Map created by EveryTrail: Share GPS Tracks
251 KMs Trip meter 16127 KMs
Finally i am kind moving out of Srinagar. Thinking of staying at Sonamarg for the day. But i have to cross the busy city. Even after that, there was continues towns and dusty traffic. It was only like 11 KMs to Gulmarg that things became interesting. Nice twisties and then i find out Why the place is named GulMarg, as i literally means Flower path. Lots of flowers on the way, after one point the entire mountain wall to side of the road is covered with white flowers. Ride among the Deodar trees. Even take a small walk up a slope once. Would have been nice to hike up the forest. As i near Gulmarg i see lot of crowd kinda attacking vehicles approaching there. They were literally climbing on top of it. I was confused and tensed for some time. Did not see violence though. I approached cautiously and they din seem to care. Only later when i enter i realize that they were the Pony owners and were booking the tourists for they pony ride. For that they fought with each other, chased and climbed vehicles!! But i was spared. After a turn the Gulmarg medow reveals itself and it was a pleasant surprise. Did not expect that. shallow hills with grass and flowers till the eye can see. Just take a round in the main town area and then headed towards Golf course. It was amazing out there. Green Meadows till far and white topped mountains after that. It was a huge area and ride was beautiful with flowers and flowers on either side of the road. Just casually ride around and go towards the Gondola. It's smaller ones that keep running and people hop into it on the move kinda. Did not try it as the handling the luggage was an issue. Take a break there for food.
Time to move on. Its like 1.15. Gourav had suggested Uri command post but looks like it too late for the day. Thought would atleast go till Baramulla in the route suggested by him. In no time its small narrow roads and some bad patches. This is a interior route. Pass through couple of villages like kalantra and Chandosa. There was apple gardens beside the road but they was still small. Guess i am early to apple season. Progress was slow and i was getting tired so thought of staying at Srinagar for the day. As i was going down a mountain towards Baramula, get a call from Arun informing me about lot of disturbance in Srinagar. Shit this is crazy. Did not want to ride back the interior route as it takes a lot of time so hit the highway wonder what to do. Thought would head tell Srinagar any way and check out the situation. On the way a petrol pump guy says there is Curfew in Srinagar. Its getting to evening and now wondering where to stay! How do i get to Sonamarg atleast. Did not really want to again go to Gulmarg for the stay. Some 14 kms before Srinagar i again filled fuel thinking i may not get ahead. The fuel pump guy enlightens me about a road bypassing Srinagar via Sambal. He says i can make it to Sonamarg in like 1 1.25 hours! OK its sonamarg then. Some time after taking the road i see the board with Sonamarg 83 kms!! Man these locals are so optimistic! How can i make it in 1 hour unless i am riding at 110?? Nearing Sambal i see a board towards Mansbal lake also suggested by Gaurav. Locals told me that its nearby and can head to Sonamarg from there only. OK small detour. Sunlight will by there till 8 pm anyway. This goes into towns and road kinda slow. After some time i pass by next to the lake. Looks like there is some tourist sports activities. Ride ahead and catch the Sonamarg highway.
What do i see the sky is very dark in the direction i am heading and definetly its raining. Man are the rains for the season begun? Kinda spoils my mood. After some time the road becomes narrow and its also wet. Slows my progress. There is also some road widening work going on. This means the mud washed onto the road by rain. There is heavy wind from behind me. Some times swaying my bike. This is kinda helping as i observe that as i ride ahead the rain clouds are being pushed. Just that i have to ride the wet road. Even catch a rain bow as it was bright sunshine behind me and rain ahead of me.
Then after some time they skies are clear, the road is dry and smooth two laned one! Nearing Sonamarg some 10 kms before it the landscape changes and wow it just gets bettor and bettor. Stop many times for pix. Make it to Sonamarg by 6.pm and What a place. Wide open space with mountains on either side. Me a tad late as the its dull for photography. Now this place is thronged with Amarnath yatris and accommodation is expensive. Heard like 1.5k for a small room on the main street. I am pointed to some tented accommodation behind the main street. They place and the tent costs me 500 bux! I take it. This is my second tent stay in the trip after cherrapunjee, though this one is not so exotic. They take full guarantee of my luggage kept in the tent. So i trust them and leave all my stuff in the tent and just close the zip. Walk to the main street to check out the place. Go to the JK tourism dept, just to check out the rates. Had left it before thinking it would be too expensive. But the guy said he would give it to me in 300 Bux and it was a bettor one!! Any way i had paid and will stick to that. The hotel guys are lazy to take order let alone serve food. Finally found one hotel which was ready to give food. Now it got dark and it was bit tricky to find my way to the tent camp walking on the dark field. All the things were still there and crashed for the day with Kargil in mind tomm.
