Day 14 - Changed plans

June 19th, 2022

Woke up a bit later today after a restless night.  Since we had no specific riding plans for today, most of us were in no hurry to get going anywhere.

Since today would have been our return trip from the Nubra valley, we had nothing planned, so it was another free day to do whatever we wanted.

While having breakfast it was decided that we would make a second attempt to go up to the top of Khardungla pass and would be leaving around 9:00 a.m.

We all quickly got ready and grabbed only the things we thought we would need for the quick day trip since we would be coming back to the hotel again later in the day.

Weather looked great today, clear skies and dry.  As we headed up the same route the roads were good and traffic a bit less hectic today.  The journey all the way to the checkpoint was smooth and no massive line of cars today, only a few at the gate, but did notice a huge number of motorbikes parked around the area still. 

After stopping, we found that again bikes were not being allowed up, though this time it was uncertain why, the top of the pass was in clear skies currently and the snow from the day before was almost gone, and even the temperatures were nice, well above any freezing point.

So we checked in with the security people and then joined the other 100+ bikes to wait for the signal that we could proceed, which they kept saying would probably come soon.

Waiting to go up the pass (0:58)

Waiting at the checkpoint

But as we waited, the temperature started to drop, the clouds started to move down the mountain and even had a few snow flakes flying around, though not sticking too badly.  This was about an hour after we got there, so we were a bit frustrated now, if they had let us go, we would have been up and on our way down by now.

Around 1:00 p.m. it was looking like another lost chance as the weather was starting to get worse, and heard that even some cars that were being allowed up were having some trouble with slick muddy spots on the road.

Another wasted day? (0:40)

Not looking good!

Most of the group was still waiting, though the 3 Austrians had decided to leave as soon as the first snow flakes started to swirl around.  But now that we had been waiting for 4 hours, most of us were done with it and decided to head back to the hotel.  Again a few stayed behind in the hope of being let up (which they did get about 2 more hours after we left).

Once I got back to hotel, went to room, changed and sorted the bags again.  Then did a few things of laundry in the sink this time as there was not enough time to have hotel do it again.  I then came down to lobby to use the internet and write in the journal.

After awhile doing that I became tired, so went up to room, checked on the drying laundry and then laid down and took a 2 hour nap.

I woke up when Dick knocked on my door to deliver the T-shirt I had ordered (He had found a tailor that would customize a shirt they sold with our tour name and date the day before, so all of us ordered a shirt and we all paid a bit extra to get shirts for the support crew as well.)

T-shirt group had made

I then went down to the lobby to see if there were any dinner plans among the group as it was around 6:00 p.m. now.

I ended up going back to the Leh View Restaurant with some of the guys, same place we had visited the first night in town, for pizza again.  Had another great meal there and was very hungry as I had skipped lunch today and had only snacked on a candy bar earlier.

It was looking a bit nasty weather wise, so was no surprise that we had to walk back to hotel in a light rain.

Weather looking less friendly

Sat around the lobby for about an hour on the internet or talking amongst the group, but soon found I was starting to drift into a sleepy state now and then, so probably time to head up and get ready for bed.

We are scheduled to ride to Pangong Tso (Lake) tomorrow, which is well over 100km (62 miles), and will require going over another pass which is at 5369m/17,616 feet, and due to the recent weather, there is no certainty that we will be able to go over.  If we do make it though, will then be a cold night camping by the lake (could get down around freezing).

The other issue is if things would get worse after we get to the lake, we could get stuck on the other side which would of course impact travel plans for the following days.  While I would probably be okay with my flight back home, the flight from Leh to Delhi could get messed up.

Will see what the morning brings, but right now the weather is not looking favorable.  And while the hotel is expecting us back for the night of the 21st, we would not have rooms for the 20th if we choose not to go to the lake, so would have to find another place to stay that night.

Good night.

Ride Route (45km/28 miles) roundtrip

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