The land so barren and passes so high
that only our fiercest enemies or our best friends would want to visit us
Ladakh- a dream had been nurtured for long. Our road trip to Ladakh had been cancelled twice in the past. Frankly speaking, doing it on bikes had not been thought of in the past. The proposal from Sanjay, Niranjan and Mangesh, therefore, acted as a trigger, prompting us to look at the option of fulfilling our dream-cum-passion but with a modification, on bikes . New bikes arrived for self and Sanjay in the first week of June 2008 - two Royals (Electra 5S) while Mangesh and Niranjan decided to do the trip on their beloved Pulsar and Avenger respectively. Intensive research was set into motion. Interactions with friends who had been there or had served in Ladakh, internet blogs and numerous telephone calls later, our ride plan was ready. Having been to Sangla before, we were keen on re-doing the stretch as a part of this ride. The area is beautiful, traveller friendly and unique. A drive through this area would take us to Lahaul via Spiti before hitting Manali-Leh axis. Such a modification would make the trip different from run of the mill Manali-Leh rides and more importantly, would enable us to acclimatise better before hitting very high altitude passes on the way to Leh. And we decided to do this expedition as a tribute to a spirit called, XCIII. The take off date was finalised for mid July 2008. Our kits arrived from a Cramster. But much before the kick off date, a blow was delivered in form of a collective professional event that could not be avoided. Suddenly, we were looking at a D day sometime in mid August. In the meanwhile, a few more friends requested us to take them on board. Simranjit (on a Royal) from Chandigarh, Balwant, Sachin (on two Royals) and Subash (on Pulsar) from Mumbai and Karan (on a Royal) from our own fraternity, joined the gang. The plan now involved kicking off on 17 August so as to return on 05 September 2008. Return journey reservations for Mumbaikars were done accordingly. Weather was, however, looking pretty threatening. Incessant rains had been an issue, impending floods was the other. A few more hiccups and frustrating moments later, the D day arrived.
(pic courtesy simranjit singh gill)
It is a treat to ride in a group with nine bikes, mostly Bullets, thumping away to glory. It was a nice cruise till Kalka when we hit a water filled muddy patch inside Kalka town. The road wore the look of a four wheeler road test bed with undulating surface covered with wet mud. The humps in the road started hitting the extra fitments on the bikes and the traffic turned out to be a big headache. Just outside the town is a toll post and by the time we crossed it, it had become dark. At this point, a nightmare started. We hit a traffic jam. Some landslides around Solan had caused the massive jam. Bikes are handy in such situations and we managed to wade through the traffic till as far as Parwanoo but lost cohesion in the process. The traffic was simply still and it was a jam spread over a large distance. As I steered an overloaded Bagheera to pass through a narrow gap, I felt a huge drag to the left. Something inside me told me that the worst had happened. I carefully drove over to one side of the road as last man of our group, Flier, joined us. Yes, the rear wheel had punctured. A brand new tyre of a brand new bike had got punctured in middle of a huge traffic jam. It was around eight in the evening. Flier walked a distance to look for a puncture repairer while I unloaded the bike, removed the carrier and all the stuff. Deepika pitched in with help. We had the repair kit but the foot pump had gone ahead with Niranjan. The cell battery was down and group scattered. The jam opened up after ten and I instructed everyone else to move on or stay anywhere they wanted. By the time Bagheera got on road, it was one in the night. By two, we had checked in a motel, The Nest (better avoided- dirty), near Parwanoo, having decided not to push on. Seven bikes of the group were entering Simla at that very moment. As we dozed off, I realised that out of a total of two days kept as reserve, we had already lost almost one day.
(jalor lake - pic by sanjay)
One aim of this camping was to test the efficacy of our camping equipment that we had been carrying. I had a fully functional kit while all others were the first time users. However, as we reached the place, we realised that the area was all wet due to non-stop rains that had been on for a few weeks now. Camping in such a place would have meant soiling the equipment at the outset. It was, however, too late to pull out as the dark clouds had already covered the sky. Between Nag Devta Temple complex and the resort, was located a building under construction. The structure was complete less plastering and finishing and had no doors or windows. It was enough to give protection against rain and dew and sleeping on the floor meant protection from cross winds. Making use of the last few moments of light remaining, we started to settle down. The dhaba where we had tea at Narkanda, is situated next to a barrier that controls the entry to Thanedaar area. The lady owner had been preparing food for the evening at that point. Therefore, before moving on to the lake, we placed order for the dinner to be packed. Mangesh was requested on cell to pick up the stuff on his way. So we were OK for food and lodging for the evening. We had deliberately saved our ready to eat meals for unforeseen eventualities ahead. Niranjan, Mangesh and Balwant drove in just after the last light. Niranjan had, on his way, dropped his cell phone and the instrument had been run over by a truck. Sachin and Subash came in well after last light. Having seen a leopard on the way, they looked pretty thrilled. We had our first group meal. A simple affair consisting of dal, roti and cabbage, that meal gave us a feel of group for the first time. We were from diverse backgrounds, many of us were meeting one another for the first time and were still getting to know each other. It was, therefore, the first ritual of its kind and all of us understood the sanctity of the occasion. Before extinguishing our candles and torches for the day, we discussed a few issues that affected our movement as a group. We decided to nominate two bikers to fetch the rear in case of any trouble with anyone of us while the rest of the group was to keep moving in line with the ride plan of the day. We discussed the route for the next day, agreed on planned halts for meals or refreshment and then wished each other goodnight. We were now one full day behind our original plan. We were aiming to reach Sangla next day.
Day 3- 19 Aug (Odo:2460) - a pleasant morning with no real threat of rains. It had drizzled during the night but it was alright in the morning. Finding a place to go through morning routine was a fun thing in itself. Deepika was offered the usage of proper bathroom facilities by wife of a retired serviceman while rest of the gang had to fend for itself. We packed up, loaded our bikes and were on the road by 0800h. After that brief drive out of Chandigarh the day before, we were driving as a group for the second time. Driving on the narrow road leading to Narkanda through villages and thick forest was an experience in itself. Ten km on, however, the cohesion broke. As we touched Narkanda, I halted just to guide everyone onto the road to Rampur. Four bikes were missing and so were Sanjay, Niranjan, Sachin and Subash. Cell coverage was on but there was no response. In line with the decision taken last night, we decided to move on. Having had a cool one hour breakfast break at North Park restaurant (reasonably good) short of Rampur, we moved on when others did not turn up. We were, however, in communication with each other. Flier’s baggage had come off and thus the delay. At Rampur, we decided to show our bikes to a mechanic. Simran’s bike had a broken kick spring. While his bike was being repaired, we discovered an issue with Bagheera. We had fitted one box on either side to carry our stuff. The welding work on the left box had given way and the linkages had jammed the break rod. There was no option but to shed the box and leave it as a
gift with the mechanic. A bag was arranged to accommodate the stuff and break rod was welded since it was about to break into two. This work, however, enabled rest of the gang to join up. This break also gave us some time to interact with locals and a few friends. We were advised to try and reach Pooh instead of Sangla because Maling Nullah ahead was open to up traffic only till noon. Because of the recent landslides, two way traffic was not possible. Starting from Sangla in the morning would have meant a travel of more than five hours to reach the crossing point at Maling. However, from Pooh, it was just under two hours of journey and that much logical. A short discussion and we amended our ride plan so as to hit for Pooh that night. It was 1500h and Pooh was well five hours away. We had no time to waste. We also purchased some spares and lubricants that had been consumed till then. Most of the bikes had some kind of irritants and same were also rectified. We took off and were soon crossing the beautiful stretch of winding road through overhangs and rock cuttings. The stretch is dangerous if you take your eyes off the road but it was a great fun driving through the stretch with not very heavy traffic. The fun got over soon as we crossed Sutluj short of Karcham. The construction work had made the road slushy and wherever the patch was dry, it was all dusty. A fair amount of traffic, especially of earthmovers and mobile mixer plants, slowed down our progress. I took a short halt to exchange notes with a
As of now, we were at the base of Pooh town and it was already last light. We had covered this distance at a good pace, saving one hour in the process. A few minutes later, we checked into the small but beautiful, luxurious and very neat hotel, Om Guest House (01785232610), being run by two brothers, Ms Susheel Negi (the head Lama of Pooh) and Samsher Negi. It was to be a great end to a rather fateful and long day. But now the wait started. That particular day, both the cell coverage and line communication was down in the area. With no communications on, it was impossible to get in touch with others. There was no option but to wait. We had requested the army posts enroute to guide the others and hoped like hell that the system would work. It was about one hour or so later that we heard that distinct beat. Karan came in. A bit later, Niranjan, Mangesh and Simran drove in. No news of three bikes. We had to resort to army communications to trace them. They had halted at Rekong Peo after getting delayed because of Subash taking a wrong turn and reaching Sangla all alone. He had probably not registered the change of destination to Pooh instead of Sangla. By the time he could be recalled, the night had fallen and Flier had decided to halt at Peo itself. A good decision though it had given us jitters for a few hours. A small accident at that stretch would have spelt disaster and it was a worrisome fact.
