क्यूं यह सही और क्यों वो ग़लत है तेरी मेरी सोच में एक यह फर्क है मैंने तो देखे अनगिनत सपने ख्वाहिशों से ऊंचे बंधनों से गहरे...
"It's better... in the mountains." And all I wanted to do is the bestest expedition of my life i.e., Manali-Leh, the 500 kms. solo ride all by my cycle and so I was ready to go.
July 2019. After 20hrs of travelling in a volvo bus from Jaipur, i finally reached Manali (the starting point of my journey). All excited and enthusiastic I quickly unpacked my cycle to make it ready for commute.
I took some rest and slept in my sleeping bag.Being so much full of enthusiasm and energy this time i was planning to start my journey from Manali at 6 am and cross the Rohtang Pass, in one day (a climb of 52 kms).
Day-1 (Manali to Khoksar ) 70 kms
"वो रास्ता चुना है मैंने, शायद कुछ टेढ़ा चुन लिया।साइकिल पकड़ अपनी, मैं उस ओर निकल लिया।"
That fine morning of 10th July.I started my journey at 8:30 am.
The planning to cross Rohtang pass in one day was cancelled in my head, but I guess that road seems to more interesting....क्या पता कुछ अच्छा हो जाए!!!
Amm!!!Talking about my last year ride on the day 1 we (Me and one of my friend) started from Manali at 9:30 am and reached Marhi at 6:30 pm after climbing 35 kms.
But!!! This year i reached Marhi at 3:30pm, achievement isn't it? The tired and hungry me after reaching there got some food in "Bhandara" (Bhandara is particularly a social event where we can get some free food and there is no liability to pay for the same), here I got free rice and mutton 😋, this event happens only once a year, see the God of Himalayas are with me....Oh my Luck!!!! 😇Thankyou...
After getting recharged finally i changed my mood and i loudly announced in my head.... (रोहतांग!!! मैं आ रहा हूँ।) and I again planned to cross Rohtang Pass in just one day, there were 16 kms more to go for Rohtang Pass..😩 When I was about to reach Rohtang Pass I was almost exhausted and it was very tiresome for me to ride to the top so i decided to walk with it but on this way, I could now see some human activities like enjoying and playing in the snow and parking vehicle but in my mind, I had to cross that downhill after reaching to the top board of Rohtang Pass. I was just waiting for my point to come as it was very hard to cross even 100 meters. Tired me while passing the way asked someone "how far is this Rohtang", he funnily said "भाई यही है रोहतांग", but that board is still so far....And here it comes, "The Rohtang Pass" @6 pm.
Rohtang Pass is said to be a 52 km. climb on the way back from Manali.The word "Rohtang" means the "the pile of corpses" 😳so it is known to be awfully dangerous and scary and there are many mythologies behind this majestic pass.But for me everything was dangerous and a way more scary when you are planning to go solo in Ladakh by cycle.
What a great relief man, finally i did it one day,And than I decided to cross the downhill of 20kms to Khoksar.This off-road to Khoksar was quite scary and dangerous for motor bikers and cars.No! No! but not for me, i got a really nice cycle, which can cross any hurdle coming across the way.
Good evening at Khoksar. Yes, at 7 pm I reached there after covering a total of 70kms ride right from Manali and my body is now asking for some sleep.Good night!!
Day-2 (Khoksar to Jispa) 45kms
ये पहाड़ो की हवाएं, आज कुछ खुशनुमा सी है। शायद इन्हें देखने, कोई मुसाफिर आया है।
Good morning it was..I used to pack my stuff every morning and energise myself.Ready set go!!!!!!Jispa here I come....At 8 am I started from Khoksar and the rolling path Of Keylong was beyond amazing.
