Map created by EveryTrail: GPS Trail Maps
86 KMs Trip Meter 17712 KMs
When the alarm buzzes i see a bright light shining in the window. Thats directly sun hitting my window. Thought the day would be clear thinking about the clear sky yesterday. Once i go out i see lot of clouds around and the sunlight was short lived. Thought M'La would not happen today, as the weather was not clear and i am alone too. Any way lightened the bike and dumped all the stuff in the room and carried a few spares and tools. Started by 8am. Damn isnt it kinda late? Take the road to phobrang and the road soon goes away from the pangong lake. Stop for a pic and i see two army trucks coming towards me. Damn did they see me with the cam? Any way let them pass. The ride towards Phobrang was damn good. So wanted to stop for pix. Kinda like riding in desert but with huge mountains nearby. The sunlight was good. But i have to keep going and i was not sure of the distance to Phobrang village. Soon i caught up with the Army trucks and just followed them. There is no sign of check post. Did i miss it? i wondered. After a good 14 KMs of scenic ride i reach Phobrang. The trucks carry on towards M'La and go to the check post to try my luck with the permit. Was welcomed by a guy from karnataka at the gate. It was a small conversation in Kannada. He was pretty happy to talk in native language. Then i went in to meet the incharge. Gave the permit and what do you know, with out a fuss he says go ahead but dont go ahead of the La! I was told to leave any video equipment and i promptly said i dont have any video cam! Then its a go! The karnataka soldier wants long conversation and tells me that there of some 10 12 trucks more heading that way. Wow now thats wat i call a back up if things go wrong. Gives me some confidence.
Was so sure that i will not be let through that i was already planing where to get to by evening. But now i am on the way to M'la. Its offroad immediately and steep one with lot of soft sand. Into clutch play in no time. The next couple of kms was hard and wondered how far i could go like this. How much beating the bike can take.. Wished i had a partner for this stretch. Any way none of the disadvantages would make me turn back and i carried on. Thanks to the army trucks that went ahead i simply follow the fresh tracks assuming they would take the easiest tracks. Things eased out a bit and i ride on to the open space with smooth mountains on either side and wide openess. Loved to have a break there but wanted to push ahead as much as possible in good weather. The sunlight showing up intermittently. Cant control but for a couple of breaks for pix. At the end of this open space stretch i see the Army trucks ahead and are moving slowly and boy were they climbing. Thought altitude would come into play any time. With the path some times with stones and some times with soft sand cant gain any momentum and ride at max 20 kmph. Third gear was out of action before the next climb session. After a dip through some rocks section the climb starts bike is gasping immediately. Down to first gear already. Unscrewed the airscrew half a turn. Bike felt bettor in 2nd gear. After some time unscrewed half a turn more any way. Now i could ride some parts in 3 gear as well. Things looked encouraging. It was a smooth climb after that and the next open space was with grass and all. Even spotted a lone wild ass. Forced myself for a small break. Then i realized that i had brought nothing to eat, no chocolates, no fruit juice and had just water and i am kinda already hungry. This was really naive of me to forget the stuff at the room. This will tire me down quicker than it should once i run out of my breakfast! Carried on the momentum and suddenly it was all stones and with out realizing i have climbed a steep stones strewn section and the army truck tracks go straight. It looked lot more rough and steep. There was track to the left and a switch back and joining the main track. Walked to do a recce and found this one is much easier than the other one. And it was. It was 1st and 2 gear shuffling and reach the man track, and the rocks are not over and i see it for quite some distance more. I kinda think that after a 100 feet or so is the pass. Took rest and rode some feet and did the same. By now i could smell the engine burning. At the end of it all i see is a long plain and a final ascent to the pass. Now i really doubted if my bike could do it. Cos i had decided i wont be pulling and pushing the bike, if the bike gives up i will be turning back. The plain was rocky and followed the army trucks tracks. There seems to be some construction work going on near the pass with ice sheds and all but no one there. 1 and 2 gear make it to the base of the final ascent. There was a track going straight up which the army trucks had taken but there was another track with lot of switch backs. I happily take the switch backs and they were really gentle on the bike, had to use clutch only on the turn else 1st gear 20 kmph was taking me up. 1,2,3,4 or 5 switch back later there i am! atop Marsimek La. Really? i cant believe it. After all i have heard of people pushing their bikes as their bikes gave up and bikes sliding back etc etc. Guess the switch backs at the final ascent was made new which was easy on me and a light snow fall the previous night gave me bettor traction i guess. The first things i did was hugged my bike. It brought me up here all on its own with out me pushing it! Made it solo!