Pooh is a small beautiful settlement, perched on a mountain face amidst an almost barren landscape. Monsoons seldom cover areas North of Peo. As we move up, therefore, vegetation cover keeps getting sparse. An army campus and GREF HQ are the major landmarks of the area. Mr Susheel Lama is a very courteous and polished host. The hotel being extension of their ancestral property, is co-located with a monastery run by the family. It adds to the ambience of the place. The Tibetan decoration and layout of the place is just so very beautiful. The place has a definite positive energy. The monastery has a 1100 years old book. The view of Sutluj from Pooh is simply awesome. It was in this beautiful setting that we received another blow - Maling had indeed got closed a few hours back and GREF officer in charge of the clearance task, did not foresee any chance of the site opening up even for pedestrian movement for next couple of days. Simran’s bike had been giving him the problems. The pulling power had gone down drastically. Balwant’s bike, as brought out earlier, was badly injured. 3S group was yet to fetch up. We were in a fix to some extent. Do we wait here and wait for Maling to be kind to us or do we get back all the way to Rampur and then head for Manali via Jalori Pass? In either case, we would have lost at least two more days and that would have meant a big setback. A decision was taken to return to Rampur and go through Manali. Later on, we were to appreciate our decision since Maling had actually remained closed for more than a week. Time permitting, we would return via Lahaul-Spiti-Maling on our way back from Ladakh. So, everything had not been lost.
Day 4- 20 Aug(Odo:2700) - we had to wait for the only mechanic shop at Pooh to open in the morning to enable Simran and Balwant to get their bikes repaired. Around 0900h, Mangesh and Balwant started off once latter’s bike was made roadworthy. Balwant, however, had suffered an injury in the master hand. His hand was still swollen and he had difficulty in controlling his bike. He was, therefore, given a start while Simran’s bike got the first aid. Telephonic communication was still off but we came to know about arrival of Sanjay’s group at Pooh (3S), though they met only our advance detachment comprising of Balwant and Mangesh. We started after an hour or so and caught up with Mangesh pretty soon. Balwant was driving slowly and we all decided to drive together and not leave him behind. Flier had gone to meet some friend and as a result, three of them were still behind the rest. We reached Rampur around 1400h and had a long lunch break at the same restaurant. After a wait of approximately two hours, we realised that 3S group was about ten kms behind. While in the restaurant, we got the bad news - road to Jalori Pass had been closed due to land slides between Ani and Khanag. I called up a friend at Mandi and checked the status. The news was confirmed. We had two options now. First was to go back to Simla and then drive to Manali and second was to drive through the countryside - Luhri, Behana, Karsog and Nalagarhi and hit Sunder Nagar before turning right for Manali via Mandi. The first option meant better roads but very long detour while the second option gave us a shorter route but rough surfaces and yet total countryside. We opted for the option number two. The same friend tied up our accommodation in some hotel at Karsog that was approximately three and a half hours away. We intimated the change in plan to 3S on cell and started off at around 1600h from Rampur. Drive till Luhri was just about OK but beyond that, it was a tough ride. It started drizzling at that point and the road already affected by numerous landslides, became slushy and difficult to drive on. Route, in spite of its limitations, passed through areas bestowed with extraordinary natural beauty. No tourists were seen and reactions of the locals indicated that we were the unusual visitors. Bad roads and bad weather delayed us a bit but we were home, ie at Nalagarhi near Karsog just when it was turning dark. Mr AD Sharma turned out to be a strange person, more interested in monetary aspects. He had overcharged us, I was sure. For some strange and not really known reasons, 3S group was now more than two hours behind us. To add to the delay, they took a wrong turn and landed up at Ani instead of Nallagarhi. Realising that they would not be able to reach us before midnight, I advised them to take a halt there itself. It started pouring a bit later and while we slept in reasonable comfort, 3S had a tough time. The local inspection bungalow was full and they were caught in rain much before they could pitch their tents. They sat in the verandah till next morning.
Day 5 : 21 Aug (Odo:2940) - it was still drizzling when we started from Karsog in the morning. We were running late if we were to visit Lahaul-Spiti on our way back. But we were OK if that part of the ride were to be dropped. Having instructed 3S to make it to Manali in any case, we drove on. Through rain and slippery conditions, we reached Manali by 1500h via Sunder Nagar, Mandi, Pandoh, Aut and Kullu. 2.8 Km long tunnel at Aut is really awesome. Unlike its elder cousin, Jawahar Tunnel in J&K, this tunnel has up and down slopes as well as prominent twists. Rains gave us some break once we reached Kullu, though for a little while. Balwant had tied up accommodation at Negi’s Wooden House (09816968408) and it turned out to be a cosy place in Old Manali. By this time, the second box of Bagheera had started to give up. Gifted it to the mechanic and got a second hand carrier fitted for Rs 350 from sonu (Punjabi Boyz) garage opposite Restaurant Moon Dance in old Manali. That included some welding work done by M/S Rana Welders near telephone exchange in Manali Town. A major problem of Bagheera had been solved. Clutch oil leakage was noticed but declared insignificant by Sonu, the expert mechanic. Actually, he did not have the new packing and he advised against tinkering. Timely topping up, he said, would see us through. We had a bash less 3S at Moon Dance where we polished off freshly roasted trout and cream tikkas with a few bottles of beer. It was a wonderful evening. It was drizzling but Manali, especially Old Manali has its own charm. It is a neighbourhood where people from different backgrounds but with similar interests converge every year. The area also offers the visitors reasonably good accommodation for as cheap as Rs 250 onwards. A number of good and happening restaurants, may not be the most stylish or most expensive, are located in this part of the town. The best part is driving up a fully loaded bike in first gear on a narrow, crowded and a very steep road. We did visit our old favourite - German Bakery for all its baked stuff and scrumptious tea. We would have loved to spend a few more days here but we had no option. We were running late. Four days of driving and we were still away from Himalayas. 3S reached us late in the evening.
