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149 KMs Tripmeter 16277 KMs
Had disturbed sleep whole night. Woke up pretty early. It was chilly in the morning. Thought i would make it to Kargil in good time. While having breakfast the hotel guys said he would have give a room for 500!! Any way its like 8.15 i start. The landscape the mountains and the beautiful roads things are only getting bettor and bettor. After some 30 kms or so the climb starts steadily. Then i spot a huge congregation of vehicles and tents far below on the valley floor. That is a huge camp site for Amarnath yatris. Take a few pix and ride on. Get stopped by a soldier in no time. It seems there is something and ahead and its safe to stay put till we get a clearance. On asked he told that there was a mine or a bomb planted by terrorists and they were waiting for a diffusion unit. Looks like i missed the passage in like half an hour. slowly one by one vehicles started getting accumulating. Got into conversation with the soldier. It seems he found the bad thing. And was telling like these things happen with local support etc. The moment a local came and asked for the reason for the holdup, he said there is some problem which he is not aware of! Then he was giving out his frustration about the situation. There were people around and thought it was best to change the topic and distracted him. Any way this turned out to be a two hour wait. Atleast we were in a nice place overlooking the Amarnath camp from high above and the valley on either side.
we here two blasts and in a few mins get a clearance to go. First the incoming vehicles and then our turn. See three bikers going down. I get moving and in no time the road ends and it bumpy offroad climb to the Zojila pass. Not really steep but switchbacks taking me up and up and the horrible paths. After some climb i seem to be descending and took a pic of the altitude. There is no board or anything saying the point of the pass. Had carried with me lot of doubts as to who will i fare in ladakh. But on the other side of Zojila, the landscape just got superb and now i am exited about Ladakh! The road under construction and yes the typical first layer of stones and mud generously put. After for some like 10 kms i see a bulleter coming from the other side, we wave and stop for a chat. What a coincidence he Mukunda from Bangalore as well. Its like first time in 4 months that i am talking to some1 face to face in Kannada. It was nice to meet him and he was done with ladakh trip and heading to srinagar. He even gives me his two 5 liter cans and a bunjee cord, just what i need for Zanskar! what luck. Thank you very much Mukanda. We chat for some and bid byes. A lil after a beauty of two lane road from out of no where! It was great and and now i can see mountains around more freely. Couple of biker groups pass by. We wave at eachother. Just not sure how the explain the land scape. Wide open spaces just what i like. At one point i see a huge medaow to the right going to till the river. See few vehicles and people picnicking. Well i am going there to so i offroad ont he grass for a few pix.
The road does not last long it gets to narrow single laned tad bumpy road. Reach drass by like 2 and stop for lunch break. Cold see Tiger hill clearly from there. Carried on some 6 KMs to the war memorial. I get no tour from the soldiers as they are waiting for an higher official. I walk on the Vijay path towards the memorial. Spend moment reading about the memorial. Saw a wal with names of soldiers who gave live during the kargil war. If not for them guess i would not be riding here today. A few pix and i am on the move.
Now on the road gets narrow, the landscape looks great for some time but later its a narrow road on the valley wall and kinda closed environment. Its like that till Kargil. Reach there and no airtel signal which i was told will be there. Pass through the town and din find any place where i can approach for the stay. I am at the other end of the town. See an European couple and ask them where they are staying. They were paying 1700 it seems. Looks place not for me. Go there any way just to check out. Call Yogesh for some final consulting about Zanskar and fire a lot of questions. He patiently answer all my querries and in some time i have lot of info regarding zanskar. Get a bargain for 600 bux at the D'Zojila hotel, run by people from bihar. Food is not a problem here. Before settling for the day, the take a hotel waiter with me so that i can fill fuel to the tank and cans. Have to go a couple of KMs on the Leh road. And boy was it dusty!! Buy a rope and hope what i have in mind to secure the petrol can works. Am pretty tired for the day. Two hours got wasted near Zojila else could have had more rest. I confess that some fear grips me about Zanskar, offroading for 500+ KMs and not sure of rains and what about water crossing? Too tired so just crash for the day.
Had disturbed sleep whole night. Woke up pretty early. It was chilly in the morning. Thought i would make it to Kargil in good time. While having breakfast the hotel guys said he would have give a room for 500!! Any way its like 8.15 i start. The landscape the mountains and the beautiful roads things are only getting bettor and bettor. After some 30 kms or so the climb starts steadily. Then i spot a huge congregation of vehicles and tents far below on the valley floor. That is a huge camp site for Amarnath yatris. Take a few pix and ride on. Get stopped by a soldier in no time. It seems there is something and ahead and its safe to stay put till we get a clearance. On asked he told that there was a mine or a bomb planted by terrorists and they were waiting for a diffusion unit. Looks like i missed the passage in like half an hour. slowly one by one vehicles started getting accumulating. Got into conversation with the soldier. It seems he found the bad thing. And was telling like these things happen with local support etc. The moment a local came and asked for the reason for the holdup, he said there is some problem which he is not aware of! Then he was giving out his frustration about the situation. There were people around and thought it was best to change the topic and distracted him. Any way this turned out to be a two hour wait. Atleast we were in a nice place overlooking the Amarnath camp from high above and the valley on either side.
