Himalayan Heights: Aug 28 to Sep 9 2023

[Chrisl]

Sub like it so far!!

I named my ride Palki,

 

[Airguitar]

Sub like it so far!!

I named my ride Palki,


View attachment 852363

That's my girl!
That said, Palki the Enfield is a lousy ride.

More on that soon!

 

[lizzierider1]

It seems like you guys had great fun and gathered wonderful memories.

 

[Fuzzy Muzzy]

What an experience.. enjoying this one

 

[Airguitar]

Apologies for the delay in updating. I've come down with a bad flu thanks to tightly packed airplanes..
Not COVID but still a wicked flu!

In other news I took the Z900RS to the doc this morning and scared the crap out of myself.
The difference is beyond astronomical, proving conclusively that the Scram is not on the purchase list.

 

[Airguitar]

Day 4: Shoja - Manali 120km

This section, although short, was quite varied in the conditions with which we were presented. Green pines, steep drops and mountains rising beside, herds of goats and long tunnels as we made our way ever higher.. The streets were mostly in good condition and traffic moved at a more sedate pace. There were also fewer vehicles on the road.

Here's a typical example of a perfectly innocuous situation. You can see the road shoulder has deteriorated due to heavy monsoon rainfall. If you are not competing with other vehicles for available traction, all is good. If however it's you vs. Raj in his Suzuki swift, you get the pebbles. Some boys took a while to adjust to this but once the initial surprise was handled, all was good.

Look where you want to be and put the wheels there. Don't look at where you do NOT want to be..

The mountains are constantly producing water..

Corner man duty at yet another bridge. The bridges are temporary structures made from steel, probably because they WILL get damages at some point so they just make them "Disposable".

Case in pointassing by and giving me thumbs up.. Bridge looking a bit tired!

Taking a break where 2 rivers meet.

See the different colours in the water..

 

[Airguitar]

Pressing on.. Ryan was giving it horns.. He almost had an altercation with the front of a bus shortly after this..

As the roads got rougher, so too did the river get wilder.

Semiregular stops were made to let the group catch up.

Enjoying a spicy lunch with Pizza at a particularly pretty spot..

The Hotel in nice. Overlooking the town from the opposite mountain slopes.
Colonial and Comfortable- The quip about the big rock is an inside joke between my first daughter and me.
I took her with me to Cape Town and in the morning she opened the curtains to see Table Mountain..

Turns out Manali was one of the preferred stops on the Hippie Trail. Even now, shopping for Manali means you're in the market for some Happy Backy!!

We really liked it here. Mike was on a mission to buy some bungee cords to better secure his carry bag to the bike. It was out of desperation that he bought some nylon Dog Collars with bells on them to secure his luggage. Immediately a trend was started and we all bought colourful jingly dog collars. I still have mine!!

"On a hippie trail, head full of Zombie" kept playing in my mind.. Downtown Manali Buddhist temple.

I never met a strange lady who made me nervous...


We enjoyed a good few of these...

Next morning at breakfast, Phil was sporting this T-shirt.

I can go along with that!

 

[Airguitar]

It seems like you guys had great fun and gathered wonderful memories.

We found ourselves saying over and over how this trip delivered way more than just an epic ride in a dream destination. We bonded in a way none of us could have foreseen, which made the experience richer and more valuable than the money we paid to do it.

 

[Airguitar]

I must say I have fond memories of Manali. We had a bit of time on the afternoon of our arrival and, before we went to buy dog collars at the market, I led the boys on a wild goose chase up the hill opposite in search of a nice lookout point. All I got fro my troubles was horribly lost and of course the accompanying ridicule that ensued.

A few clips showing Manali and outlining the ride that got us here.

 

[Airguitar]

Day 5: Manali - Keylong 110km

After breakfast we were loading up and getting ready when I noticed Rob, our tor leader, doing something to my bike.


Apologies for the video poor quality. I don't know why that happened..
The bear of shame had already been carried the last few days by Siddo. I don't recall what his particular transgression was, but it was significant until I messed up. This story will become more hilarious as the days unfold..

