Himalayan Adventure

www.london-motorcycle-museum.org

Himalayas on a Himalayan.

In this report I have to start with some sad news: The London Motorcycle Museum will be closing its doors for the very last time on Monday October 7^th 2019. Due to increasing financial pressure from Ealing Borough Council that has raised the rent again the Museum does not have the number of people coming through the doors to pay even half of it. Bill has had to sell many surplus bikes to afford the rent in the past without losing the displays but the surplus had come to an end and so will the era of a very special museum that has enlightened and entertained all its visitors over the last twenty years. I have been part of the team since I retired in 2011and started doing the Blog “Something for the Museum” in February 2013 and put together some 189 postings of relevant articles. As the Museum is closing this will be my very last “Something for the Museum”. Read everything while you can as I’m not sure how long the museum website will remain open. I will still have the all the postings and pictures on my PC and I will still be on Facebook and Twitter.

I though I was just going on a bike ride in India. I went with 9 other guys who are Indian and they promised my wife they would look after me so I signed up for a bike trip to Ladakh. I had no idea where this was so it was easy to go with the flow and go along for the ride. I had a choice of bikes a Bullet Classic or Himalayan. I chose the Himalayan as it has had so very good write-ups in bike magazine for being a good off road bike plus I knew we would go to over 18,300ft so thought the modern engine with fuel injection would be a good bet. All was booked for me by team leader Harmit who had done this trip before. He booked the trip with Eden Riders with the following itinerary:-

Day 01: Departure (Ex Delhi or Chandigarh or Bhuntar) Journey towards Manali to be made via Delhi or Chandigarh or Bhunt Day 02: Manali (Local tour & Team Briefing) On arrival in Manali, check-in to the hotel. Our team will welcome and brief about the arrangements. Introduction to motor bikes followed by a tour towards Solang and Leh - Manali highway with a guided motorbike. Overnight stay with dinner at hotel.


Day 03:Manali - Keylong - Jispa
Well begun, they say is half done! And surely this is a good beginning as just out of Manali, you start the spectacular 52 Km journey to Rohtang Pass. 

As you gain height and reach the bewitching Rohtang Pass, being here is literally like feeling on top of the world! The trees will disappear, and vast and lush grasslands will be seen. Pass through the Lahaul Valley where there are mountains capped with snow all around. Enjoy mountain dinner of steamed momos and thukpa.

Day 04:Jispa - SarchuUpon feasting your eyes to a wonderful sunrise over the mountains, start your bike expedition from where you left off.This part of your excursion will take you through Baralacha Pass.From there, head towards Sarchu which forms the border line between Kashmir and Himachal. From there, reach the Sarchu camp. Relax for the rest of day and keep it high on fluids.

Day 05: Sarchu - Leh
This day, we start for our best and the longest ride of the trip. Cross the Tanglang-La Pass which is the second-highest motorable mountain pass in the world at the height of 5300 meters. 
After crossing this pass, you will have to bike through well-maintained roads all the way to Leh. After the Tanglang -La , welcomes us to small villages, green fields and "JULLEY!" - a greeting in the Ladakhi language will add life to the relative straight road to Leh. Check-in at the hotel in the borders of Changspa. Spend evening chilling out at the place

Day 06:Khardungla Pass (Leh)
This morning, your wonderful motorcycle tour will involve driving towards the world’s highest motorable road- Khardungla Pass.This day is one of the most important day of our Ladakh motorbike trip. There are a number of popular tourist attractions that you may visit, such as Leh Palace, Jama Masjid and Magnetic Hill.

Day 07: Leh - Pangong Lake - Leh excursion
Today we will visit beautiful Pangong Lake and Three Idiots shooting point.This famous blue blackish lake of Pangong with half of it running to the other side of the Indo-China border has an experience of its own.The second stop is the Changla Pass and go forward to an army checkpoint at Tangse. This will be the last day at Leh. While in Leh of course you aren’t short of things to do enjoy a great view of the Indus Valley and the Zanskar range and go closer to nature. Shopping around the local markets and trying the street food in the evenings can be a good plan too for the final day in this land of beauty! Have a comfortable stay at night in the resort

Day 08: Leh - Tsomori
Now we are moving toward Nomadic land of Ladakh (Tsomoriri). Riding on the bank of Indus river and crossing most beautiful valley in Ladakh. The altitude of the Tsomoriri lake is 14,836 ft. It is the largest of the high altitude lakes entirely within India and entirely within Ladakh.

