Re: Restless Rider Realized His Dream-Scootering on Marsimik La 2016

You are a legend masterji. Feels like grandma is telling bedtime stories. I wish you live long and really long and keep telling us such stories.

Re: Restless Rider Realized His Dream-Scootering on Marsimik La 2016


Thanks a lot everyone for such nice comments.
Cheers.

Re: Restless Rider Realized His Dream-Scootering on Marsimik La 2016

nice update

Re: Restless Rider Realized His Dream-Scootering on Marsimik La 2016

Masterji now you can write a book on Himachal trip, seriously it would be superhit

Re: Restless Rider Realized His Dream-Scootering on Marsimik La 2016

Gulabgarh stay was a new and intresting experience for me.Spending night in that rudimentry katcha dimly lit room was different experience.Just a bed and few quilts to spend the night.Rent was 150 for 2 persons.Few other people were also staying in the adjacent room.Gulabgarh is a mixture of hindu and buddhist population.When we woke up next morning,we saw a buddhist monastrey in front of our dhaba.Today is the day of crossing famous cliffhanger section of this place.This is what i came for.It was 6 am in the morning and villlage was still asleep.Few people were going to monastery for prayers.I brought down the luggage from room and started to load on the scooter so that we could leave early.No shop was open yet.I needed a cup of tea badly.Tea is must for me for recharging me and make me move.But sadly,i had to do without tea and started our journey towards Ishtiyari village.Road became off road after Gulabgarh and remoteness set in.Few farmers were seen with their livestock.It was very cold.The hilly road after Gulabgarh was deserted and remote and river deep below was a good companion.No village for many kilometers after Gulabgarh.I had started without Tea at Gulabgarh and was hoping to get a cup en route but no village.Then came Ishtiyari village,a shop was there and luckily the shop owner had arrangement for a tea.Thank God for hearing my prayers.Finally,i had a cuppa after many hours.My Tea draught ended at Ishtiyari village.Few people were chatting there.We resumed our ride and reached the famous cliffhanger section and roac cut road and had a prolonged shoot there.Few kilometers after,a small waterfall with a small pond appeared on the road.The water was green and pure and refreshingly very cold.
It was a good place for refreshing ourselves in the water.That waterfall really removed my tiredness and infused a new energy for the tough road ahead.It was around noon when we reached that waterfall.Soon we reached at the Sansari bridge ,the border between JK and HP.Pangi Valley awaits us across the bridge.JK was left behind and we entered in the state of HP.After few kilometers,cops at Sansari check post thoroughly checked us and our vehicle.I asked cops about any dhaba en route.He said..no dhaba till Killad.We were very hugery since morning.Cops at post offered us food and asked us to serve ourselves food in the cop's mess.We had a lunch in police post courtesy HP cops.We were nearing Killad around 3 pm when we were stopped by a BRO worker as a landslide had blocked the road and clearing work was going on.A very big size roack was causing problem and dozers were unable to move that huge rock.So BRO workers planned a dynamite blast and asked to leave the place and go at least 1-2 kilometers away from blasting site.After blasting,they took 3-4 hours to clear the debris.An HPRTC bus was also held up at the lanslide site and a sick woman had to be carried across the landslide.Very tough life in the Pangi valley.A cab waiting at the other side of landslide carried the sick woman to Killad side.It was very sad to see the woman in pain.Finally around 6 PM we reached Killad town and settled in Chamunda View hotel.Rent was 400 rs.A very tough day on absolute off road and bumpy road came to end.

Re: Restless Rider Realized His Dream-Scootering on Marsimik La 2016

Hats off to your monumental efforts, waiting to see further updates. Cheers!

