Solo biking is considered a male-dominated activity. A city banker Snehal Wankhede has broken this myth. Just for her passion and to see and experience the rich Indian culture, she has undertaken solo rides to all four corners of India.
Snehal who is the senior marketing manager at Bank of India, started undertaking solo bike trips in 2015. She has so far done Nagpur to Ladakh in 2016, followed by Nagpur to Kanyakumari. Last year she had gone to Himachal Pradesh on a one month solo ride. When asked why she chose solo biking, the banker said, “In public transport, you have a number of restrictions. Due to time constraint, you can't mingle with the people and interact with them during the journey. That is not a problem if you are on your own bike. There is no mobility issue. You can go anywhere and not depend on others.”
Asked whether her family supports her adventures, Snehal said, “My husband has always supported me. In fact, he arranges all the required things and getting the bike serviced. My parents still have reservations. There is little bit of nervousness before any expedition but once you start the bike all nervousness and anxiety vanish.
Snehal said in many places, people can hardly believe a woman can undertake solo bike rides. “In villages, when I ride in wearing a helmet, people generally think of me as a man. When I remove the helmet, they realize I am a woman and give surprising reactions.”
More than competitive biking, Snehal is interested in exploring remote places and meeting the people. “I am not interested in competitive sports. More than that, I am interested in experiencing the rich culture of our country. We have so many things to see and I think solo bike trip is a great way to do it.”
In April Snehal is planning to visit Nagaland again. “I attended the world famous Hornbill Festival in Nagaland in December-January. But I still feel a lot of villages and interior parts are yet to be explored. I am planning to go there again in April. Snehal has not set any target for future but she wants to attend various festivals in the country.