KARGIL TO LEH 219kms 18-8-25
Finally got a 7am start on the N1 to Leh only 219 kms. Stopped at Mulbek for an omelet and milk coffee. Nice weather, some high clouds and blue sky.
Yesterday my tyre had lost a bit of air, luckily Richard had a hand pump and saved the day, it was a very slow leak. So had to pump it up before we left and it lasted all the way to Leh.
We got to Lamayuru and the road was closed but we drove to the end to make sure. It was completely gone, a landslide destroyed it and they were busy building another road and they would not let me take photos, but I sneaked in a not a very good one.
Went back and had a cheese omelet and milk coffee for lunch which hit the spot. Then went back up the mountain and took the old road which is way up the mountain and only one lane which provided panaromic views of the mountain ranges.Way down there you could barely see the road at the base of the valley which is the one that is closed. On our way into Lamayuru we passed miles of trucks parked on the side of the road which they were not allowing through because of the landslide and will have to wait two weeks until a new road is built. This is not uncommon here, landslides are a huge issue and we passed three excavators that had been crushed from boulders the size of my house.
Am real lucky that we took the old road, cause that hour ride was out of this world, photos can't capture the grandeur and depth of the mountains.
I can't go on everyday about these passes, will have to just post pictures.
Got to Leh around 4pm and went to the Hero motorcycle shop to check my oil and fix my puncture, but they don't offer that service. Went to four more ture shops and none of them could help me and on the fith attempt got lucky. Replaced the tube and then discovered the wheel bearing was broken, so had that replaced and new brake pads for $21. When my bearing went out in Norway it cost me $528.
So you can't ride north of Leh with a Delhi registered motorbike, so we have had to scrambled this evening to hire two 450 Himalayas at $23 a day. So tomorrow will pick them up at 9am and head to Pangong Lake and down to Umling La Pass, the highest motorable pass at 19 024 ft. Then a few more stops and back to Leh, should take four to six days, really have no idea to be honest. Don't believe there is internet down there but we will see.
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