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**trustvishwas** · 06-24-2010, 05:04 PM

Originally posted by satyenpoojary View Post

PPPPS: How did Inder get lost despite having the GPS which showed the same route that you took

You are to blame for that. Did you bother to provide spare batteries with the GPS, if not, did you provide chargable batteries & charger?

Being on a battery saving spree, Inder turned on the GPS only after getting lost and going on a wrong road for nearly 30 minutes. It showed him to be on Srinagar - Leh Road but obviously it could not show him where we were.

**trustvishwas** · 06-24-2010, 05:08 PM

Originally posted by beruoist View Post

beautiful Pano shots.

It seems you guys ended up in a Honeymoon Suite :P

Cheers
Biru

As you would know, if you buy a race prepped bike, you need not ride it only on a race track.

Similar is the case with our room.

So No Problems.

**amitredefined** · 06-24-2010, 10:10 PM

Awesome

Awesome Vishwas...

**ArniMarine** · 06-25-2010, 12:29 AM

Originally posted by trustvishwas View Post

did Leh - Srinagar 440 km without filling up and none of the bikes had hit reserve also.

You guyz came back on the same route? Was Leh-Manali highway still not open?

**aman_pulsating** · 06-25-2010, 12:47 AM

^^ it was not.. and it still isn't!

**trustvishwas** · 06-25-2010, 01:47 PM

My friend, Himanshu had arranged for our permits before we reached Leh so we did not waste time in the procedure. He was taking his group to Pangong Tso in 2 Innovas & 1 Xylo. So we decided to tag along with the group. Makes the job of finding accommodation and food much easier. We loaded our saddle bags on Xylo so were riding much lighter bikes.

We left our hotel a bit late and started towards the Chang La. Road from Leh till Karu is fantastic and we could and did rip a lot on this stretch.

Beautiful Indus river was accompanying us for quite a long time.

Paaji has been indicating about his bike not pulling properly. I had also observed that my FZ had stopped revving above 6k rpm. However, I did not feel great loss of power.

At karu, paaji suggested getting bike chains oiled. Since we had not done that since Srinagar and then had driven in muck in Zozila, we both agreed. BIG MISTAKE.

Paaji then decided to get his carburetor cleaned. It took so much time, that we left Karu around 12.30 pm. All this time, the weather was good, sun shining brightly and not a hint of snow or rains. We were extremely optimistic about weather.

Paaji took a trial of the bike and said that it was showing some improvement but was not pulling properly. So I swapped bikes and rode on for next 8-10 km. For me, the Karizma was riding ok and was rideable. I asked Inder whether he wants to continue on the FZ. He refused so we again swapped bikes and started towards Chang La.

Unluckily, the bike had stopped at an avalanche zone so a local car driver advised me to either move forward or backward by around 100 meters. Since pushing bike uphill was out of question, I again moved back loosing the little ground I had covered in previous 20 minutes.

This is where the bike had stopped.

God bless BSNL. I had mobile coverage there. I called up Yamaha showroom, Pune and tried to do everything they told me. In fact, I had undergone a training session in Pune specifically for this purpose. Still no use. In the mean time, Yamaha Delhi was trying to call me but the line was not going through so we exchanged some info by sms. Finally after spending nearly 30 minutes, I gave up the efforts and hailed a local tempo going ahead to give message to two bikers at Chang La Top to come down and help me out.

As expected, rudra came back from Chang La Top. When enquired, he said that Paaji was not willing to come down again and would wait at the top for us. I was pissed off like anything. It was hardly 3-4 km and here is an xBhpian not returning for help and his roommate (who is not a hard core rider) is willing to ride down. What is the use of riding in a group if the group members are not willing to help you?

Rudra also tried riding FZ with the same result. We tried towing FZ with the bullet but given the road condition and snow, we found maintaining our balance extremely difficult. It had also started snowing lightly by that time. Finally we decided to abandon the vehicle there.

As expected, paaji was nowhere to be found at Chang La Top so we proceeded towards Pangong. We both had a fall on a patch of black ice. As speed was very low, nothing broken, hurt etc. Found out that paaji also had a fall while descending.

After descending Chang La, we found paaji waiting for us at the army check post. He had started feeling sleepy at the top and fearing that it was sleep of death, he had came down till check post.

By this time, we were extremely cold. Hard ice (not snow) had formed on our shoes. We found kitchen of the check post and borrowed some hot water and poured it on our shoes, just to melt the ice. Also drank some warm water. In the mean time, the snow fall arrived at the check post also.

Met a group of riders coming back from Pangong but we both were not in a condition to chat with them.

After completing descent, there was clear sunlight. I stopped rudra and told him the urgent need for some hot drink. We ordered coffee at a roadside hotel. Here rudra observed the snow fall coming behind us as shown in movies. We cancelled our order and rode hard for next 20-25 km till durbuk village.