Ah!!The sceneric views and beautiful landscapes along the way got my sight and there I stopped to capture🤩 some pictures as a souvenir. At around 2 pm i reached Keylong at the same camp where i stayed last year.There i met with the owner...He remind me in a single watch.So nice being a person he offered me some mint tea, i tried it for the first time but it was a complete delight at that time.To go for some more longer this time so I restarted pedaling and reached Jispa at 4:30pm.Here, i stayed at Siramani campsite, as i always plans to stay in the most luxurious camp sites because i don't have to pay for the stay, as i carried my own tent.
Oh Jispa!!!!You are so beautiful at night.The people of the camp were dancing and singing and enjoying on the beats of Sony Stereo carried by Sonu Ji (the owner). I stayed in my own tent ⛺️ based at Siramani Base Camp.
Sonu Ji is an Ex-Army man, that day he told us many great stories like fighting on the border against the terrorist, and how they used to spend days in the jungle during those hours and their achievement in the wars. After the retirement, they opened this campsite.The very kind person rather sarcastic and a zindadili human I met at Jispa.It was an amazing night.
Getting ready for another way this morning by following the same stuff and had some breakfast of omlet and 1 Parantha and I was ready to go with so much of energy and then I started to pedal around 8:30 a.m, after 10-12 kms of rolling the beautiful landscapes came along my way.
स्वच्छ भारत, स्वथ्य भारत।
After Darcha the climb started ( it was a big mistake that i didn't ate anything there), after continuous ped calling I reached Patsio (the exact same location, where my journey was left unfinished last year) 😢Laying on the beautiful grass I took a rest of 30 min. there. By the time 2 foreigners coming along the same way on cycle asked me for some mineral water, but i do never carry that, i used to drink only mountain water , approx 5L a day, a total of 50L, which means i saved 50 bottle of plastic and here is the aim #noplasticindia.
After riding for around 15 kms i finally reached ZingZingBar at 2:30 pm by covering a total of 35 kms, the last 2-3 kms of climb were really scary. i could even die due to starvation.😖*But do remember, the God of Himalayas!!!*
Day-4 (Zingzingbar to Sarchu) 54kms
छोड़ा जाए ऐसा सपना ही क्या?फिर से ना कि जाए,"सीधे रास्तो पे मज़ा कहा?टेढ़े रास्तो पे तो आसमान है।" ऐसी कोशिश ही क्या...
Amm!!! Let me take you to some Superhumans, wanna know about some?
So, on 9th July , a cycling race was started from "Manali to Turtuk" ( after crossing Khardungla) in 100hrs, where only 6 people participated , including 2 females. Guess what!! Sumit patil (one of the participant) who started from manali and reached Sarchu in one day, i took 4 days.
After riding 10-12 kms, light rain started, due to which I was slowly-slowly climbing the Baralacha La pass, as the altitude was getting higher and higher , so the temperature was reciprocating itself. after pedaling and lots of "annaya pandey" 😂 (hope you got the sarcasm). Cold and freezed I finally reached to the top of the Baralacha La pass.
News time - Last year a biker was crossing Baralacha La Pass at night , due to very low temperature , He just got freezed and died there.
In the land of Lama don't ever try to become Gama.(Stupidity doesn't stand anywhere)
Woahh!!! Now the Downhill starts till Bharatpur (so much like a Rajasthani name). By the way there was a water crossing after Bharatpur named Pagal nala, "वो कहते है ना,जैसा नाम, वैसा काम"
And yes that was exactly the same as it's name.after crossing Pagal Nala, there were some more water crossing coming across the way, but i heard from the people of ZingZingBar, that it will be hilarious , too tough to go with road and blah blah blah...But, after I crossed that way i realised there is no such off road for a cyclist, "biker walo ki to lagi padi thi udhar."
After crossing all bad roads , construction work, finally i got a plain straight road of 10-12 kms, and i got really nice tailwind there, no pedaling and a constant speed of 40 kmph followed my way. Ohh the mountains of Himalayas, what else do i need.Along that I reached to the bridge which divides Himachal Pradesh and Jammu Kashmir and after this bridge, Sarchu started. Here I stayed in a Dhaba and planned to tent but due to heavy winds it was difficult for me to stay in it. ( कहीं मुझे उड़ा के ले गया तो ) Jokes apart! So, I stayed in the camp of Dolma aunty where she made some really good bread omlet for me.
