Paris to Mussoorie on 1972 Gitanes
11-03-20, 11:42 PM
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Paris to Mussoorie on 1972 Gitanes
I was reminded of this by another thread about Gitane bikes. I don’t recall this article from Ride with GPS being linked here or in the touring sub-forum. Sorry if this is a re-post, but I did do a search and could not find it. So, here it is in case anyone missed this great account of two guys who rode the 6,000 mile trip, that would be impossible today, from France to India on $100 Gitane 10-speeds in 1972.
https://ridewithgps.com/ride_reports...art-1-fra?otu=
https://ridewithgps.com/ride_reports...cle-part-2-tur
https://ridewithgps.com/ride_reports...cle-part-3-afg
.
https://ridewithgps.com/ride_reports...art-1-fra?otu=
https://ridewithgps.com/ride_reports...cle-part-2-tur
https://ridewithgps.com/ride_reports...cle-part-3-afg
.
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Montana, where men are men and sheep are lying little tramps.
Last edited by majmt; 11-04-20 at 07:06 AM.
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11-04-20, 06:23 AM
#2
framebuilder
Imagine my surprise about reading in C&V about 2 guys riding their bicycles from Paris to Mussoorie, India. I spent a semester going to a small boarding high school in Mussoorie. The town isn't that big and was a hill station in the foothills of the Himalaya mountains where Britishers would visit in the summertime to get away from India's heat. it is one of the most beautiful places on earth with an elevation around 6500 ft. Looking north one can see the high peeks of the Himalayan range and looking south the Indian plaines far below.
The winding twisty road up to Mussoorie from Dehradun climbs 4500 ft in 22 miles. Coasting down that road is how my schoolmates got their Boy Scout bicycling honor. Once on the plains they could ride on the flat until they finished their 50 miles. They rode in trucks back to campus. I think their honor should have had an asterisk saying it wasn't deserved.
One of those schoolmates took my bicycle frame building class in the late 70's and still rides it to this day.
The winding twisty road up to Mussoorie from Dehradun climbs 4500 ft in 22 miles. Coasting down that road is how my schoolmates got their Boy Scout bicycling honor. Once on the plains they could ride on the flat until they finished their 50 miles. They rode in trucks back to campus. I think their honor should have had an asterisk saying it wasn't deserved.
One of those schoolmates took my bicycle frame building class in the late 70's and still rides it to this day.
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11-04-20, 03:47 PM
#3
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I've been reading it. Good writing and maybe less focus on the bikes (except tires and flats) and more focus on the adventure, people and places.
I'd recommend it to anyone looking at the post.
I'd recommend it to anyone looking at the post.
11-04-20, 07:41 PM
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Kandahar. Ah yes. One of the reasons we wear poppies this week.
And were those stone Buddhas the ones the Taliban dynamited shortly after taking over in Afghanistan?
Great journey and great story. Thank you for posting it.
And were those stone Buddhas the ones the Taliban dynamited shortly after taking over in Afghanistan?
Great journey and great story. Thank you for posting it.