Day 6-22 Aug(Odo:3183)- it was pouring in the morning and in spite of all our intentions, we could not kick off. By 0930h, downpour had got reduced to a drizzle and we wasted no time in pushing off. Filled up our bikes at the petrol pump located close to Vashisht before moving on. Ahead of Palchan, visibility came down to less than five metres. A mix of fog and drizzle gave us a tough time on ultra slippery and water flooded road. At two places, there had been landslides and we had to push each other’s bikes to enable us to cross those stretches. A well deserved tea break at Madhi raised our morale. Rohtang ridge and surrounding areas look marvelous from Madhi. Having got used to pouring droplets, we started off immediately but stiff situations awaited us. From Madhi onwards, because of ongoing widening work on the road, the road condition had become terrible. A blend of slush, unseen sand bars and flooded areas made things difficult for us. All of us got stuck or slipped at least once or twice. Deepika had to walk some distance after pushing the bike at two places. Clutches were developing plays and plates burnt as bikes roared against all odds. Too much of tourist traffic made conditions worse for us. For many of our cousins, Rohtang la remains height of adventure. A patch of hard dirty ice appeared to be Shangrilla for most of them. There is a township kind of settlement at Rohtang. For us, however, it was just the beginning. We clicked a few pictures, said bye to some of our trekkers friends who had come there to take off towards Lahaul and moved on. Across Rohtang, after eight kms or so, road condition improved a bit. Sachin had a flying fall in a water filled fissure that had covered the full width of the road. Got away without bodily injuries though his bike did take some beating. Gramphoo onwards, road became pretty ok. We took a lunch halt at Koksar. In fact, the
(pic courtesy deepika)
Day 7-23 Aug (Odo:3300)- sky was overcast but rain did not look imminent. Subhash (Uncle), Sachin (Dada) and Karan got their bikes repaired. Despite the nasty fall, Bagheera looked and felt alright. Actually, sandy patch had absorbed the shock. Niranjan’s bike required immediate treatment while Red Angel looked around for some first aid too. Simran (Punjab Rocks) discovered some kind of indigestion in his Black yak early in the morning. Net result - group scattered again with a few of them running to a bullet mechanic while others to another one. Bagheera, therefore, started off with Mangesh and Balloo as its company. We were a bit late because shops opened only after 0900h or so. We were aiming to have a breakfast/brunch break at Darcha before spiralling up across Baralacha la. Actually, Jispa that is short of Darcha, has only Hotel Ibex operational, along with one tenting resort. However, no eatery or tea stall was open at that time. The aim was to reach Pang after crossing Bharatpur, Sarchu, Gatta Loops, Nakee la, Whisky Nala and Lachung la. It was going to be a long day. Simran and Karan (buddies) caught up with us after Jispa, a few kms short of Darcha. We waited for quite sometime at Revati’s Lama dhaba as Uncle and Dada also trickled in. Flier and Niranjan were now missing. A long wait later during which Mangesh ordered Parantha and Maggi noodles (a weird combination that gave him his new name, Maggi), Sanjay and Niranjan arrived. Niranjan had got trapped in a mire created by two falling trees and, thus, the delay. The group was now running late for the day. Over all, original plan envisaged reaching Sarchu from Manali in one day. But conditions did not favour such a plan. We did not want to lose out on any more time. We started in earnest from Darcha around noon time. Very soon, we were climbing through a rough road on our way to Patseo. From Patseo to Zing Zing Bar, road was full of loose crushed stones as the construction work was in progress. Rain did not give us any breaks and it was a combination of wet, loose pebbles and slush without a break. It was like a pendulum driving, swinging between one extreme road condition to another. Zing Zing Bar onwards, surfacing work was at a slightly advanced stage. There was a black metalled patch while rest of the road was hard gravelled - a good change. A couple of kms ahead, the profile changed suddenly. It was a fully metalled stretch all the way up to Baralachha la. Even while rain remained on, driving on such a stretch was a pleasure. As we neared the pass, we crossed Suraj Kund- a small lake with blue water. A few pictures and slogan shouting later, we started descending into Bharatpur camp, 4 kms away. I was apprehensive about infamous nullah ahead of Bharatpur though the road even on the other side of the pass till then had been really good.
Halted for a short tea break, more so to seek shelter from incessant rain, at Bharatpur. All such camps, there was one short of Baralachha la too, have well stocked restaurants as also places to spend the night. Strange enough, there are no toilet facilities. Ladies, therefore, and that includes a number of lady cyclists and those travelling in four wheelers, face a real problem as a result of such a laxity on part of administration. Here a good input came in. Though the nullah ahead had a damaged bridge, the crossing was in a fair condition. Soon thereafter, we entered Sarchu where Himachal ends and J&K begins. Sarchu plains have a number of camping sites catering for a multitude of budgets from low ones to high end. The road, however, though metalled, is undulating. Such a surface throws bikes in air if speed is slightly on the higher side. Bagheera flew up a couple of times while Niranjan almost took a somersault. Gatta Loops, 21 of them, present a new vista. Actually, after Sarchu, landscape undergoes a major change. It is all barren now. Gatta Loops spiral us up almost a thousand feet in no time. Deepika got down at 17th loop to offer water at a place where a young lad had died of dehydration some years ago. Most of the truckers follow the ritual. But a realisation dawned on us. By following the ritual of leaving bottles of water at the site, we had been loitering the place. May be it would be better to offer water without the container. But at that altitude, when one is so close to Almighty, such arguments are seldom generated. There is a small gazebo hut on top of the loops. Some five odd kms ahead, we reach Nakee la where from the descend starts. The slope ends at Whisky Nullah that has two dirty looking restaurants. The area, however, is a chosen camping area for the cyclists. Here on, gravelled track climbs into Lachung la pass. Flier, who had been travelling ahead of
see a clip of this area (from PUNJAB ROCKS' lens) at http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=jH0xFPBYvRs
Deepika was confident that those cracks and mounds on the surface of the muddy mountains were the residential quarters of djinns - something her late Naani ji had told her years ago. Whatever it was, it was a spectacle to behold. At such occasions, one realises the futility of cameras and optical recorders. What you see and absorb, can not be replicated ever. Your own state of mind, your own physical condition and many such factors have an influence that can not be noticed in a picture or photograph or a video clip. Before we realised, we were at the J&K Police check post at Pang. Just across the bridge lay Pang camp and the highest Transit camp in the world.
(more plains clicked by simranjit s gill)
(tanglang la descent - pic by deepika)
stretch tough enough for four wheelers let alone bikes. As we descended, the road condition improved. Making use of good improved road condition, we increased our speed a bit. But soon afterwards, Bagheera found only Karan's bike and Black Yak staying up with it. Rest had stopped somewhere. Not to leave them behind, we decided to wait on one of the turns. No one came down for more than half an hour. As we waited and contemplated further action, one taxi came along. We inquired about our group. The driver told us that the guys were busy clicking pictures on top. Relieved by this input, we decided to move on and take a lunch break at Rumtse. Having had our meals in a parachute covered dhaba and having waited for more than one hour, restlessness came back. Deepika strolled outside in the drizzle, only to discover rest of the group approaching. Maggi, in lead, informed us that on the way down from Tanglang la, Dada and Balloo had developed AMS and they had to be treated at a dispensary run by army at Rumtse. Some medical oxygen and a few pricks later, they were ready to move once again. We were to discover later that both of them had tried to become Gamas in the land of Lamas. While an over confident Balloo had not taken the preventive medicine at all, Dada had, by mistaken, taken half the dose. Fortunately, we got away cheaply.
