How hard would it be to convince your two best friends to spend between $4,000 and $5,000 each to squeeze into an open-air, golf cart-sized, seven-horsepower, three-wheeled vehicle prone to breaking down, and drive across India from Gagtok, Sikkim to Jaislamer, Rajasthan? “Shockingly, not at all,” said 2001 Newtown High School graduate Brianna Limebrook.

Brianna, her Boston University roommate Kate DeWald, and their friend Jim Matheson are participating in what may be one of the strangest charity events in the world this coming September 11 to 26, when they join 59 other teams racing pell-mell across deserts, mountains, and jungle terrain in a two-week trek to support charities, as part of the Autumn 2010 Rickshaw Run.

A rickshaw is a human powered cart that seats one or two people, traditionally used in Asian countries as a mode of transportation. The auto rickshaw, which is used in the Rickshaw Run, is a motorized version, with three wheels and a lightweight canvas top, somewhat like a gently enclosed motorcycle.

“I had been traveling for work a great deal late last year,” said Brianna, “and on one of my flights home, I picked up United Airline’s in-flight magazine, Hemispheres,” she recalled. It was there that the story “A Passage to India,” the diary of two Rickshaw Run participants, captured her attention. “The amazing experience they had and what all they were willing to take on in the name of charity was really an eye-opener,” said Brianna. “I knew immediately I had to get involved.

“Kate and I have known each other for almost ten years,” said Brianna. “I had a feeling she’d be up for it. She suggested her good friend, Jim, who raced dirt bikes, to be our third teammate and he, too, was up for it immediately,” said Brianna.

Brianna is a 2005 graduate of Boston University with a degree in marketing, who works for biotech PerkinElmer in Waltham, Mass. Kate works in sales at ServiceMax in the software industry — in San Francisco; Jim is senior director of marketing for SuccessFactors — in San Jose, California. It all adds up to a fantastic juggling act of organizational skills and a persistent mentality to keep this trio on track as they prepare for this autumn’s adventure.

“It is a bit tricky, coordinating,” Brianna said. But by making use of today’s technology, they are able to stay up-to-date and help each other out. They utilize email, phones, and the web, for the most part, and have set up a Google calendar and file sharing though DropBox accounts. “We make our calls more efficient by assigning tasks or areas of focus for each of us, so we can split up the work,” she said, “and all of us have great friends who have stepped forward to lend a hand.”

There is a lot to organize, beyond the obvious issues of procuring an auto-rickshaw and figuring out a route across the subcontinent of India. Each team must raise a minimum amount of money to benefit one or more charities, and that means fundraising in a big way. The “Raiders of the Lost Tuk” as the threesome has named their team (an auto-rickshaw is also known as a “tuk-tuk”), selected Friends of the Maiti Nepal, an organization that works to stop the trade of girls across the Nepalese border into prostitution, and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Since they decided to take part last winter, they have had two successful fundraising events, one in San Francisco and one in Boston. Added to the generosity of individuals and corporations, the Raiders have exceeded their goal of raising $2,250 for Friends of the Maiti Nepal.

“Now we are really focusing on raising money for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation,” said Brianna. This cause is particularly dear to them, as Jim was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at age 10. “This unorthodox adventure allows us to not only raise money for such a worthwhile charity,” said Brianna, “but also to bring awareness to type 1 diabetes.” They have set a goal of $5,000 for this cause, but have no qualms about trying to double that figure.

Not For The Faint-Hearted

The Rickshaw Run is not for the faint-hearted. The tiny tuk-tuk seats a driver up front, and has a bench in the back for two passengers. Judiciously packed backpacks carrying everything they might need for eating, drinking, camping, and repairs to the rickshaw are strapped to the top of the vehicle. While the trio determines their own route for the approximately 3,000-mile journey, they have no way of knowing if they will be swamped by a monsoon, stranded in the desert, downed by dysentery, or encounter less than friendly residents on the dirt tracks they travel over. There is no ground support. “We may often need to improvise on the fly where we’ll be staying each night — whether it’s at a motel, with a local family, or camping out — should an unexpected breakdown set us back,” said Brianna.

The three share a sense of adventure, she said, and look forward to the experience, but they are approaching it with a good dose of realism. They are attempting to get a model rickshaw sent to them prior to the race so that Jim, who will serve as their main mechanic, can familiarize himself with it. “Along with adventure, we’re a determined, passionate group,” said Brianna. They also realize that it is only human to be a bit nervous stepping this far outside of the comfort zone. The key, she said, is for them to keep in mind that they are about to have a once-in-a-lifetime experience while doing a lot of good for the charities they support.

They have also been training physically and mentally for the adventure. Already they have undergone several vaccinations for diseases like rabies and Japanese encephalitis (both of which cost each participant several hundred dollars). They are preparing for the grueling physical requirements of the Rickshaw Run through various endurance and strength training classes. “Since there are so many unknowns, we’ve been getting ourselves geared up as much as we can, both physically and mentally,” Brianna said. Only Kate can fall into the category of “super athlete,” said Brianna, having taken on over the past decade multiple marathons, a 50-mile trail run, and a half-Ironman event.

Because the run will take them through many less traveled areas of India, where no English is spoken, Brianna has been developing her understanding of the Hindi language through audio books and private lessons. “We have read books on the customs, cultures, and etiquette of India, and we all share highlights of them with each other over email,” she added.

Indian cuisine is also becoming a regular part of Brianna’s diet. Prior to her decision to enter the Rickshaw Run, she had eaten Indian food only twice before. Now, she makes a point of cooking a few different Indian meals each week, and learning the proper names for the foods.

“Each member of our team is putting more of ourselves into preparing for this journey and raising money for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation than anything else we have in our lives,” said Brianna. “All I want at the end of this trip is to be able to look back and say, ‘Wow, look at what we just accomplished.’ And, of course, ‘what a ride!’”

The Raiders of the Lost Tuk are accepting donations online at LostTuk.com, or by mailing them to Raiders of the Lost Tuk, c/o Brianna Limebrook, 1295 Beacon Street, Box 741, Brookline MA 02446. A “Wish List” of items the team can use is also listed at LostTuk.com. Inquiries about corporate team sponsorship or other questions can be directed to losttuk@gmail.com.