Foothill Roller Coaster

The next day we were back on the bikes and headed for our next destination.  We left Shimla and followed the route towards Sarahan.  We started dropping in elevation as we turned thru various switchbacks down towards the Sutlej River Valley.  As we descended from the heights of Shimla and the ridges, we also started dropping back into the heat at of the lower elevations. Near the river we were down to around 2600' of elevation.  We were back to over 100°F at the lower elevation.  In the meantime, I was having problem with my motorcycle. The clutch was slipping and I began to have difficulty coping with down shifting.  I was falling further behind the group by nearly a mile; Paul was sticking with me.  

Eventually, Paul and I caught up with the group that had pulled over to take a break.  I got the motorcycle over to the side of the road but could night find "Neutral" and the engine killed when I tried to park and dismount.  I waved over Damon and told him about the clutch. Also, I told him that I thought I better take a break and ride in the truck. I was having problems staying mentally focused. Feeling mentally overwhelmed. I thought I was getting dehydrated as well.  Better to take a rest now rather than end up in an accident! My main goal is to stay within my capability rather than try to fool myself or others.  The preference is to return home alive and uninjured!

Shimla to Sarahan

 Below is another partial, more detailed view of a section of this day's route as we descended towards the Sutlej River.  I spend a lot of my time turning, downshifting, riding the brakes and dealing with the never-ending.  Gads!  Another think I realized was that I preferred climbing since I did not have to deal with the constant acceleration that comes with coming down these long hills.  Always increasing speed while coming into turns!  

Detailed Partial 3D View. Mostly Descent Towards the River

Damon at first seemed doubtful about the motorcycle's clutch when I told him, but then he and Sanjay tried to ride it and realized that indeed, there was a problem with the adjustment.  Sanjay got out some wrenches and tightened in the tension.  They would take a look that evening and perhaps replace some pads. Sanjay then put on his helmet and started riding with the group.  I was very happy for the option to ride in the truck.  

I was happy to sit on the passenger side of the trick with Baloo.  I spent the next couple hours drinking water from the Camelback bladder and watching the scenery.

One of the interesting things I saw was that the mountainsides were covered with Apple Orchards. The individual trees were covered with nets to protect the trees from bird predation.  Also, I began to see bee hives.   I realized that when on the motorcycle, I had not dared to look at scenery.  All I could do was watch the road and the upcoming turns and traffic.  .Now that I did not have to deal with  the  maneuvering of the bike, I had a chance to take in the larger picture.  

Apple Trees Under Nets

Looking Down on One of the Switchbacks

Tight Quarters in a River Town

Baloo did not have the advantage of being able to squeeze between vehicles like the motorcycles.  So He struggled to keep up with them.  Nevertheless, he would catch up eventually. We caught the party in the next town not too long before they were done at the restaurant were they were taking a break.  The heat in the late afternoon was almost as intense as at Chandigarh had been and several of the party looked pretty exhausted.  But the ride wasn't over.  There was a climb ahead over the next 90 minutes to get up to the hotel at Sarahan.  

As we climbed, we passed through a number of damaged sections of road.  LANDSLIDES is a major problem in these steep foothills and often during the monsoon season, the saturated hills give way and release millions of tons of rock and soil and the roads are swept away.  The the Indians get out of the road (often much of them with shovels and buckets) and rebuild the roads, often on top of the buried road 5 to 10 feet underneath.  

In broken English Baloo told me that he lost his home and car to a landslide.  His wife and son survived but otherwise, they were wiped out and at home he now just has a small motorcycle and they live with his parents.

That is Our Road in the Distance

Collapsed Hill

At some point we started climbing steeper and steeper slopes and entered in Himachal-Pradesh a Tibetan district policed by the Indo-Tibetan Border Patrol which looked like a joint military police deal.  

Indo-Tibetan Border Patrol Area

We were reclimbing the terrain. At Sarahan the elevation was 7600 feet.  So, we'd regained most of the elevation we'd given away in the morning from Shimla.  At the hotel, I again was happy to 'crash'.  The ride in the truck had helped me stabilize myself. Still,  I was finding that I was also developing a serious sinus and inner-ear problem that would grow as a problem.  Several others were complaining about their noses, ears, etc. as well.  Charlie was developing a cough.  All the changes in barometric pressure was having an effect.  Like me, everyone headed to their rooms to get out of their motorcycle togs, clean up and lie down.  It turned out there was little hot water.  So judicious sponge baths were taken.  Also, I washed and rinsed out some clothing in the sink.  

Charlie and I discovered we had a 3rd roommate in the bathroom:

Next Morning:

After breakfast, Damon said it was going to be a shorter day and that people were free to walk down the road to visit the local Hindu Temple Dedicated to Durga/Kali. prior to our departure for Sangla.

Kali is a famously violent Goddess and held no attraction for me. Although no longer allowed legally, she still is offered human sacrifices that are done under the radar.  Old time religion. 

Besides my distaste for her, I was planning to be back on the motorcycle that morning and so was shepherding my energy. But Charlie was fascinated with the Hindu pantheon and so he went ahead and with several others, walked over to the temple. 

Kali: Not Everyone's Pick for a Girl Friend

If I were to pray to a Hindu god, it would be the Elephant-headed Ganesha.  A much more generous and interesting fellow.

