Once on the road I loosen up, but hang at the back with the convoy sweepers. Then suddenly my bike starts barking very loudly. It's as if a valve suddenly opens and lets more power out. Sweeper Steve overtakes and indicates to pull in; my exhaust has fallen off! One of the mechanics has retrieved the waylayed muffler and they proceed to re-attach it.
Now way behind the group I push on so as not to fall too far behind. The Enfield is responding well and I get into a good rhythm; I meet the others at the petrol station without too much delay.
Refueling, the attendant overfills the tank and even with the cap on petrol leaks from the opening. The mechanics also need to adjust the front brakes and decide it's easier the remove the front wheel which contains the drum brake. To do this they drain the tank a little so more petrol doesn't seep out of the tank when they lift the front wheel off. They use an empty water bottle to drain off about half a litre of fuel, and then wedge this into the gap between the cylinder and the airbox. It's quite a handy storage spot as even over bumpy ground the container remains put and is far enough from the cylinder that there is no danger of melting!
The road to the Rotang Pass is mud city, and it's a real struggle to get though it. In places it's a foot deep and the front wheel is all over the place as usual. Despite this I manage to get though it. Once again we have to wait while an earth mover clears the road in front of us. We often have to stop to let a convoy of lorries through otherwise there's not enough space for them to pass us safely.
At Rotang Pass itself there's a mish-mash of dhabas and donkey rides with a few souvenir shacks. As it's only 50km or so from Manali, it's a popular get away for Manalians. As passes go, this one didn't seem special. Although, it was cloudy, so we didn't see what is supposed to be a great view. It must take them hours to climb the hill in cars.
One of our party, Ted, arrives at the top caked in mud having fallen over on the way up. This guy is a real inspiration; he's 82 and had the guts to come on an adventure like this. He's coped well too, except for a day off when we went to 4900m.
The mud is just as thick as the other side of the pass, maybe worse. And to top it all the fog was thick like a steam bath. There were queues of cars and trucks going up and down the single lane road and you can imagine the chaos, even with a policeman trying to control it. As bikers we could squeeze past the queues but we did have to wait when the police let a never ending convoy of trucks, cars, motorbikes and even two scooters past a particularly narrow and muddy section (how the heck those small wheeled scooters made it through that morass I'll never know, but we gave them a clap).
We're heading back into civilisation now. Manali is a popular tourist destination - the Goa of the North - so I'll be able to post those messages that have been pending since Wednesday.
The challenging muddy terrain over, some of us get a little complacent and there are at least two tumbles on the way down. Nothing serious, but annoying for those involved. Contact with a car bumper results in an exchange of Rs250 (about four pounds). The driver was trying it on, and we were not convinced those scratches were because of the collision!
We arrive in Manali, and it is indeed full of tourists and hippies on the trail. Plenty of Enfields loaded up for touring too. Manali seems to be a popular base for their adventures. We're here for two days and tomorrow is a rest day, so no riding. Tomorrow night is also party night and we have to wear Indian attire (not Red Indian), so I'll have to pick up something in town tomorrow.
Pictures: the river view is at Jispa, and Ted caked in mud is obvious. Sorry no view at Rotang, which is a shame.
4 comments:
Nice posts, hope your bum is better now! Looking forward to some pics in Shalwar Kameeze!! How many more days do you have left, you never told us in your blog? Adeel
Really tough looking terrain! Reminds me of the Mexican desert area in Cabo that you too have seen, only this is higher and more picturesque. I am impressed with your writing, voyage description and intestinal fortitude throughout all this travail. I have now seen a different side of you....impressive and pleasing! You surprise me! You are a lot more adventurous than I had previously seen though I must admit the signs were there. Safe and continued adventuring to you and your group!
I am sure you know taking a shot against a white background without a flash would yield a dark picture of YOU, or was that your intent? So be watchful of the scenery! We want to see all of it.
Well done you nutter ... keep up the good work.
You missed a vocation in storytelling ... no wait, you could always spin a yarn or too.
Jim
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