we here two blasts and in a few mins get a clearance to go. First the incoming vehicles and then our turn. See three bikers going down. I get moving and in no time the road ends and it bumpy offroad climb to the Zojila pass. Not really steep but switchbacks taking me up and up and the horrible paths. After some climb i seem to be descending and took a pic of the altitude. There is no board or anything saying the point of the pass. Had carried with me lot of doubts as to who will i fare in ladakh. But on the other side of Zojila, the landscape just got superb and now i am exited about Ladakh! The road under construction and yes the typical first layer of stones and mud generously put. After for some like 10 kms i see a bulleter coming from the other side, we wave and stop for a chat. What a coincidence he Mukunda from Bangalore as well. Its like first time in 4 months that i am talking to some1 face to face in Kannada. It was nice to meet him and he was done with ladakh trip and heading to srinagar. He even gives me his two 5 liter cans and a bunjee cord, just what i need for Zanskar! what luck. Thank you very much Mukanda. We chat for some and bid byes. A lil after a beauty of two lane road from out of no where! It was great and and now i can see mountains around more freely. Couple of biker groups pass by. We wave at eachother. Just not sure how the explain the land scape. Wide open spaces just what i like. At one point i see a huge medaow to the right going to till the river. See few vehicles and people picnicking. Well i am going there to so i offroad ont he grass for a few pix.
The road does not last long it gets to narrow single laned tad bumpy road. Reach drass by like 2 and stop for lunch break. Cold see Tiger hill clearly from there. Carried on some 6 KMs to the war memorial. I get no tour from the soldiers as they are waiting for an higher official. I walk on the Vijay path towards the memorial. Spend moment reading about the memorial. Saw a wal with names of soldiers who gave live during the kargil war. If not for them guess i would not be riding here today. A few pix and i am on the move.
Now on the road gets narrow, the landscape looks great for some time but later its a narrow road on the valley wall and kinda closed environment. Its like that till Kargil. Reach there and no airtel signal which i was told will be there. Pass through the town and din find any place where i can approach for the stay. I am at the other end of the town. See an European couple and ask them where they are staying. They were paying 1700 it seems. Looks place not for me. Go there any way just to check out. Call Yogesh for some final consulting about Zanskar and fire a lot of questions. He patiently answer all my querries and in some time i have lot of info regarding zanskar. Get a bargain for 600 bux at the D'Zojila hotel, run by people from bihar. Food is not a problem here. Before settling for the day, the take a hotel waiter with me so that i can fill fuel to the tank and cans. Have to go a couple of KMs on the Leh road. And boy was it dusty!! Buy a rope and hope what i have in mind to secure the petrol can works. Am pretty tired for the day. Two hours got wasted near Zojila else could have had more rest. I confess that some fear grips me about Zanskar, offroading for 500+ KMs and not sure of rains and what about water crossing? Too tired so just crash for the day.
My tent for the night at Sonamarg....
Lots of tents and ppl park their vehicles near their tents...
Me there with my tent..
Going towards Tajwaz Glaciar...
Nice road among green towards the glaciar....
Me there...
This is it????
Ice mountains look cool but where's the glaciar???
But still its putting out quite a stream....
Many camp there....
Bike waiting in the restricted area... I was told later that private vehicles are not allowed into the reserve ! but no one was there at the gate :D
Ride back...
Horses have it nice here...
Leaving Sonamarg and heading towards Zojila...
Its still getting bettor....
The huge camp of Amarnath yatris!!
Lot of vehicles as well...
The army who stopped us on the left..
Helipads below in the camp....
The soldiers waiting for a clearance....
Some photography as i wait..Nice view but for the pink guy...
The valley south...
The poser bike....
The guy asking 'even horses not allowed?'
Thats Sunny with the MC...
Road towards Zojila....
Climbs like no tomm....
The valley Amarnath Yatries have to walk....
Rough going....
My bike thre...
Then i put on the surgical mask to avoid dust... it helps....
Bike by the ice wall...
Height at Zojila top....
The dusty roads and the dust makers....
Some part is laid with this cemet blocks....
Yup i am heading there....
Its beautiful on the other side....
I am in ladakh!!
Glad to meet Mukunda from Bangalore... Got to speak Kannada face to face after a long time....
Nice roads all of a sudden!
Going down....
Offroad to a small meadow....
Some posing...
Its a picnic spot alright....
It was fun riding here....
Landscape changing continuously...
Flowers every where...
Yellow mountain!!
I am at Drass...
The Tiger hill....
Then i visit the Drass war memorial.....
Me there but tiger hill is over exposed....
Its to the right...
The memorial...
My bike at the memorial....
Good harvest this year i guess....
Narrow roads towards kargil...
Here two rivers meet.. notice the color difference with green water at the top and white water in the bottem!!
Purple flowers adding color to the barrenness...
Nearing Kargil...
I am there!!!
In Kargil main town area...
Vertical travel to Tajwaz glacier...
Vertical travel from Sonamarg to Kargil....
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