Thanks all, will post tomorrow!!

The bike was loaded into the truck by camp workers, tied down to the sides using ropes. The driver agreed to drop me till Diskit, less than halfway to Leh, saying there are Bullet mechanics in the town. I bade goodbyes to the great people of the camp, but missed the most helpful Rehmat bhai, who was busy with other chores. The pickup pulled out of Turtok shortly, me sitting beside the driver with my camera out, and we were on the way to Diskit, rolling along the sides of the roaring river. The road went bad somewhere midway and the bike fell to its side, supported by the iron rods on the side of the truck. We stopped to tie the bike and moved on. I was having a heck lot of time to enjoy the scenery now, but I would still have preferred doing it atop my bike. I exchanges perspectives with the driver, and found out he would prefer living in the plains, contrary to what I wanted. He cited the difficulties villagers face in their day-to-day lives, including limited electricity supply, no cellphone coverage, among others. Water posed no problems though; a stream runs along most villages with water collected from melted ice, supplying clean water to villages. As we neared an army outpost on the way, my BSNL postpaid registered a signal and I hastily called/texted my sisters and cousins to wish them a happy Rakhi.


Till Diskit, we travelled virtually non-stop. My knees were aching badly from sitting, but I did not want to delay reaching Diskit. My mind was made up to reach Leh on the same day. Diskit is small town built around a bus terminus. The truck owner asked around for the Bullet mechanic there and we found two mechanics in the town; one of them refused to work on the bike and other had closed his shop for prayers and would return in the evening, being the month of Ramadan. I decided to bribe the driver to get him to drop me till Leh, but he was adamant, saying he needs to return as he would lose business for the entire day if he goes till Leh.

Desperation to reach Leh made me take the other alternative: hire another truck from Diskit till Leh. At the bus stand, the driver managed to find a vehicle, whose owner, after much reluctance, agreed to go to Leh. The two trucks were aligned, back to back, and the bike was rolled into its new carriage. Luckily, I found a German tourist who was looking for a vehicle to take him and his bicycle to Leh. He would share the payment I made to the trucker. After picking up his rented cycle from his hotel, we started towards Leh, The German riding on the backside of the truck and me in the cab. The driver was worried to death, saying his daughter is alone at home and he needs to return by night at any cost. I was happy he was at least coming with me and promised that I would personally request all check-posts to allow him even if it gets late. That had little effect on his nerves, the results of which will unveil as we delve further.

The decision to let The German sit in the back of the truck, sandwiched between the Bullet, his cycle and the sides of the truck, was a well-thought one. The roads were good till North Pullu, and we were to switch places then. The spot which I saw the previous day, and decided to stop on return journey, crossed by soon, mocking me perhaps. Another adage from The Road:

Brilliant narration Sunil. Keeps one glued to your story of a man & his machine on a solo adventure.
Very valid point about the positive thinking person in the tent & the German. It is during such travels in some corner of the world we meet some really fascinating strangers.

On a lighter note about your ride on the pick-up truck, there is an old Harley joke "What do dogs & Harleys have in common?"...They both like to ride on the back of a pick-up truck. So now the Bullet also likes that...just joking

Great adventure & I am following it till the last.

Thanks Haroon bhai. Had it not been for the two strangers, I might have considered wrapping up my trip and going back via Jammu.

I have a blurred image of the bike enjoying it's day off on the back of the truck, let me hunt it down!!

I certainly makes one doubt how reliable the bike are once they age. I had to return back from a short 70km ride two weekends back because the oil was leeking like water drip. I went for the same trip the next week, knowing that one of the strands in clutch cable is broken, and managed to return back to township, where traffic took its toll and the cable snapped!! Mechanics are just interested in eating up money, specially for RE customers. How I wish I could attend Nandan's Bullet classes in BLR and never be screwed again

LOL on the Harley&Dogs thingy Haroon bhai ....

Sunil - This is really something that can be a part of an adventure story book. Nicely penned ! Its really fascinating to know how the company of some wonderful strangers can help us to look at the postive side of things in life as a whole that too on such a ride. Amazing TLog this Sunil !
Even I am going to follow this till the end.

Thanks for linking the travelogue Nagesh. Life indeed would be complicated if peoples were pods, closed to others outside. But luckily, specially in India, someone always stops to help.

Keep updating frequently. Last update was two weeks back..

Day 7 - Another da-eh in Leh


I woke early, well rested from the bashing my body had taken on the previous day. Owing to the events of the past few days, I decided to take it easy for a day and pay attention to the bike and myself. Local sightseeing and shopping were on the agenda.

I tiptoed quietly down the stairs of the guesthouse to avoid waking up my amicable hosts. Turning my sights to Leh Stupa, aka Shanti Stupa, the plan was to take shots of the sun rising behind the mountainous walls of the city. Chanspa Road was never quieter, hardly any tourists in sight. I loved the slight chill in the air while ascending the hill, atop which the Stupa rests. As I climbed the hill, a veil seemed to lift off the city of Leh. Leh was more beautiful than ever in the morning. The scattered view of houses was enchanting; some ancient and small, others modern and large, with gardens. The day was exceptionally windy, making me wish I had worn more than a thermal and a tee. I had planned a shot, with me and my bike in the frame, the Stupa in the background. It took me around fifty photos to satisfy that whim. It was followed with shooting a time-lapse movie over the city. Imagine clouds rolling down the blue skies, while the city and the mountains remain the only constants in the scene!

I parked the bike at the gates of the Stupa, and started an uphill climb to the base of the Stupa. The stairs passed through a temple with a golden statue of Buddha within. The Stupa was built atop a flat platform on the hill. The huge enclosure provided a breathtaking view of Leh. The town was nestled between walls upon walls of mountains capped with snow, and the sun was gently rising from the east, throwing scattered rays into the realm. I stood frozen in time, enjoying one of the most beautiful mornings of my life. All I needed was a cup of tea! The Stupa itself stood unnoticed for some time, before I was able to pull myself off the view. The white structure with colored artwork did not look out of place in the rocky terrain it stood against. I was tired by now, so skipped climbing the Stupa and headed back to where my bike was parked.

My apologies Senthil...my work load combined with laziness is causing the delays. The next day's writeup is in the review mills.

Simply mindblowing dude !! I totally agree with you, these Roads teaches us a lot and mends us eagerly waiting for the rest.

nice ride...superb pics...

Superb writeup and amazing pics.. Can you post a few unprocessed pics for comparison.

Awesome Pics complimented by a very good write up....glued to the TLog....bring on the next experience......would love to ride to leh and ladakh some days.....

Awesome writeup and Pics.

Thanks Bishal...of course without your help, it might have been tough to accomplish!!

Thanks Senthil, will do soon!

Thanks!!

Thanks mate, will post shortly..