I still remember that dhaba scene and gosh that was hilarious, 1st time something like this happened. We tried hard to reach manali on time but some or the other way we are late , late and late. Anyways good write up lovish with brilliant set of pics .Keep them rolling.

Yeah but why did you all stop so early you should have done breakfast on hills make a rule that we will not stop before 150km or 200km until and unless anyone have some kinda issue anyways

Awesome going Lovish keep up the good work loving it

i am hooked lovish .... but only till 7th
Keep the pictures and log flowing bro....

your wait will be over soon.

thanks, its UP..!!!

thanks, yeah am also trying to complete it asap.

thanks bro, the details are here now.

bringing it ON bhaiyaa

the wait is over khan saab...!!!



thanks

bro, it was my 6th sem.
and i am from N.C.C.E, ISRANA.



hard earned paranthas ... !!!

khan saab sirf pics nahi, do read the details also, infact we had a chat on this personally too before going.
i have to CHANGE my bike's engine oil.. and it can be done after the bike cools down so its of no use wasting time just standing and letting him cool down.
we had our b'fast and it was infact after 200+ kms.


inshallah you will be doing the same after sometime

DAY 2:
MANALI TO TANDI
DISTANCE COVERED: 110KMS

THE DAY OF OUR FIRST “LA”:

THE ROUTE MAP:


This day is going to be a bit easy as we knew that we had to cover just 100-120 kms ( as keylong was our target) later menon confirmed that we can stay in army transit camps. Thanks to his father ( ex-army man), but nature has something different to do with us, no options breakfast was ordered and tummy happy now..!!!

MACHINES WAITING:


The riders ready:


But rain gods thought of opening their heart today only, just before we were ready to move we were feeling as if we are standing just below our bathroom showers, bikes were already packed and water-proofed, now it’s the time to rake out the rain coats and cover ourselves.
That too done and we were out of old manali, it was in fact very beautiful place we couldn’t see that as it was pitch dark when we crossed that last night.
Reached the main road that goes to our dream destination but the bikes were asking for their tummies to be fuel’d. as we reached that gas station, it started as if there’s no tomorrow and there comes a suggestion from menon saab: “ are yaar I think we should stay in manali only” and everyone there was like… haanji haanji kyu nahi 2-3 din yahi araam karte hai…!!!
Tanks full and we halted at a tyre puncture shop to check the tyre pressure when saif bhai said oh bhai where’s my bag????
time to go back to the pump ( 4-5kms) saif bhai and menon rode back while aneja was busy fixing his air pressure problem and me and dagar were just waiting and watching each drop falling..!!!

OH YES THEY ARE ALSO WAITING:



Almost after 40 minutes we finally saw saif bhai and menon saab coming, with that bag and menon in gum boots now..!!! we(aneja and me) also thought of buying those gum boots (we were using army shoes till now) but he said are nahi bhai ye hi chal jaenge, pehle hi kaafi late ho gae hai( 11:30 AM it was).. Let’s go..!!!


DREAMS ARE STILL FAR AWAY..!!!


Finally we are riding now through slushy, muddy areas and water coming down the slope and splashing with TRAFFIC coming down.
The rain gods were not in mood to have mercy on us and we started feeling something wet under our shoes, somewhere near marhi we have to stop the other riders and search for some gum boots.
Finally saif bhai found one shop and he agreed to give us 2 pairs @ Rs. 200/- per pair. No other option left, tried our size and army shoes packed and tied on the back.

FAIL HO GAE YE TO..!!!

Water crossing no worries now..!!! Within minutes we were here and rain was like almost gone. And we can take our cameras out to click

THIS:


This was just a teaser of how beautiful the coming days are going to be.