After "ZingZingBar" there wasn't any network of cellular company, all that works is satellite phone , I thank to Dolma aunty who helped me by arranging it for me so that I can call my parents and assure that I am perfectly going through here.
Night was well, but that day I was feeling completely solo and alone as no one except me was there...But my miss. Diary followed me with my words and I inked my words in it.
Day-5 (Sarchu to Whiskey nala) 48kms
बन जाओ इत्ते जिद्दीकि रास्ते भी मान जाएं
Here I started my day with omlet, to the straight road of 10-12 kms till Gata loops and it was an amazing ride.Then the Gata loops got started, imagine 21pin head turns, a complete uphill, afcours being curious i counted each and every climb.
News time - In the year 2000, when the roads were not constructed and trucks were not that powerful, truck needs to get some support from stones putted behind the rear tyre, in the night time, when the truck was crossing , the co driver was helping, and suddenly his leg came below the tyre, at that time. Due to lack of communication and no support and that much pain, his friend threw him so that he don't get hurt anymore.Now on that turn people listen to their voices asking for water , so people throw the plastic bottle filled with water there, and there were around 100-150 bottles ( इसको बोलते है अखंड चुतियापा!!)
After climbing 16-17 pin heads i finally came across Gata loops and i thought that there will be downhill after that, but i was wrong.(abhi to or bhi chadani padegi )With that every pedal I was losing my energy.Then i saw a still truck in a bad condition with no one around, i stopped and took a sleep of 30min, after that i again started pedalling the roads.
( jaise taise mar marate hue mai top par pahuncha)
i.e. Nakeela top
As and when I reached there i got some motivation, and now comes the downhill, off road downhill till Whiskey nala, although i reached there before time and there came the climb of lachungla on the same day , but i was quite sick and had some pain in my heart and headache, it was not because of Altitude or cold, people say due to the turns you crossed, you are feeling the same way.
I had medicines but i didn't took as I decided if i didn't feel normal till morning i will take those.fact- in hilly areas try not to depend on medicine.( specially that diamox)I slept there with only ₹200.
शहर की दीवारों में कहा वो बात थी,जो यहाँ की सर्द हवाओं में हैं।
Day-6 (Whiskey Nala to Debring) 80kms
वो सपना देखा था कभी,आज पूरा कर लिया।लो आज मेने भी,वो आसमान छू लिया।
My stay in whiskey nala can be extended to one more day if i didn't feel better but next morning the ache was completely fine.
But that day i was not that full of energy , i was a little tired...Still i started my journey, My cycle tyre pressure that day was very low and it was really exhausting while riding with that luggage,But there with the help of bikat adventurous, they helped me with pump, ( i also have one. but i lost the valve)Then after the climb of 6-7 kms i reached Lachungla.
आज में ऊपर, आसमान नीचे...
After the ride on a complete off-road downhill of 20-25kms , i reached Pang. Here I ate maggi and Parantha there and started on my wheels again, then the climb of pang begans, i was pedaling and pedaling until i reach to the top.Oh high I am on the top of the world and here comes my favourite place comes which at the end becomes my worst place.
More plains, 40kms of straight road no climb, slight downhill, usually people face headwind who comes from Leh side.I was so much excited to ride pedal free same as in sarchu, but the climate changes after 5kms, beginning of bad luck started with headwind, then raining then snowfall, then heavy raining after ride 10kms it stops, then again after 2-3 kms, heavy headwind, due to so much of luggage i was feeling too much drag force, and that continuous raining and snowfall pissing me off.Due to this I was completely mad and exhausted when i reached Debring.