It was really euphoric moment. Did actually scream and jump in joy. By now i am very very hungry. But go berserk with the cam. After all the effort there is not fanfare, no board mentioning about the pass. The path on the other side of the pass looked very bad and slushy, the land scape was very different and on the darker side. Guess things are different on either side of the passes. Click almost everything there. By now the winds were picking up as it was already 12 noon. It was time to go back but its not over. Going back is no easier than going up. But kinda lil difficult also, as there is possibilities of loosing the front wheel. I kind feel more effort going down the steep sections. Take rest in between to calm my nerves. Now i could see quite some KMs of the ride back but there is no sigh of my backup 10 12 army trucks. So i am on my own now. I have not see one person after the leaving the phobrang check post. Now i actually keep following my own tire tracks which i made on way up. Now this was kinda experienced following the inexperienced. But the i had done good with the tracks and helped me on the way back. Now i can take breaks how much ever longer i want. Stop at the grassy open space and what i see is whole heard of Wild asses. Quite far but my cams zoom caught them for sure. Have plenty of tricky sections ahead. And my hunger is only increasing. I take some rest the moment i feel a bit tired. Winds are getting cold and the clouds look aggressive down south. No sunlight and kinda spoiling the photos. All the pix look dull and cant capture the dept of the place. Negotiate sections one by one and one more break at the other open space. Boy do i love this wide open spaces. Just after this is the final descent to the ITBP check post but its a long one and and more difficult. Lot of loose soft sand. Finally inching by i make it to the check post and breathed sigh relief. Why do we do such things?!! The guards invites me for lunch. But i feel i am bettor off heading back to the Eco huts and have food comfortably there. Now i can take pix of the way to Lukung. Reach there pretty tired.
Have lunch and sleep in the dining area for some rest. At like 3.30 thought of going to spangmik and back but the weather is not looking good. I wait outside for some improvement invain. Dont want to waste time in the morning for this. The manager Ashok says no point waiting for the weather. Well i hop on my bike and ride out towards spangmik. Couple of kms the road is over and it dirt trail now. Same old stones and stuff. Thought should be ok for 4-5 kms like this. But soon it got rocky and at one point it was like going on a dried up river bed with lot of small rounded stones! Walked a bit to see the right path, but did not really want to put myself into that, cos its a long lake and looks the same from every where. So i turn around and ride back till the tarmac. Stop and go near the water's edge and sit there for like an hour just looking at the lake. Never knew how time flew. Wanted to sit more time but hunger pangs was getting stronger so headed back to the Eco huts and rest of evening pretty much lazed in the dining hall. Thinking about tomm as to how the day would be. Will i get to Nyoma or what?