AND:





And as It was expected how can you cross the first “LA” without any problem:
IT’S JUST THE BEGINNING:


But bike walo ke liye bhi kabhi traffic JAM hua hai …. Few turns here and there and we were through to experience this:

FOOT-deep slush and tyres were dancing, my rain coat had given me no rain protection and as mercury was dropping, I could not carry on with those wet clothes and decided to change them there only, it took a lot of time but I had no other option and again want to thank the TEAM for their co-operation and waiting for me there. Clothes changed and we were ready to fight more slush to reach the top but it was worth

This:


GROUP FROM MUMBAI ( road stallions):


What came next can’t be described in words, if we have experienced foot deep slush then it has to be something we couldn’t even imagine, though bullet is a very capable machine but at that point EACH AND EVERY BULLET has to be pushed from behing to get it out of that slush may be because of the weight or anything but it was seriously dieng there thanks to our less weighed machines, after hours of tough fight we were out from that to experience this

HEAVEN:



Bikes started climbing and we got the idea rohtang is near, I was ahead of the rest of the group enjoying the tarmac after so long and was just going and going and suddenly realized oh man I am going down, bhaiyaa rohtang kaha gyaa???? Did I missed any board or what. A cab driver was taking photos I asked him sir rohtang aage hai????
And he said, “bhaiya yeh jo peeche chala gyaa wahi to tha”
Huuh no option time to go back..!!!
It was our first PASS and I don’t want to miss it.

ROHTANG THE FIRST “LA”:












After having few shots here and there we were riding nonstop now till the diversion for spiti valley and khokhsar. After confirming where we have to go from a cab driver as there were no sign boards, I decided to wait for the team to come and saif bhai moved on. Oh a dhaba ( before khokhsar) after looooong wait and everyone was like feeling cold and need something to fill the tummies again, food ordered and camera out.
SOMETHING UNUSUAL:
SUNLIGHT FROM SOMEWHERE


THE DHABA OWNER:


PRAYER FLAGS:


BEAUTY @ IT’S BEST:




THE TEAM:


It took more than an hour to finish the tasty food they served and the sun was about to go down when we started again, soon sun was history, temperature was dropping minute after minute and it was pitch dark when we all decided to go extremely slow and careful.

THIS DARK:

We were riding smoothly when our headlights showed us the board of ‘TANDI TRANSIT CAMP’ few kms before the main city.
Menon went inside to confirm if they have received any call about our arrival..
And yes they had, we were allowed to take our bikes to the parking area and rooms opened, man it was the best of the best we can expect there, warm, cozy and clean. We were waiting to get inside our quilts, and just in 20 mins as they said, dinner was ready..!!! Man they were super fast, and super delicious too.Dinner finished and off we go to our beds:

Mr. DAGAR:

Clean room => history:


ARE THEY FOLLOWING US:


GOOD NIGHT..!!!


ACCOMODATION FOR THE DAY: TANDI (ARMY)TRANSIT CAMP

Nicely presented details there Lovish. Congratulations on completing your dream ride.
The place before Khoksar, where you guys had breakfast is called Gramphoo. This is where you can take a diversion towards Chandertaal & Spiti Valley.

Nice pictures... loved them



Oh, NC... cool which stream? I'm there in BMIET, Sonepat somehow closer.



Ooohhh to Aap bhi chale janaab apni Tornado pe
Best of luckk. Have fun and return safely and soon. I'm waiting for your log

Keep 'em coming LOVISH. B'ful pics.. loving every minute of it. I went till Rohtang in the end of May but had to make a hasty retreat from there due to some reasons. Had planned the Leh trip. Now I'll make this trip again in near time.

Please don't stop the pics and text.

THE ROUTE MAP:


Tandi Transit Camp: one of the best places we have stayed in our 13 day rideTHE TEAM (WITH THE CARETAKERS @ TANDI TRANSIT CAMP):



THERE WE GO..!!!



Just after we start the journey, the green lands were noe replaced by barren sandy, rocky mountains

And here they pose..!!!




Tandi: the last petrol pump on leh manali highway, the next petrol pump is 365 kms from this place.CLICKING..!!






TANDI BRIDGEKIDS:



KEYLONG:Some shots enroute:





Reached darcha and showed our documents at the check post there.

Darcha:






We have crossed a no. of small water crossing but this was HUGE,
Our first nullah:
Saif bhai was the first to cross, parked the bike in the middle and had some shots, and crossed safely.
Menon saab was the nEXt.

Rahul kumar menon:






Aneja helped him picking his 220 up, now it was my turn and I found a very flat part to cross it safely..!!!

