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Day 10 | 28 Dec 2015 | Gangtok to Lachen
Day 10 | 28 Dec 2015 | Gangtok to Lachen
Route: Gangtok - Mangan - Chungthang - Lachen
Distance: 107 kms
Road Conditions: Gangtok to Mangan has decent roads. Mangan to Chungthang extremely bad roads and Chungthang to Lachen moderately bad roads with multiple water crossings.
Stay: -
Yet another cold morning welcomed us in the capital city of Sikkim. Today’s ride was the most challenging ride of the entire trip and we were expecting many WTF moments on today’s ride. We began positively towards our first checkpoint for today, Mangan. Mangan happens to be the last fuel filling station so all thirsty vehicles please note to fill fuel to the brim to ensure you have enough to return. We also had our breakfast at a stall next to the fuel station, the usual Maggie and packed junk to fill our tummies. Filled air in the tires to the optimum level and ready to go.
Eyes completely focussed on what challenges the road presents us as we began the ascend towards Chungthang. Initially the road seemed okay but as we progressed the tarmac started disappearing and made way for nice muddy roads, ones which you shouldn't be riding bike on. At times ankle length deep pool of mud is what we had to ride on and this had to be the worse roads in Sikkim for sure. The ride never allowed me to engage more than 2nd gear and I was constantly riding in 2nd gear and 1st gear at times too. Good fun when ride with pillion who keeps saying, “Should I get down, Let me get down and walk”, and I keep saying, “Your weight as pillion is helping me maintain traction, just sit quietly”
Much to my surprise Vaibhav riding CBR250R didn't even bother to get his foot dipped in the muck and yet he managed to pass the most difficult of terrains with ease. Yes, it requires some amount of skills plus my dearest friend did not want his White Sidi riding boots to become brown, LOL. Too much love there. The fight with cold weather and numerous water crossings continued till Lachen. The vista’s were great and it will easily make any nature lover stop at every damn turn in admiration. Beautiful waterfalls in various places, flowing rivers and still iron bridges full of colourful prayer flags make the journey very enjoyable. Not to forget those huge white mountains in backdrop always making their presence felt.
We made it to the outskirts of Lachen before sunset and got our permits checked at Army check post. Army guys asked about our plan and advised us not to ride to Gurudongmar due to extremely bad weather conditions. For our safety and safe return they advised to hire a 4 wheeler instead of riding there since there were few bikes few days back who were not allowed to ride all the way till Gurudongmar Lake. With some disappointment creeping into us we still rode till Lachen with half mind saying let’s ride and half mind saying let’s not ride till Gurudongmar. We looked out for hotel and found one with decent parking and cheap tarriff. The hotel chap again advised us the same as Army to avoid riding our bikes till Gurudongmar and also showed us a video clip he took a couple of days back of Frozen waterfalls and bad roads blocked by snow. By this time, I was almost convinced that it’s better to skip riding tomorrow and take a cab since we still had a long journey back home. A team vote and final decision was to find a local Sumo taxi who can take the group to Gurudongmar.
After a lot of running around and phone calls, we managed to book a local taxi for trip of Gurudongmar return for Rs.4000. The cab driver clearly said if it’s not safe he would not continue any further and we negotiated a cost for that as well if in case we happen to return half way. With that settled, we ate home-made food prepared by the Hotel staff and fighting the sub zero temperatures of Lachen went to bed. By the way, just for the record you will get kick ass 3G internet speed from Vodafone in Lachen. I think my house in Mumbai gets slightly cramped internet compared to the no nonsense speed in Lachen. All the mobile monkeys had a great time browsing the internet here.
North Sikkim so far presented great challenges, made us be patient, very patient at times and made us take very difficult decisions like skipping a ride to Gurudongmar which no biker would like but if it can’t be done, it can’t be done. Simple. Anyways, tomorrow is gonna be exciting because tomorrow we get to explore the Magical Gurudongmar Lake at over 17,000 feet. Can’t Wait!!
Enroute Lachen
Prayer Flags
Snow capped mountains all the way
Let's keep staring there...Bcos it's worth it
Riding on chocolate pudding
Too close
One sexy looking bike, Ninja 300
The gushing streams of Sikkim
Welcome to Lachen
One of the many waterfalls en-route Lachen
The mud on the bike says the story
She is a poser and there are no two ways about it
Staring in the face of the falls
Evening tea in Lachen in some pretty unique cups
Day 10 | 28 Dec 2015 | Gangtok to Lachen
Route: Gangtok - Mangan - Chungthang - Lachen
Distance: 107 kms
Road Conditions: Gangtok to Mangan has decent roads. Mangan to Chungthang extremely bad roads and Chungthang to Lachen moderately bad roads with multiple water crossings.
