How Much Higher?

After breakfast, we headed to our first big pass and to lake Chandatral for the night. We managed to weld the muffler back on to my bike so it was quiet again … it had fell off the day before … so all was good.

We passed the Kee Monastery on the way out on the other side of the river … had a chance to see the cliff we were perched on the day before looking down at the Monastery … what an incredible valley.

Everybody is managing the altitude well so far. The ride again was awe inspiring.  The landscape, the desolation, the remoteness … with a road carved out of the most unexpected places.  Glaciers melting in the hills with black, pink, brown water running down the hill … Today was mostly dirt riding with one complicated water crossing. 

We had yet another great Tali (Indian vegetarian mixed plate) in the village of Lossar for lunch before heading to Kunzum La pass at 4600m (15,000ft) to test our altitude readiness.  The ride there was full of one offs for the group … first flat tire … brakes failing … and somebody hit a kid that ran across the road … everybody was OK.

After countless switchbacks we made it to the pass … it is interesting to notice the changes in your body as it tries to deal with the lack of oxygen … faster heart rate, faster breathing … every move is harder … reaction time is slower.

After some pictures around the Buddhist site built there, we headed down on the other side. 

Stopped at Batal for tea before heading up the mountain again to Chandatral Lake at 4300m for the night.  Our camp site was nice … 20 tents around a central area … a dining and a kitchen tent.  All surrounded by mountains.

A very challenging and rewarding day.  Hard to breathe, exhausted, beaten … a few things compare to the soul building that comes from being outside in the middle of something as majestic as this.

Passed out at 9pm.