Hello Steemians, and Merry Christmas!
This last July, I was fortunate enough to be invited to participate in India-based motorcycle manufacturer Royal Enfield's annual Himalayan Odyssey ride. As an invited media rider, I rode a roughly 1,300km stretch starting from the Himalayan town of Ladakh, crossing Khardung La pass (claimed to be the world's highest motorable road located at ~17,500 ft/ 5,300m above sea level) into the Nubra Valley beyond, where the above picture was taken. We then rode back through Ladakh, entered Himachal Pradesh, traversed the treacherous and desolate Spiti Valley and its many water crossings, and finally ended the ride in the Northern city of Chandigarh in Punjab. I'll limit my words from here on, and let the pictures do most of the talking.
As we flew straight into Ladakh, we were asked to acclimatise for the better part of two days. On the second day, some fellow invited riders and I managed to get out and explore the town and its market and pick up some thermal liners and supplies for the ride. India's rapidly flourishing biker culture has led to the region becoming a Mecca of sorts for motorcyclists, and hence the town of Ladakh boasts many shops, cafes and even spotty WiFi connectivity. Most cellular networks are unavailable due to the region's proximity to the sensitive Jammu and Kashmir region.
Dinner that night was some traditional thukpa, a Tibetan noodle soup that is perfect for warming the insides in cold weather. On the subject of weather, July in Ladakh town is actually pleasant, compared to the winter months when the roads to the region get cut off from surrounding regions due to snowfall.
Distant snow-capped peaks greeted us on the morning of our ride, and we got our bikes a little late due to some pending repairs on them the previous night. We would be heading straight for Khardung La, the highest pass on the entire trip, and required every layer available as we made the climb, getting used to the bikes, the shifting terrain, and the changing temperature. This was my first proper experience riding in the mountains, a 'baptism by fire' as a fellow rider called it. But the views were worth it.
Most tourists tend to rent vehicles, drive up to Khardung La, take selfies with the board designating it as the highest motorable road, and head back. A view like this is surely worth the effort, one would think. But as is often the case on jouneys like this, the best is reserved for those who venture beyond. And that is what we discovered in Nubra Valley.
In the Himalayas, you often find yourselves standing amidst the clouds in the snow, only to be surrounded hours later by arid landscape through which rivers burgeoning with snowmelt cut swift and fast. As some enterprising river rafters set off from a nearby bank, we gave our bikes a breather and took a break, the only sound being that of the water rushing by near our feet.
"Take a good look at your gear now. This is the last time you'll see it clean." The words of our ride captain back in Ladakh town never seemed truer than when we looked down at our feet. Little did we know this would be nothing compared to what lay ahead in days to come.
Our halt in the valley was a barebones but comfortable place. You don't complain much after a long hard day in the saddle. Especially when you wake up and step out to views like this.
On the way back to Ladakh, we stopped and took some pics, telling our brains that the lush green campsite, the little water body flowing through the valley, and the stony mountains that surrounded us were all within a few kilometres from each other, despite looking like they belonged in different worlds.
Case in point. See the image above? If you turn 180 degrees in the same spot, this is the view that greets you. No joke.
(I managed to somehow lose the balaclava I was wearing under the helmet, so had to improvise)
Following this, we finally got back on our motorcycles and made the journey back to Ladakh, which in my case involved some drama with a mixed up motorcycle, running out of fuel on top of Khardung La pass, and finally dealing with a rear brake failure on the descent back down to Ladakh. But the important bit is living to tell the tale, and seeing such views along the way.
That's all from me for now. There are a few more images that I want to share and talk about, which are planned for a later post. And, if you enjoyed this post, do leave your thoughts and travel experiences in the comments below!