U'khand: Senior citizens on cycling adventure

ALMORA: A group of seven intrepid senior citizens from Maharashtra have set out on an arduous mountainous journey, cycling their way from Dharchula to Panchachuli, a distance of 250 km traversing altitudes ranging from 9,000 ft to around 14,000 ft in the Kumaon Himalayas.
The youngest person in the group, which comprises a doctor, government official and agriculturist among others, is 58 while the eldest is 72."We wanted to prove that age is just a number and if one has the will, then it is possible to undertake a cycling expedition in the upper Himalayas even if one is a senior citizen," said Sanjay Sawant, a retired income tax official, who at 58, is the youngest in the group.
At 72, the eldest member, Shivaji Handal, said that after surviving a severe Covid-19 infection, he cycled at least 6,200 km to places like Tirupati and Kanyakumari for "good health".
Others in the expedition are Vijay Bhal Singh, 62, who runs a garments business in Pune; Arun Nevse, 62, who retired as an agriculture officer; Rajesh Kamble, 66, a doctor; and Laxman Navale, 66, who retired as a trainer.
On Saturday, the team left for Dharchula. Bharat Sah, a member of Uttarakhand Cycling Association, who is acting as the team guide, said, "From Dharchula, we will travel to Narayan Swami Ashram. On Monday morning, we'll be on our way to Nagling and then to Dugato village. On Wednesday, we're planning to travel about 4-km from Nagling to Panchachuli Glacier."