Stay: -
Yet another cold morning welcomed us in the capital city of Sikkim. Today’s ride was the most challenging ride of the entire trip and we were expecting many WTF moments on today’s ride. We began positively towards our first checkpoint for today, Mangan. Mangan happens to be the last fuel filling station so all thirsty vehicles please note to fill fuel to the brim to ensure you have enough to return. We also had our breakfast at a stall next to the fuel station, the usual Maggie and packed junk to fill our tummies. Filled air in the tires to the optimum level and ready to go.
Eyes completely focussed on what challenges the road presents us as we began the ascend towards Chungthang. Initially the road seemed okay but as we progressed the tarmac started disappearing and made way for nice muddy roads, ones which you shouldn't be riding bike on. At times ankle length deep pool of mud is what we had to ride on and this had to be the worse roads in Sikkim for sure. The ride never allowed me to engage more than 2nd gear and I was constantly riding in 2nd gear and 1st gear at times too. Good fun when ride with pillion who keeps saying, “Should I get down, Let me get down and walk”, and I keep saying, “Your weight as pillion is helping me maintain traction, just sit quietly”
Much to my surprise Vaibhav riding CBR250R didn't even bother to get his foot dipped in the muck and yet he managed to pass the most difficult of terrains with ease. Yes, it requires some amount of skills plus my dearest friend did not want his White Sidi riding boots to become brown, LOL. Too much love there. The fight with cold weather and numerous water crossings continued till Lachen. The vista’s were great and it will easily make any nature lover stop at every damn turn in admiration. Beautiful waterfalls in various places, flowing rivers and still iron bridges full of colourful prayer flags make the journey very enjoyable. Not to forget those huge white mountains in backdrop always making their presence felt.
We made it to the outskirts of Lachen before sunset and got our permits checked at Army check post. Army guys asked about our plan and advised us not to ride to Gurudongmar due to extremely bad weather conditions. For our safety and safe return they advised to hire a 4 wheeler instead of riding there since there were few bikes few days back who were not allowed to ride all the way till Gurudongmar Lake. With some disappointment creeping into us we still rode till Lachen with half mind saying let’s ride and half mind saying let’s not ride till Gurudongmar. We looked out for hotel and found one with decent parking and cheap tarriff. The hotel chap again advised us the same as Army to avoid riding our bikes till Gurudongmar and also showed us a video clip he took a couple of days back of Frozen waterfalls and bad roads blocked by snow. By this time, I was almost convinced that it’s better to skip riding tomorrow and take a cab since we still had a long journey back home. A team vote and final decision was to find a local Sumo taxi who can take the group to Gurudongmar.
After a lot of running around and phone calls, we managed to book a local taxi for trip of Gurudongmar return for Rs.4000. The cab driver clearly said if it’s not safe he would not continue any further and we negotiated a cost for that as well if in case we happen to return half way. With that settled, we ate home-made food prepared by the Hotel staff and fighting the sub zero temperatures of Lachen went to bed. By the way, just for the record you will get kick ass 3G internet speed from Vodafone in Lachen. I think my house in Mumbai gets slightly cramped internet compared to the no nonsense speed in Lachen. All the mobile monkeys had a great time browsing the internet here.
North Sikkim so far presented great challenges, made us be patient, very patient at times and made us take very difficult decisions like skipping a ride to Gurudongmar which no biker would like but if it can’t be done, it can’t be done. Simple. Anyways, tomorrow is gonna be exciting because tomorrow we get to explore the Magical Gurudongmar Lake at over 17,000 feet. Can’t Wait!!
Enroute Lachen
Prayer Flags
Snow capped mountains all the way
Let's keep staring there...Bcos it's worth it
Riding on chocolate pudding
Too close
One sexy looking bike, Ninja 300
The gushing streams of Sikkim
Welcome to Lachen
One of the many waterfalls en-route Lachen
The mud on the bike says the story
She is a poser and there are no two ways about it
Staring in the face of the falls
Evening tea in Lachen in some pretty unique cups
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