So far, the middle way micro-trip has been the most memorable event of this year. It all started off with back in December, when our group came together for the first time and gave the new bikes a spin around the field. Having met the action Lanka team, I knew from the start that we were in safe hands with the guide leader, Suranga, having the tremendous experience he demonstrated throughout the journey. The bike were solid, the group was experienced and we were all ready and set for the trip to take place.

Following our introduction to the requirements of the trip, we set off for 2 practice trails between December and January (after the break). In my experience, the practice routes proved to be more difficult than any of the routes we went through on the trip. Nonetheless, they were monumental in helping us gain un understanding of the physical activity required on to go through this trip.

 

 

Day 1: Getting the Wheels Moving

It was an early morning as we departed at 6:30 for the long week ahead. A large part of the 4 hour long bus ride was spent sleeping, while occasionally glancing at the beautiful green scenery passing by. Following the ride, we got off the bus about 15km away from the back of beyond base camp. From there, we mounted onto our designated bikes and began the 15km route to the camp, Initially, we started off riding on the asphalt road but then transitioned into the dirt road sections which covered most of the route. On the way to the camp, we encountered a few falls and setbacks, with one student even having a tire come lose. Nonetheless, we adjusted to the terrain quickly and continued through the route with minimal issues. Back at the camp, we were introduced to our treehouse rooms and roommates. After having lunch and some downtime, we set out again on our bikes and completed a loop route approximately 30km, including the ride back to camp. Following this, we cleaned up our bikes, took a river bath and had a barbecue dinner and ice-cream before returning to our rooms for the night.

Day 2: 

Again, it was an early morning start to the day. We had breakfast at 7am then set off for the next route at 8am. Already feeling sore and tired, it was a difficult start to the day for me. However, I had to push on especially considering the fact that it was going to be a longer session. The route was approximately 45km in distance and passed through many of the significant natural sights such as the Kandalama reservoir and the Galkoth Kanda Mountain peak. It was a beautiful ride. Following the ride, we washed our bikes and got ready for the bicycle parts/functions workshop. The workshop taught us the various parts and mechanical functions of how the bikes work and we even learnt how to reassemble the bike parts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day 3: 

Day 3 was possibly the most eventful day of the trip. It was a hot, sunny morning as we departed the camp. A large portion of the route was covered offroad. After riding for about 2 and a half hours, we stopped at a local hut for lunch. The lunch was amazing. A local woman cooked us a traditional Sri Lankan meal consisting of food such as mango curry and devilled fish with beets and steamed rice. She also kindly made us herbal tea which was perfect after the long ride.  Following the lunch, we set off again and arrived at the other groups camp to surprise them. Because we were around the same area at the time, we thought it would be a good idea to get together for a short period of time. It was a fun experience as we got together and shared all the different things we had been doing on our trips. Fast forward to the evening, it was my groups turn to cook dinner for the group. Considering the lack of ingredients to work with, I believe that our dish was still quite delicious – it was vegetarian stir-fried instant noodles with carrots and cabbage. The team worked excellently together, with me setting out the plan and overseeing the cooking process. It was a success.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day 4: Pushing limits

Day 4 started off as usual, with an early 7am lunch and 8am depart. However, in addition to the biking route, we also climbed the famous pidurangala rock. It was a relatively short ride from the base camp to the rock site. On route, we came across a crocodile in a nearby lake. Following this, we had a short competition go see who could complete a short distance on their bike in the longest possible time called “the slowest race”. From there, we travelled about 3km before dismounting off our bikes and beginning the climb to the top of the rock. Before climbing, we had to pass through a temple so I came equipped with a sarong. While the climb itself was not difficult (basically just a very long stairway), it did catch me out of breath on numerous occasions and the sunny climate did not help. It was all worth it in the end because once we reached the top of the rock, the views were absolutely surreal. Having spent a solid half an hour on top of the rock, a distant storm was quickly closing in. Then, just as we began the descent, the rain came in. The slippery conditions made it challenging to go down. But the rain did stop and we continued on our path.  We then went to a restaurant for lunch. Finally, we ended the day by biking at high speed through the muddy off road trail back to base camp. Everyone was covered in mud, but it was all worth it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day 5: Back to Civilization

On the final day of the trip, we woke up and immediately packed our luggage, threw it in the back of the vans and accumulated all of the waste to take back with us. We then set off for a 30km route that would take us along the canal and the dirt roads that pass by it before reaching the main road. In my opinion, this was the best route of all the days just because of how calm and peaceful the ride was. The same cant be said for some of the other members, however, due to the low water supply and very high temperature. The skies were clear and the sun was shining very bright; it was evident that were all tired and dehydrated at this point. But, we persevered and continued on, reaching the main road on time. From there, we went to a nearby restaurant, filled our stomachs and were back on the buses, on route to Rajagiriya.