2023 Nepal: Preparation

Tomorrow, September 15, 2023, Ken and I leave for Nepal, where we have booked a 32-day trek on the Manaslu Circuit and the Annapurna Circuit. People have asked why we are doing this. We honestly don't know. It's not really a lifelong bucket list thing. But when we think back, it does seem like we've been preparing for it forever.

Since we were kids, we have loved to camp and hike and travel. Forty-seven years ago, we drove to Mexico with a friend of Ken's and spent time in the mountain town of Zacatecas. As our kids grew up, we backpacked and skied in the mountains of  Montana, Canada, and New Hampshire. For the past 20 years, we have hiked and biked and skied the high peaks in Colorado, Arizona, and Utah. Eight years ago, we trekked to Choquequirao and Machu Pichu in Peru. Four years ago, we climbed Mount Olympus in Greece. Wherever we go, we head to the highest points, tackling summits in Ireland, Croatia, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, France, Italy, Catalonia, Greece...

At some point over the last few years, we started talking about the Himalayas. We have never been to Asia, and the scenery and culture of Nepal intrigue us. The Annapurna Circuit seems like a true challenge but something we might be able to do.

We are realizing that our ability to hike high and long is not going to last much longer. We struggle a bit with arthritis and artificial body parts, altitude has always bothered me and may be an issue for Ken when we get above 17,000 feet, and balance and stamina are not exactly concerns but are things we have become aware of.

So, tomorrow, we take off for Kathmandu. We are as prepared as flatlanders can be: We spent two months biking steep hills in England and Wales, followed by more biking in Wyoming and Southern Minnesota, plus hiking in North Dakota and Minnesota parks. Two people who have completed the Annapurna Circuit suggested that we go to Nepal a couple of weeks early and train for the altitude and mountain trails right there. And that is what we are doing. Our two weeks on the Manaslu Circuit are training for the two weeks on the Annapurna Circuit.

We have hired a guide and a porter to lead us from beginning to end. If the planned treks prove to be too much, we will find other parts of Nepal to explore--at lower elevations and on easier terrain. Whatever happens, we are ready!

2023 United Kingdom, Day 63: Home

We are home. The return journey was as easy as could be. Our taxi arrived on time, we made it to the airport early enough to walk our bikes through security, the flight was smooth, our bikes were waiting for us when we got to the oversize baggage point in Minneapolis, and City Gal Transportation picked us up as planned. We even had the energy to collect Izzie a day early, do laundry, and buy groceries. Now we catch our breath, get the bikes tuned up, and head to the Oak Park Inn in Whitehall, Wisconsin, for a long weekend of cycling with Joshua, Meghan, Josh, and Konur. More fun!

Our hedgehog from Sarah, our host in Cirencester (https://www.thelittleredcabin.co.uk/). Settled in his new home in our garden. Thank you, Sarah!

2023 United Kingdom, Day 62: Sunbury-on-Thames, Night 3 of 3

Walking Route: annex to Sunbury-on-Thames Village and back 1mi

Accommodation: Lovely Annexe

Lunch: Flower Pot Coaching Inn. Pizza.

I kind of wanted to go to the Victoria and Albert in London, but an hour and a half on trains each way just didn't seem like fun. Ken wasn't excited about the idea at all. We looked at our calendar for the next two months and decided that it might be really nice to just rest for a day, go for a nice lunch, and enjoy being in Sunbury.

After lunch nearby, we walked through the Walled Garden near the village and enjoyed the flowers, bought our host a thank-you gift for the ride she gave us on arrival, and stopped at a bakery for desserts.

Walled Garden, Sunbury-on-Thames.

2023 United Kingdom, Day 61: Sunbury-on-Thames, Night 2 of 2

Bike Route: none

Walking route: Annex to Sunbury-on-Thames Village and back 1mi

Lunch: Indian Zest. I had read an article on the village website, describing Indian Zest as a Michelin-caliber restaurant with an amazing two-course set menu for lunch. We reserved a table in the garden, walked over, and had an amazing last Indian meal of the trip

Dinner: Cheese, crackers, veggies, olives, and fruit in our annex

First order of business: Take apart the bikes and pack them up for shipping back home. We moved the bikes and boxes into the shade in the front garden and got to work. An hour later, that job was done.

