In the meantime, you might want to take a look at Hit The Road India, the written account of our adventure in India. One auto rickshaw, two guys, twelve days and 2000 km. India. Simply amazing.

Check out the hard cover, color book with over 100 photos;

Amazon Hard Cover

or

Check out the eBook version;

Amazon Kindle

The rally from Mumbai to Chennai covered 2300 KM over 12 days.  It was an exhilarating and exhausting adventure.  Monsoons to 100 F weather.  Breakdowns and running out of gas.  Being detained by the police.  Too many adventures to even begin to recollect.  Many we don’t even recall ourselves.

Thankfully, Manana Films was accompanying Team 6 throughout the journey.  150 hours of film.  2.1 terabytes.  Talk about editing.

Stay tuned.  The documentary will be available later this year.

Traffic in India! (click here for the video!)

So what does traffic in India look like anyway.  The country is incredibly diverse including the traffic.  And also very hectic.  And a bit dangerous. Take a peek at what we will be driving through as we drive close to 2000 KM.

The Temple of the Tooth Relic, Kandy, Sri Lanka

Deva, the rickshaw driver

It was a quiet night in Kandy, the city seemed to shut down by 8 pm. The city did not seem to have much of a night life. I passed the Queen’s Hotel, one of the oldest hotels (nineteenth century) in the city, twice while doing a loop of the town. A British pub was located in the hotel, the former governor’s mansion. I peered through the window each time I passed. A solitary man leaned up against the bar on the first loop, on the second loop, the pub was empty. This provided a signal to head back to my hotel that overlooked the city on a hill.

I negotiated with Deva near the hotel for a 200 Rupees fare, about a $1.66. I think I overpaid. Deva shared with me he had been driving a rickshaw for about eight years. And his hobby was collecting currencies from around the world…he listed the countries in his collection. Maybe this was a subtle hint to pick up an additional American dollar at the end of the ride.

As we approached my hotel, Deva made an offer. “Would you like to drive my rickshaw?” I smiled. This would be a perfect dry run for the rickshaw race, the 2000 KM Mumbai Xpress, in India this summer. Deva pulled over to the side of the ride. I joined him on the singular driver’s seat. It was cramped for one, and very uncomfortable for two. The front window was low, and visibility was limited. The mechanics seemed straight forward. A solitary pedal on the floor, the brake. The right handle included the accelerator, and the left handle allowed you to switch the gears.

In the pitch dark, I revved the weak engine, and managed to push the rickshaw into second gear. I safely navigated the vehicle for three minutes and pulled over at the hotel.

Just a taste. 2000 KM, 12 days. This summer.

Anyone can drive a car, or at least most people.  What could be more challenging? 

An auto rickshaw.  2000 KM.  In India.  That is what we are doing this summer. 

Think of it as a covered bicycle with a fuel-efficient lawn mower engine.

Auto rickshaws are common vehicles in India and several other countries. Though variable in size, the rickshaws used for the Rickshaw Challenge will seat up to 3 people (1 driver in the front seat and 2 passengers in the back). The design of the rickshaw cannot guarantee complete safety and security, but the low top speed of the vehicle contributes to major accident prevention.  (Just watch out for that truck careening down the one lane highway.)

It is common for these 3-wheeled vehicles to break down, especially older models. They are however, easy to repair and as locals drive them throughout India, there is no shortage of repair shops or auto rickshaw mechanics.

And for those gear heads, what about the stats?

• Gross vehicle weight: 610 kilograms (1340 pounds)
• Overall length: 2625 mm (103.34 in)
• Overall width: 1300 mm (51 in)
• Overall height: 1710 mm (67.3 in)
• Wheel base: 2000 mm (78.74 in)
• Engine: Single Cylinder, Two stroke forced air cooled
• Displacement: 145.45 cc
• Max. Net Power: 7.00 HP @ 5000 rpm
• Starting System: Kick start
• Transmission: 4 forward and 1 reverse
• Brakes: Front and rear hydraulic break system
• Fuel tank capacity: 8 liters (2 gal) including 1.4 liters reserve
• Kerb weight: 272 kg (598 pounds)
• Mileage within a city: 18 to 20 km/liter (45 mpg)
• Mileage on the highway: 25 km/liter (60 mpg)
• Average cruising speed: 50 to 60 kmh (35 mph)
• Maximum speed: 80 kmh (50 mph)
• Gas tank travel distance: 145 km to 190 km (90 mi to 120 mi)
• Oil must be added to every liter at 20 to 50 ml/liter (2.5 oz. – 6.4 oz./ gal)