DEEPAK-TAL:



And the water comes from:



Few shots and me and dagar moved ahead, roads were in very good condition and we were enjoying the twist and turns when dagar honked and said I cant see anyone in my rvm,

LAFALL NO. 2:
NAVNEET DAGAR:
ICE COLD WATER.The team:




MERI BHARATPUR WALI MAGGI:THE TEAM HAS DONE IT..!!!

Lovish bhai feel aa gyi padhke, please continue....

THE ROUTE FOR THE DAY:OUR ROOM:HEAVEN ON EARTH:



OUR ACCODOMATION FOR THE windy-est NIGHT:



Some shots:






We all were busy in some work or the other and they were watching us as if we were aliens doing something:


Though the place SALUTE TO THE INDIAN ARMY..!!!We are still ____ km away:



And yeah we were

WELCOMED:



LADAKH:







Saif bhai and menon were nowhere seen and we three were cruising at normal sppeds and after covering few kms,

PHOTO BREAK:




Few kms more on the odo and saif bhai and menon were waiting, team riding until

GATA LOOPS:
21 HAIR PIN BENDS WILL TAKE YOU 440 MTRS UP.






I clicked and I was just about to move when I saw a zipper of my bag open, shocked because I have kept one of the most important things in that, PUNCTURE REPAIR KIT AND TOOLSGATA LOOPS over..!!!





I had to wait for another 15-20 minutes for the team, just when I thought of going back I saw the bikes coming UP. Relieved, and started clicking.

[IMG][/IMG]






ENROUTE:WHISKY NAALA


FEW MORE SHOTS:








Pang was the next destination, the landscapes were changing from rocks mountains to sand castles pang was just few kms away and I had to stop after every 100-200 metres.

ENROUTE PANG:








KANGLA JAL:






FEW MORE SHOTS:













MIND IT..!!!






More sand castles enroute:












Menon was ahead us, saif bhai me and aneja were together, dagar saab missing

WAITING => POSING:




Welcome to pang:






After more than 20 minutes we can see him coming from in between the mountains.
Reached pang, and as its on a higher altitude, we were feeling the effects and I also thought of having oxygen and then continuing the ride, infact everyone wore that oxygen mask for 10 minutes each and charged up, the attendant there told us to have more liquid here and said that after the next pass its all descending and you will feel better. Moved out and real juice and maaza was what we need, and started riding again. Few more twist turns, climbing up and here we have reached the

HEAVEN:







Posing was what we all did: WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH, THE TOUGH GETS GOING..!!!
And the toughs have reached
Enroute:




It was dark and time to be EXTRA CAUTIOUS... and our headlights showed us something we were dying for, we were riding for, we were struggling for, we were DREAMINGPERFECT SHOT..!!!





Karu still few kms,MAKKHAN..!!!SLEEP MODE.

Nice nice... So, at what time going to wake up in the morning?

Well, I'm feeling like I'm riding along

we are up..!!!

TEERTH..!!!
The day we were LEH bas 40 km
THIS IS OUR ROOM(S):







THE BIKES PARKED...RAAH-KA-PATHAR (milestone) says:



And then after having a meeting with the man, who has done a lot for us.
MAJOR THAKUR.
He was in his late thirties and man, he was more fit than we are, he still has 4-pack ABS( what he told us)
It was a different feeling meeting this man, he was having each and every info. About us, when we started and where we had our break and how much time we took to cover the distance, everything we felt as he knew more than us. He showed us the routes on the BIG map on his wall from where we are coming and till which pt. we are allowed to go seriously it was the best experience of the whole RIDE.
Thanks a lot sir..!!!

Enroute:



Reality:






and the road to leh is GREENER:



saif bhai, menon and navneet were enjoying the ride and missed the thiksey monastery board, but aneja and just had a photo outside and moved ahead.

@thiskey monastry



The team was waiting for us

@ shey palace:

















Just few shots in and around the palace and on the roads, riding again... And







We were on the TOP OF THE WORLD..!!!



The entrance to LADAKH..!!!

^^^ wonderful dude........