Second order of business: Do a couple loads of laundry. While the clothes washed, we caught up on correspondence and sorted through our saddlebags and reorganized them.

Third order of business: Walk to the restaurant for lunch.

Fourth order of business: Walk back to the annex.

Fifth order of business: Take a nap.

Sixth order of business: Eat dinner.

Seventh order of business: Go to bed.

A very orderly day.

The River Thames is just across the street from our annex.

2023 United Kingdom, Day 60: Sunbury-on-Thames, Night 1 of 3

Bike Route: Whitley Wood to Sunbury-on-Thames 32mi 1100ft of climb

Accommodation: Lovely Annex (Airbnb); host Jeannette. King bed, washer, kitchen. A stylish, open plan and friendly space, five-minute walk to the River Thames and village. Large, modern, self-contained annex, behind Sunbury House; own entrance and space for parking.

Dinner: Veggies and rice in our annex

We were up early again, for our last day, planning to get to our annex in Sunbury-on-Thames between 13:00 and 14:00 so that we could walk to the bike store that was holding bike shipping boxes for us two miles away well before they closed at 17:00.

We found Anna in the kitchen when we went downstairs for breakfast, and got caught up in her life story, and left a few minutes later than anticipated, but still with plenty of time.

Remember that our host Jane was on her way to the Royal Ascot from Pewsey two days ago? Well, when we took a close look at our route for this day, we discovered we were going right through the middle of Ascot in the middle of the morning of the last, biggest day of the race. And there we were, surrounded by police and security and traffic and thousands of people dressed up in top hats and tails, fancy dresses and heels and fascinators, drinking champagne and riding in horse-drawn carriages and everything. It was festive and crazy and fun.

When we finally left Ascot proper behind, we had another five miles or so through Windsor Park, which was also lined with police and security and where carriages we queuing up and helicopters were flying low overhead. The farther away from Ascot we got, the sparser the crowds. The park was beautiful, wooded, with almost no traffic and only a few pedestrians and cyclists.

We finally rode through the last security gate and onto a busy road. We were running a little tight on time, but we were hungry and found a good place to stop at a Caribbean restaurant in Staines, a crowded city where I almost got hit by a car following Ken through a turning-red light (never do that).

When we arrived at our annex in Sunbury, our host was there to greet us and show us around. She asked what our plans were for the afternoon, we explained that we were walking to Walton-on-Thames to pick up bike boxes, and she offered to drive us. We accepted the ride, quickly showered and changed, and enjoyed an interesting conversation on the short ride to the nearby town. Jeannette pulled into a parking garage and said she would be having coffee in Starbucks, and we could meet her there in an hour for a ride back. Our bike boxes wouldn't fit in her car, but we settled on doing some shopping and dropping off a bag of groceries, then walking our boxes back.

On to Sainsbury's for food, Starbucks to drop off the bag with Jeannette, and Hoops bicycle shop for the boxes. As we were leaving the shop, the guy helping us suggested ordering an XL Uber instead of walking. What a great idea. We did it. The Uber came. We got a ride back to the annex.

Big chores done. Time to rest, eat dinner, catch our breath.

2023 United Kingdom, Day 59: Whitley Wood, Reading

Bike Route: Pewsey to Whitley Wood 48mi 2200ft of climb

Accommodation: Master ensuite (Airbnb); hosts Russell and Anna. A bright and modern large double room in a luxury house located on a private road in the Reading/Wokingham border. The room is very airy, spacious and well furnished so you have everything you will require during your stay. You are welcomed to use the kitchen and washer for your convenience.

Dinner: The Six Bells Pub. Indian food. 

The breakfast box left in our room got us started with a bagel, milk, and coffee, but we knew we would need something more substantial for our long day, so we started out early with plans to stop for lunch halfway through the ride. As I was finishing packing, Ken met up with our host, Jane, in the hallway downstairs. She was on her way to Ascot for the first day of the Royal Ascot, and hurried off. How fun.

We expected to be riding into more urban areas as the day went along, and were pleasantly surprised that for the first half of the route, we were still in the country. At Hungerford, halfway through, we stopped in a churchyard and ate our cheese, crackers, and fruit in the shade.

