Up reasonably early & away at 7.30am. We retraced our steps back to Karu where we turned off & almost immediately started on the Chang La Pass. Quite a good tar sealed road until about 4kms from the top, where it turned into a really harsh road. We wound our way up, as we did we had the most wonderful view of a green valley, all divided into paddocks full of various crops. Another wow moment. I think I have now gotten used to the narrow roads, no crash barriers, huge drop off's & ignorant truck drivers that will run you over in a heart beat. This pass is at 17586ft, however there is speculation it is higher than that & is in fact the highest pass. The difference is minimal, & we have the tee shirt for the highest pass now, so we will run with the status quo, they are bloody high anyway. LOL. About a km from the top & quite a large water crossing later we were on tar sealed roads again. Down into a stoney sandy valley. Very hostile environment, yet people live there in little pockets, god knows how. The army presence is very high with yet another large army camp, army trucks driving everywhere. We arrive at Pangong Tso, at 14100ft it is very high. We stopped for lunch before carring onto out camp, another 10kms further on. It was sweltering hot, the lake looked great. The far end of the lake borders onto China & 60% is in Tibet, it is something like 134kms long. Yet another army base is located here. Probabaly because the border is so close. As it was very hot & 3.00pm the snow & glaciers melt causing alot of water which in many cases crosses the road. There was
one in particular that although was not long, it was at least as deep as the axles on the bikes & running very fast. Atul was unsure whether to cross it, he did however & like sheep we followed, you could feel the side pressure on the bike, we all made it. Arriving at the camp we, well some of us decided to go for a swim, to use a nice word, it was a very bracing moment, as this lake is glacier feed. It is just something you have to do, isn't it?
Back to Leh today, & as Atul had said most of the water crossings had gone, even the fast flowing one was all but a trickle, as they are snow & ice melting during the heat of the day & stop melting at night. It was cooler on the way back & the top of the pass was cooler. This time we had a cup of tea, care of the Indian Army, free, very nice. :-)
The trip down the pass was even better than going up as the green valley below we were able to view most of the time.
We got back to Leh at about 3.00pm, I had a late lunch with Jon-Luke, plus 2 beers. I was knackered & slept for 4 hours before getting up & going to a Tibetan place for dinner.
Off over the highest official pass tomorrow, looking forward to that, however it is our last ride, the holiday adventure is all but over.
one in particular that although was not long, it was at least as deep as the axles on the bikes & running very fast. Atul was unsure whether to cross it, he did however & like sheep we followed, you could feel the side pressure on the bike, we all made it. Arriving at the camp we, well some of us decided to go for a swim, to use a nice word, it was a very bracing moment, as this lake is glacier feed. It is just something you have to do, isn't it?
Back to Leh today, & as Atul had said most of the water crossings had gone, even the fast flowing one was all but a trickle, as they are snow & ice melting during the heat of the day & stop melting at night. It was cooler on the way back & the top of the pass was cooler. This time we had a cup of tea, care of the Indian Army, free, very nice. :-)
The trip down the pass was even better than going up as the green valley below we were able to view most of the time.
We got back to Leh at about 3.00pm, I had a late lunch with Jon-Luke, plus 2 beers. I was knackered & slept for 4 hours before getting up & going to a Tibetan place for dinner.
Off over the highest official pass tomorrow, looking forward to that, however it is our last ride, the holiday adventure is all but over.
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