With additional oxygen pumped into him, Balloo was let free at Upshi, along with Maggi to look for accommodation at Leh. The drive from Rumtse onwards follows Indus and is really picturesque. It becomes more quaint once we hit better road surfaces near Upshi. A new petrol pump is under construction at Upshi and once functional, it will reduce the distance between the last petrol pump at Thandi and the one at Karu by almost 15 km. Thikse was crossed after Karu before we hit Leh. The monastery and palace at Thikse is bang on the main road itself. Looks great from outside. Did not see it from inside since focus at 1630h that day was on looking for accommodation at Leh. Some friends had recommended Hotel Choskor on Old Library Road. We did check into that. It was neat and hygienic but management leaves lot to be desired. With one man, Rahul, looking after everything from housekeeping to room service and serving more than 15 guests, it becomes a mess too soon. For Rs 300 a day, there are numerous small, big guesthouses that are better and available. Rainbow guesthouse is one such example. Leh caters for all kinds of budgets. The area close to main market and Old Library Road has a distinct advantage of being close to happening market. They advise visitors to take at least two days break at Leh and during those two days, one must walk to acclimatise better. This is not really applicable to bikers who have been driving through much higher altitudes than Leh before reaching there. Small hotels in Leh do not have licenses to run electric geysers. Therefore, they make use of wood fed boilers to heat up the water centrally. The warmed water, therefore, is available only during fixed hours and washing of clothes is not permitted, quite logically. We wasted no time in unpacking and then walking down to the market. Most of the markets in Leh are very neat, uncrowded and full of eateries offering all kinds of cuisines. At public places like restaurants and ATMs, one comes across small hand written notices by the trekkers and adventure enthusiasts looking for like-minded company. Shops are owned by Ladakhis as also Kashmiri traders while Tibetans have their own exclusive markets. Like Manali, Leh has a charm of its own though reasons would be different.
Day 9- 25 Aug (odo 3640) - Tasks were distributed among the group members. Self and Deepika were to go to DC’s office to obtain permits for inner areas. Buddies were to burn DVDs to create back up for our photos taken till date. Maggi and Balloo were to survey the market for a suitable embroidered patch to be worn by all to commemorate the trip. Sanjay was deputed to visit ITBP HQ in connection with our future plans. Niranjan was to tie up a similar arrangement with army authorities. Dada and Uncle were free to spend the time at their disposal. After the assigned tasks were over, we were to take our bikes for checkups and rectification of defects. Bagheera looked in great spirits and so did most of other bike. Juma on Airport road is an authority on Royals. He works automatically with a cigarette in his lips. He does not seem to inhale the way smokers do, he rather appears to be smelling the fumes. He declared Bagheera serviceable and fighting fit. A small welding work that would cost not more than Rs 25 elsewhere, cost us Rs 150. The frame of the carrier needed a touch here and there. Leh is expensive when it comes to such works while food and stay is reasonably cheap. A bike wash job would mean Rs 150 at Leh. We got our permits in no time, courtesy Deepika’s civil services connections. The authorities there have a set format and set number of places that are included in the permit. It is important to include additional places as per the plan to avoid hassles at a later stage. There are, however, many places that are controlled by ITBP and army. It is better to thrash out the issues here itself. The check posts (CPs) in Eastern and Southern Ladakh do not entertain any requests. Once the permits have been sorted out, get at least ten copies made because at every CP, we are supposed to handover one copy each. While others remained busy with their chores, we visited Somkar Gompa and Shanti Stupa in spare time. Bagheera, now unloaded, was behaving strangely. The brat was feeling the freedom now. Took a few strolls at regular intervals and beauty of Leh started to sink in. There is a German Bakery being run by a Sikh family near J&K Bank chowk, there is an authentic Tibetan restaurant slightly offset the lower market among many other good eating places like Jismo that serves candle-lit meals. Apricots, apricot juice and derivates are available at an exclusive shop near Taxi stand. There are a number of roof top restaurants as also bakeries offering Yak cheese and croissants. Leh has an ambience of its own. Though there are more foreigners than Indian tourists and travellers, the place is uncrowded and life moves on at a much relaxed pace. On popular demand, our stay at Leh was extended by a day.
Day 10 - 26 Aug - Our last day at Leh. Our ride plan did not envisage coming back to Leh thereafter. Our bikes were fit now and bodies had been acclimatised. We knew what lay ahead and were ready for the challenges. Though reaching Leh itself had been an accomplishment of its kind, the actual challenges that we had set for ourselves were yet to be faced. Both of us started early while others snored in their beds or sang in their bathrooms. A rising sun adds to the splendor of Leh Palace. However, interiors are under repairs and totally empty. In a way, it was more of a disappointment. We climbed on to Tsemo Hill that overlooks the palace. The gompa there has a great design. At that point of time, most of the chambers belonging to individual Lamas, were locked. Probably the occupants had beaten our time plan. The view that we get from Tsemo top is amazing and unequalled. The highest point of the city is also the most fascinating. Leh was pretty warm during day with sun shining at its brightest. However, driving on a bike does make you feel nippy a bit. We drove down to Pathar Sahib on Nimu road as a mark of respect to Sri Guru Nanak who happens to be one of the greatest travelllers in our history. The place is manned and managed by army. A hot cup of tea and snacks and meals are offered to all visitors. Thereafter, we visited the farce called Magnetic Hill before returning to Leh. We rested for a while before getting out to the market for a two hours plus stroll in the evening. We started our visits to the local markets. Beyond main and tourist oriented markets, there are many other markets that cater for local requirements. It was a treat walking through one such market near ITBP location on the way to Polo Ground. Referred to as Gole Market, it has a number of other markets with different markets inside its premises. We came across shops selling agricultural implements, plastic ware, vegetables, garments, metal ware, shoes, stone jewellery and medicines in the same neighbourhood, most of these meant for locals. The whole day was spent in driving around through one way streets, walking through lanes, re-hydrating ourselves and eating. A get together had been planned at KC Gardens, a great and happening place discovered by Buddies a day before. What a great evening it turned out to be in the end. A movie was being screened on a projector when we entered the place. There were small pits where bonfires could be lit for individual groups. Fortunately, we had booked our place in advance. It was chilly at that time. Bright fire in front, liquor glasses in our hands and high morale in the group were all working towards a good mood. A group seated at a distance started playing musical instruments and started singing popular songs. The overall scenario was awesome. It must have been mid night when we hit the sack.
Day 11:27 Aug(Odo:3700) - time to move on. Destination for the day was Nubra valley via Khardung la, supposedly the highest motorable pass in the world, though not so in real terms. The distance intended to be covered today was just about 150 odd kms. The road is also pretty good. So, shaking out of the hangover, we started only at 0900h. We were sipping hot tea at South Pallu CP when army convoy caught up at around 1000h. We were rightly advised to move ahead of convoy since the road ahead was narrower and a bit damaged. Around half an hour later, we were clicking away to glory at Khardung la at 18,380 feet. From purely driving point of view, this stretch had been more of a cake walk. However, as an adventurer, it was more of a disappointment. All other passes till now, including the lowly Rohtang la, had challenged our wills and tested our skills. As if to add insult to the injury, there is a pretty good administrative set up on top. Well, that is one perspective and may not hold any ground elsewhere. Cell phones work here. We descended to North Pallu CP but had to wait. Balloo and Maggi had gone back looking for the digicam and the cell that Balloo had dropped soon after crossing the pass. The stuff could not be found. We lost some of the unique pictures that Balloo had taken at the cost of falling all over the place. It was the loss number two. Ahead of North Pallu, a few turns and twists later, we got the first glimpses of Nubra valley and Shayok river. A view to behold, we were stunned by its sheer beauty. This valley houses a high altitude desert complete with sand dunes and sand fields. Shayok looks out of place as it meanders its way through the desert. Diskit, the first major settlement ahead of Khalsar is strikingly beautiful. The gompa that overlooks the settlement is simply bravura. A statue is under construction on a neighbouring hill. We checked into Hotel Olthang. After unloading our bikes and having taken a quick bite, we drove to Hunder. The place has a reserve forest of seabuckthorn berries and a population of double humped camels, Bactrians. We took a joy ride and finished the ride with the tasting of seabuckthorn berries. Taste, unfortunately, was not too good, not at least in that form. On receiving a suggestion, Maggi, on his return to hotel, concocted a blend that had juice of the berries, gin and vodka. Now, it was a wonderful taste and we gulped it meanly. By now, we had been acclimatised well enough to enjoy a drink or two. Slept well through the night after a tasty meal.