Was so sure that i will not be let through that i was already planing where to get to by evening. But now i am on the way to M'la. Its offroad immediately and steep one with lot of soft sand. Into clutch play in no time. The next couple of kms was hard and wondered how far i could go like this. How much beating the bike can take.. Wished i had a partner for this stretch. Any way none of the disadvantages would make me turn back and i carried on. Thanks to the army trucks that went ahead i simply follow the fresh tracks assuming they would take the easiest tracks. Things eased out a bit and i ride on to the open space with smooth mountains on either side and wide openess. Loved to have a break there but wanted to push ahead as much as possible in good weather. The sunlight showing up intermittently. Cant control but for a couple of breaks for pix. At the end of this open space stretch i see the Army trucks ahead and are moving slowly and boy were they climbing. Thought altitude would come into play any time. With the path some times with stones and some times with soft sand cant gain any momentum and ride at max 20 kmph. Third gear was out of action before the next climb session. After a dip through some rocks section the climb starts bike is gasping immediately. Down to first gear already. Unscrewed the airscrew half a turn. Bike felt bettor in 2nd gear. After some time unscrewed half a turn more any way. Now i could ride some parts in 3 gear as well. Things looked encouraging. It was a smooth climb after that and the next open space was with grass and all. Even spotted a lone wild ass. Forced myself for a small break. Then i realized that i had brought nothing to eat, no chocolates, no fruit juice and had just water and i am kinda already hungry. This was really naive of me to forget the stuff at the room. This will tire me down quicker than it should once i run out of my breakfast! Carried on the momentum and suddenly it was all stones and with out realizing i have climbed a steep stones strewn section and the army truck tracks go straight. It looked lot more rough and steep. There was track to the left and a switch back and joining the main track. Walked to do a recce and found this one is much easier than the other one. And it was. It was 1st and 2 gear shuffling and reach the man track, and the rocks are not over and i see it for quite some distance more. I kinda think that after a 100 feet or so is the pass. Took rest and rode some feet and did the same. By now i could smell the engine burning. At the end of it all i see is a long plain and a final ascent to the pass. Now i really doubted if my bike could do it. Cos i had decided i wont be pulling and pushing the bike, if the bike gives up i will be turning back. The plain was rocky and followed the army trucks tracks. There seems to be some construction work going on near the pass with ice sheds and all but no one there. 1 and 2 gear make it to the base of the final ascent. There was a track going straight up which the army trucks had taken but there was another track with lot of switch backs. I happily take the switch backs and they were really gentle on the bike, had to use clutch only on the turn else 1st gear 20 kmph was taking me up. 1,2,3,4 or 5 switch back later there i am! atop Marsimek La. Really? i cant believe it. After all i have heard of people pushing their bikes as their bikes gave up and bikes sliding back etc etc. Guess the switch backs at the final ascent was made new which was easy on me and a light snow fall the previous night gave me bettor traction i guess. The first things i did was hugged my bike. It brought me up here all on its own with out me pushing it! Made it solo!
It was really euphoric moment. Did actually scream and jump in joy. By now i am very very hungry. But go berserk with the cam. After all the effort there is not fanfare, no board mentioning about the pass. The path on the other side of the pass looked very bad and slushy, the land scape was very different and on the darker side. Guess things are different on either side of the passes. Click almost everything there. By now the winds were picking up as it was already 12 noon. It was time to go back but its not over. Going back is no easier than going up. But kinda lil difficult also, as there is possibilities of loosing the front wheel. I kind feel more effort going down the steep sections. Take rest in between to calm my nerves. Now i could see quite some KMs of the ride back but there is no sigh of my backup 10 12 army trucks. So i am on my own now. I have not see one person after the leaving the phobrang check post. Now i actually keep following my own tire tracks which i made on way up. Now this was kinda experienced following the inexperienced. But the i had done good with the tracks and helped me on the way back. Now i can take breaks how much ever longer i want. Stop at the grassy open space and what i see is whole heard of Wild asses. Quite far but my cams zoom caught them for sure. Have plenty of tricky sections ahead. And my hunger is only increasing. I take some rest the moment i feel a bit tired. Winds are getting cold and the clouds look aggressive down south. No sunlight and kinda spoiling the photos. All the pix look dull and cant capture the dept of the place. Negotiate sections one by one and one more break at the other open space. Boy do i love this wide open spaces. Just after this is the final descent to the ITBP check post but its a long one and and more difficult. Lot of loose soft sand. Finally inching by i make it to the check post and breathed sigh relief. Why do we do such things?!! The guards invites me for lunch. But i feel i am bettor off heading back to the Eco huts and have food comfortably there. Now i can take pix of the way to Lukung. Reach there pretty tired.
