Howdy folks,
I'm back in Shimla! Not exactly where I wanted to end up, but it's been a fun filled week or so since I last posted something ... so, starting from where I left off last time ...
Had a couple of super excellent himalayan cycle days from Recong Peo through Pooh to Nako. Hotels in Pooh were full, so I was able to pitch my tent on the roof of the building next door. Next day's cycle to Nako was super - very little traffic at this point, hot & sunny day, endless low angled switchback through a world of rock, only interspersed with the occasional orchard clustered around the few streams.
Rolled into Nako at 3600m, feeling the altitude. Nako is a wonderful little town - completely Tibetan in every way - checked into a little homestay place run by a friendly Tibetan couple, and in a traditional mud & thatch roof. Nice little garden out front - incredible views. Felt really good about progress so far, and feeling optimistic to continue to Leh!
Next morning, Cliff (the Australian I've been tracking since Rampur) & I stood out in our shorts in the rain. It was cold. We went for a cup of tea to wait for the weather to clear. The rain picked up. By 11, we decided just to stay the day in Nako (easy decision to make - wonderful village - did I mention that?). The locals said the rain would end tomorrow.
The next day, the local folks said "the rain is ending ..."
On the third day of rain, the local folks said "we have never seen so much rain before".
Later that day ... the local folks reported "the road to Tabo is destroyed". And later ... "the road to Recong Peo is closed".
On the fourth day, Cliff & I cycled up past the village to the "Malling Slide". It's a well known rock slide path, that the Border Roads organization has been struggling to keep open for years. The road crosses and extremely steep & unstable gully ... or at least it used to. There was no more road. It was not just washed away, but completely removed for at least a kilometer across the mountainside. No way around it - up or down - the terrain really is that steep.
So started much speculation and planning & replanning. Clearly, there was no way I could go into the Spiti valley - that was at least clear. However, there could have been a possibility to toodle over to Manali (about 3 days travel), and just try to cycle from there.
But, on day 5, the road south to Recong Peo was still closed.
Time, unfortunately, has burned away and I slowly came to the realization that the cycle trip was pretty much over. Still, along with two Belgians and Cliff, we rented a 4wd taxi, and drove back down the valley for 10 hours to Rampur. The road from Pooh back to Recong Peo and beyond was heavily damaged by the rain, and there were numerous waits for sections of the road to be cleared. Much himalayan driving drama.
Finally, we got to Rampur, and found out that the Jalori Pass to Manali was closed - that was pretty much the only last chance we had to get up to Manali to even conceive of cycling ... and only if I/we didn't have any rest days or extra acclimatization days. Sigh!
So, this morning, I took the bus back up to Shimla, back to the hotel I stayed at previously, and arranged to store my bike at the hotel. I'm going to take a light pack, and do the travel by bus thing ... I'm headed up to Manali tomorrow, and I'll see if there is any possibility of taking a bus from Manali, over the Rothang La and down into the Spiti valley that way. I'm pessimistic considering the state of the roads ... but we'll see! If going into the Spiti valley isn't possible, then I'll explore the hill stations & towns of Himachal Pradesh, including Dharmsala - a place I've wanted to visit for some time.
It's been quite a week and a bit! But, being "stuck" in Nako wasn't really like being stuck - it was a great town, it had an 11th century Gompa to explore, a fascinating little village, and some great walks (in the rain) up to the Chortens and Mani walls surrounding the town. Got as high as 4200m on a hike with some local folks to visit the high pastures.
All-in-all, quite disappointed that the cycling hasn't worked out, but still looking forward to 1 1/2 weeks of traveling around India.
I'm back in Shimla! Not exactly where I wanted to end up, but it's been a fun filled week or so since I last posted something ... so, starting from where I left off last time ...
Had a couple of super excellent himalayan cycle days from Recong Peo through Pooh to Nako. Hotels in Pooh were full, so I was able to pitch my tent on the roof of the building next door. Next day's cycle to Nako was super - very little traffic at this point, hot & sunny day, endless low angled switchback through a world of rock, only interspersed with the occasional orchard clustered around the few streams.
Rolled into Nako at 3600m, feeling the altitude. Nako is a wonderful little town - completely Tibetan in every way - checked into a little homestay place run by a friendly Tibetan couple, and in a traditional mud & thatch roof. Nice little garden out front - incredible views. Felt really good about progress so far, and feeling optimistic to continue to Leh!
Next morning, Cliff (the Australian I've been tracking since Rampur) & I stood out in our shorts in the rain. It was cold. We went for a cup of tea to wait for the weather to clear. The rain picked up. By 11, we decided just to stay the day in Nako (easy decision to make - wonderful village - did I mention that?). The locals said the rain would end tomorrow.
The next day, the local folks said "the rain is ending ..."
On the third day of rain, the local folks said "we have never seen so much rain before".
Later that day ... the local folks reported "the road to Tabo is destroyed". And later ... "the road to Recong Peo is closed".
On the fourth day, Cliff & I cycled up past the village to the "Malling Slide". It's a well known rock slide path, that the Border Roads organization has been struggling to keep open for years. The road crosses and extremely steep & unstable gully ... or at least it used to. There was no more road. It was not just washed away, but completely removed for at least a kilometer across the mountainside. No way around it - up or down - the terrain really is that steep.
So started much speculation and planning & replanning. Clearly, there was no way I could go into the Spiti valley - that was at least clear. However, there could have been a possibility to toodle over to Manali (about 3 days travel), and just try to cycle from there.
But, on day 5, the road south to Recong Peo was still closed.
Time, unfortunately, has burned away and I slowly came to the realization that the cycle trip was pretty much over. Still, along with two Belgians and Cliff, we rented a 4wd taxi, and drove back down the valley for 10 hours to Rampur. The road from Pooh back to Recong Peo and beyond was heavily damaged by the rain, and there were numerous waits for sections of the road to be cleared. Much himalayan driving drama.
Finally, we got to Rampur, and found out that the Jalori Pass to Manali was closed - that was pretty much the only last chance we had to get up to Manali to even conceive of cycling ... and only if I/we didn't have any rest days or extra acclimatization days. Sigh!
So, this morning, I took the bus back up to Shimla, back to the hotel I stayed at previously, and arranged to store my bike at the hotel. I'm going to take a light pack, and do the travel by bus thing ... I'm headed up to Manali tomorrow, and I'll see if there is any possibility of taking a bus from Manali, over the Rothang La and down into the Spiti valley that way. I'm pessimistic considering the state of the roads ... but we'll see! If going into the Spiti valley isn't possible, then I'll explore the hill stations & towns of Himachal Pradesh, including Dharmsala - a place I've wanted to visit for some time.
It's been quite a week and a bit! But, being "stuck" in Nako wasn't really like being stuck - it was a great town, it had an 11th century Gompa to explore, a fascinating little village, and some great walks (in the rain) up to the Chortens and Mani walls surrounding the town. Got as high as 4200m on a hike with some local folks to visit the high pastures.
All-in-all, quite disappointed that the cycling hasn't worked out, but still looking forward to 1 1/2 weeks of traveling around India.
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1 comment:
Bad timing for rainfall. But I am glad that you are making the best of what you have got there. That's the real adventurists spirit Guy. Have a nice time in Himachal.
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