(see a video clip of shyok valley at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXjvrbNI61g )
Day 12 : 28 Aug(Odo:3846 km) - The coolest part of the ride was now over as we prepared for one of the toughest days of our trip. Ahead of Kalsar, on our way back, instead of driving to North Pallu, we took the left fork and started our ride into an uncharted territory. We were heading towards Wari la to cross over to Sakti and then reach Durbukh via mighty Chang la. Distance was not the issue, terrain was. As we turned left and headed towards first settlement of Ahagam, a strange feeling started to set in. The road condition indicated very low traffic, low usage and, of course, very low maintenance. We came across a small detachment of GREF and labourers taking a break on the roadside. When the road condition ahead was checked, a youngish lady labourer replied with loads of confidence that the road ahead was all ‘chakachak’. Rest of the gang nodded heads in agreement. Our apprehensions had been addressed to an extent. But not even a km ahead, we hit a dead end. There was a stream more than 100m wide with three distinct water channels flowing with full force. A narrower track took off on to the right after the first channel. Deepika dismounted to do some reconnaissance. We, in the meanwhile, took the narrow track to look for some guidance from a small settlement that could be seen from there. Maggi went ahead but came back soon without any success. Deepika came back and told us about a road going away from the far end. She also knocked at a couple of gates to draw attention but in vain. At that moment, self, flier and Karan went across the stream on foot. GREF people were busy reconstructing a crossing place that had evidently been washed off. On interacting with them, we realised that there would be no option but to cross the stream through thigh-deep waters. Beyond that, as per them, road was OK barring a couple of water crossings, though of smaller scales. Next half an hour saw our bikes wading the deep, fast and cold water channels in the stream. We were all wet till our waists. A break was taken to change a few garments and wring the others. The ride for next twenty odd kms was more or less event free but through areas with stunning beauty. We drove on the road that lay inside the riverbed of Shayok. Because of lack of time, we had missed on driving on a similar road leading to Panamik from Kalsar the previous day. Now, that desire was fulfilled. After leaving the riverbed, the road became rough all of a sudden. Construction work was on and, thus, the loose rocks and gravel. Surprisingly, a couple of kms later, we crossed an iron bridge and hit a metalled patch. There onwards, it was a gradual and unending climb. At some point a few kms later, metalled surface vanished and we were back on gravelled but firm track. Two nasty water crossings, one below village Thangiar and the other one a few kms ahead, made life tough for us. Both these crossings were not more than 15m wide but the bed surface was horrible and the second crossing had a nasty turn that had to be negotiated through pushing the bikes. Deepika had to walk through such stretches. As the day passed and altitude increased, this drill of getting on and off the bike became an effort in itself. After the second crossing, however, the road improved, at least the surface part of it. In the barren landscape, it was a treat to watch domestic yaks and wild horses grazing together. We crossed the fourth water crossing, approximately 20m wide, without any major issues as the sun started to disappear behind mountains though it was just 1500h. The gradient of the road remained OK initially in spite of numerous twists in its profile. However, as we got close to the feature that shoulders less-heard Wari la, steep turns with loose gravel became a real problem. Deepika walked through most of those turns while all of us pushed each other’s bikes at an altitude of almost 16,000 ft. Lack of oxygen, fatigue and uncertainty combined created a trance-like situation for most of us. After slogging for more than two hours, we suddenly came to a pass that had no markings except a sacred place full of prayer flags. As the reality dawned after reading a board put up by an NGO dealing with irrigation works, a cheer spread amongst all of us. We had reached an almost unknown high altitude pass at 17,300 feetthrough an uncharted territory successfully. As we got down to click the pictures, a few stalwarts refused to get down from their bikes. They were munching on whatever was available but would not budge. As our battle cries reverberated through that desolate landscape, we realised the enormity of the effort. Driving with a pillion and double the normal load had been challenging but the team mates had come to our rescue. Lighter bikes could climb well but tended to skid on loose surfaces. Again, we helped each other. Deepika had her own challenges. Walking with a small rucksack and driving accessories had taken its toll but she remained upbeat. At this juncture, uncle bestowed the title of Jhansi Ki Raani (JKR) on her. By now, most of us had some nick name or the other. More than anything else, such a trend indicated cohesion and increased tolerance to lighter moments during tough times. As a self-styled leader of the group, I could not have asked for anything more. We joked around even as we could hardly speak.
From the other side of the pass, we could see Sakti valley. It was a panorama our minds would never forget. Natural beauty was astounding as first signs of greenery could be seen. Sun was shinning bright and promise of a shelter for the night added to the elation. We were comfortable for time. We would be entering remoter areas in a couple of days and our camping kits had not been tested yet. It was a cause of concern. So, before descending from Wari la itself, we decided to camp in the valley below. Self and JKR, uncle, flier and Dada started first. The bikes were now facing a different problem. The turns were so steep and sharp that fully laden bikes would tend to get out of the control. Descending even in the first gear became a challenge. Two turns from the top, uncle skidded on one such turn. Such falls shake you up a bit. He got away without injuries and bike also remained alright. Almost half way through, we hit a point till where metalled road had been laid by GREF(BRO). The work was progressing towards Wari la now. Even with a better surface, problems due to steep and sharp turns remained. In fact, because of the gradient and angles, the newly laid road had started getting damaged despite the fact that there is hardly any traffic on this route. Since morning, we had seen only two vehicles coming from the other side. As soon as we touched down the valley floor, the township of Sakti was reached. Just at the outskirts, we came to a point with a neat water channel and some cushioned surface suitable for the camping. As all the bikes closed in, a decision, more out of fatigue than rationale, was taken to look for some accommodation before pitching the tents. A little later, flier returned with a positive input. He had hit a government run guest house that had enough room for all of us. A Lama looked after the property that was situated vertically below the local monastery that sat perched on a hill. Lama, a government employee, made us comfortable and cooked for us. But he laid restriction on smoking (Maggi and Karan hit) and drinking (all of us hit). While the meal was being cooked, Niranjan and Balloo went down all the way to Karu to take a fill as also to pick up a bottle of rum while Maggi ferried Lama’s assistant, the younger Lama, to market at Sakti to buy food articles and vegetables. However, by the time Niranjan and Balloo returned, Lama’s diktats and edicts had become effective and the bottle could not be consumed. With heavy stomach, full of rice dal meal after a day of forced fasting, and a heavy heart because of restrictions imposed by Lama ji, we went off to sleep. In the end, it turned out to be a good decision. Soon after we finished our dinner, very strong winds started to rage. By then, we had got used to gusts of Ladakh (why can not we use this wind energy?) but wind speeds that night were too swift. A night in tents would have been challenging.