We made much better time than we anticipated, and arrived at our accommodation over an hour early. No one answered the bell when we rang at the gate, but a few minutes later, our host Anna and her husband arrived and let us in.

Anna and her husband moved to London from Poland 16 years ago. Anna left a bad marriage and situation behind, and brought her three young children with her. Several years ago, she and her new husband moved to Reading, where they started a cleaning and maintenance business. Anna had been cleaning for our host, Russell, who owned the house but lived in London and ran it as an Airbnb. Last October, she and her husband got the opportunity to rent the house from Russell, with the arrangement that he would continue to post two rooms on Airbnb and Anna and her husband would be onsite hosts.

Complicated, but all three were the absolute nicest people. Russell was in constant communication with us and Anna, Anna and her husband made us feel instantly welcome and at home, the house was immaculate and new and comfortable. We hung out in the kitchen for a while chatting, and finally pulled away to walk over the highway bridge to a pub for dinner.

About midway through the route, we crossed a cattle grid onto a common grazing field--and saw this sign, just past another warning that cattle can do damage to your car. Maybe we need similar signs for bikes?

2023 United Kingdom, Day 58: Pewsey

Bike Route: Chippenham to Pewsey 32mi 1000ft of climb

Accommodation: Pretty ensuite room in a bed and breakfast (Airbnb); host Jane

Dinner: Tale of Spice Indian restaurant

For the first time on this trip, I think, our room did not come with any tea- or coffee-making supplies--so we had to go without our early morning indulgence. TSo, the plan was to get an early start and stop a few miles down the road, in Lacock, for breakfast.

We found a fantastic deli with quiches and coffee in the middle of Lacock, and an empty bench out front where we could eat and watch the village wake up. By the time we were done, cars were starting to fill up the parking lot and people were beginning to walk by with dogs and strollers and cameras. We took a few photos of the pretty, historic village, stopped on the edge of town to capture a couple shots of the abbey, and headed out for more quiet country lanes.

After another 10 miles, we were on a narrow canal path. To be honest, I have not enjoyed those trails in England. The canals are narrow and overcrowded with narrow boats, the paths are narrow and overgrown and overcrowded with walkers, bikers, fishers, dogs, and narrow boat people camped out on lounge chairs. The scenery is limited to the shallow, murky canal, the weedy banks, and mostly the trail (because you need to watch it carefully for obstacles).

I was glad to get back on the road in Devizes, where we stopped in the shade for a little lunch. Then it was back on another canal path for a few miles, until we pulled onto a good road through several small villages. Overall, it was an easy ride with no real climbs, and we got to Pewsey just in time to shower and go eat.

Our host was at work but had left instructions for letting ourselves in with a lock box. She had also left a pitcher of water, snacks, and tea- and coffee-making supplies. We were happy.

Pewsey was even smaller than we expected, but we had a white-tablecloth dinner at the Indian restaurant down the road, followed by ice cream bars from the new, large Co-op less than a block away. We walked down a side street, crossed the River Avon, and made our way back to our room.

Closing in on the end of our ride; only two days to go

Lacock Village, early in the morning, before the tourist buses arrive. 

Meghan and I visited Lacock Village and Abbey during our trip to England in 2004, and I remembered it as a charming place, looking very much like it did in the 1995 movie Pride and Prejudice.

While Ken and I sat outside the deli eating our breakfast, we overheard two locals discussing the sorry state of the village buildings, saying that since the National Trust took over, only the bare minimum is done to maintain the facades so that tourists will continue to come, while the structures themselves are falling into disrepair.

Lacock Abbey was founded as a nunnery in the 13th century. After Henry VIII closed all the Catholic abbeys and churches in the 16th century, it was sold to Sir William Sharington, who converted it into a residence for his family. Later, it was owned by the Talbot family. It is now owned by the National Trust. Most recently, it has been used as a setting in several movies and TV shows, including the 1995 BBC/A&E presentation of Pride and Prejudice.

The Caen Hill Locks are a series of 29 locks that raise the water level by 237 feet over 2 miles. The tow path along this section of the canal constituted our longest "climb" of the day. 

Way off in the distance, we saw the Alton Barnes white horse. It was too far away for a good photo. So we detoured about 8 miles out of our way and rode right past it--and took a photo.