Ride the Himalayas Day 6 7-15-19 Kaza to Moonlake Camp, India

 

Ride the Himalayas    

7-15-2019       Day 6 of the "Ride the Himalayas" Starting in Kaza

The incredible monastery next door to the hotel was as usual, so spectacular that I had to get up early to go shoot it with nobody around.  I took a LOT of photos of it then headed across the road to the many Stupas and probably 100 prayer wheels all lined up.  I enjoyed taking all sorts of shots of these monuments.

After breakfast and packing, off we went to our first destination the Key Monastery.  This is quite a site up on top of the hill with views forever.  I have seen various photos of the monastery and would have liked to get one from where they were taken but.... they were up another mountainside and it was just to steep, I was to tired, I could hardly breath from the elevation and not enough time (is that enough excuses...)  There were a few young monks washing the stairs outside the entrance of the main plaza type area which started at a doorway but it turned out to be a short hallway lined on both sides with beautiful gold leaf or gold painted prayer wheels. Once through the hallway there was a small common area before the stairs up main entrance of the Monastery.  You could walk around up there and in some cases get to the edge of the buildings where no ropes or barriers existed and take quite a fall.  

After seeing that wonderful monastery we motored on through the steep mountains then stopped after we crossed the mighty Chicham Bridge which is at 13,596 ft (4,144 m) and over 1000' above the river below.  (Just don't look down and you'll be alright!)   This bridge saves quite a bit of time between villages and was completed in 2017.  One of our photographers on the trip Vidit took me out on the bridge to a spot and pointed down to the bottom where a tractor or truck went over the side somehow and it didn't look pretty.   

Vidit trying to stay warm.

My knees were hurting pretty bad and felt really bruised from banging against the gas tank.  Being a street rider I guess it's one of the things you learn (hugging the tank with your knees or at least wearing some kind of pads) when riding on dirt bikes but I'm a newbie so I just enjoyed the pain and keep on riding.  ha, ha, ha

 

I'm not sure where we stopped for lunch but it was kind of a sacred place.  A beautiful valley with some horses walking around, quite windy as well.  It was probably  good thing we stopped as the SUV got a flat tire and we watched as much chatter took place about how or what to do.  I'm sure a few of us Yanks could have gotten it done like a NASCAR pit crew but it was fun to see how other folks do things.  While all this was happening someone started playing music on their phone and an impromptu Dance fever moment hit some of the guys; Mischa, Von and Evan were dancin around so funny, we had to take photos and video.  Hahahaha

Most of the road was quite remote and at the top of Kunzum pass there was another shrine area that everyone had to drive around for good luck.  It was super windy/cold  up there on top of the pass (14,931' or  4,551 m) and there were a LOT of prayer flags and other flags.  The site was really quite unique and surprising all at the same time. 

After heading down the other side of this pass through streams and snow we had to wait for some of the others to show up.  My bike was DIRTY!  Here is it with Dave (one of my wing-man) in the background.

If you don't think it is a tough climate up in the Himalayas then this might help you understand, the roads are tough to maintain and there are high winds, huge snow storms that dump a ton and then rock slides and other natural catastrophes.  Take a look at this poor sign that has been through the wringer.

(Amit lead rider, Stephen, Von, Jjr Pawan, and Dave)

Now time to head for our next camp which had MORE spectacular views (are there any bad views in the Himalayas - I think NOT!)  We got to the Moonlake camp and Rahul mentioned we could ride on to a beautiful lake up the road a ways (Chandrataal Lake).  We had to take our passports as we were going into a park and the military security was checking all of us.  Rahul also didn't mention that there were a number of stream crossings and one of the deepest so far which all of us got our boots totally soaked.  There is nothing like cold soaked boots in the morning to start out a new day.  Hahaha.  Here are a few shots of the camp and view.

So Von, Stephen, Dave and I got to the parking lot and then had to hike for about 1/2 a mile  until we could even see the lake, again in moto gear it wasn't easy as we were again in the 14,000 foot elevation range so much huffing and puffing.  It was also chilly, overcast, windy and starting to sprinkle on us.  Here I am looking and feeling rough after another hard day riding and hiking.

  

That night I went down to the dinner tent and nobody was there, it was windy and COLD!  I could hear people in another tent so I walked over and inside there was a wood stove, beautiful rugs all over the floor and everyone was in there chatting and keeping warm.  Later we went back over to the frozen dinner tent and had dinner.  I think the cooks made some pizza (in addition to the regular menu) for us that night which all of us loved.  It was a cold night but we all managed.

 

The other tidbits of news for the day: 

• Yadav broke the forks on his Himalayan but luckily didn't get hurt
  
• A van got stuck in the river crossing it was so deep and to show everyone who is boss  Rahul goes through it riding BAREFOOT!
• Von crashed in some sand but didn't get hurt 
• And somehow my new nickname is "Professor"!