To sign in at the check post, I had to walk 30-40 steps from the road but the cold had sapped so much energy, I walked like a zombie to the check post and entered our details. Without halting anywhere, we rode on to Tangste village and there on to Pangong.

Here, I first understood why roads can get closed due to landslide. Saw huge mountains sliding completely. The stones were of the size that at least 10 JCBs would be required to life one. Absolutely no traffic on the road and me & rudra rode on fast to avoid snowfall following us. We could also hear paaji coming behind us due to clinking noise of his sidestand dragging on the road. We did not want to risk a stop even to take a single photograph so rode till Pangong Tso.

We had seriously under estimated how cold it can get and our preparation was equally lacking.However, let me clarify that the temperature at any point was not extremely low. Wind-chill was the killing factor. Even in bright sunshine, we were feeling cold due to wind. I would also like to clarify that the ride itself was not at all difficult and should had been most enjoyable. All difficulties we faced were because of under preparation.

Later, we ordered hot magi and had that as a combo Lunch-Dinner inside the room itself. In fact, we did not leave the room that day except to answer call of nature. Paaji was carrying my tripod from Pune just for Pangong photography. But due to late start, we reached the lake late in evening when sunshine gave way to darkness and also we were absolutely out of energy to get out of the room. So lowest number of photos was shot this day.

In the night, Paaji was hogging 70% of the twin bed and me & rudra were just trying not to fall down from both the sides. Also we all were victims of Altitude sickness. We all were wheezing and grasping for breath. We should had taken Dimox before sleeping. Our sleep was interrupted for at least 2-3 times due to shortage of breath and headache.

Here ends our day.

**RoadZilla** · 06-25-2010, 03:03 PM

Nice triplog!!!

**surojit** · 06-25-2010, 03:09 PM

Originally posted by trustvishwas View Post

I was pissed off like anything. It was hardly 3-4 km and here is an xBhpian not returning for help and his roommate (who is not a hard core rider) is willing to ride down. What is the use of riding in a group if the group members are not willing to help you?[/FONT]

thts bad..... you must have been like

**beruoist** · 06-25-2010, 03:11 PM

Aha..Road were OK-OK when we crossed,But weather was quite bad

Good going Vishwas.

Cheers
Biru

**ketan_r15** · 06-25-2010, 04:07 PM

Awesome log Vishwas.. Loved every single line of it..

**dineshsamtani** · 06-25-2010, 04:35 PM

Rocking thread......
Everyday new treat for the eyes....
keep them coming....

**GuRpReEt SiNgH** · 06-25-2010, 04:49 PM

Originally posted by dineshsamtani View Post

Rocking thread......
Everyday new treat for the eyes....
keep them coming....

+1

But do feel sad about the situation you were in, when you bike stalled. Did you manage to find out the reason for the same...

Its like a daily soap saga with many twists and turn and god knows what will happen to us when this thing is over.

**trustvishwas** · 06-25-2010, 05:07 PM

Originally posted by ankit63 View Post

Nice triplog!!!

Thanks.

Originally posted by surojit View Post

thts bad..... you must have been like

Mad, pissed off, angry etc. etc.

Originally posted by beruoist View Post

Aha..Road were OK-OK when we crossed,But weather was quite bad

Good going Vishwas.
Cheers
Biru

When we returned next day, the weather was ok-ok but the roads were bad.

Originally posted by ketan_r15 View Post

Awesome log Vishwas.. Loved every single line of it..

Thanks.

Originally posted by dineshsamtani View Post

Rocking thread......
Everyday new treat for the eyes....
keep them coming....

Sure keep an eye on this thread.

Originally posted by GuRpReEt SiNgH View Post

+1

But do feel sad about the situation you were in, when you bike stalled. Did you manage to find out the reason for the same...

Its like a daily soap saga with many twists and turn and god knows what will happen to us when this thing is over.

Thanks. The bike had high altitude sickness

. In high altitude, the air is less dense so the fuel-air ratio set in the carburetor does not receive sufficient oxygen. I knew about this situation and had checked with Yamaha about what to do at high altitudes. However, the changes in the settings suggested by them did not. A local mechanic sorted it out next day. How ??? You will read in next day's log.

**animeher** · 06-25-2010, 05:53 PM

Great going Vishwas. I am hooked to this thread

**rachitkohli** · 06-25-2010, 06:48 PM

awesome writeup Vishwas..!!
it was certainly a difficult pass..!! even we had really tough time fighting in the snow at Chang La..! We had faced a real heavy snowfall here.
For winter you can wear a thin woolen glove & on top of it can wear a riding glove or vice versa.. but a woolen glove is must.. The snow pix are great. Can understand how painful it must have been when your bike was refusing to ride ahead. But those are the moments which will stay forever with you...

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