Re: Restless Rider Realized His Dream-Scootering on Marsimik La 2016

Night at Chamunda hotel was normal.Next day prepared my scooter and went to adjacent shop for a morning tea with some rusk and matthi.Tea is utmost necessary to recharge me..LOL.Around 7 am,we left the Killad and resumed our journey towards Keylong via Udaipur.Road was still absent and all we had a kattcha road with lots of dust and pits and bumpy ride.The main feature of Pangi valley.But riding through desolate valley was invoking a feeling of goodness.Stillness and peace of the valley was relaxing.Morning was cold.Few village appeared but no tea shop opened en route.Scooter started to make some noise in rear tyre but after inspection,i could not found any problem and kept riding.Udapiur was still far away and take many hours to reach.Absence of any food en route was very annoying and soon tiredness and weakness affected the stamina.Luckily few biscuits came to rescue for reducing hunger.

After 2-3 hours,scooter started a strange noise of kut-kut-kut in rear wheels which made me worried and anxious.I stopped and inspected but found nothing broken or loose.Shook the wheel to check the tightness of nut bolts..but all well.Restarted the ride and noise again....but kept riding..riding...and when we were very near to Udaipur village,scooter suddenly sank down and stopped.Entire wheel came off the scooter due to broken stud.All 5 studs were cut.A very big damage to scooter.Luckily it all happened at a safe wide road before a house.Mobile signal were active.Pankaj had already moved ahead.I called Pankaj.He came back and i asked him to bring a pik-up from Udaipur which was just few kilometers away.He came back and we loaded the scooter for Keylong.Rent 5000 Rs.Cab driver took us to few repair shops but none had rear wheel drum.A long nightmare and testing time for me had just began for me.The whole scooter damage episode would gonna be a learning experience...bitter and very sweet experience both.









~Karishma of Kishtwar-Killad-Keylong ~
On 5th day of my scooter ride on Kistwar-Killad section,I found this wonderful background for my scooter.Road is absent on this region but view are spellbounding.










दोस्तों, अपनी -अपनी बाइक,कार स्टार्ट करो और पहुंचो इस खूबसूरत जगह और इन खूबसूरत मनमोहक नज़ारों का लुत्फ़ उठाने । और हाँ ,जल्दी मत करना ,अपना फोटो जरूर खिँचवाना इस जगह।
Few hours had passed since I left Killad and found this place very photogenic.I was still in Pangi Valley and was just approaching Lahul valley towards Udaipur.

Re: Restless Rider Realized His Dream-Scootering on Marsimik La 2016

Amazing masterji.
Pleasure to read your adventures.

Re: Restless Rider Realized His Dream-Scootering on Marsimik La 2016


The trecheorous broken roads between Killad and Udaipur proved very costly to me and my scooter.The bumpy ride broke the rear brake drum and scooter wheel came off the scooter body just before Udaipur HP.Scooter had to be loaded in a truck till keylong for repairing.I tried to find the drum in few shops but no shop had the drum.Mechanic told me that there are very few scooters in Keylong so no shop keep the good stock of scooter spares parts.They advised me to go to Manali/Kullu and bring a new drum