Day-7 (Debring to Leh)
उन रास्तो ने कोशिशें बहुत की,पर हौसला फिर मुस्कुराया।
The day started with removing snow from my cycle. Here the temperature was below 0°C but it feels like -10°C because there were heavy winds outside , snowfall and raining, at this condition there is no possibility for me to ride the cycle , and as much i go higher, the snowfall becomes more dense and the temp comes down.
The only option i was left with is to carry my cycle on a truck, and i here I go on and on, after reaching 1kms before to the top, there was full snow on road, truck drivers felt this very risky so he stopped before that.And in that snow I was like I got everything I wanted.Being so much happy like a small child i was dancing in that snowfall playing with it, here i didn't felt any altitude sickness or cold.After seeing me like this, truck driver later told me that, what kind of a person you are, you came all the way on cycle, not feeling cold not even low oxygen, (kis mitti ke bane ho yaar)
And I was no less than a superhuman at that time, then finally we reached Tanglang la altitude-photo
Full snow, and there was a big jam at the top, people usually don't stop at the top for longer duration due to low oxygen, and i was there for around 30min.
After clearing jam we were coming down, background foreground, everything covered with snow and i was trying to take a selfie coming out from the window, then the driver said the most adventurous line for me, (aap upar chale jao aapko jana h to)and what do u think (mai jo bol sakta hu)बस बोलने की देरी थी.....within 30sec i was on the top of the cabin of truck, and oh my god that was the most adventurous thing i did it in my whole journey.That white sheet of snow bought me happiness and on that top I was like I am in the whole heave.
After rolling and rolling and rolling we reached Leh. , they dropped me 10kms before leh, tyre pressure on rear tyre was again low, i got no choice then i started to pedal again.
God!!!That was really a long way of climb to reach leh, 20°C in afternoon, sweating and sweating , i finally reached to a shop who got a pump, after refilling, i started to climb.and finally reached sudden planned hotel ( under construction) Hotel ladakh view, I didn't stayed in any room or common room, i asked him to camp my tent on the rooftop and he allowed, ohh my god, what a morning view and night view there, I stayed here for ₹200 per day, So i reached leh on 16july..Oh my god!!!! Holy heavens I dreamt of., And hell yeah 17july was my birthday, but nobody knows here, (and jinko pata tha wo kuch kar nahi sakte the)
Here I got a habit of early sleep and early rise, so on the night of 16th of July i set an alarm of 11:58pm so that i can wish Myself, but i could not able to make it...( batao khud ke birthday ke liye bhi alarm lagana pad raha h)😂
Next day in Leh i roam in the city for some good restaurant but before that i have to go to general store a buy one Britannia cake for me and then i go to restaurant order momos and open my cake and then I cut a cake of my Birthday and wished Myself happy birthday then i took phone from the chef and put some calls , maa bapu and bhai this is how i celebrated my Birthday.... 🎂 🍰 Heart was pounding and thumping as there was not any measure of my happiness at that time.
In the night party me and Himanshu. By then he and me became good friends, so we planned to celebrate, and bought 1 beer can, 1 half old monk.This is how we ROLL and celebrated the bestest day of my life.
I spent 1 more day in leh just for adjustment to go back to Jaipur, finally me and Himanshu ( kyonki usko bhi wapis manali jana tha) deal with a truck driver who were going to Ambala with his 4 trucks so they got no problem.On the next day at 11am we were at the India oil truck parking area when they started to drive, so after 55hrs of travel i reached ambala , Himanshu ( Manali utar gaya).
They dropped me at Ambala bus stop, and after 30min bus has arrived for jaipur. I tied the cycle with rope on the top of bus , next day at 7am was at Sindhi camp Jaipur and 8am i finally reached my room in Jaipur, and now finally i turned off the airplane mode of my one plus.Guys, it was an amazing experience of my life that I planned and executed to go with....Uphills and downhills as I mentioned didn't hold me back and I finally to the wonders of Heaven which I pray stay same as it is.
I made a video of my journey and here is the link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFPJh4skqEs&t=12s
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