her head from left to right and from right to left again and again. Then she said with much courage. “he was fine till he met someone who taught him how not to fall for wise advice. He was initiated into saying No to things which he did not want to follow. Sometimes people get a taste of their own medicine!!”

DIL  gave a dirty look to MIL and left the room in anger.

After two days she declared “I am going for a bicycle tour with two of my friends in the last week of princess’s winter vacation – come what may....DKT will take care of princess in my absence. Dont I do it when he is on tour?”

MIL gulped all her questions like when, what, where, with whom, what’s the duration, date of returning, etc.

MIL also knew that half the time she will have to baby sit Princess because DKT would feel bored sitting at home intermittently. But....

DIL planned and planned and planned all details of the tour and marked the days  on the kitchen calendar for MILs kind information only.

In the meantime the news reached FB and people wondered if it would be possible to achieve the target of 616 km in one week! To which DILs answer was unless she would try she would not know.

A geared bike came home from DKTs friend’s house and a real-time practice session was done for a few days early in the morning on BPT road. In spite of her office schedule and cooking duty at home – attending  school routine of Princess, DIL maintained her ‘never say die’ spirit!

DIL also took out time to do some gymming.

Nothing went unnoticed by MIL. She admired DILs spirit in awe and decided to support DILs mission by doing her little bit at home with DKT as the major role player.

The day of leaving for the tour dawned. The bicycle was taken and parcelled at the railway terminus to be unloaded at a fixed destination by DIL, who would reach the starting point by flight.

As per their schedule, 3 friends met at Mangalore and set off for the long awaited dream ride – MANGALORE  to TRIVANDRUM!

DIL kept in touch and informed about their daily run and health condition. She always sounded full of enthu and never mentioned about a single problem especially to MIL.

In fact, MIL was hugely surprised by the group's speed, enviable energy and awesome spirit in fulfilling the target much before their scheduled time.

“616 kilometers in 5 days ! almost 125 km per day! Great great great!!”

DIL did it! She did it!

After about 9 days, DIL was back after a short visit to her father, whom she considers as her source of inspiration in respect of her enthusiasm and spirit.

DIL came home late at night with her trademark big smile and she got a hero’s welcome  -A cake and a cute welcome card by the Princess awaited her.

After a hug from everyone in the family she wanted to  retire for her much needed R&R. Before that she said “Everything went on well, except for my stupid right hand who is protesting due to the extra stress on it. But to sum it up, it was a memorable experience when the crowd cheered us on the road which gave us that extra energy for that extra kilometre  with a dose of extra encouragement.

Am awesome, spirited, inspiring, unbelievable feat by DIL! As of now, something that will go down in the family record –

Half marathon  - 2004

Full marathon -  2008

616 KM bicycle tour - 2013