Siddo the day before with his prized passenger..

The tassels gave the added advantage of being able to pick your bike out in a lineup!!

Manoj doing some roadside adjustments to Siddo's bike.

 

[Airguitar]

Feeling on top of the world. Most guys were awake early and taking photos, drinking coffee ot Chai Masala, swopping stories, sharing a laugh or just taking it all in..

Siddo relieved to be rid of the Bear of Shame.

The ride out from Manali is one of the highlights of the tour for me, due to the amazing scenery which unfolded as we made our progress.
Here we stopped to let everyone catch up after being detained by a cheeky flock of goats.
See the truck lying on its side in the background..

The driver had decided that the laws of physics were nothing but a social construct. He took the right turn at speed, rolled over a first railing and was caught by a second railing which prevented him from starting next life as a fish in the river..

We never saw many accidents but when we did they were spectacular..

Palki and her Pink Passenger.. quite garish in this beautiful landscape.

Mike, Pierre and Martino.

Entering the 8km Atang tunnel..

The pic is blurry but you get the idea.

By comparison, the tunnel we traversed the day before was unlit, dripping water and pretty dangerous, complete with two water crossings in the tunnel. This one was uneventful, but significantly longer.


On leaving the tunnel, the change in landscape was immediately apparent, with the vegetation more sparse and poplar trees seeming to be the most commonly thriving species. We stopped at a campsite for a picnic lunch.

Well, maybe not poplars, but similar..

Rob was a hit with the kids (Gypsies) and took them for a little joyride.

They made maximum use of his hooter!

 

[Airguitar]

After their joyride, they wandered among us looking at the bikes and were given something to eat and drink. Then they spotted the Bear of Shame on my bike and chaos ensued. Screaming and grabbing, tugging and fighting, all they wanted was the bear. They pulled so hard on it that the legs were starting to tear off. I unstrapped the bear and gave it to them. One grabbed it and ran off, the other kids running behind, screaming, crying and freaking out. I made the promise to buy another bear in Keylong. The ride to Keylong was uneventful, with the landscape becoming ever more moonlike as we gained altitude...

Keylong. You can immediately see a shift in the landscape, as well as the local culture.

The rooftop terrace at our accommodation (I hesitate to call it a hotel) overlooking a gypsy camp.

Looking in the other direction was a bit more spectacular.

Himalayan prayer flags everywhere!

Our hotel was... interesting...

Every afternoon, no matter where we ended up, the crew would fuel the bikes, check them over and line them up ready for the next day. I cannot overstate how good these guys were. They gained the immediate respect of every one of us on the ride.

We took a little walk in the streets of Keylong. Everybody owning a store keeps it open for the summer months but closes up and moves downhill when the harsh weather of winter sets in.

This is the only pic I have of the restaurant in Keylong. The door belies how good the food was. We ate like kings!!

I mentioned that we bought a guitar. I failed to tell you that the first time I tried to play it it had been mishandled by some baggage attendants at the hotel in Shimla and been broken at the headstock. I managed to get some super glue and effect a repair to get the guitar going again.
After a few beers on the rooftop, Pierre had the brainwave to go down into the street and play some music. I'm not sure how long we played but it was until after sunset. Another memory!!!

 

[Airguitar]

Day 6: Keylong - Sarchu 100km

This is where we really began to feel like we were in the Himalayas, mainly because of the altitude and the way it affects everything.he landscape, the people, the bikes, ourselves. Things became different quickly from this point.
After the usual (excellent) briefing by Rob, we took a while to get going. I'm not really sure why, but maybe the altitude was starting to tell. Keylong is 3000 Meters above sea level. I remember how climbing the steps to the terrace took so much out of us all.

Alfie and Siddo waiting (im)patiently..

..and off we go.

I found myself pressing forward in the column, which tended to sort itself by riding capability and pace. Not that anyone went racing ahead but anyone experienced in riding dirt will tell you that there's a pace that works best. Too fast and you're nit in control, too slow and you feel every bump in the road. Nobody minded and we all made room for each other.

