Having written about the previous day’s ride here, and having called it an end for that day, I start with Day 2 of the ride… this is again going to be short and sweet to ensure that every one reads it and keeps on clicking on the more button and push this series into the most read about piece of travelling :-)
17th June 2008
Its 0700 Hrs and time for that magic morning cup of tea without which 75% of North Indians cant move their feet… but to get to that magical brew, you gotta trudge about 100 mtrs to the buffet counter… this is when you miss the room service offered in hotels… but what the heck! its just 100 mtrs and I get out of the tent, put on the slippers and head out… only to be stopped short of that awesome view of the snow line which is visible from the campsite. Although its just a glimpse, coz the haze and mist make it difficult to see thru, its a wonderful sight and a pleasant jolt of reality. A thought crosses the mind… “I am going to be able to see much more than that today… coz i am riding to Sangla… the gateway to the Sangla/BaspaValley…!”After about 2 mugs of tea and a couple of smokes later, its time to get ready for the ride of 200 kms which would see me in Sangla. 30 minutes to get ready, 20 minutes for breakfast and I say adieu to the ever helpful campsite staff and head out. A daunting task of getting on the main road from the parking lot involves a lot of careful turn of the throttle and use of clutch… the steep incline and the leaner petrol mixture for high altitude riding will render your bike unfit for steep inclines like these. But having done this for N number of times, I manage pretty well and I am up on the road. Now its time to head out to the turnpike 6 kms away which will take me on NH 22 to Kufri and Fagu and onwards to Rampur.
I get loads of traffic till Kufri and Fagu (the usual touristy kinds) but I lose the pitiful souls who think they have seen Himachal by coming till Kufri/Fagu. With these thoughts I play the greatest song ever sung for travellers in my mind’s audio system… “Highway Star” by Deep Purple.
“Get your motor running, head out on the highway… Looking for adventure, and whatever comes our way…”
I am jolted back to the present by a bus honking crazily behind me… These state transport drivers are a maniacal bunch. They drive like people possessed and as if there is no tomorrow. Better to be wary of them and give them a wide berth. Post this jolt, I switch off the mental audio system and ride.
As the day progresses, I am the only soul left on this road… a quick stopover for some tea and smokes, and I am on my way to Narkanda, about 5 Kms away. The ride is going to be easy, slow and full of photo ops as the distance is about 250 Kms and the roads are good most of the way.
Narkanda (60 Kms from Shimla) is the transit point for Rampur and is also considered to be the gateway to Apple country and a skiing getaway for the people who find Auli to be too much of a commercialized venture. The slopes of highest peak here, the Hattu Peak are the ones which are used for Skiing.
Although I am tempted to venture in this small town, and hang up my shoes for the day, the thought of not being able to finish the ride in time flashes by and that is enough to kick me back into reality. With a sigh, I continue my jaunt and soon I am at the turn which says it goes to Kot Garh.
Kotgarh is the place to be if you are looking for apple Orchards. But “Apun ka timing thoda galat tha.” I was told that all I could see were trees and raw fruit… Well, bad luck but probably for the better coz I would have again had thoughts of hanging up me boots for the day… I trundle along, feeling hunger pangs.. high altitude tends to do this to me. The body’s metabolism gets a kick on its rearside and it goes out of control… I cross Kumarsain, Sainj and a place called Nirath. Now the pangs are really getting out of controla dn I decide to stop. When the bike comes to a halt, its in front of a dhaba in a place called Nogli. I decide its time to stop for Tea and snacks.
15 minutes later, start riding again and head out for Rampur, which is 6 Kms away. Last year, due to flash floods/cloud burst, a part of the road had been washed away and i was dreading that the surface might just be really bumpy… but I am proved wrong (thankfully I must add) smooth tarmac kisses the tyres and they eagerly eat away the Km’s separating us and Sangla. rampur being the biggest town on this road after Shimla, the number of people and the traffic is huge at this place. With a decision to give it a pass, I ride on and pretty soon am out of earshot of the town and at a place called Jeori.
As we coast, the Black Beauty dies on me. Upon investigating, I figure out that in the heat and the excitement of riding, I forgot all about feeding her as well ;-). Thankfully, I am carrying extra fuel in the jerrycans I picked up from Mayapuri.
All this results in me feeling the hunger pangs once more and I stopover at a place where I can get something to eat. I usually keep it light (couple of biscuits with tea & the ever present smokes) when travelling, and this time around as well that would be the norm. No point in throwing up all the gobbled stuff, if the road gets bumpy or due to high altitude.
Its about 1630 Hrs and the ride has been easy and good. Up ahead, I see a road sign telling me I am approaching Karchham, which marks the turn point for Sangla. A couple of mtrs ahead, I take the turn and head out to Sangla, 18 kms away.
What an amazing turn I took… it not only took me to Sangla, it transported me into a wonderland. Stately alpine trees and huge mountains… and the Baspa river below… Aaaahhh the beauty of Mother Nature, unspoilt, barely touched and almost pristine.. And a mind boggling view of the Kinner Kailash Peak to boot. what else can you ask for?
I reach Sangla and locate the campsite. This is going to be the place where I rest my body and my steed for the night… for tomorrow is a day which will test my riding skills, me as a rider, the endurance of my mind, my body, my soul and my machine.
The campsite is just awesome and the staff is helpful. They rustle up the tea I ask for and pretty soon, its time for dinner. Simple food cooked in the way it should be cooked – With love and care.
Some quirky coversations later, I head out to crash for the night. But as I lay down to sleep, I hear a roaring sound… and then i realize that’s the Baspa river gushing away to glory. I peek out and get a frostbite kind of feeling. the temperature must be like 2-3 degrees and this is the month of June I am talking about… I start shivering just thinking about what it would be like to step outside right now… and i think… NO WAY DUDE!
I am not moving out at all. I snuggle up in the tent and doze off thinking about the BIG ride to Kaza tomorrow…