so finally riding down all hills and valleys to reach planes and some busy city traffic

@praveen
Truly a Legend in my books!! Totally awesome man!!

So, 'the tourer' now comes back to the plains. Great!

@ Praveen I think I know your destination.

Its your home in Bangalore

Thanks guys, Made it to Delhi yesterday. Bike got a power boost coming down to plains and it was fun talking to the wind

Ankit: Things just worked and was a step by step process

Mike: Guess you are right

@praveen: i guess next destination is Rajasthan.

Praveenkm: You must be feeling boring in the city, being used to nomad culture and different landscapes all together. Seriously I would never ever in my life would even think to get back to city life, if i was on your track. Mountains, nature and its beauty calling .............

All I need an ATM that can pour out cash forever......who wants the go back to city, its fun in the jungle

Great going buddy! Do post the log and pics.

Praveen,Ur Just living my Dream,Great Job Sir,Can't wait to meet u in bangalore,

Ride safe,Take care Bye

Nabendu: I guess so

Viny: i wish i had the ATM too

Thanks moeed. working on it

Thanks sudhi, will catch up in bangalore..

Day 143 - July 29 - Leh to Pang

July29 at EveryTrail

Map created by EveryTrail: Geotagging Community

Was not sure of the day when i woke up. All i could think was what now? Was thinking of resting for one more day. It was a mix of emotions, like kinda happy that ladakh was done leisurely like i wanted for sometime, that Himalayan belt is over and also kinda a sad realization that visiting exploring is over and will be heading home now. That was a bit unsettling. Spent some time thinking and in end just though lets just ride. My things were spread all over the room, took quite some time to collect myself. Left late by like 10.30. Keeping Pang in mind for the day.

As i was leaving Leh, was humming the song 'Humjo chalne lage, chalne lage yeh raasthe....' Sounded very apt for the situation. Especially the line 'aavo milo chale, jana kaho ho na pata...' The weather was quite dull cloudy and chilly, lil did think that Leh Manali was in itself a big ride and was soon away of the fact. As i cross Upshi the landscape was again interesting. Vertical layers of plates and soft layer between. The ride is not over yet and still lot of stuff to see. It was hard to believe that these vertical layers where once horizontal under the ground! Soon rode out of the area into the open and the road started climbing. It was the sign of the long ascent to Tanglang La. Had taken a couple of hours and was hungry by now. Stopped at a Dhaba for of course what else but maggie! There was like beds and all i was told that ppl stay their for the night for 100 bux. I was thinking how could one stay there, just that i would end up doing the same at the end of the day Its all climb after that and the climb takes a lot of time. Plus me stopping for pix as and when i wanted. Half way the road vanished and it was all offroad thanks to the road widening work. What needs wide roads any way !! Every meters of climb i felt like stopping for pix and all. It was getting pretty cold and more cold. The Tanglangla top which was visible for quite some time is still looking for. The concentration of the offroad increases and afterr some time i realized i have been mumbling something. It was 'Tanglanglanglanglanglanglaaaa' repeatedly!! Hehe could only have laugh after that. Made it to the top and did not spend much time after above there. It was pretty cold and was already like 2.30. Looks like i am getting late even for pang and i leisured very much. It start rolling down and could see couple of bikers riding up. Take their pix in zoom and as they ride past and i wave, a pulsar stopped and it had a KA registration number! Well what do you know it was Pradeep. Had been on a couple of rides together in bangalore and it was quite a coincidence to meet there. Small world. Had to let him go as i he was feeling the effects altitude. I start riding down. Its all open spaces now. Reach the plains in no time. The decent did not take that long. The GPS fone said that did not decend as much as i climed and kinda stabilized a lil over 4000 meters. A threesome of swiss cyclists approaching from opposite direction stopped and asked if there was any dhaba ahead! Poor guys the only one ahead was on top of the pass! and they had left one couple of kms behind hoping for a bettor one ahead! Gave them a couple of chocolate bars, which they liked pretty much at that time!

Continued and saw a deviation to Tso Kar to the left. It was already 4.30 pm and the weather was getting crazy, with chill there was a lot of wind now. With pang still 50 kms and thought of skipping Tso kar. Could have made it had i left a couple of hours earlier. The wind picked up and i gear i was wearing for cold felt inadequate. Wore a couple of self made neck warmers and road ahead. Entered the More plains. Well after all the plains i have see over Eastern ladakh this was not to that scale. Still pretty good. There were plenty of deviation and the sumo that left ahead of me taking the deviation of kicking up a lot of dust. Did not want to test soft sand for that long and i ignored the diversions and went ahead as the path looked ok tough lil bumpy with stones. Ignored a couple of deviations and went straight. Lot of water run offs being built. Some were higher than the road! Guess it will take years for the road to come up. At the end of the plains where all the paths converge, the terrain abruptly drops off and the road serpents down to pang which can see from above.