Time to move on. Its like 1.15. Gourav had suggested Uri command post but looks like it too late for the day. Thought would atleast go till Baramulla in the route suggested by him. In no time its small narrow roads and some bad patches. This is a interior route. Pass through couple of villages like kalantra and Chandosa. There was apple gardens beside the road but they was still small. Guess i am early to apple season. Progress was slow and i was getting tired so thought of staying at Srinagar for the day. As i was going down a mountain towards Baramula, get a call from Arun informing me about lot of disturbance in Srinagar. Shit this is crazy. Did not want to ride back the interior route as it takes a lot of time so hit the highway wonder what to do. Thought would head tell Srinagar any way and check out the situation. On the way a petrol pump guy says there is Curfew in Srinagar. Its getting to evening and now wondering where to stay! How do i get to Sonamarg atleast. Did not really want to again go to Gulmarg for the stay. Some 14 kms before Srinagar i again filled fuel thinking i may not get ahead. The fuel pump guy enlightens me about a road bypassing Srinagar via Sambal. He says i can make it to Sonamarg in like 1 1.25 hours! OK its sonamarg then. Some time after taking the road i see the board with Sonamarg 83 kms!! Man these locals are so optimistic! How can i make it in 1 hour unless i am riding at 110?? Nearing Sambal i see a board towards Mansbal lake also suggested by Gaurav. Locals told me that its nearby and can head to Sonamarg from there only. OK small detour. Sunlight will by there till 8 pm anyway. This goes into towns and road kinda slow. After some time i pass by next to the lake. Looks like there is some tourist sports activities. Ride ahead and catch the Sonamarg highway.
What do i see the sky is very dark in the direction i am heading and definetly its raining. Man are the rains for the season begun? Kinda spoils my mood. After some time the road becomes narrow and its also wet. Slows my progress. There is also some road widening work going on. This means the mud washed onto the road by rain. There is heavy wind from behind me. Some times swaying my bike. This is kinda helping as i observe that as i ride ahead the rain clouds are being pushed. Just that i have to ride the wet road. Even catch a rain bow as it was bright sunshine behind me and rain ahead of me.
Then after some time they skies are clear, the road is dry and smooth two laned one! Nearing Sonamarg some 10 kms before it the landscape changes and wow it just gets bettor and bettor. Stop many times for pix. Make it to Sonamarg by 6.pm and What a place. Wide open space with mountains on either side. Me a tad late as the its dull for photography. Now this place is thronged with Amarnath yatris and accommodation is expensive. Heard like 1.5k for a small room on the main street. I am pointed to some tented accommodation behind the main street. They place and the tent costs me 500 bux! I take it. This is my second tent stay in the trip after cherrapunjee, though this one is not so exotic. They take full guarantee of my luggage kept in the tent. So i trust them and leave all my stuff in the tent and just close the zip. Walk to the main street to check out the place. Go to the JK tourism dept, just to check out the rates. Had left it before thinking it would be too expensive. But the guy said he would give it to me in 300 Bux and it was a bettor one!! Any way i had paid and will stick to that. The hotel guys are lazy to take order let alone serve food. Finally found one hotel which was ready to give food. Now it got dark and it was bit tricky to find my way to the tent camp walking on the dark field. All the things were still there and crashed for the day with Kargil in mind tomm.
Let me start off with the Pix session with a Tutorial.
How to make your own Neck warmer!!
Take a brand new monkey cap with a smile on the face...
Take a scissor!
Start cutting near the top...
The whole way round...
Take the top portion and throw it...
Wear the cap with the facehole going backwords...
Pull it all the way down and voila you have a neck warmer...
Wear the helmet and stuff some upwards to protect the nose and mouth from cold...
If still feeling cold then wear it like a normal monkey cap...
And helmet on... Happy cos the hurting thick part is cut out :D
Any way this was my cozy room at Srinagar in Hotel Aziz....
Crossing the Srinagar city for Gulmarg...
Most of the places i had just heard of in news...
Riding towards Gulmarg....
Only the last 10 KMs gets intersting...
Take a small hike into the woods...
Bike down there...
Me there...
Some macros...
Flowers and flowers every where and this place literally means Gulmarg the Flower path...
Lot of flowers by the road...
Thought some violence was going on but they were the horse men trying to book people of incoming vehicles for their horse rides!!
View on the way....
Get to Gulmarg and what a place.... wide open meadows.. The white portions are not snow but flowers!
Lot of ponies...
Snow topped mountains near by...
In a couple of months the whole place will be covered in snow...
It was a pleasant lazy ride through Gulmarg..
Lots and lots of flowers....
Now i gotta pose and the sun went behind the cloud....
Lots of activity in the middle of the meadow..
Want some pony ride?
The Gonadal ride at Gulmarg... Did not try as stashing my luggage was a problem...
Ride back....
Going towards Baramula and a road block which i sneaked through..
Small interior kashmiri roads...
One of the villages...
Village kids...
My bike does 26k! Though it has lost like 750 on the odo due to speedo cable going kaput some time back...
Nice pleasant ride...
This was his pose when i told him i would take his picture!!
Kashmiri village house...
Peaceful place they live in... i think this is kalantra...
Raw apples.... i am too early for apple season...
Deodars again...
Baramula town...
Ripping to Srinagar...
By now arun had informed me about disturbance in Srinagar so i deviated to Sonamarg via sambal... Green fields enroute...
Some lake...
Mansbal lake...
Catch the main road to Sonamarg.. its cloudy and looks like raining ahead and its dry behind me...
So i get a rain bow....
Its bad out there...
Landscape changes nearing Sonamarg...
Raging waters... Under a bridge to a hotel....
I make it to sonamarg...
Beautiful place...
The town...
Some delux tented accommodation....
Vertical travel for the day....
2 comments:
Are you took the pic of your bike's odo/trip console at 2 A.M at night ?
I don't think so.
Your bike clock said it night though. :)
All posts are very nice..Kindly publish using by LABELS. then we will see easily..thanks..
Post a Comment