loved the comparo pics and the write up.

A Vintage OF trip, A pedigree triplog written in classic OF style !

Sirjee, hats off to you!

A beacon of hope and guidance, we look up to you for learning to become a tourer. My first year of biking has been enriched not because I bought a bike after 20 years, but because I met you and had the pleasure to ride with you, above all - learned from you and other illustrious xBhp riders and personalities.

Having passed up the opportunity of riding besides you on this trip, I still have learned from this trip! I take it that we are going to have a normal winter this year. While a nip in the Delhi air in the evenings and mornings is a sure pointer towards this, your finding snow at this time in places where there was none during your earlier journeys is a very strong pointer to this.

Ride, Ride Long, Ride Safe.

He he he

Loved the comparison pics were u carrying the old album for reference?

I guess not! When someone has ridden for so long and been there so many times, it would be natural to remember the spots where one stopped and took pictures!

Lovely topic : makes me remember my spiti ride.. minus all the snow here

12 hours

I took 2 hours just to get down from Rohtang top till Manali Entry...

But I guess will leave that for sometime when I'm riding solo, can't do it with a group.

But even 12 hrs is mind boggling....

Thanks for the good words Praful. Yes, Spiti awaits you guys. And it will be quite a while before it sees any substantial threat of 'improvement'. Mother Nature for once is on our side.

keerthi started from Leh at around 08:00hrs and reached Solang by 22:30 hrs

Thanks Nabendu babu. And I can understand that ''. Don't miss out next time.

Thanks Ankit

Don't scare him

Thanks Sarvajith. And stop dreaming. More people from down south have been up here this year than ones from North. Feel inspired instead.

Wishing to make more of your days Strider. Thanks for the appreciation.

Comparisons are inevitable when you've been on the road long enough. Gald you liked it.

Thanks Moeed.

Thanks Bajwa saab! The dirt tracks of Spiti are waiting for your Unicorn!!

You never know you might end up doing it even next year. My best wishes!!

Thanks Steve.
Missed you sir! And you sure missed Spiti this time. Nevertheless, as you point out, the 'nip' in the air points to the road astride two wheels. Lets munch miles this winter big time.

Like Ken says ...you remember. Actually, I first visited this area in '96 during a memorable ride. We two friends headed out to Jammu and Srinagar first, turned back from Srinager and entered Himachal via Pathankot, did Dharamsala, Dalhousie, Khajjiar, Baijnath. Then moved to Manali, Rohtang Keylong and back before heading across Jalori to Narkanda. Then finally it was Shimla and home to Delhi. Some 3200kms in 8 days. So I remember.

Thanks for the good words Bunny

Nice log Old Fox! and the snow-falling pics are nicer

I haven't been able to do any touring yet, mostly because the time n schedule did not allow or may I never tried hard enough to make it happen!! But I will do it, may be ride with you because I am not experienced enough to take on such a ride by myself...it's been some time I came in Delhi g2gs, will try to join next time around...I was quite a regular earlier in g2gs (previous id Shadow, old members might remember)

Good Stuff OF, nice read.

Awesome...

@OF Sir: Wonderful use of words to relive (albeit in bits and pieces) the ride. Loved the pictures too..

Still unable to fathom what a lil change of weather can do to Spiti. It feels a different place altogether. There was hardly a gap of 3-4 days between our rides.

It was a pleasure meeting you while we were coming down from Manali. I was the guy in B2L's group who went on his first ever ride to Spiti.

I was left Spellbound, enchanted, mesmerized (and a whole lot of other "-ed" adjectives) by Spiti...n am damn sure am gonna visit again..


Cheers,

Kartik

PS: your Last paragraph just nailed it..

Sir, "BIG TIME" It is gonna be.

I have spoken.

Wonderfully written and magnificently photographed.. WoW...
1996 and 2009.. great ...

Mindblowing..Absolutely captivating dose of pics and words.

The yesteryears pics added a different treatment in your log.I am hooked!!

OF: beautiful again... with words and pics.
isnt that the KB and shaolin? am wondering how these bikes performed in those years...

@Old_fox: Lovely pictures and wonderful description.
Regarding Jalori, forget 96, it looks way different that 2004 and now.

@Sksy: Seems you rode like a man possessed. Waiting for your thread.

You were not on ZMA you see, after all it can beat fighter planes.

More Pics!!

A few more pictures from this ride.

Towards Kunzum from Losar


Getting closer to the top of the pass...


Just across the top. The Himalayas allow for amazing proximity to these peaks on motorcycles!!


Down the other side towards Batal


Going towards Komik Monastery


Trishul at Langza


Returning from Komik


Near Dhankar Monastery


A pretty Hibiscus at Hoorling


Conditions near Chota Dara




Thanks. And rides are 'made' to happen...they just don't usually happen by themselves

Thanks Kartik. It was great meeting you all and I do remember you. I also envy you as the first experience of Spiti is just amazing and after so many times to the area, I can never feel that 'newness' again.
And rest assured....you will visit again. Its an addictive drug.

Thanks BI.

. The only demerit of having 'yesteryear's' in one's repertoire is the fact that one is getting 'old'. Great otherwise!

Those are a KB100 RTZ Delta and a Shogun. Both performed great except close to Jalori top as the road had been very recently 'cut' then and the gradient, esp at the hairpins, was almost like climbing a staircase at times. We had to push those bikes up with the engine running and 1st gear engaged. But flawless otherwise during a 3200km/8 day ride usually during heavy rains.

Thanks Nav. Yes, things, places and people all change. The Jalori road has changed for the worse though. No top surface for about 10kms on either side of the pass. Heavy traffic and weathering has taken its toll. Around '99-2000, it used to be tarmac all the way.