Mountains getting steeper and ravines getting deeper.

note how the sides of the road are not in the best condition. This is common and gets worse quite regularly.

With all due respect to the late, great Sixto Rodriguez, I could never get tired of these scenes..


I was also continually amused by the decorated trucks. I guess that vehicle is the driver's pride and joy, where he expresses his individuality much the way we customize our bikes.

Everyone still behaving like gentlemen on the road..

THIS is what we came for!

 

[Airguitar]

As the day progressed, more scenes like this began to unfold before us. So far the roads were good and the weather was excellent!

Palki was holding up fine, despite all the verbal abuse I was heaping upon her every time I twisted the throttle and got almost nothing in response.

A word about backpacks.
Mike had bought a "Rhinowalk" motorcycle backpack with a waterproof inner and extra clips and straps to fix to the bike. He was pretty excited about it so I bought one too (59 EUR on Amazon), and ended up using it once. It kept slipping its moorings and the backpack straps were iffy. My old combat style pack got pressed into service and it held up extremely well. Except that Pierre complained that he couldn't see my brake light when riding behind me. Subsequently I strapped it on sideways, which worked even better.
Note the new Teddy on the bike, purchased in Keylong. It was not destined to stay long....

Quite regularly we got held up by road works patching up the roads where landslides has caused havoc.

With scenery like this the waiting is far from unpleasant..

Stopping at the famous Lhasa Food corner for tea.

Manoj always with a smile on his face.


I stepped out the back for a pee and took this shot..

You wouldn't imagine that people live up here in these makeshift tents and run a business. Can't complain about the setting!!

The tent to the left is a Motel, the one to the right is the store/restaurant. The food was amazing as usual.

The brothers Oz. Great dudes and always up for a laugh.

Descending into the Shyok river valley..

Don't you just love the names? Zing Zing Bar is known for it's dangerous water crossing. We found a trickle. It's fun just to be able to say "Zing Zing Bar? Yeah, I was there back in '23"

We are making our way to Baralacha La, The highest point on our ride so far at 4850 Meters!
It's traditional to honk your horn when passing the high point. Some of those trucks had a full symphony orchestra under the bonnet!!
Mike giving a thumbs up!

Slowly all the lads arrived and we stretched legs and took pics. It was really windy but not too cold, considering we were near the snow line.

Father and son enjoying the moment together.

Pressing on to the campsite..

I seldom stopped to take pics during the detours because the riding is quite demanding between the road conditions and the traffic. This shot doesn't really do it justice, but erratic drivers and sudden dips and chips in the road on a bike that can't get the front wheel off the ground when you really want it makes a boy tired at 18000 feet!!

Mike was breathing in a lot of mountain dust. He didn't like having his neck buff covering his nose and mouth. This had consequences further down the line. I kept mine on religiously.

First mishap of the ride: Mike was ahead of me on a descending gravel hairpin bend to the right. A vehicle was ascending and took it wide. Mike got proactive on the front brake, washed out and went down. I stopped safely behind him, while Sandro copied Mike and went by me and laid down next to Mike. No injuries, just some dust on the butt and all was well.

I helped both riders and bikes to get up and off we went.


Tent camps were becoming a regular feature...

Lunch time!!

 

[Airguitar]

I couldn't get enough of looking at the bikes lined up..

The whole family works in the kitchen. You can see the ethnic bent towards the Nepalese here.

I never realised that this young girl had spotted the Teddy on my bike. It was only when Acho came to me a bit later and told me how she had been admiring it. How could I ride off without giving her the Teddy?? Wasn't gonna happen..

The boys getting Oxygen to the brain.. the locals were amused..

Apparently the idea caught on..

Some of the boys bought these wooly sherpa hats. They actually saw good use further down the line when it got chilly.

Most of us didn't bother using the provided toilet. Simply because we wouldn't fit inside..

And on we go...