Have lunch and sleep in the dining area for some rest. At like 3.30 thought of going to spangmik and back but the weather is not looking good. I wait outside for some improvement invain. Dont want to waste time in the morning for this. The manager Ashok says no point waiting for the weather. Well i hop on my bike and ride out towards spangmik. Couple of kms the road is over and it dirt trail now. Same old stones and stuff. Thought should be ok for 4-5 kms like this. But soon it got rocky and at one point it was like going on a dried up river bed with lot of small rounded stones! Walked a bit to see the right path, but did not really want to put myself into that, cos its a long lake and looks the same from every where. So i turn around and ride back till the tarmac. Stop and go near the water's edge and sit there for like an hour just looking at the lake. Never knew how time flew. Wanted to sit more time but hunger pangs was getting stronger so headed back to the Eco huts and rest of evening pretty much lazed in the dining hall. Thinking about tomm as to how the day would be. Will i get to Nyoma or what?
Looking back at Pangong before heading to Marsimek La...
Entering Phobrang village...
The landscape get stranger...
Did not take many pix before the village as i had to hurry up and this is first pic after the Phobrang village towards the M' La...
Its dry and empty....
Barren beauty...
Love to take breaks in these open spaces all alone...
Have to be carefull of these mud traps, else might loose the front wheel!
It gradually climbs up to the valley at the left...
See some grass now, hope it will give some oxygen for the bike!
Sandy switch backs are tricky...
Take more breaks...
Some stone section! No doubt this cant be termed a motorable road!
Some high altitude wild horses...
Its quite far compared to what cam captures...
Incoming steeper sections...
I walk up to check out the two trails to see which one is bettor...
I pick the left one though the army trucks had gone straight... It was lil longer and less stones!
I took and gave rest to the bike every 20 feet thinking this is the final ascent...
Hehe could only laugh cos it was still a long way and one more steep ascent left....
This wild ass may not help me if i drop my bike!
Some construction work going on there but no one is there...
The last set of switch backs are easy cos they are not very steep and bike was happily doing 20kmph in 1st gear. There was steep straight trail cutting across this switch backs, may be these are new!
Just one more switch back....
And we are there!!
Yup! i made it solo!
The broken info board..
This must be a record for high altitude vandalism...
Happy at my new throne!!
My fone does not even spare Marsimek La... it says 18334 feet against 18640!
The path ahead looks more rough and slushy with the melted snow...
Permitted side looks more pretty!
The small temple up there...
Zooming far ahead to the forbidden side...
Not much snow around...
Looking down to the path i came...
One last pic atop the Highest Bikable pass!
Riding down is not any easy have to fight gravity...
Searching for my own tracks!
The plain below looks beautifull....
Then i see a herd of Wild asses..
Break here...
A lone snow shed..
Now who did this???
I stick to the longer tracks and avoid short cuts...
Long way to ride back...
Its really great walking around here with emptiness everywhere...
Nearing the end of the dirt trail...
Leaving phobrang village...
Colorful Urgo village...
Are these goats hairy!
Pretty pangong awaiting...
Crazy mountains!
Its desert!
Some ducks in the pangong.... they live off small prown like insects that live in the lake i guess...
Riding towards Spangmic and road ends...
Another bird in the lake...
Its gets a bit stony!
A lot more...
No water but still did not want to cross all these loose stones...
Just walked a bit further...
Leaving the bike behind...
The Spangmik camps...
Decide to head to Chushul via Tantse no way i am taking this rough trail! Turn back and sit beside the lake for like an hour. It was great time spent there...
Bike waiting above....
The Majestic lake...
Sunlight lets me play...
Climb to Marsimek La....
1 comment:
Great Bhai really dil garden garden ho gaya
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