Day 13: 29 Aug(Odo:4058 km) - We were running low on gas. We could have reached Durbukh without a fill but surety of finding a pump there was not there. We had to top up our reserves too before venturing into wilderness the next day. To play safe, we went back to Karu to buy gas. In addition to our full tanks, we also topped up our reserves. With that much of gas, we would reach Nyoma comfortably. For onward journey till Pang where we would be able to buy some petrol in black, we needed at least ten litres per Royal. Other bikes would be OK, though. Nyoma, we were told, had a petrol pump. That meant that once filled up at Nyoma, we would be able to reach Thandi without a fill at Pang. So, we filled up at Karu at the cost of going back towards Leh for a few kms from Sakti. At 1030h, we started from Karu back towards Chang la at 17800 feet. The road is winding but surface condition is pretty fair. At a point three kms short of Chang la, a bad patch began. Bagheera cried and roared but took us safely to Chang la. A temple there has been dedicated to Chang la Baba, Lord Shiva. Army offers everyone a free cup of tea. Weather has been kind since our crossing of Khardung la a couple of days back. At Chang la, we also met a group of bikers from West Bengal and a group called “Vroom”. They were on lighter bikes, probably Karizmas. While roads were good, unloaded bikes of theirs would zip across but as we hit a bad patch, Royals will zoom ahead. We took some pictures, shouted our battle cries, saluted Chang la Baba and moved on. Once down from Chang la and across army CP, we hit a small eatery on the road side. The owner from Durbukh, had established a neat eatery in a parachute tent. We polished off numerous fruit drinks, toasts and egg preparations and noodles with butter. Moving on, we crossed Durbukh and then Tang Tse 10 odd kms later. From there, we took a left fork and started moving towards the next point of excitement, Pangong Tso. However, five kms short of the legendary lake, we hit a patch where a landslide had been initiated by GREF to create space for a new road. As a result, the existing road had got blocked. After testing our driving skills, the bottleneck permitted us to move on. We had to wait there for more than an hour. Since last evening, uncle and Dada had been expressing a desire to call it a day after reaching Pangong Tso. The old man, hats off to him, was 57 years old. It required guts to come on such a ride that had been deliberately designed to be tough and different than the usual. So, we were riding together for the last time on this ride. We had tied up with army authorities at Karu to permit us a boat ride in Pangong Tso the same day. However, because of the delay involved, we could not do that when we reached the banks of Pangong Tso at Lukung. At this point, we said bye bye to our civilian friends, uncle and Dada as we turned Northwards to a place called Phobrang 12 kms away. We were to reach Phobrang, carry on for three more kms and stay with an ITBP CP there. All eyes and minds were now on the next morning when we were to climb the Everest of all bikers - Marsimek la at 18,634feet. The Vroom group of bikers from West Bengal caught up with us at Phobrang, probably with similar intentions.
Day 14: 30 Aug (odo:4216)- ITBP had played perfect hosts to us. We had taken permissions from their HQ at Leh itself. But beyond official arrangements, troops deployed there went out of their way to look after us. At 0700h, I would call it a D Day, we kicked off from Phobrang for those 22 fateful kms to Marsimek la. There was as much excitement as was the apprehension in our minds. We had heard and read so much about this pass, the actual title holder of the coveted highest motorable road in the world designation that we were as enthused as we were anxious. The first ten odd kms saw unloaded Royals zipping away while Maggi and Niranjan kept on following us. Next six odd kms were also OK. There were numerous wild horses in the area. One cannot help but envy the degree of freedom enjoyed by them (Cinnamon, the Horse?). Very soon, however, at a point exactly five kms short of the pass, all our Royals got stuck. The skewed power to weight ratios that Royals have, became a hindrance. We opened the air filters to let more oxygen in but that was about just about enough to keep the engines alive. We dismounted and keeping the bikes on and in the first gear, we started to push the bikes. The lighter squad comprising of Niranjan and Maggi arrived in style. Their bikes climbed up easily while we panted hard to draw enough oxygen for own bodies. After this slope, there lies a flatter patch and then the final slope to the pass. Bagheera and Karan’s bike refused to pull - one too new and other too old, probably. JKR had already started walking up the final 300m. By this time, others reached the top. Our bikes threatened to burn off little too soon. Karan and self joined JKR and ten minutes later, our war cries killed the ever prevailing silence of the world’s highest pass. The over heated bikes simply cooled off in no time. At that altitude, one is always in the freezer compartment. May be because of security reasons and to keep the crowds away, the existing marble stone had been taken out. Only Chak De temple of Lord Shiva and one milestone reading, Marsimek la ‘0’, mark the place today. The famous stone that gave out the actual story about the pass and the man who had constructed the road, has been thrashed to pieces. Initially we thought it to be a result of some fatigued army driver driving his Stallion over the stone. But a closer examination proved a deliberate effort to demolish the stone since small heaps of crushed stones lay scattered at four -five places around the old milestone. Whatever it was, we had done it, done at 09485h on 30 Aug 08. Dada and uncle
(at marsimek la - pic courtesy simranjit s gill)
Day 15 : 31 Aug (odo:4335) - A comfortable night stay and we were up, ready to kick off at 0800h. Our plan for the day was to drive through Chushul plains and reach Loma via Tsaga la and Dungti. The drive was pleasant and enabled us to pay our respects at first Chushul and then Rezang la memorials. It was a touching moment to be there and be a part of the landscape where stories of military valour were created. The feel is simply baffling. The true appreciation of the actions of those heroes can only be realised if you stand there and comprehend the terrain, weather and tactical situation that prevailed at that fateful time in November of 1962. Having saluted the martyrs and having sobered down quite a bit, we moved on. Just ahead of Tsaga la, on a blind turn, Bagheera decided to take a leap, duly encouraged by laxity on my part. As it leapt, swung and went out of control, undeterred by my desperate foot work, I had no option but to squeeze its right ear. As the front wheel jammed under the ever-reliable discs, it landed and then plummeted unceremoniously. As self and JKR struggled beneath the restive Bagheera, rest of the group rushed to rescue us. We requested them to click a picture or two for posteriority but they ignored us and pulled Bagheera on to a stand, thereby releasing us in the process. A good shot, however, was missed. As we stood examining the bike, we discovered a fully twisted brake paddle, disfigured footrest and a displaced front leg guard. Actually, at the time of fall, our speed was slightly on the higher side and track very hard. The brake paddle had twisted backwards and its platform was now protruding from rear side of the footrest. Initially, I thought that I would be able to drive while braking with my heel instead of toe, at least till a place where we might get some help but that was not to be. We had no option but to take the complete brake assembly out. A couple of GREF hired trucks arrived on the scene but the paddle could not be brought back to shape. JKR discovered an injured flask. Our riding gear from Cramster had saved us again. The importance of protective gear needs no emphasis. The scratches on our knee protectors and gloves gave us a fair idea as to what could have happened to our bones and skin in the absence of such a protection. We escaped without a single scratch though the sheer impact had given our bodies a good jolt. Bagheera was now without brakes. Next 38km drive till Loma was interesting. As we hit the metalled road short of Loma, the absence of brake became too stark. Flier now took the lead to warn us of any incoming traffic or bad patch on the winding road. We finally reached Loma and an army workshop detachment came to our assistance. The paddle was brought back to some kind of the shape though it remained more than imperfect. The level of brake platform was now jutting above the footrest. Every time there was a requirement to brake, I had to lift my foot off the foot rest and then pull it upwards before shifting it to the brake paddle. I got used to such an arrangement sooner than expected and then drove back to our niche at Ferozepur without getting it repaired. Our civilian friends were to meet us at Nyoma today. Without wasting any more time, we turned to Nyoma. A shock awaited us there. The petrol pump was there but was defunct. The so called local suppliers who would sell petrol for Rs 100 a litre, were all without a drop of petrol. Our bikes were now stuck. Punjab Rocks and Balloo had taken fills at Leh before coming to Nyoma via main Upshi and Chumathang but even their tanks were not chock-a-block anymore. They had driven more than 175km post fill. We were in a real lurch. Our advice would be to carry at least 20 litres as reserve per Royal from Karu onwards if the route that we had followed or were about to follow, has to be taken. In that case, one can reach Thandi without any problems. It was too late now. After two hours of running around, searching and calling, finally we got a good news. Chumathang had something for us. It is not a routine thing and readers must not plan on it. Probably, we had got lucky. But that meant driving in a different direction for 40 odd km one way. Our time plan was now the casualty. We were aiming to reach Tso Moriri, just 60 km from that point, Mahe. It would have been highly possible but a 80 odd km of loop on a tangential direction spelt disaster for our time plan. We had just enough time to travel 50 odd kms and no more. Heavy rain started all of a sudden and we realised that we may not be able to come back from Chumathang that day. We, now cornered, started for Chumathang amidst heavy drizzle and a roaring Indus as our companion. It was getting cold and water droplets aggravated the situation further. Our jackets were absolutely waterproof but trousers were not. A few riders in the group did not even have fully waterproof jackets. Importance of fully effective kits gets highlighted under such circumstances. We reached Chumathang as it was getting dark. With no energy left, we decided to rest and run around for petrol the next morning. We were now behind schedule. Nevertheless, we took bath in hot water springs both in the evening and in the morning the next day.
