Hitting The Trail Day 2

With one pass to go before the monsoon was really behind us we set off early.

Passing through valley basins and around river beds and then starting the ascent to the first high pass of over 5000m I was still bitching about the bike and every time the bike did not respond I was still cursing the mechanics but the further I got away from them the more futile it was. On the last stretch to the first high pass on the twisting road though glacier ravished desert the bike finally with a clunk ground to a halt.

I was devastated and raging. Tony came back to check on me but there was nothing we could do. There where friend of Tony's about 2 hours behind us that had mechanics with them so I was resigned to wait for them to see if they could help and if not then I would have to put the bike on a passing truck and pay for them to bring me and the bike to Leh.

There was no point in Tony and Will waiting with me so with a hug and farewells I got back on my bike and started rolling back down the hill to a chai shop we had passed, gutted that my adventure was over.

Just out of curiosity I checked to see if the engine would start and it did! I checked to see if she would go into gear and she did!! I turned to see if Baby (Her name) would go up hill and she did!!! I started singing at the top of my lungs as if only the singing would stop the bike from stalling and keep her going up that mountain and it did. As I caught up with Will and Tony I was singing and shouting at the top of my lungs and as we turned the last corner to the pass we where all amazed and the joy we all felt at that top was amazing. Whether it was the altitude or just the shock of being there, I was truly on cloud nine.

We rolled down the other side leaving the monsoon trapped behind us, the pass so high that it never crosses over that range. We rolled to our lunch stop in a encampment of parachute tents, pulling our bikes up and getting into the tent to get out of the strong sun.

After a delicious lunch served by a beautiful Tibetan family we stretched out and rested on our laurels for the afternoon as we where on the short part of the journey and had time to kill.

Then as the day cooled a bit we headed on to Sarchu where we would spending the night.

Passing through what felt like the heart of the Himalaya's with huge valleys with snow capped mountains on all sides (The photos do not do it justice but gives a glimpse). The roads where a real bikers wet dream.

Dinner and bed as we had a mammoth day ahead of us the next day.