Its 6 pm and no way i am pushing till Sarchu. Plus there seems to be a Water crossing and i heard that a Innova was stuck their. So for acco their these dhabas with a room of sorts at the back and 100 Rs a night. Kinda very dusty in the one i picked and had no patience to look for another one. It was getting very cold as well and i was just wondering how do i spend these next 12 hours. After a cup of maggie went to meet a couple of guys from the next tent. They were Abhinav and Anup who were on their way up in their rented indica. They had no idea about the height and place and just drove in like for any other place, soon were joing by Gary who was on his way up on his bullet. Soon it was all conversation and what do you know Gary had a bottle of Old monk. This my just save the day Was unsure of have it at high altitude but after one peg i was very sure of having it It was all fun and chat over that. We even had a case of the missing rum bottle which miraculasly found its way back when started looking for it were soon done with it and even arranged for another one! Now its all fine and its not so cold out there Shifted to the tent with other guys as the owners were cribbing about shutting of the lights for the day.


That was a scary scene, i have to pack them all now!!


Leaving Leh!!


Caught the Leh Manali highway....


Quite a bilboard for himank...





Here i come....








Interesting clicks on the way.... the purple flowers do add for contrast...





Was fascinated by these vertical plates, these were horizontal before india crashed into asia!


The Tanglangla pass ahead...


Huge vertical plates with soft layer between them eroded... could climb up all the way in the middle i guess....


Climbing up to Tanglang La...





Looks like the path i will ride soon...


A steep short cut to Tanglang La....


No more road...


Its bad road from now on....





Getting higher and higher, the valley from which i cam up now looks like a craves...


Gotto let the truck go by!!


Still a long way to the Pass...








Some Marmots sniffing around...


Getting high and getting close....


Have to deal with these....


Road out of no where!!


Pretty looking cut out of ice....


Final switch backs to the Pass...





Almost there....


There!


The Tanglang La baba temple!


Pretty close....


Me and the Bike at Tanglang La


Heights of other near by passes, will verify these


The other side of the pass and weather here looks no bettor....


See a couple of bikers ride up...


What do you know its Pradeep!!


And there is goes....


Half an hour wait here for the road to get cleared...


The start of the plains....





The deviation to Tso Kar....


Posing around in More plains...





Do we really need that ?


Some white heads at the end of the plains...


A local horseman...


The More plain road err... path...


The water runoffs are higher than the road!!


Lot of sand monsters to deal with....


No way i am taking the sandy diversion...


Some good path enroute...





Trucks taking the sandy diversion...


Though bumby i like the solid ground!





Can ignore the diversion signs as the main path is pretty good atleast for bikes...


The More plains ends to a sudden drop off nearing pang...


Ends at this canyon...


Climbing down to pang...


Pang below...

Great going Praveen.

And your narrative brings back memories. Also, since you are so well acclimatized, you don't miss much around you. Usually, riders heading up from Manali don't acclimatize at all and just start riding. By the time they hit Baralacha La or Sarchu, AMS hits below the belt. And then the only thought that dominates their minds is getting to Leh and resting for a day. Pang, More Plains, Tanglang La and Upshi are passed in a headache filled nauseating haze.

The 'cup' of Maggie, the amazing 'short-cuts' down Tanglang La towards Leh and these are actually taken by the 4WD PWD trucks (believe me!), the sandy traps of short-cuts through More Plains (the road incidently, when I rode through last, would make one sea-sick. Don't know what iits like now) and the 'sudden' drop of the road just before Pang.

Thanks for sharing the ride with us. Best of luck.
OF

beautiful pictures praveen sir, pictures are taken at different angles than the usual manalii-leh blogs . keep riding & ride safe..

Wow beautiful pics and excellent log there!

Glad to have got you Nostalgic Old fox. That was the reason i started from Srinagar as i had my fair share of AMS in Nepal.

godforeverything: Guess that is because i was riding in the opposite direction of most people doing ladakh

Thanks Moeed

Bankim: Sorry that could not spend much time together. You were real patient the whole day waiting for my unconfirmed schedule. It was a hard day's work for me getting things done on bike. Though i had help. It would have been a pain for you to come up to the place after KRP any way. Still to work on getting my front tire. Thanks for the wishes and would be been nice toride together.

Day 144 - July 30 - Pang to Keylong

July30 at EveryTrail

Map created by EveryTrail: Travel Community

Had disturbed sleep the whole night. It must be really cold out there, but lil did i realize that being happily under influence The dust and dirt over there never got registered. As day breaks i get out and see frost on my bike! The bike wont start as the battery is completely dead. Had hardly kick started the bike since i had it. Taking the suggestion of Rathore sahab the driver, Splashed some boiling hot water on the engine. Two kicks and it roars to life. But the battery was a concern. Since the bike wouldn't idle ever since i got on to the hills, if i stop for a pic i had to start the bike and had to kick start it. This got me lazy on pix. Was worried about bike getting switched off in the water crossing and having to kick start there! Any way like all the days i start only by couple of hours later than i intended. The crazy bunch again got together for break fast and this time were joined by Col Sharma as well. We bid our farewells and all moved up while i rode down. The only thing on my mind now was the water crossing where an Innova has got stuck!