Day 16 : 01 Sep (odo:4480) - by the time we could fill up, it was almost 1000h. At that very moment, Balloo sprang a surprise. His Thunderbird won’t start. Battery had simply died and that too suddenly. One hour of all kinds of stunts and no luck. Finally, Maggi’s bike had to lend Balloo’s bike some voltage and helped latter jump start. We could only start at 1130h. Back to Mahe, we crossed Indus and started our journey to the South. We were driving to Tso Moriri, another majestic lake of the region. Having got used to numerous time-related set backs over the days, we did not plan too much for the day. As the fatigue starts to set in during such journeys, one must slow down a bit to keep the stress away. So, we set out with an open mind and without any concrete plan for the day. Almost half way to Korzok, we crossed a beautiful tso. A smaller and unnamed lake, it is strikingly beautiful. But from this point, road condition changed suddenly. From a pucca road, we shifted into sand and gravel all of a sudden. As we drove on an endless bad stretch, a contingency plan started to take shape in my mind. As a leader, whether actual or self-styled, this is one duty that you can not ignore. We would be reaching the tso by 1300h or so. Under ideal conditions, we should have been camping somewhere on it banks for the night before setting out for Tso Kar the next day. The problem, however, was that we had to fall back to Sumdo before turning left towards Tso Kar. The road condition that we were driving through was getting worse as we were closing on to the lake. After sandy patches, we came to a long patch that had loose rocks as its surface. While Royals could sail through, lighter bikes were now facing their waterloo. Keeping in mind the overall delay and the fact that Lahaul-Spiti option was still alive, I felt it better to spend a couple of hours or a little more time at Korzok and get back to a point North of the unnamed tso, if not to Sumdo. Such a move would have meant a better start in the morning and likelihood of reaching Sarchu. A delayed start in the morning would have meant reaching only till Pang (a difference of 75 km) or at best Whisky Nalla that had no major administrative support. We reached Korzok after taking a short break at a point ten km short of Korzok. Actually, Tso Moriri starts from that point. While we debated our options for the night stay, younger lot went around Korzok, looking for staying options. The feedback foreclosed our options. Local monastery controls the area. Lamas detest tourists camping close to the lake (and that is good). The only camping area available is the
Day 17 : 02 Sep(odo:4600)- we had no option but to brew a cup of hot tea first thing in the morning. Availability of flowing water with zero pollution had been a boon. We brewed coffee and had biscuits for the breakfast. We were ready to roll at around 1000h. PR and Karan went ahead to navigate. We turned left towards Puga from Sumdoh. We were planning to cross Polakong la enroute to another fabled lake, Tso Kar before hitting More Plains, at a point 39km short of Pang. The track now was gravelled but reasonably OK. We crossed hot springs of Puga, then Puga and started to climb through boulders. Here on, road construction work is on in full swing. The diversions created to deflect the traffic were tough to drive on. A few metres of driving with legs pushing to add to the horse power was the only degree of difficulty faced before reaching a vast pass, almost half a km in length and more than a 100m width. In the middle of the pass, stood a sacred place with prayer flags. It was Polakong la. A local Chengapa girl was selling some fancy looking stones of all kinds. She could not speak a word of Hindi nor could she understand it. The only words she spoke were, ‘ Hundred rupees’. Irrespective of size, shape and quality of the stones, she had kept a common price for the ease of transactions. It was a mobile version of 99 cents shop. After crossing the pass, we came across some Chengapa settlements. Life has been changing for those nomads too. Every tent or family had a jeep standing next to its base. Initially we thought those vehicles to be belonging to Pashmina buying merchants but then it appeared to be a norm - cool! A few turns and mixed driving conditions later, we were standing on the banks of Tso Kar. Unlike its bigger cousins, Pangong and Moriri, this tso has slushy banks and water can not be reached easily. The other two lakes have clean, clear waters with pebbles and small rocks shining through water at the shallow banks. Tso kar has sulphur deposits and gives a feel of being snow clad. Nevertheless, it remains as beautiful.
On the other side, ie towards Western flank, lies a settlement where road construction parties of GREF as also a functional dhaba have erected some structures. A road joining Tso Kar with More Plains is also under construction. In an year or two, there should be a metalled road joining More Plains with the one coming from Mahe at Sumdoh. With road construction works going on all over Ladakh, travelling would be much easier but what about fun......?? We spent just about half an hour on the banks of tso while waiting for Niranjan and Maggi to close in. Someone produced dry fruits from his stocks. Those were the yummiest of almonds and cashews tasted in a long time. After tso, while construction work is on, a diversion through the plains confuses the first timer a bit. The tyre marks appear to lead all over the countryside. At one point, we halted, trying to make head and tail of our track. By my estimate, we should have been reaching More Plains anytime but the road was nowhere in sight. Lighter bikes were again lagging behind and out of sight. Flier spotted a sign board a little ahead. As he drove ahead to read the board, we saw a truck moving from our right to left and just 50m ahead. JKR signalled wildly to the truck, pleading the driver to stop. As the truck slowed down and we rushed to it, Bagheera hit a pucca metalled road running left to right. There was no need to ask for directions but just to honour trucker’s feelings, we asked him for the directions to Pang. We had hit More Plains at the desired point. Just 50m short of the highway and we could not spot it for well over five minutes till the time we saw the truck. This is what a plain, flat area with some rocks and boulders can do to you. The signpost that flier had spotted, was also on the highway. It had been put by a tenting guy whom we did not see at Tso Kar. So, we were at a known route first time after crossing Manali well 13 days ago. Once again, construction work forced us to drive through the plains but unlike last time, there had been no rains in the recent past. It was all dust and mud. We stopped at Pang for a lunch break. JKR, since morning, had been having a very sore eye. Dust off the sandy patches, smoke from last night’s campfire, sleeping with the contact lens on thereafter and a very sunny morning - reasons could have been one or more of many. She had been travelling with one eye and then both the eyes closed. That caused giddiness but JKR, true to her newly acquired nickname, kept on holding on to me without any major complaints. We took a time out and went to army camp where she was given medicines and eye drops. Administration of the medication did help her a bit. We were on the road soon. Maggi and Balloo had taken a ten odd minutes lead to act as an advance party tasked to look for accommodation at Sarchu. We were now driving on a known road, though from the opposite direction and yet a totally different weather made things look pretty different. We crossed a family of ibexes near Nakee la. We decided to do away with organised break to save time. PR did take some pics at Gatta Loops. We drove into Sarchu amidst darkening sky and a very cold breeze. Temperature must have been dipping below zero at that point of time. Hot meals and into the quilts straightway. It had been a long day, after all.
