NORTH BY NORTHEAST ‘18 – BIRTHI TO DHARCHULA - NEPAL’

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Birthi – Munsiyari – Jauljibi – Dharchula - Darchula Nepal

Distance this period: 138.25 km Total Distance: 4020.14 km

Munsiyari – 32.60 km

Jauljibi – 71.60 km

Dharchula – 30.90 km

Darchula Nepal – 3.19 km (yes, its without h.... Nepal side town)

Morning short walk up to Birthi Falls was refreshing. After breakfast started riding up to the top then some down to Munsiyari. Booked a room @ KMVN rest house. Then shopping, TV after a long time. The caretaker tells me entry to Nepal from Dharhula is not possible. Jhulaghat is also doubtful. Looks like its going to be a long ride to Banbasa.

Total KM – 32.60 km

Total expense – 720/- rs.

Approx time – 3.41 hrs.

So September month has stated today, weather is nice, Panchachuli view is refreshing and I continued riding downwards. Rear tire giving me headche, fixed two times already. Got talkin to a guy who tells me of robbery. And as I recall same robbery story one guy at Tabo Spiti shared his travel stories of this area. So told myself no camping till I touch Nepal. Then a car stops, police van actually. The DSP of Dharchula sitting inside, a cyclist himself. He tells me once I reach Dharchula go to police station they will arrange my stay. Nice. Jauljibi is the place for tonight though. Sharda river from Dharchula side and Gori-Ganga from Munsiyari side meets here.

Total KM – 71.60 km

Total expense – 680/- rs.

Approx time – 5.20 hrs.

It will be a uphill ride today. Sharda river and other side Nepal. Met the DSP again on the road, he tells his name Himanshu Shah, yeah I forgot to ask yesterday. Then road-workers, the GREF, lovely bunch of people. One guy plays tough on me initially asking so many questions then he offers food, taught me how to play rummy. Talks, advises I loved their company. Dharchula. Found a hotel (Hotel Shivam). Went to border crossing, well first went to police station, they had no information of my arrival. yuck! KMVN rest house is nearby but no luck there. One batch of Kailash-Mansarovar yatra coming today. So the hotel room booking. Then the Border crossing, SSB guy tells its possible to cross. Lucky me.

Total KM – 32.90 km

Total expense – 570/- rs.

Approx time – 3.40 hrs.

Started at 9am from hotel. DSP saw me riding past police station, sent one orderly to fetch me, how nice…. Listened to their planning of a meeting on some matters, then he takes me to his residence. Tea parantha, his cycle adventures. Showed me his trek MTB. Took his number said my good-byes. Now at crossing bridge, SSB guy needs written permission from SDM office, wow…. rode back to SDM office, asked the guard where to approach. Met the orderly and waited… the young reluctant SDM fellow says no. He cannot help me… Now back to bridge, then to the senior offices cabin. He says type a letter. The guard takes me to his quarters, his colleagues wrote a letter for me to let me pass, here are my credentials.. Happy officer lets me pass through. Bag checking on our side and checking at Nepali side as well... Into Nepali land now.... First thing I need Nepali rupees. ATM charges 50 bucks to withdraw..great… exchange counter exchanges note for free. Pretty messed up day to ride so booked a room. Parked my bike at the back. Ate Nepali non-veg thali. Went back India side on withdraw money, crossed the border over bridge again, exchanged the notes at the exchange counter. Time to relax at buggy smelly room.

Total KM – 3.20 km

Total expense – 480/- rs.

Approx time – 00.30 hrs.

Birthi KMVN rest house... nice place..

Birthi Falls

Selfie time...

 

Tea break at the top..

Waited long here for the Panchachuli view but no luck..

After about 2 hours.. still out of luck.. no view

 

Well... from KMVN rest house room window got some view at the evening though..

O yes.. thats the road.. thats river flowing furiously alongside and thats right in the middle of the road, good for car wash but me? you get the memo right?

Road widening work in progress, thats Sharda river.. other side is Nepal... tomorrow I will be there..

Dharchula.. Indian side.. last day today here...

North by Northeast ‘11 - Pang To Grampo’

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Pang - Sarchu - Darcha - Grampo campsite

Distance this period: 237.68 km Total Distance: 2439.77 km

Pang – 0 km
Sarchu – 79.16 km
Darcha – 79.22 km
Grampo – 79.30 km

From Pang, the charm of Manali - Leh highwayturns pale. Bad road starts, the rain made it worse. Now that Tanglang La was closed, traffic coming from Leh was stopped too. So it was a good ride. Made it to LachungLa top, then down to Whisky Nallah, had maggie then uphill to NakeeLa. Then downhill, 21 loops of Ghata Loops started. Loved it. Touched the riverbed, then a bridge, broken. BRO was working, even though peoples were walking on that bridge, the main guy didn’t allow me to pass through. Wasted an hour, he made me first to cross, everyone was clapping, nice.
Then flatish ride to Sarchu. crossed a bridge and officially entered into Himachal Pradesh. One guy from tid shed shouted stay dinner daru here, so here I was sipping a bottle of bear in my tent. Adios J&K. Camped
Total KM - 79.16 kms
Total expense - 310/-

One day of rest makes a lots of different.. good ones.