I had to fetch a wheel drum from Manali-Kullu.This would gonna take 1-2 days.I sent an SOS to all my friends on FB,called few of my friends in HP.Many people came forward and offered me to help and tried finding the rear wheel Drum.Finally after a few calls and some hardworking efforts Top Singh Bodh ji managed to find a new wheel drum from Kullu and sent it to me in Keylong bound cab from Kullu stand.Rashpal Singh Khalsa,who runs a bike repair shop in Manali also found a wheel drum and tried sending to me via bus.But i asked him that i had arranged the drum.It was a very nice gesture by him.I
appreciate him for helping me out in trouble time.Few of his biker friends Sohil Shah were also put a great effort to sent me the part.It was overwhelming response and i was moved by everyone's helping gesture.Finally on 6th June 2016,after waiting for entire day,the wheel drum was delivered to my hotel room by the cab driver around 7 pm.I hurriedly went to the mechanic shop and gave the drum to mechanic and he fitted it quickly.They were just about to close the shop.I was the last customer.My scooter was ready to roar again and I along with Pankaj staright away went to Tandi Petrol pump for securing the fuel supply for next 300 kms.
Next day on 7th June,i quickly cleared the bill of Hotel and started my ride towards Darcha and then an attempt to reach Sinku La.Sinku La is a 5000 meters pass which connects Lahaul valley to Zanskar valley.This pass is a vital link between Lahauli and Zanskari natives.Govt is building a road across this pass to connect Darch to Padum.But road progress is very slow.But a dirt track has been made by BRO and one can still reach Sinku La if luck favors.We reached Zansakr Sumdo,the halfway point between Darcha and Sinku La.Road till Sumdo is super fine.Real fun begins after Sumdo where a very steep,full of hairpins and stoned filled road goes towards Sinku La.Sinku La is approx 25 kms from Sumdo and 40 kms Darcha.We kept riding towards Sinku La.Labours were perplexed to see us going towards Sinku La.Suddenly a huge ice galcier stopped our speed.We lifted the scooter across this glacier and with very great difficulty,could managed to take scooter to the other side of glacier.Lifting,Pushing scooter at the height of 4500 meters made us breathless.Pankaj lost his confidence and decided to stay back .I alone went ahead towards Sinku La top hopping on big boulders and when I was very near to the Top,a huge Ice wall stopped me.This ice wall was very huge and there was no way I could cross it.My attempt to reach Sinku La was finished.An interesting and heart stopping moment happened here at this Ice wall point.
When I stopped my scooter here,I found my camera bag missing from rear seat.My heart skipped a beat here.Camera bag fell off few kilometers back.I forgot to tie it properly and loose camera bag containing 2 DSLR,2 lens and other valuable accessories was lying somewhere few kilometers back.Dont know where.I hurriedly turned back and slowly riding the scooter kept searching the bag.Finally,i spotted the bag 20 feet below lying a gorge.I was like dumbfounded and was sure that DSLRS and lens must be broken after this brutul fall and rolling down 29 feet on sharp stones.I went down and retrieved the bag and checked the DSLRs.
They were scratch less and working.Thank God.After few minutes i rejoined Pankaj who was waiting and and we returned back to Darcha and after some snacks,we resumed our ride towards Baralacha Pass and then Sarchu.Pankaj was in very difficult condition.It was 7 th day of our ride and we were still 2 days short of Leh.
He was very anxious due to shortage of leaves and at ZingzigBar,he decided to end his Ladakh ride and return to home.Very poor situation for him.I was very sad for him.Now I was alone and time was around 4 pm and still i had to cross Baralacha and reach Sarchu before nightfall.Steep ascent to Baralacha pass
starts ar Zingzingbar.Scooter refused to climb further and made me very annoyed and worried.Imean,drum brake broken,Sinku La failed,partner left midway and now a new trouble.Scooter problem.I was really pissed off.Somehow i reached Bharatpur dhaba and ordered a black tea first.I opened scooter cover and cleaned the plug,cleaned the carburetor sipping my black tea.Closed the cover and started the scooter....voila....scooter ran like Milkha Singh and with a butter smooth speed crossed
Baralacha Pass.It was around 6 PM when I reached Baralacha Pass and found it completely deserted and lonely.Just hurriedly took few snaps and moved towards Sarchu which was still 60 kms away.Fast winds and falling night was making me somewhat worried and finally reached Sarchu just before dark and settled in Dhaba with 4 other bikers who were fast asleep after a tiring bike ride.Few of them were also suffering from AMS.Sarchu nights are always gloomy,restless and cold.I just hate this place...its very cold..AMS prone and entire night is spent awake in congested tin shed.Dhaba owner was kind enough to lit a bonfire for us.Fire made me feel comfy and infused a new energy.Other bikers also came out of their beds and opened their Old Monk bottles.We chatted long time and finally when bonfire was no more, we had to go inside for sleep.So a very eventful day,very difficult day came to an end.