Ganesha

I was feeling recovered enough to give the motorcycle another go.  The clutch had been adjusted and I wasn't ready to 'hang it up' and hide in the truck.  Around 10:30 we were all suited up and our helmets on, mounted on the motorcycles and we we were heading back down the hills (again) but only to about 5000' and then we would come back up to 8600'.  The destination was a "Camping" venue on a side valley (Baspa River).  This turned out to offer some dramatic views.  

Sarahan to Sangla

 

The Hindustan-Tibet Roads was a dramatic road system built by the British (Indian Labor)  in the 2nd half of the 19th century in order to tie India from the Gangetic Plains to Tibet.  Many laborers died in the construction of these cliff-hugging roads, originally no more than 8 foot wide.  Now they are a bit wider but not nearly enough, especially for two-way motorized travel.  

My Steed

Precarious Rest Spot

Looking Down the Road

And the View Up the Road

After many hairpin turns and squeezing by oncoming traffic, we finally arrived at a Camping venue.  The driveway down the the establishment was breathtakingly steep.  I looked down it and laughed out loud!  No Way would I be able to go down this steep 'Death Plunge'.  I looked at Sanjay and he grinned back and took the bike down the 400' plus chute.  It was all just loose gravel, rock shelves and sharp turns.  Thank God for Sanjay!  He took the bike down the hill with no spills.  Totally beyond my capacity at this point.  I rode down with Baloo and we both laughed and hooted at the loose mess; the 4x4 pickup was surefooted. But it was a very 'off-road' sort of experience.  No one else fell but later several individuals said that they had nearly tumbled.  

Charlie and I were back to sharing a large 'Tent' that also had an attached bathroom with toilet and shower.  The view from the tent platforms was spectacular, looking across the Baspa River valley.  In the far distance we got our first glimpse of the snow-capped mountain peaks of the high Himalayas.  I was told that we were only a few miles from the Chinese-Tibetan border.    

Old Man of the Mountains!

Fancy "Tents"

Sallva Pine Resort

Our evening meal and breakfast the next morning was in a large walled pavilion with a fabric roof.  So much of the stonework of this resort was impressive.  I imagine that a lot of workers worked to make this.  Labor is relatively cheap in India.  The poor don't have many options.  And it is obvious that tourism is a big income generator for these valleys.  Most of the tourists are middle class Indian.  But then there are some foreigners as well.  I'm guessing that the foreign guest are less than 15%.  Perhaps a lot less.

Morning:

Although I continued to deal with my congested sinuses and inner ear pressure, I felt relatively alright in the morning.  I could feel the altitude. This translates as a creeping sense of exhaustion.  But I'm familiar with this feeling from my previous years of mountain climbing back in the Western Hemisphere. 

I continued to husband my energy for the main efforts.  I was told that the ride in the afternoon was going to be going to be around 4-5 hours. Damon had reserved the morning for anyone who wanted to motorcycle further up the road to Chitkul, known as 'the last village in India' because of it's proximity to the Tibetan/Chinese border.  

Alternatively, three of us, Robin, Nigel and myself, elected to stay at the resort and walk down to the river.  Less strenuous and an alternative to sitting on the motorcycles.  I was glad to have gone for this lovely walk, surrounded by gigantic pines that lined the lovely river valley. At the river was a wooden bridge across the river. On the other side was a Shrine in a hushed glade.  A wonderful, peaceful alternative.   

A little after noon the group that had motored up to Chitkul returned.  It was a great view of the mountains they said.  Then we had lunch and headed out.  I let Sanjay take the bike up to the road and then I was back on and we had a long afternoon ahead of us.  Another descent to the main road and then a long ride along the highway and before more climbing on the sides of the foothills.

Sangla to Kapla

The rapid changes in elevation continued to be play havoc with sinus and inner ears!  Dropping from Sangla down to Karchaum at 6000' and then up to Kalpa at 10,000'. we descended and climbed.  On the way to Kalpa we stopped at the village of Reckong Peo,  where we stopped to apply for the Inner-line Permits that would allow us to enter Spiti Valley.  As foreigners, we had to go thru a period of waiting at an office where our passports and visas were reviewed, individual photos taken, and additional documents generated.  

Inner-Line Document

After a long time we were finally able to get back on the motorcycles and climb, climb, climb up a series of switchbacks to a mountain top 5 story hotel (No elevator within!).  It was an hand built family owned business.  Very nicely done.  Mixes of wood. Some obviously reused but blended together into a very nice manner. A homemade feel but still, elegant in it's own way.  Charlie and I were back in a 3rd floor room.  A good set up beds, bathroom and toilet with hot water!  

Charlie's throat and sinus's were playing havoc and he was fairly devastated.  He needed rest and sleep!   And of course, I was feeling very weary from the increasing elevation and from the cummulative efforts of the last 4 days.  We were all played out.

Happily, we were to stay in Kalpa for two days in order to both rest/recover as well as acclimate to the higher altitude.  

There was a library on the 5th floor with easy chairs as well as a balcony looking out and up to the High Himalaya.  The mountain named Kinaur Kailash loomed to the east. This is 20,000' and the home of the god, Shiva.  An incredible set of mountains caught the light of the setting sun.