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MAKING THE WORLD LESS BORING Crazed cross-India race draws young Boise team ANNE-MARIJE ROOK
When Jacob Black agreed to go on a twoweek, 2,000-mile rickshaw race across India, he had no idea what he was getting himself into. When BW met up with him mere days before his departure, it still hadn’t sunk in. “I’m just going with the flow. Taking it to wherever it leads me,” Black said. The Rickshaw Run is a crazy ride, to say Taking the Indian byways with three-wheeled, two-stroke buggies builds character—if it doesn’t kill you first. the least. The race invites participants into the heart of India, where 64 teams are traversers provide daily information regarding road ter] and pills to avoid malaria,” he said. “The ing paved and sand roads across jungle, arid best adventure about it is that I’ll learn a lot.” closures, advisories, danger zones and weather desert and windy coasts to get from Kochi, in forecasts, as well as medical aid. Black said the race has no strict rules. the southwest, to Gangtok, at the base of the Unlike most competitions, there is no There’s only point A and B—no checkpoint, Himalayas in the northeast. And all this in a grand champion in this race. In fact, the three-wheeled vehicle with a two-stroke engine no specific routes and no accommodations. Rickshaw Run is a charity event. The team You can go anywhere you want in India as that is as powerful as a lawn mower engine is responsible for raising at least 1,000 long as you arrive at Point B on Sunday, and can only reach a maximum speed of appounds ($1,529) for a charity of choice. April 11. proximately 30 mph. The auto-rickshaws, or Thus far, Team Shayu Productions has raised Accommodations are entirely the respontuk tuks, as they are called, haven’t changed 1,200 ($1,835) pounds for the Frank Water sibility of the participants; it’s up to them to since they were pioneered in 1957 and are Projects, which funds sustainable clean water decide to camp out, stay in luxury hotels or known to break down along the way. projects in developing countries. anything in between. The idea to participate in the race came While Dr. Goyal said that the event is a Participants do receive driving training and from Black’s old junior high school friends, good way to bring attention to charities, he classes on map-reading, safety and customs Alex Lindbloom and Oliver Deppert. Curfinds the rickshaw race to be “a waste of gas.” before the race. rently in Thailand getting their dive master In the past, races in India were held with The race doesn’t come without danger. Dr. certifications, Lindbloom and Deppert make bulls or elephants, Goyal said. Sudhir Goyal, an Indian native and adviser up Shayu Productions. Shayu means “shark” “It’s a very foreign thing—this auto race to the Boise State Indian Student Association, in Chinese, and they are preparing to shoot a they’re adopting. It’s not our culture,” he said. said they should be ready to encounter “all documentary on shark finning—the removal “You’re burning gas and adding to the the kinds of problems you can imagine in a and retention of shark fins to be used for greenhouse gasses. I want people to have more developing country.” soups and other delicacies eaten primarily in Starting with the diverse climate. Dr. Goyal fun with nature and the environment and not China. They decided the Rickshaw Run would said temperatures will range from 50 to 100 F. burn resources in the process,” Goyal said. be just another adventure and an exceptional Well aware of the environmental impact of “They’ll encounter harsh temperatures way to see India. When their third teammate these auto-rickshaw rallies, the organization in the south, but in dropped out, they general, this is a good behind the race, Chennai Event Management called Black. For Team Shayu Productions the adventure time of the year to be Services, stated that it is working on ways to “I didn’t hear ofstarted on March 28. Follow their progress at reduce the event’s impact on the surroundtraveling,” he said. ficially that I would boiseweekly.com, should they find a hot spot. ing environment, offset carbon emission and A big concern, be going on this especially when camp- reduce pollution. race until last month The spring race is only one of several an[February],” Black said. At the time he was in ing, is safety, Dr. Goyal said. Having an Indian nual rickshaw races through India organized guard or guide would be a good idea. Nicaragua running a hostel bar. “You have to be very watchful, especially if by CEMS. The races vary in length and routes, Together, the three adventurers from Boise but all are aimed, as the Web site states, at you have cameras, laptops, etc. They can kill form Team Shayu Productions, one of 64 “fighting to make the world less boring.” you even for those things,” he said. teams participating in this year’s spring race. Black’s first Facebook update after the race Food and water is another issue. One They left Kochi March 28 and made it 60 km began sums it up nicely: “Wow, yesterday should stick with bottled water, Dr. Goyal before a team they were traveling with had was the 1st day on the road we made it 60 their first rickshaw breakdown. One team had said, and food should be served hot. km before our friends that we are traveling “If it’s not hot, it means the bacteria is already crossed the finish line as BW went to with had there 1st run in with the wonders of there and you’re done,” he said. press. a rickshaw, Sunday is also a day that all the The probable breakdown of the rickshaw, Black said he had only talked to his teamstores and garages are closed so we couldn’t mates twice prior to departure. They told him however, shouldn’t be a problem, he said. get the parts that they needed until today........ “There are auto shops everywhere and where to meet and “to be prepared.” this is going to be a long trip ........ but the they’re easy to fix,” Goyal said. What that entails, he was not so sure. scenery is beautiful and the people are so nice While the safety of the participants ulti“All I’m taking is a hiking backpack, a and helpful. India is amazing [sic].” sleeping bag, a stove, a Steripen [to purify wa- mately lies in their own hands, race organizWWW. B OISEWEEKLY.C O M
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