We arrived at the campsite and some tomfoolery ensued. There's a flat plain of loose sand that makes for some excellent power sliding on a bike that has power to speak of. Rob in the background egging us on to play. I took the bait. Not sure if anyone else has footage. I don't.

Then, over to the tents for a shower and a cup of tea or 3. Dinner in the Mess Tent and guitar songs around the campfire. I took no photos as I recall..

At sundown the temperature dropped rapidly. I was thankful for the extra heavy duvet on my bed, because the tent itself did precious little to keep the cold out.

Ryan (Mike's son) picked up his swag and wandered off into the plains to go camp out under the open sky. Next morning he came creeping back to camp. It was a lot colder than he anticipated, but he survived, albeit lacking some sleep.

Buddhist shrine in the foreground and Ryan long gone in the background...


Next morning found all the usual suspects with mugs of tea greeting the sunrise. Mike looking out over the plain for his boy's return. Made me thing of the Prodigal Son and the patient father.
Well, Mike wasn't that patient...

Bikes lined up with military precision... Let the day begin!


The valley lit up to show us the way.. But first.. Breakfast!!

 

[meteldog]

Super pics and story, keep it coming

 

[Zeff Cowboy]

Amazing trip. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Airguitar]

Day 7: Sarchu - Leh 260km

This day promised to be the most challenging, but also most rewarding.
Leh (3500m above sea level) is the capital city of the Ladakh province, and is very heavily militarized, due to its strategic position. Pakistan to the west and China to the east keeps the Indian military presence vigilant and bristling with equipment. This is because the region falls withing the disputed territories between India, China and Pakistan. Leh has a commercial airport and most travellers to Leh fly in. Not us, however, we had a long, hard ride to get there...

You can tell we're above 3000 metres. Nothing grows above that altitude (10,000 feet).
Especially not Mike !!!

A rare shot with me in it..

It's impossible to describe the sensation of standing in this desolate place, so far from everything you know.

The obligatory moon shot..

On the road again....
It felt like we had landed on Mars..

The spirit of adventure, captured in a nanosecond.

The photo was taken on the fabled Gata Loops. Twisty roads that rise and plummet through the mountain passes on the road to Leh. The grins were wider than the helmet visors. See the deep blue of the sky. We'd never been so close to the moon with our feet still on the ground!!

Lachung La pass. Only 16,616 feet high.. ho hum....

Ground control to Major Tom.....

I'm afraid that the photo doesn't do justice to the emotions we experienced at these heights. The Oxygen levels had our fingers tingling (a result of the Diamox tablets) and panting with every step we took. My own Oxygen levels were very good at altitude, the lowest was 90%, where some others were at 76%. All that just added to the sensation that we were doing something extraordinary.

Mike was suffering a bit. looking slightly grey in this shot. As yet we didn't realize he was in the early stages of Hypoxia. We are all in good spirits here..

"O we few, we happy few. We band of brothers!"

..and pressing on towards Leh..

Choose the wrong line and you're riding on marbles on the edge of a precipice!!

Many, many marbles..

Dusty, tired, and happy!

I do believe this is the only photo I have of the entire "Happy Few".

About to take to the Moray Plains, with a new tar road with undulations in it that threaten to buck you from the bike like a Bronco!!

Standing was the best solution, and keep it below 80km/h. On a Himalayan.. no problem!!

And so arriving at Tanglang La Pass. The authorities couldn't decide whether it's the Second-highest pass, or the Twelveth (sic) highest. Anyhow, at 17,482 feet it's higher than Cessnas can fly..

Dig the cheesy grammar!!!

Each high pass has a Buddhist shrine on it. Many people stop and pay respects there..

Acho and Rob. Top guys!!

However, the road to Leh was calling...

 

[Airguitar]

A bit of perspective on the roads we took. The photos from the bike simply don't do it any justice. There will be some videos uploaded at the end which will hopefully cap off what I've been trying to convey.

 

[Zeff Cowboy]

Anyhow, at 17,482 feet it's higher than Cessnas can fly..

To be fair. That's higher than piston Cessnas can fly.