Re: Restless Rider Realized His Dream-Scootering on Marsimik La 2016

Zabardast !

Re: Restless Rider Realized His Dream-Scootering on Marsimik La 2016


I woke up to a very cold and silent morning at Sarchu dhaba and came out fof my tin shed for morning rituals.Dhaba owner had erected a katcha tin cubicle toilet and surprisingly it was clean and water was also available.Only problem was,it did not have any kind of locking system from inside.Lolwa....many female were also there and i had to complete the process inside the toilet hurriedly and full of anxiety.Lolwa..Sarchu and Pang stays are always like this.Either you go in open...and be
seen many other same people in same pose or you end up in a tin made cubicle toilet.
After freshening up,it was time to recharge myself.So a balck tea was ordered and i sipped it in open ground in front of dhaba.I watched entire Sarchu,and saw bikers preparing their bikes for further journey.Morning was silent and slow.High altitude of Sarchu doesnt let you move fast.Everyone was slow in activity.Leh was still 260 kms from here.I was few liters short of fuel so i buyed 5 liters petrol from dhaba owner. and after some photos,i resumed my ride towards Pang en route Leh.
Road was deserted and occasional truck was plying.I found few interesting places for photography.While i was clicking photographs,few bikers groups zoomed past breaking the silence of place.Weather was very cold and and painful.Riding during morning time is always very cold in Ladakh.I kept riding and reached Nakeela pass.I was the only person at the pass,so i had to clicked myself using self timer.Within an hour,i reached Lachung La pass and started to make video and meanwhile many bikers also reached there.One of them clicked my photos and also filmed me at the pass.Pass was cold around 10 Am.Sunlight was still absent and air was chilled.
After spending few minutes i started towards Pang and reached around 10.30 am.It was breakfast time.Luckily found clear sunshine at Pang and sat in warm sunshine for sometime for warming my tired and cold body.I spent around half an hour at Pang.Pang is a very popular place among riders on Manali highway.There are lots of dhabas and accomodations at Pang.But its altitude is also very high around 15500 feet which makes Pang a bad choice for night stay as chances of getiing hit by AMS
are very high here.Indian army has a transient camp at Pang and a TCP post also.Few medical facilities are also there in army camp.While I was sun bathing at Pang ,I noticed that vehicles coming from Leh side had snow deposit on their windshileds suggesting that weather was bad ahead of Pang.I looked above in the sky and noticed black thick dark clouds.Pang was still all sunshine.I reached Moorey Planes and as expected,found weather slowly converting into bad one.First it was overcast and within few minutes,snowfall satrted.Very fast snowfall and i was right in the middle of vast Moorey Planes.No shelter for 20-30 kilometers.I was very afraid at this moment and my confidence was very low.Being solo sometimes is very heartbreaking and one feel weaker sometime during trouble.I had to wear rain coat.Snowfall was gaining speed.I started my scooter.Snowfalkes were hitting my face like splinters and sticking to spectacles and making me blind.Only 10 percent visibility sometime.I had to constantly remove snow from my spectacles and kept moving.The ride during this snowfall was very horrible and I was very terrified.Smooth road and snowfall made me to ride fast and reached Debring as fast as I could and during these hurried moments a water patch in the road appeared and I applied brakes and lsot control of my scooter and had a very grave and dangerous fall.The fall was deadly but luck played its part and no injury for me.God saved me at that moment.
I was comlpetely shattered and bottom low was my confidence.Scooter was lying in a ditch and i was unable to lift it and bring it out of the ditch.My condition was completely hopeless at that time.Imagine,a deadly fall,scooter in a ditch and you are not able to pull it out of the ditch.You are not sure weather it will