Day 18 : 03 Sep(odo: 4790)- off and on, we had been topping up the engine oil to its permissible levels throughout the ride just to be safe. I had been filling up clutch oil to counter the little leakage that had started before Manali itself. For past three days, a nut above the engine filter housing had been leaking consistently. Gracefully, it would not leak when the bike was switched off but will misbehave once ignition was turned on. I had been topping up the engine oil everyday now to counter this leakage. The manufacturer does not provide L-key of that size as part of the toolkit. We tried all our stunts but that nut would not move at all. By now, it was a cause of worry since Bagheera could be tracked because of that leakage. The small army detachment at Sarchu workshop could not help either. We pooled in engine oil that was available with the team members. Self and Niranjan moved out first. We were told of a mechanic shop at Zing Zing Bar. But in between lay Baralachha la. We had to beat the leakage to that shop. We crossed Sarchu plains in no time. As we started to climb towards a small GREF camp at Sarai, Bagheera switched off suddenly. The fuse had been blown. I replaced the fuse while others closed in. A few metres later, fuse blown again. Karan took out a big capacity fuse to tide over the problem. Another 100m, as I braked to control the speed short of the bridge, the third fuse also blew up. No option but to short circuit the system. I joined both the ends and started off. The bike would stall every few hundred metres but we kept on moving. We did not halt at Bharatpur nor at Baralachha la. As we started to descend, the frequency of bike switching off increased again. Suddenly, I discovered that whenever foot break was applied, all four indicators will begin to blink, voltage indicator would jump to left side and bike would switch off. So, a probable cause had been traced. I stopped using foot break while we descended to Zing Zing Bar. There is a tyre-cum-truck mechanic shop but no bike expert. Kept on driving as Bagheera kept on getting soiled because of the leaking oil. At Patseo, we drove into army camp. Mercifully, they had the bunch of keys that could cater for all the sizes. A thread was applied to provide gasket effect and leakage was stopped immediately. At that juncture, I cut off the break light and the bike got out of two major problems in one go. Niranjan’s bike was having problems with loose chain. That was also rectified. At Darcha, we halted for a brunch or early lunch break at Revati’s Dhaba. Sight of a TV was a reason for morale to soar for many of us. My estimation told me that Bagheera may run short on petrol though only by one or two km. It was yet to come into reserve though. Tandi was still 30km away. Self and Niranjan got free before others since we had arrived first. So, we started again. Bagheera came into reserve two km ahead of Darcha. After Jispa, we came to a point where water had been channelised across the road by GREF personnel by using a foot high temporary barrier. As Bagheera started to climb, the mud and stone hedge got depressed a bit and an already injured brake paddle got twisted again. The disfigurement was not that grave now but the brake could not be used any longer. Drove next 20 odd kms without brake again. At Keylong, bang on the highway, there is a mechanic shop. When shown, the beedi puffing lean and thin youngster simply grabbed the paddle with one hand pulled it into some kind of a workable shape. To be fair to him, he had brought it back to the previous shape where in it protruded above the foot rest. Having got accustomed to such a fitment over last few days, I faced no problems thereafter. We reached Tandhi and Bagheera surprised when it accepted 13.7 litres, thereby showing a previous balance of more than half a litre. Its average KPL had seemingly improved from 24 to somewhere around 30. But I kept on wondering about the quality of metallurgy that had been used in brake paddle!!
The gang closed in at Tandhi. There was no need to have reserves now. We filled up our tanks and moved on. Gravelled road, construction work, dry and choking dust and empty oil tankers misbehaving - were the highlights of the journey till Koksar, well 40 odd kms away. At Koksar, we halted again at pseudo- Punjabi Dhaba. A major decision had to be taken now. If we were to go towards Lahaul, we would have made it to Batal or Losar comfortably. But the road was in a very bad state. A vote was taken. JKR was in bad state because of her eye, Niranjan wanted to save leave to go and look for an ever elusive bride, majority was neutral while PR and self were keen. Finally, lured by Manali, the group decided to move to Manali, deciding to do Lahaul-Spiti at leisure sometime next year. This decision was to prove wise later. We entered Manali at 1945h as it began to drizzle. Maggi and Balloo had led the advance party from Madi onwards where we had halted for a tea break. The stretch from Gramphoo turning to Rohtang had been a shade better this time since there was no rain. But from Rohtang onwards, the hell remained. Dirty road, slush, heavy traffic of returning tourists, and rain - a astonishing cocktail was being served as we approached the fag end of our ride. Nothing, it seemed, had changed since our earlier passage. The ride remained as bad and road rather worse. Weather was also unchanged. 18 days and 3150 odd kms later, we were in Manali on 03 Sep 08. 500km or so more and we wd be home. Anyways, we checked into Negi’s at 2015h. We went in for a rush drill and we were out of our rooms at 2030h. We rocked Moon Dance with our laughter and chuckle as we gulped beer after beer along with trout, tikkas, fried banana ice cream and what not. PR and Karan opted for more royalty by drinking off a stag who had been royal (ha, ha). It must have been midnight again (history repeats itself!!) when we stumbled into our rooms. Our ride had officially been ended with that breakup party. Coming back to the decision to abort Lahaul-Spiti leg. Before Bagheera could touch base, its gasket gave in. Red Angel also met with a similar fate. Niranjan’s chain wore off and had to be replaced at Ferozepur. There were other small little problems with other bikes too. Deepika’s eye healed only after a week.
It had started as a dream. We all were aware that the ride could change our lives. At the end of it, we realise that it surely did. We have a tendency to take things for granted whether it is our family, comfort of our homes, pleasure of being with children and everything else. The ride made us realise how vulnerable we actually are. A skid here, a slip there, a puncture with no one around, a part breaking or weather turning bad - every small little happening had a definite effect on each one of us. Plans are made but may prove to be futile - may be it is important to enjoy the moment without caring too much about the hours yet to come. What lay ahead was not known for most of the times since it was the first ride through this area for all of us. Living with uncertainty was an education in itself. We all came from diverse backgrounds - a few of us were from army, one was aspiring to be an army officer, one an engineer business man from a well settled family, another one was a entrepreneur whose pregnant wife waited at home and not to forget the old man who had, at 57, taken a decision to do what he liked the most. We started as strangers. I was the only link who had contact with everyone else. But we are a family now. Our organisational culture eggs on a kind of gap between officers of different seniority levels. I had always wanted to reduce this gap when not wearing the olive greens. This trip gave us an opportunity to close the part to an extent in a decorous manner. There were occasions when opinions did differ but to my surprise, there was never a conflict. Most of us understood, very early during the ride, the importance of team and group cohesion. Team spirit comes naturally to people in uniform but we found it no different with other members of the team. No tempers were ever lost, no ugly situations were ever created. Absence of variance may not be a necessity for a team to be an effective but it is a happy situation overall in a situation like this. One day, while taking a break, we started discussing what would be the real definition of an adventure activity? The consensus- an adventure is an activity that we may hate while we are in it but would give us nostalgic feelings afterwards. Having been through the ride with every day throwing up some kind of adverse situation, I am sure none of us ever hated it while we were in it. The nostalgia that we experience today, is nothing but natural.
For preparation tips, please see --- http://motorbikinginhimalayas.blogspot.com/Blog by ajay at thefirstthambi@gmail.com
(the team - poster by ajay)
our special thanx and gratitude to 60kph and mr gaurav jaani and many other friends who guided as well as inspired us to undertake this ridebike
