Today we take you to discover the latest undertaking of the WIJI friends, the Cataldo B-Roarders : Alessandro and Francesco, two guys from our community with a passion for travel and adrenaline who participated in the latest edition of the Rickshaw Run , held in early January 2024 among the wonders of Sri-Lanka! 
Born in 2006, the Rickshaw Run is a party on three wheels, where participants are called to face the mysteries, dangers and wonders of suggestive Sri Lanka on a daily basis.
At first glance, it seems to be a hipster variant, with hippy hints, of famous off-road rallies such as the Dakar. However, it is something completely different, a clear example of how true the proverb "what matters is not the destination, but the path". The adventure trumps the outcome.
In reality, who won the last edition or the one before is a mystery, and at the end of the day, no one really cares. Each year, approximately 100 teams sign up to participate in one or all three races that make up the event, which take place in January, April and August. The races cross the vast Indian subcontinent or the southern section of Sri Lanka, without an official route: there is only a starting line, a finish line and a few stages to follow.
You speed around on motor vehicles, those which in different parts of the globe are known as tuk tuks, but which in Italy can easily be identified by their original name: Ape. Equipped with three wheels, a 145cc, single-cylinder engine, this "exceptional" machine develops a power of a wobbly 7 horsepower. Detractors describe it as an enhanced "lawn mower", but let's let them express their opinion: we are still faced with one of the motorized icons of the 20th century. Before the official start of each competition, drivers have 3 days to experiment and push their vehicles to the limit. With its 3 wheels and high center of gravity, the tuk requires some training to learn how to drive it and balance weights and gravitational forces. But it is the ideal way to cross one of the largest countries in the world and its extreme surfaces, traveling from burning deserts to the highest peaks on the planet. 
The entire operation is based on an environmental protection key. In line with a true environmental mentality, each group is invited to raise funds and donations directed to Cool Earth, a non-profit organization that officially collaborates with the race. In 2013, the JacksGap team set a notable record with more than $180,000 donated to the cause of juvenile cancer research. 
It was a pleasure to follow the Cataldo B-Roaders in this adventure as true Urban Surfers. Until the next venture, on the table or on three wheels!
For more information on the race and to donate together with the Cataldo B-Roaders to the Cool Earth charity project visit the links below:
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