After like 7-8 kms reached the place and the Innova had taken a very wrong line. Since it was morning, there wasn't much water but it was still a long one near Kangla jal. Crossed it with gaitors on i was through. Starting climbing to the a pass and guessed it was Lachung La. Taking my time every where and glad i did not push it to sarchu the previous day. The photo session at the pass and as i descend i could see an immediat climb to another pass. In my ignorance thought it was Baralach La. There were some freakily steep short cuts to cut down the distance. Only when i get on to the top of the pass i know its Nakee La. For once the Bro mentioned height was lil pessimistic compared to the fone reading. Some one had written the correct reading and signed with date, this even endorsed by two more writings. Did my bit to mutilate the board Got privecy at this pass and spend some time there. The Ride ahead was kinda on mountain walls and drops of on other side, though gradual one. looked like i the road would be gliding down any time. After going around a few mountains. Its the famous gata loops ahead of me. Not very photogenic as i am not able to get the full view of the loops. There was much more steeper short cuts and would have been nice to see an truck use them! Maky my way down the loops and it a flat ride ahead kinda in a valley. Approaching Sarchu that is. I took like 4 hours just to get there and guess i am taking my time. It was already like 1 pm. Have my fill at sarchu and i hear about quite a few Nalas ahead and looks like there will be many before i reach keylong. The day is getting heavier as well. Came to know about a big one just after sarchu. See a few bikes coming up and that encourages me. As i reach the nala, there wasnt much water and it was not yet the time for the flow. So i am through this one as well.

Then the climb to Baralachla starts. Surprisingly its all white mountains in the valley. Glad there was a bridge over a scarrying looking water crossing. Stopped many times as i climbed to Baralach La. Quite a few water crossing hear as well. The roads get bettor nearing the top and its all smooth. Stop at the last pass before Rothang. And do what i do at passes. Pose and click. The panorama around was breath taking. Spent some time looking around and have to move on. Now begins the long descent. The roads are pretty good, the clouds still playing with the sun and i could see a lake from above. As i near it i realize that its Suraj Taal. Looked pretty under the sunlight. Reach Zing Zing bar for my next fill. Now again i come to know about a few Water crossings. Well what ever it is have to be going through. Just after zing zing bar the its road building under progress. This was a long one. As i keep rolling down the greenery around increases and i seem to getting back to the normal landscape. There were alternates between good road and roads under work and felt like a candy being given and taken again and again from a kid! There were big water crossings but they had cement flooring and it was easy to cross over. Make it to Keylong by 6pm and instead of getting to work, i spend most of the time in the restaurant making calls and odering snax and etc at will. Lazed the whole evening and dozed off with the thought of crossing over Rothang the next day.


Frost on my bike in the morning...


My humble abode for the night...


Lot more of them....


Quite a bunch, were even joined by Col. Sharma, who is on Leh tour on CBZ!!


The tented dorm!!


Riding towards Sarchu...


Quite some natural sculptures...


Now who made that tunnel?


Quite a jagged place...


Trucks having trouble passing each other...


The Nala, which was ok at this time to cross... the stuck innova which took a wrong line the previous evening...


Wild mountain goats spotted...








Bike at Lachung La...


15896 feet says my phone...


At Lachung La top...


There is a decent and immediately a climb to Nakee La!!





At Nakee La... for once the Board said a pessimistic height compared to the phone... phone says...16200 feet and others had mentioned the same on the board...





The other side of Nakee La...


Strange plant with strange flowers...


Riding on the slope...


Quite a hole...


The Gata loops....





Quite hard to get the full picture....


Boy were there some steep short cuts...








Riding towards Sarchu....


Some sights enroute...











The Sarchu tents i thought...











Now these are the sarchu tents, quite away from sarchu actually...





Quite a natural rubble...


Click enroute Climb to Baralach La


Some narrow paths...


Two big streams meeting, the left one with muddy water and the right one with clear water...





The climb to Baralach La was fantastic...





Glad there is a bridge now...


Else the water crossing looked scary...


Tall ice walls...


Plenty of small water crossings....





It was only getting prettier...





The snow cutter i guess...


At Baralach La top... 16133 feet says my fone...


Me there....


Great scenes around...





Quite a stone pile!!


Climbing down the other side...


Suraj Taal there....


Bit close...





Bike at the ice gate...


Sun fooling around...


Pretty roads going down the long descent from Baralach La....


Long way down to the valley....


At Zingzingbar.... Cars were brought out of a shoot out from cnn-ibn i guess... Ritz was the winner it seems...


Off they go....


Bad roads soon after....


A biker's night mare....


Good roads again...


Riding the green hills now...


Had a couple of these but there was cement flooring so was easy to cross....


One more....


The dusty roads continue...











Now this stupid calf for quite some reason thought i was chasing it and it was fast for me to over take in the bad roads and in the end chased it up like a km, before i could over take it!


Pretty glaciers on the nearby mountains....





Pretty looking town below....


Guess rothang is out there and weather does not look good today, hope it will be bettor tomm...


Ok some more good roads nearing Key long....


Finally at Keylong....


No way i am crossing that, luckily i had spotted a road below and i took that one

@Praveen: So Finally LEH is conquered..Congrats!! so when are you heading down to Mumbai.. we are planning to arrange a G2G whenever you comedown here..