Oh Man!!!
I donno wat to say...am speechless.
Someone asked few days back in this forum "What is needed to be a tourer". You have given the perfect answer...Its the Man in the Mirror

Day3 Tapri to Nako

Ok guys,time to turn back from Shipki la area and proceed further.
Shipki la area ne toh waat laga di!!!!!
Right now i am heading towards beautiful village of Nako,it is still Kinnaur district officially.Spiti has not started yet.
I am at Khab,a low point on the route and Nako a high point.It means a steep ascent via looped road called Kizags.Wind are blowing at high speed and shaking my scooter.Careful and firm grip on handle required here.
Scooter is going to be tortured.Scooter's Piston power will be tested.My habbit of adding extra 2T lubes in petrol worked wonder here.
Though it was a 1st and 2nd gear run but slowly and patiently,scooetr pulled me through showing its prowess.
I am at Nako.Time around 5 pm.
All hotel are closed,deserted streets,chill in the air,eerie silence in the village.My god they are still in winter hibernation.
But we have buzzing place there.
Dhaba of Dharampal Negi at helipad.
Eat,drink,talk,shoot and sleep here.One stop solution for eccentric traveler like me.
Local folk's adda.They are playing cards,smoking Bidis,lots of tea and strange game of THOLO.LUDO type.
Stakes are 100/rs.

Notice the ascent from Khab to Nako

Gyus it was all green in Sep 2009

Same place looks like this in March 2011

Malling stretch

Going towards Nako

First thing I ordered once at Nako dhaba

After omeette,i relished this cup of tea

Day-4 Nako to Kaza

Spending night at Nako was quite an experience.
Dhaba owner and two other men played gamble till late in the night.It was their favorite pass time during winter months.Venue of gamble keep changing,Women serve them wine,chai.This is how they spent the long punishing winter by sitting near bukhari and playing THOLO.
A Young boy from Meerut was also staying at Dhaba.
He sells cloth in different villages.His knowledge about Spiti and its people was quite impressive.He told me many things about Spitian people.Later we both visited the Nako lake togather.
He told me that a a new road is being bulit near Yanhthang village.Once completed,Nako would no more be an important place instead Leo and Yangthag will come into picture.This new road goes to Kaza.
A local from Chango village was also with me.He joined us for our Nako visit and treated us with hot cup of tea in Nako village.Tea was procured from one of his relatives in the village.Sipping tea in the street of Nako was an amazing experience.He told me that many girls from Chango village is marrried to the boys from Nako.
Time is now around 8 am.
Enough of Nako and I ignited the Bravo.My frozen water bottle was indicating the sub zero temp at night.
Scooter threw some tantrum.It was its coldest night.Finally scooter came to life after making me breathless.
Today is day to assault Kaza and see the real Spiti en route.
Adieu Nako.
Just after Nako,devilish Malling raises his head before me.Offered a prayer at the temple built by BRO workers and crossed road under the dreary Malling mound.But it was as pacified and seemed in slumber.
Downhill descent starts and scooter rolled down on its own.
Village Chango(17 kms from Nako) is my next halt to get my scooter registered and some breakfast.
Cops were very amused to see a scooter all the way from Delhi.
Chango is at much lower altitude and yields high quality apples.While chit chatting with dhaba owner at Chango I came to know that rich apples crop has given birth to many millionaires in the village.

Dhaba at Nako helipad

I spent the night here in Nako for 50 rs

Tea time Near Nako lake

My room mates,left is Cloth vendor, right is local folk form Chango

Bravo braving the High altitude

Self portrait en route

Self portrait en route2

Narender,

You are absolutely crazy. And you have my respect. You show the world, nothing is impossible.

Thank you for sharing.

Sexy scooter man...lol
Awesome ride....
More Pics..

Thanks buddy for appreciation.

Thanks a lot.Glad you liked it.

Day-4 Nako to Kaza contd....(rigt now, i am at Chango)

Ordered half plate chowmine at Chango also gathered some info about the condition of road ahead.Green signal given but also warned that no hotel is open at Kaza.
Kaza is approx 100 kms from Chango and it is just 9.30 AM.I decided to cover this stretch a very sweet space soaking myself in the beauty around.I was taking numerous halts,bringing out the camera,stopping scooters at some of the most lonely places and diving into the introspection.
It is only you and those pre historic mountains.Sitting on an oblivious stone and eating cookies there also becomes an interesting event in your journey.For me it was an inward journey too.

Forgot to post this pano of Nako lake in my earlier post.Two pics stitched.

Chango Village near police check post

Breakfast at Chango

Between Chango and Sumdo.

Dacoit Sultan Singh.My desi style balaclava

A small detour to Giu village to have a darshan of famous lama mummy

Road to Giu village diverts after some kilometers from Sumdo check post.It is 8 kms detour with slight steep ascent

Giu village nestled between high mountains.Beauty.

Detour starts here.

This pics is to have an idea of village location and road condition.No photo quality.

Village people strolling in village

that's all I can express

Thanks for wonderful expressions.

Going towards Tabo

Still going towards Tabo

Coming out of Tabo gate and proceeding to Kaza

Kids at Tabo

Cutie with his grandmother

Cutie exploring my scooter

me on the move

I like these water hurdles

Self portrait

Day-4 Nako to Kaza contd....(I am at Sichling village)

I wanna keep day 4 very relaxed for many reason-
Firstly,its is only 110 kms to be covered during the whole day.No need to hurry.Hurry makes worry,true.
Secondly,i am among the most desolated part of my ride.Feeling of being alone,insignificant among here was evoking a strange sense of thoughtlessness in me.I was enjoying such state.
Thidly,photography bhi toh karni hai bhai logon.Itni door aya kis liye hoon.Sirf scooter chalaane.
Each curve on the road was compelling me to apply brakes and bring out the camera.
Then came Sichlling village.
Some kids were playing cricket in the middle of the road.As soon as they saw me riding they started shouting "scooter scooter scooter".
A gentleman waved me to stop and advised me to relax there.He was itching to have a conversation with someone.
We started chatting and he introduced himself as a govt doctor posted in Spiti.He belonged to Punjab.His job was to visit remote villages of Spiti.He shared many interesting experience with like how once he visited Kibber in 6 feet snow,he had to cross a river on a hand pulled trolly to reach Chicham village.
He had been there for 12 years and visited almost all the remotest villages.He advised me not to come here again as there is nothing to enjoy.lol.I realized that Profession kills the passion.Time to say good bye to soft spoken doctor and move ahead.Nice talking it was.

Kids of Sichling village

Enroute Kaza.Photo courtesy-A Teen girl i met midway.She took a good pic

Another shot by same girl

Landscape

Self shot

Landscape.

Bare tree

Determination, dedication and strong will power is all any1 needs to perform such feat and you've got that sir. Helmets off !!!

Wonderful!
Lovely photographs too. Eagerly waiting for the next installment.

Thanks again!!!

Thanks a lot Mik.
Next lot coming up soon.