Tweet
Leh! DAY 2:
Target - Srinagar
Start - 6: 30 AM.
We woke up and had a quick breakfast and tea. And at the night we had shopped off what we needed, so we started the journey again. We were expecting good day as we were about to enter the northern most state of India. We took a decision to bypass Jammu and reach Udhampur using a short-cut. Locals said the road is good, they were right. It was good road according to them, but it was full of trucks carrying quarried rocks and we lost precious time in that road. When we were almost exhausted, there was a tea shop out of nowhere. We stopped by and had some tea and a quick smoke for my partner.. That place was so green and remote with just one shop, quiet..PEACEFUL.
After the Tea, back in business.. Ride on.. We got out of the shortcut & got to the highway. We were picking up some pace and reached batote, where we took our vehicles into a garage and got fixed my gear shifter leaver and some brake adjustments.
The mechanic we met was like a nomad, who would reside in a town for few months and move on to another and repeat it each year. He even had an Enfield modified as R1, strange but good job though.
We closed Anantnag was good twisty climb, and we saw the first view of Kashmir valley.. From this moment we were awestruck and words fall short, even photographs.
Panorama of a turn.. Nice Apex..
Beauty at first Sight
We passed through a 5 km tunnel, was a wonderful feel seeing our flags every 200mtrs which opened us to Srinagar. We reached late, found a decent hotel and went off to sleep, as we need to get ourselves ready for the first pass on the route - ZoJi La.
DAY 3:
Target - Kargil
Day 2 just gave us a teaser of what Kashmir would be like, with lot of excitement, we started day 3. 1st stop was Sonmarg beside the river stream crossing a wonderful forest block. Had nice breakfast -> softest batture ever had, and tried local delicacy called "Kashmiri Kuzhur" Wah!
This time I started writing my logue, sitting by the side of a flowing stream, cold but bright whether with tummy full.
Me recording the moment!
With our faces full of grin, and at the same time *Gulp* thinking about the Zoji la, we geared up and cranked the engines.. we reached ZoJi La and mid way of the climb, traffic Jam..Whattt???? Yup there was rock fall and some Ice on road, dozers were clearing the road.. there were so many cars, stuck and we waved past them till we could. There we met few bikers, some were kids with passion but no gear, funky helmets, some were impatient.
But noticeable were F650GS and Africa Twin. Two Europeans were touring the world and we met them, they were interested in our impulse and we had some similar interests on which we talked about. we waited there 2 hrs, so we got along well. We were touring with them for next 2 days catching up once in a while.
Finally the traffic was clear and we topped the first pass on the circuit and the feeling of being on the pass is wonderful even if its a difficult climb.
ZoJi La humbly let us pass..
On route to Drass. The roads started getting bad n worse.. breaking our backs, I was foolishly carrying a spare Michelin front tyre strapped on to saddle bags which kept poking my back, and wow the migraine started playing its part the altitude, dust, bright sun just tested me.. All of a sudden my friend honked heavy and I stopped, he then pointed out the Saddle was rubbing against tyre when the suspension is on full travel and the petrol can (Plastic one) started leaking from the saddle. We emptied the can into fuel tank, arranged bags and kept going.
Reached Drass.. And I learnt the Kargil memorial is just on route. So we took a break and went in. As soon as we started seeing the stories on the walls, names of the martyrs on board, we were emotional and I forgot about the headache. Lost into a deep feeling and respect. Looked upon the Tiger Hill.
We started our ride to Kargil with different mindset now, was confident and at the sometime roads got better, well laid tarmac, marked with reflectors and barricaded sides.. I was sweeping the corners in dark and my friend switched off his useless low beams (just parking lamps for the conspicusy - safety) and followed me blind. We reached kargil in no time and found a bed and bunked. Had a tablet after dinner - Diamox & Vasograin, slept off!
Day 4: Kargil to LehThis was the spot.
Now gently riding ahead towards Namika La, and past we reached Fotu La (Highest pass in Srinagar-Leh route). To our surprise we met another biker, this time fellow countryman "Leo". He had travelled to Leh from Coimbatore on his modified RE for the 7th or 8th time. We got amazed and even stunned when he said he toured China in a car & about his plans to conquer the world on this Modified RE.
Mod using imported parts
After a brief chat and sharing some snack, we head towards Lamayuru. A distant view of a monastery looks barren and dusty. We got our prayer flags there and continued forward.
Lamayuru!
Then came the land of epic emptiness, dry, mile and miles of aloneness.. We experienced crosswinds like never before. Scary but stupendous. Pardon me for a repeat pic. But it deserves.
And then at the end of the Epic road was the Epic city of Leh, visible and taunting us. Every mile we ride closer, the feel of reaching the destination you waited for long grows restless. Am unable to put that in words. One has to feel it.
Farther Side of Leh!