Day 09: Tsomori - Sarchu
Moving within the valley looking another beautiful lake the Tsokar, And reaching the mid way of pang. Taking the same route to Sarchu.

Day 10: Sarchu - Manali
This is the final leg of our ritual road trip as we traverse the same challenging route back to Manali. In the morning, drive through the Sarchu plain and reach the Baralaccha plain till noon. Enjoy a smooth ride up the Lahaul ranges and reach Rohtang. Day 11: Depart from Manali This is the last day of the adventurous Manali to Leh bike tour

Eden Riders Tour and Travel

info@edenriders.com

Not until we had camped at 15,000ft that the frozen pipes in the morning could have been avoided by staying in a hotel and our wishes of being warm and cosy could have been fulfilled. Eden Riders do bespoke trips which make them a good bet for doing this sort of trip. As we all knew each other it made organisation easy. I reckon that a group of about 10 makes good dynamics. It worked for us.

I did do some training for the altitude and it paid off. Only a slight headache and minor dizziness were all that I suffered. Even those who do this trip regularly get these symptoms.

What an achievement at 68 years old to ride a bike to the top of the world and come home in one piece. A fitting end to the end of an era. It’s time to say “Have a safe ride wherever you go and enjoy life”.

Scooters Night at the Ace Cafe

www.london-motorcycle-museum.org

Scooters at the Ace.

I have had a busy week out and about on the bikes enjoying what remains of the September weather. I have a few hours before I catch a flight to India and what is planned to be a biking expedition to the one of the highest mountain passes Ladakh. During the packing I discovered I had worn out the soles on my bike books, I did wonder why one foot was colder than the other, now I know, but it did mean an unplanned visit to a cobbler twice for two new soles and heels to be fitted. One to drop them off and two to collect as it was a big job. He did a grand job and now I’m a bit taller and I can reach the ground more easily also a bit more weatherproof. When I return I’ll make notes about about what gear I took and if I used it, was it any good.

Gita, my wife, had a special dancing lesson in Wembley at 6:30 in the evening so we took the Kawasaki and dropped her off and I went back to the Ace Cafe on the North Circular for a read of the latest Road MAGazine while sipping a mug of tea. A mug for a pound great value! This evening was Scooter night. By the time I finished my tea it was starting to get dark and I thought I had better take some photos on my phone. People always arrive on something interesting. There was the “Stealth Lambretta” that had lowered handlebars. How did he do that? 

A novel way to mount a GPS, or phone or Ipad then there are the lights. One Lambretta had so many lights I have no idea where the power comes from to run them all and mirrors! So many that they must be a distraction unless you like to see yourself posing. So much gear the scooter must weigh a ton. What really caught my eye was this little sports Lambretta. Spare wheel in the foot well to        make the impression of a racing tank, bump seat and half leg shields. Stripped for speed and finished in bright red. Just the thing to pop around on.

I was waiting fo a call from Gita to pick her up when I entered into a conversation with a young fella who had parked his, slightly older, Kawasaki ER6F near mine. We compared notes on how good they are and some of the drawbacks and what was needed for touring. A Versys you might say but we both agreed that the Versys was a bit to short for getting your foot past the top box. He also was thinking about taking an Advanced Riding course from the IAM (Institute of Advanced Motorists) and asked about content and length of course all of which I was able to advise him on. I had been checking my phone for missed calls and messages, nothing until about quarter to nine and saw 9 missed calls and 4 messages!!! I hate technology when it fails. I phoned Gita straight away and within minutes I had picked her up and we were on our way home. She was about to get a taxi to come over to the Ace to search for me. She was a bit worried that something had happened and quite rightly so, but it was only a failure of the system to connect and we pay for it!