01

September

0

The 8th Tour of the Dragon (TOD), Pre-Race Thoughts

This years 160 mile mountain bike event across the country of Bhutan has 32 riders from multiple countries toeing the start line, including myself and one other woman. This number is down from past years registration numbers, which have averaged around 50. This is due in part to the conditions on the course this year—a lot of local riders have been scared away due to the possible odds not finishing. Bhutan is in the process of widening their main road that runs through the country. Right now about 70% of this road, that we’ll be riding on, is torn up and under construction. During monsoon season, which means daily rain, that equates to; land slides, mud bogs, and hard pack […]

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Category: Adventure

01

September

0

Tour of the Dragon Pre-Race Festivities Filled with Sacred Things

Today all the riders, in the audience of His Royal Highness Prince Jigyel Ugyen Wangchuk (HRH), went to a puja ceremony and toured two monasteries and temples, dating back to the 10th century. We then rode out to a sacred lake so HRH could light butter lamps, blessing the riders and praying for a safe passage on bikes across this geographically formidable country. It was a time for well wishes and bonding among riders. As I write this I am getting choked up—feeling so fortunate that I can take on this event in this country that I love so deeply. There are only two women in the race this year, a young Bhutanese rider and me (the one old enough […]

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Category: Adventure

28

August

0

For Other Stubbornly Independent People Like Me (yeah you): The Argument for Letting at Least One Person Know When You Are Up to Something Notable or Potentially Risky

I’ve spent a good portion of my life not being required to be accountable to anyone, generally speaking. Though I have always enjoyed this type of freedom, an incident involving a mix up in my travel plans while coming to Bhutan, and no one involved knowing of my whereabouts, caused grave worry, hours of work, and a lot of morbid speculating as to what had happened to me by many people in Bhutan and the U.S., including government officials. This crazy situation has (finally) caused me to rethink my freewheeling way of being. I’m sharing how this played out because it may be useful to those of you who also revel in moving about in life unencumbered or think that […]

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Category: Bhutan

28

August

0

Morning Ride up to Big Buddha

169 foot Buddha Dordenma sits above Thimphu Valley, overseeing all the happenings in the capital. It is the tallest sitting Buddha on the planet, and given that it has recently been completed, there is a 3-month puja happening right now. Three months of puja is a LOT of prayers said for all sentient beings—can you hear them?! Given the auspiciousness of the event, hundreds of people from all over have flocked there to partake. I rode up the hill this morning to check it out. One of the biggest inspirations (and perplexities) for me here in Bhutan is the devotion to Buddhism as well as Bhutanese implementing that devotion into their day to day lives. So when I witness hundreds […]

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Category: Bhutan

28

August

0

Mountain Echoes

After a hike in the rain, I had the pleasure of attending a couple of sessions at Mountain Echoes, a literary conference in Thimphu, Bhutan, orchestrated by Her Majesty The Queen Mother Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck. The session, Woman Up, was a panel discussion with four successful, confident women who have made huge marks on many fronts: Amrita Tripathi, Barkha Dutt, Kuenga Wangmo, Padma Lakshmi. It was brought up repeatedly how younger women today have issue with the term feminism. I have run across this as well, so I was so pleased when most of them stated they were not only proud feminists but could only be in relationships with men who were as well—I was inspired—as I am in […]

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Category: Bhutan

28

August

0

Highlights of my day in Thimphu

1) Checking out progress on the gorgeous home (mansion!) that my Bhutanese sister, Yangki Tshering is building. Yangki is as humble and strong a woman as I’ve ever met and I feel privileged to know her. That said I’m glad I’m not one of her home building workers, as she is putting them to task in creating a stunning place! 2) Eating lunch at my favorite local spot, momo house, and once again buying lunch for the family who had the balls to sit at the table with the lone outsider chick (yeah thats me). Downside of the day: getting clear on how embarrassed I am to be an American right now, given the world view of our abomination of […]

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Category: Bhutan