Target - Srinagar
Start - 6: 30 AM.
We woke up and had a quick breakfast and tea. And at the night we had shopped off what we needed, so we started the journey again. We were expecting good day as we were about to enter the northern most state of India. We took a decision to bypass Jammu and reach Udhampur using a short-cut. Locals said the road is good, they were right. It was good road according to them, but it was full of trucks carrying quarried rocks and we lost precious time in that road. When we were almost exhausted, there was a tea shop out of nowhere. We stopped by and had some tea and a quick smoke for my partner.. That place was so green and remote with just one shop, quiet..PEACEFUL.
After the Tea, back in business.. Ride on.. We got out of the shortcut & got to the highway. We were picking up some pace and reached batote, where we took our vehicles into a garage and got fixed my gear shifter leaver and some brake adjustments.
The mechanic we met was like a nomad, who would reside in a town for few months and move on to another and repeat it each year. He even had an Enfield modified as R1, strange but good job though.
We closed Anantnag was good twisty climb, and we saw the first view of Kashmir valley.. From this moment we were awestruck and words fall short, even photographs.
Panorama of a turn.. Nice Apex..
Beauty at first Sight
We passed through a 5 km tunnel, was a wonderful feel seeing our flags every 200mtrs which opened us to Srinagar. We reached late, found a decent hotel and went off to sleep, as we need to get ourselves ready for the first pass on the route - ZoJi La.
DAY 3:
Target - Kargil
Day 2 just gave us a teaser of what Kashmir would be like, with lot of excitement, we started day 3. 1st stop was Sonmarg beside the river stream crossing a wonderful forest block. Had nice breakfast -> softest batture ever had, and tried local delicacy called "Kashmiri Kuzhur" Wah!
This time I started writing my logue, sitting by the side of a flowing stream, cold but bright whether with tummy full.
Me recording the moment!
With our faces full of grin, and at the same time *Gulp* thinking about the Zoji la, we geared up and cranked the engines.. we reached ZoJi La and mid way of the climb, traffic Jam..Whattt???? Yup there was rock fall and some Ice on road, dozers were clearing the road.. there were so many cars, stuck and we waved past them till we could. There we met few bikers, some were kids with passion but no gear, funky helmets, some were impatient.
But noticeable were F650GS and Africa Twin. Two Europeans were touring the world and we met them, they were interested in our impulse and we had some similar interests on which we talked about. we waited there 2 hrs, so we got along well. We were touring with them for next 2 days catching up once in a while.
Finally the traffic was clear and we topped the first pass on the circuit and the feeling of being on the pass is wonderful even if its a difficult climb.
ZoJi La humbly let us pass..
On route to Drass. The roads started getting bad n worse.. breaking our backs, I was foolishly carrying a spare Michelin front tyre strapped on to saddle bags which kept poking my back, and wow the migraine started playing its part the altitude, dust, bright sun just tested me.. All of a sudden my friend honked heavy and I stopped, he then pointed out the Saddle was rubbing against tyre when the suspension is on full travel and the petrol can (Plastic one) started leaking from the saddle. We emptied the can into fuel tank, arranged bags and kept going.
Reached Drass.. And I learnt the Kargil memorial is just on route. So we took a break and went in. As soon as we started seeing the stories on the walls, names of the martyrs on board, we were emotional and I forgot about the headache. Lost into a deep feeling and respect. Looked upon the Tiger Hill.
We started our ride to Kargil with different mindset now, was confident and at the sometime roads got better, well laid tarmac, marked with reflectors and barricaded sides.. I was sweeping the corners in dark and my friend switched off his useless low beams (just parking lamps for the conspicusy - safety) and followed me blind. We reached kargil in no time and found a bed and bunked. Had a tablet after dinner - Diamox & Vasograin, slept off!
Day 4: Kargil to LehThis was the spot.
Now gently riding ahead towards Namika La, and past we reached Fotu La (Highest pass in Srinagar-Leh route). To our surprise we met another biker, this time fellow countryman "Leo". He had travelled to Leh from Coimbatore on his modified RE for the 7th or 8th time. We got amazed and even stunned when he said he toured China in a car & about his plans to conquer the world on this Modified RE.
Mod using imported parts
After a brief chat and sharing some snack, we head towards Lamayuru. A distant view of a monastery looks barren and dusty. We got our prayer flags there and continued forward.
Lamayuru!
Then came the land of epic emptiness, dry, mile and miles of aloneness.. We experienced crosswinds like never before. Scary but stupendous. Pardon me for a repeat pic. But it deserves.
And then at the end of the Epic road was the Epic city of Leh, visible and taunting us. Every mile we ride closer, the feel of reaching the destination you waited for long grows restless. Am unable to put that in words. One has to feel it.
Farther Side of Leh!
Attached Files
Comment