Monday, August 3, 2009

Day 144 - July 30 - Pang to Keylong

July30 at EveryTrail

Map created by EveryTrail: Travel Community

179 KMs Trip meter 18712 KMs

Had disturbed sleep the whole night. It must be really cold out there, but lil did i realize that being happily under influence ;) The dust and dirt over there never got registered. As day breaks i get out and see frost on my bike! The bike wont start as the battery is completely dead. Had hardly kick started the bike since i had it. Taking the suggestion of Rathore sahab the driver, Splashed some boiling hot water on the engine. Two kicks and it roars to life. But the battery was a concern. Since the bike wouldn't idle ever since i got on to the hills, if i stop for a pic i had to start the bike and had to kick start it. This got me lazy on pix. Was worried about bike getting switched off in the water crossing and having to kick start there! Any way like all the days i start only by couple of hours later than i intended. The crazy bunch again got together for break fast and this time were joined by Col Sharma as well. We bid our farewells and all moved up while i rode down. The only thing on my mind now was the water crossing where an Innova has got stuck!

After like 7-8 kms reached the place and the Innova had taken a very wrong line. Since it was morning, there wasn't much water but it was still a long one near Kangla jal. Crossed it with gaitors on i was through. Starting climbing to the a pass and guessed it was Lachung La. Taking my time every where and glad i did not push it to sarchu the previous day. The photo session at the pass and as i descend i could see an immediat climb to another pass. In my ignorance thought it was Baralach La. There were some freakily steep short cuts to cut down the distance. Only when i get on to the top of the pass i know its Nakee La. For once the Bro mentioned height was lil pessimistic compared to the fone reading. Some one had written the correct reading and signed with date, this even endorsed by two more writings. Did my bit to mutilate the board ;) Got privecy at this pass and spend some time there. The Ride ahead was kinda on mountain walls and drops of on other side, though gradual one. looked like i the road would be gliding down any time. After going around a few mountains. Its the famous gata loops ahead of me. Not very photogenic as i am not able to get the full view of the loops. There was much more steeper short cuts and would have been nice to see an truck use them! Maky my way down the loops and it a flat ride ahead kinda in a valley. Approaching Sarchu that is. I took like 4 hours just to get there and guess i am taking my time. It was already like 1 pm. Have my fill at sarchu and i hear about quite a few Nalas ahead and looks like there will be many before i reach keylong. The day is getting heavier as well. Came to know about a big one just after sarchu. See a few bikes coming up and that encourages me. As i reach the nala, there wasnt much water and it was not yet the time for the flow. So i am through this one as well.

Then the climb to Baralachla starts. Surprisingly its all white mountains in the valley. Glad there was a bridge over a scarrying looking water crossing. Stopped many times as i climbed to Baralach La. Quite a few water crossing hear as well. The roads get bettor nearing the top and its all smooth. Stop at the last pass before Rothang. And do what i do at passes. Pose and click. The panorama around was breath taking. Spent some time looking around and have to move on. Now begins the long descent. The roads are pretty good, the clouds still playing with the sun and i could see a lake from above. As i near it i realize that its Suraj Taal. Looked pretty under the sunlight. Reach Zing Zing bar for my next fill. Now again i come to know about a few Water crossings. Well what ever it is have to be going through. Just after zing zing bar the its road building under progress. This was a long one. As i keep rolling down the greenery around increases and i seem to getting back to the normal landscape. There were alternates between good road and roads under work and felt like a candy being given and taken again and again from a kid! There were big water crossings but they had cement flooring and it was easy to cross over. Make it to Keylong by 6pm and instead of getting to work, i spend most of the time in the restaurant making calls and odering snax and etc at will. Lazed the whole evening and dozed off with the thought of crossing over Rothang the next day.

Frost on my bike in the morning...


My humble abode for the night...


Lot more of them....


Quite a bunch, were even joined by Col. Sharma, who is on Leh tour on CBZ!!


The tented dorm!!


Riding towards Sarchu...


Quite some natural sculptures...


Now who made that tunnel?


Quite a jagged place...


Trucks having trouble passing each other...


The Nala, which was ok at this time to cross... the stuck innova which took a wrong line the previous evening...


Wild mountain goats spotted...








Bike at Lachung La...


15896 feet says my phone...


At Lachung La top...


There is a decent and immediately a climb to Nakee La!!





At Nakee La... for once the Board said a pessimistic height compared to the phone... phone says...16200 feet and others had mentioned the same on the board...





The other side of Nakee La...


Strange plant with strange flowers...


Riding on the slope...


Quite a hole...


The Gata loops....





Quite hard to get the full picture....


Boy were there some steep short cuts...








Riding towards Sarchu....


Some sights enroute...











The Sarchu tents i thought...











Now these are the sarchu tents, quite away from sarchu actually...





Quite a natural rubble...


Click enroute Climb to Baralach La


Some narrow paths...


Two big streams meeting, the left one with muddy water and the right one with clear water...





The climb to Baralach La was fantastic...





Glad there is a bridge now...


Else the water crossing looked scary...


Tall ice walls...


Plenty of small water crossings....





It was only getting prettier...





The snow cutter i guess...


At Baralach La top... 16133 feet says my fone...


Me there....


Great scenes around...





Quite a stone pile!!


Climbing down the other side...


Suraj Taal there....


Bit close...





Bike at the ice gate...


Sun fooling around...


Pretty roads going down the long descent from Baralach La....


Long way down to the valley....


At Zingzingbar.... Cars were brought out of a shoot out from cnn-ibn i guess... Ritz was the winner it seems...


Off they go....


Bad roads soon after....


A biker's night mare....


Good roads again...


Riding the green hills now...


Had a couple of these but there was cement flooring so was easy to cross....


One more....


The dusty roads continue...











Now this stupid calf for quite some reason thought i was chasing it and it was fast for me to over take in the bad roads and in the end chased it up like a km, before i could over take it!


Pretty glaciers on the nearby mountains....





Pretty looking town below....


Guess rothang is out there and weather does not look good today, hope it will be bettor tomm...


Ok some more good roads nearing Key long....


Finally at Keylong....


No way i am crossing that, luckily i had spotted a road below and i took that one :)


Vertical travel for the day ...

2 comments:

Arun said...

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a115/praveenkm/BigTrip/Day144/DSC00881.jpg

You can actually ride towards this..it has an impressive view when you reach the valley drop. When we stayed at Sarchu, we walked around here in the early morning.

Arun said...

..and that must be the himalayan version of Tahr..the rock climbing expert.