Early morning heard peoples talking about God; well I am in HP now.
Flattish ride to Kilingsarai BRO dett. uphill starts, Bharatpur. Lunch time. Met 2 cyclists going in same direction, then met Worldbiking couple (going opposite, to Leh), some chat, then 2 more Spanish cyclists going towards Leh. Baralacha La Top, again got a chance to salute entire army convoy. Zingzingbar. Tea Chana at Patseo. Made it to Darcha. Room for 100/- rs.
Total KM - 79.22 kms
Total expense - 470/-

Good road continued all the way to Keylong. Had piranha. Then a bad patch of road, Tandi Bridge, THE famous Tandi bridge heard a lot this bridge before now here I was. Two rivers Chandra and Bhaga meets here. Then dusty uphill to Gondala. On this dust met Ahmedabad family of Pang stay. Tanglang La was still closed so they turned back. Luch at Sissu. Koksar, a bridge, the starts the horrible dirly climb of Rohtang La. Dragged myself to a spot where I could camp. Found one, as soon as I opened the tent, a guy comes and enquires what am I upto. Nice guy from Nepal. Invited me to camp next to his camp other side of wallah. He made a nice dinner for me, how lovely.
Total KM - 79.30 km
Total expense - 90/-

first pass of today.. LachungLa

Whisky Nallah at the bottom. Lunch point.

 

Inside view of the temporary tents..

Sleep is 45 kms away..

 2nd pass of the day.. NakeeLa

 HP roadways runs a daily bus Delhi to Leh..in 2 days. First stop Keylong. Only during the season.

Well, its time to park The X and salute the braves...

Ghata Loops starts, Thank God, I'm going down..

Sarchu approaching

They look pretty, but quite dangerous to cross. Chilly, fast and too many holes in there...

 

Baralacha La Pass... Way too windy to breath..

Road is freshly tared and smooth like a skin..

Darcha approaching

Keylong..

from campsite..

North by Northeast ‘10 - Nyoma To Pang’

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Nyoma Camp - Tsokar (Thugje) - Pang

Distance this period: 139.89 km Total Distance: 2202.09 km

Nyoma – 0 km
Tsokar – 79.23 km
Pang – 60.66 km
Pang (rest day) – 0 km

Nyoma has good home stays and hotels, food options available easily. But I was in no mood to spend money on leisure. So had some noodels and headed to a isolated place, camped and slept. It rained at night and continued in the morning. Gave a little window to pack my stuff and keep moving. The night was beautiful but felt lonely.

22 km to Nyoma is Mahe, right road goes to HorLa, KaksangLa to Chusul, I kept my left towards to Mahe bridge, Police check post. Permit and entry. Nice guy, gave me salty tea, I was hungry, wet, shaky completely drenched. Straight road goes towards Leh, I crossed the bridge to my left. 12 km is Sumdho, Before the town is a junction, left goes to Tso Moriri. I took straight to my right. A shop is there at Sumdho but no one was there.

Further 7 kms is Puga, just few houses. Some tarmac road and then starts the bloody rocky climb to Pologongka La. This 11 km to the top is damn nasty, pushed all the way up. 2 days of no food made it worse. It was already 5 pm when I reached the top. Found two guy drinking, continued, hurders camp, kids chased me on downhill. Then weather turned ugly, rained, crossed two dangerous water crossing, water was flowing like hell up my waist. wet pannier, wet cloths, dark, way to windy to handle the bike. Flaged down upcoming vehicle but he responded with a bad news, next town further 10 kms. He suggested to cross the watercrossing from middle of the road, smart guy.

My bike The X was in full mood today, rode it like running for my life and it obeyed me like a partner. I almost kissed it. At 8 pm a shop keeper offered a room for 300/- and warm food. Bargained for 200/- all. One hell of a ride today.
Its 16 kms to Manali-Leh highway! yay..
Kms covered - 79.23 km
Total expense - 550/-

Next day started as late as 11 am. Theres one short cut to the Manali - Leh highway but took a long one. Debring, 40 kms to Pang, Moore Plains, met one Irish cyclist solo and a guy from Banglore, both riding towards Leh. Weather turned ugly, strong headwind, some rain. Then Pang. A lady offered a bed for 100/- rs.
Kms covered - 60.66 km
Total expense - 615/-

Took a rest day at Pang, nothing much to do here. Borrowed some carosine from the owner lady and washed The X nicely.
Then met a family from Ahmedabad, they stayed at Manali for a day and rode straight here at Pang, complaining of headache. I advised to check with doctor and they did. Frightened whole family.

It rained and got a news of Tanglang La being closed.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Sumdho. Left goes to Karzok Tso Moriri.. I took right[/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Road is full of such stones and hard to ride uphill. Puched all the way up[/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="640"] At Pologongka La Top.. Those who say Cycling touring is easy; look at the face, its no sunshine all the time. I had no proper food for 3 days now... Previous day was just a plate of noodels, today not even water let alone food. Carrying just one bottle on such hills is a suicide mission. And I was in one.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="640"] It has started raining other side, I must hurry.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="640"] This man at Thugje, Tso Kar keeps oscilating between Leh and here. Entire family moves with him here for 4-5 months to help tourists like me to survive.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Good to see tared road after so many days of off-riding. Its gonna be smooth ride for rest of the day. Manali - Leh highway near Debring..[/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Moore Plains...[/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Weather turning bad.. Moore Plains.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Vastness has no limit[/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="640"] The X resting[/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="4607"] Pang.[/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Now its time to rest and eat like hell. I really need to fill my stomach put some serious calories and other stuff.[/caption]