start or not.Very hopeless scenerio for me.Many bikers were coming from Leh side at great speed,I waved and a biker stopped his bike.Soon after few vehicles also stopped and together we pull out the scooter.I thanked every one of their valuable help and with prayer on my lips,I started the scooter,thank god,it was working and started.My entire clothes were mud laced after the fall.I resumed my ride and recahed Debring dhaba and had a sigh of relief.Finally after a hellish and painful ride thru snowfall on 16000 feet,I was finally with some locals and inside a shelter.My fear allyed to some extent.
While sipping tea inside Debring dhaba,i was bewildered.That my 2016 ride is doomed and cursed.Firts,scooter broke down,2 days wasted in Keylong for repairing, Sinku La failed,my riding partenr had to leave me halfway and now this snowfall and accidental fall in the middle of nowhere where no medical aid was available in case of an injury.Dhaba owner ladies were mazed to see my dirty clothes with mud all over my clothes.I asked them for a old cloth to wipe off the mud.Two bikers were also inside the dhaba and they clicked few of my pics in mud laced condition.Lol..big Lolwa..
Snowfall was still raging outside the tent but intensity was low here.I was very hesitent to start my ride in this bad weather fearing that Tanglang must be very difficult in such weather.I was thinking to wait for sometime and clear weather.I came outside the dhaba and saw many group of bikers going towards Tanglang La pass.I gathered some courage and started my ride twoards 17000 feet steep Tanglang La pass,the gateway to Leh.A high pass in the Zanskar mountain range.
Few bad road patches made life worse.The ride to Tanglang was slow and cold due to bad weather but somehow I reached Tanglang La pass and when I reached there I saw many bikers assembling there and clicking photos.It was a junction of bikers coming from both Pang side and Leh side.Weather was still bad fast cold winds were making life worse.Few bikers were not even ready to remove their helmets and gloves for photo.Lol.They got themselves clicked wearing helmets.Such was the weather.Very cold.I also spotted a tea shop at Tanglang La.First time.Few minutes at Tanglang La and it was tiem to move ahead towards Rumtse.Ride was downhill and road was super smooth.Slowly altitude was lowering and when i reached Rumtse,snowfall converted into rain.I stopped at a dhaba and had few cups of tea,a parantha
with other bikers.Tea shop was full and everyone coming from Tanglang side was stopping there due to rain.Rumtse stoppage was longer and i chatted with few other bikers.Rumste mean,i was out of troubled and remote area of Moorey Planes.I was bit relived finally in a village.Rain become little slow and i resumed towards Karu on a very good road,crossed Lato village,Miru village,crossed Upshi check post and reached Karu market.First thing I did was to call Pragya and narrated her the entire story what happened at Sinku La,Panakj had to left,snowfall and scooter fall and my shaken confidence.She talked to me in a positive way and boosted me and advised me not worry.With her words,i somehow found my lost courage and came out of my shaken self and reached Leh late in the evening and settled in Guest House.All alone,lonely,tired.Luckily the guest was good and my room had running hot water.I had a heartfelt long hot bath to rejuvenate and went to a Punjabi dhaba for dinner.A mix veg and two tandoori roti wit green salad worked like a charm and i felt alive again and ready for my further journey into Ladakh.
Again a very difficult day on a remote place ended in a small room at Leh.Sleep took over me in its grip.

Re: Restless Rider Realized His Dream-Scootering on Marsimik La 2016

Its incredible to see your determination and spirit...travelling all the way on a scooter. I have been deployed in and around the area you have traveled and really understand the hardships involved in traversing the areas that you have. Hats off for your accomplished feat. Its a bikers dream to complete this circuit, and i see that you have done so with flying colors.

Re: Restless Rider Realized His Dream-Scootering on Marsimik La 2016

Thanks a lot everyone for your kind encouragement.

Re: Restless Rider Realized His Dream-Scootering on Marsimik La 2016

No words. Massive respect sir!

Re: Restless Rider Realized His Dream-Scootering on Marsimik La 2016

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Thanks a lot Nishant bro for kindness.