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These mountains are extremely hard on the roads. Here's an older bridge alongside a new one. I was not even confident enough to step onto it.. I was a bit slow on the draw as a travelling monk on a scooter came by.. Pierre also had a turn at the tassels. I don't recall what his transgression...

Looking through the thread so far, the pics could make you think that we only rode on tar. While we did about 60% tar roads, there was a significant amount of dirt roads and offroad riding. The problem is that riding in those conditions doesn't lend itself to taking pics, because you're busy...

I'll be updating the thread again soon. I'm back at work so time is limited. There are plenty more photos and videos to process so I'll get onto later this week.

If you taks a close look at the road and how it has become so deformed, you realize the battering the mountains give these roads! Some pics, like this one, make me pinch myself and ask if I was really there. So, back to the business at hand. The day arrived to go from Panggong to Nubra...

There's been something in the back of my mind that needs to get out, and I hope I can articulate this in a way that makes sense, as well as providing entertainment and context to the reader. I was in my early teens in the late seventies, and came from a very musical family. As such we were...

Yes, all cut by hand. No implements to be seen up there.. Hand dried on the roof or the road.

A weary Sandro took his seat and waited for the bags to arrive. We all needed a hot shower, cold beer and hot food. Bags on the way. Our camp site: Yurts (Or Gir's if you're Mongolian), with the bikes already faithfully lined up and awaiting fueling and quick inspections before tomorrow...

Our destination was the resort of Man. You can see it's about 40km from the Chinese border on the southern side of the lake, which is pretty big! My "Attenborough" video :D

Time to get going.. Taking a break on some tufty grass somewhere.. Real pretty here... Mind the gap! Random check point in the middle of nowhere.. Newly surfaced roads, ready to be washed away next monsoon season. It dawned on me that the most important purpose for keeping the roads...

Mike at breakfast, disappointed that he won't be riding. The concern on Ryan's face is visible. For reference, we ate at 3567 meters. We're going up to 5800 meters. Mike will tough it out in the van despite low Oxygen sats. Alfie getting the Teddy settled in. I have to say all this teddy...

Mike is OK. He actually travelled across the Changla pass to Panggong Lake in the backup vehicle, hoping to recover and get back on the bike, but this was not to be.

It was time to say goodbye to the bikes we picked up in Shimla. Local business politics dictate that we rent local bikes in this province (Ladakh), so new steeds were lined up for us. After transplanting our phone mounts, etc. we got faniliar with the new, exact same bikes. Mine was a bit bent...

The Hotel Druk Ladakh is quite a place, and we were glad for big soft beds, green lawns under our feet and cold beers in the hand. Taken in Keylong, wit beentjies en rugby broek!! Next day was optional rest day in Leh or take a ride to Alchi Monastery. You didn't have to ask twice.. The...

One thing that was constantly on my mind throughout the ride, is that these mountains, which seem so eternal and permanent, are in a constant state of deterioration. They are continuously "Crumbling to the sea", as the lyrics of Stand By Me suggest. Even these massive monuments are only here for...

The young girl who spied my Teddy. Pierre marched us outside and made us pose for a pic. It's a nice memory. I bought another one in Leh shortly after and it completed the tour on the bikes of Alfie, Derrick, Kevin. We all thought these bears were hideous and gaudy, but the kids loved them...

Good question, which I have been turning over in my head since I got back. The Enfield to me was a disappointment for the following reasons: Lack of power: Claimed 24 horsepower, but all those horses are old and lame. There's an optimum pace for every riding situation and the Enfield battled to...

We had 2 Septigenarians on the ride: Sandro, 72. Fell badly on the second last day and broke a wrist and knee. Got put into a cast and finished the tour in the back of a taxi. He's now recovering well in Italy and expects to be riding by December. He is a fine gentleman indeed and gained...

I appreciate the perspective. I have a slightly different angle on it too. To me, this IS a material thing. Sometimes we are blessed with opportunity and means to do a thing like this, so we go ahead with it. Not so for everyone. We are a fortunate few and I daily thank God for the opportunities...

Actually, the ride is very carefully planned with altitude increments and decrememnts to acclimatize you. We had guys ranging from their 30's to their 70's and everyone coped very well, except Mike, whom I suspect breathed in too much dust and caused him complications later in the ride, as we...

Jy weet mos wat ek meen... :P