Our hero is back & back with a bang.

Awesome ride and mesmerizing pictures. Good luck for your travels & keep posting when ever you have time - There is so much to learn from you all

Good one after ages B2L bhai has come with a log and a brilliant one and good to see DCS back on bike, Desi bhai as usual up for it. Loving it. I saw you guys on the other side I think near Panipat while I was moving towards Delhi. Kudos to all 3 Mam's out here for enduring the terrain and the weather pattern. Helmets Off to them.

Nice pics again !!

Running south from the Spiti Valley, is the wind-scoured Pin Valley. The otherwise scanty vegetated valley is famous as "land of ibex and snow leopards"
The road to the Pin Valley branches on the left, off the Kaza–Tabo highway about 12km before Kaza, at Attargu bridge. Climbing through winter meadows to the cluster of whitewashed farmhouses at village Gulling, the first village in the valley which is about 8 kms from Attargu bridge.


My language lacks the words, so will let the pictures do the talking:


The Pin Valley



Riding through



on the way to Guilling



About 14 kms further from Guilling is a strikingly beautiful, low inhabited village called Sagnam. With a few guest houses and a PWD rest house this place could be an apt night stay. Sagnam also marks the turn-off to the last village of Pin Valley - Mud, trail-head for the trek over the Pin-Parvati Pass and Bhavatop. A stone paved backtrack of about 10kms further leads to Mud (in all 34 kms from Attargu bridge).


The village Sagnam



Another view of Sagnam



Along the backtrack to Mud



Another one



A village across the valley



We had planned to spend about 3-4hrs in the valley but landed up spending more than half of the day riding around, clicking pictures. Mud also seemed a worthwhile place to spend the night in this valley. Looking at the cozy looking guest houses and yumm maggi that we had there, we almost gave-in to spend the night there.


Scenery ahead as seen from Mud



Uzma with the local kids



Wishing for more time at hand to spend around, we started our ride back towards Kaza half-heartily. Below are some more shots:

















We approached Kaza and the evening sunlight was gracing the earthly structures just before Kaza



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Thanks a ton Champ, I am glad you liked them, hope you like the shots of Pin Valley too

Thanks a lot Shivanshu and I will pass on your Kudos to Mam's as well

Thanks Somen1984

A mini get-together at Kaza

Back in 2009, when I first inquired about the right time for a Spiti-ride. The answer was loud and clear, "when ever it is possible". But it was only after I managed to complete the ride that I understood the answer. Run through the probabilities of unpredictable weather conditions causing rain or snow at any time in the year, too much sun flooding the water-crossings, landslide-prone backtracks, mud stilt & boulders to block the path. To add a little fun, throw in riding on 12000+ feet for at-least a couple of days if not more. Lack of any possible help in case of a breakdown further skew the chances. "When ever it is possible" is the way it is...


Mathematics has always been my favorite, given the situation that my wife was joining as pillion, I did run through my chances. End September - early October though chilly, seemed most preferable with post rains clear weather & reduced water-levels in crossings. Well I wasn't the only genius around, a week before our trip, 13 of my friends were riding through the valley and when we reached Kaza, we met 6 more riders. Oldfox & party started off from Delhi on the very same day as we did, but they were doing the circuit clock-wise (via Manali - Kaza - Shimla), while Sunny & SunilG were earlier a day ahead of us on the same route. It was wonderful catching up with all and we spent a glorious evening talking - Motorcycles what were you expecting

Group at Kaza



Nexy day, after spending some time in the local market, we left for Losar via Key Monastery. Key (also spelled Ki, Kye or Kee) is the biggest Monastery of Spiti valley. Standing at an altitude of 13668 feet, this Monastery is said to be over 1000 years old.
Few pics:











Riding through some long straight sweeps, enjoying lovely terrains, we managed to reach Losar before sunset, only to be welcomed by a very light snowfall. Losar is at an altitude of approx 14000 feet and this village is just 17kms from Kunzum. Not to mention it was very windy and very... very cold there
Few pics en-route Losar:

















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thank you for treating us to this wonderful photologue !! eagely waiting for the rest...

Thanks Buddy, will post the next part soon

Yeah I know how you plan up your ride, and I am sure with Mam around as a pillion this time, all the planning would have started a month before. Nice pics as always bro

Kunzum & Chandertal

Losar to Kunzum is amongst the most beautiful stretches in Spiti. The surreal views take your breath away. The participants in the novice category of Raid-de-Himalaya aim to finish this stretch in bout 15-20 mins, I on the other hand have always spent over couple of hours for these 18 kms:P


Some pics enroute Kunzum La:



Can you spot these two bikes in the pic above?



Very little fresh snow from last night, fortunate enough to get clear roads









Wify and your's truely at the Kunzum Top



The descend towards Batal



After making ourselves comfortable with a warm and nice cup of tea, we left almost all our luggage at Batal and started off on the 14kms trail to Chandertal. Trail was nice and clear, in fact it was the best I ever experienced so far...


Enroute Chandertal






Group at Chandertal



Enjoying the vistas of Chandra Valley



A fine evening at Batal for the perfect ending



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Awsome Pics and nicely written. Enjoying Each pics and ur words.... Waiting for more........

Chota Dara - Chatru & back home

We spent a cozy & comfortable night at Batal. After feasting on some delicious paranthas we started off for the last leg of Spiti Valley.

The Savior Couple of Batal



Some pics of Chota Dara & Chatru









We made it to Manali for lunch, Rohtang was merciful, I would say the conditions were the best that I have ever come across. As we had some day light riding hours left, we decided to ride till Mandi, so as to ease up our last ride back home. We made it to Mandi just past sunset. Checked-in into a decent looking hotel right on the highway. Next morning we left early and had breakfast at Bilaspur. As we were ahead of our estimated time, we decided to de-tour via Bhakra-Nangal Dam.

At Bhakhra-Nangal Dam






We left from Bhakra at about 2pm and did a straight & quick home run to Delhi. We all were comfortably home for dinner, not tired but satisfied...


Cheers !!

Lovely!!!

I relived my spiti ride through your travelogue.

Imran Bhai, DCS, and DesiDeep: You guys were (biking) god sent angels for us. (for those who didn't know already, Me and sunny were doing the same circuit on the Ducati MTS adn the Duke, a bit ahead of these guys, when the MTS suffered from a cut in the tire. No matter how much we tried, it just won't hold the sealant rubber for more than a few kilometers. So we would just repair the puncture and ride for 5-10 kms before it would run flat again.

Finally we reached to a point in the middle of almost nowhere, a village where there was almost nil telephone connectivity. We had exhausted all the rubber patches we had with us to repair the and the tire was flat again. We had no option but to load the bike in the truck and go back.

These guys and their pillions entered the scene right there and saved our ride.

Than you once again for the rubber, FeviBond, the help, and everything guys

Great stuff

Great crisp photos. Hats off for riding with your better halves. Whatever said and done, that terrain aint bed of roses. And thanks from my end for the help provided in the middle of nowhere! BUt I did enjoy having noodles amidst the old tyres when I saw you guys pop out of nowhere. Keep riding!

Honestly I gotta admit, the Ladakhians are so full of love, they just linger in your memories, but their simple, humble life yet powerful will is just one of the potpourri that can change us a person.

Next up it's gonna be Spiti Valley

Cheers!
VJ