Himalayan Tour-Mussorie to Leh (Ladakh)

[amorley]

Safe ride! Looking forward to following you on this awesome trip!

 

[Digiamo]

Great shot of you and your Grandma, Tashi. I hope we get to meet her.
Thanks for helping Tashi with the last minute changing plans.
I would need a whole SL of experience to handle what he is doing.
John and I are enjoying the sites and sounds (mostly) of the big city of New Delhi.
Later today (Sunday) we do a full day tour of local sites.

Glad the dentist that Tashi recommended turned out to be very professional, high tech and obtained his DMD in Boston. He chose to do business in New Delhi because of family. His prices are much cheaper than USA but even better news is he said that I don't need anything done immediately other than a ultrasonic cleaning, so that leaves the whole week open for playtime.

Yay!

GS3&TT2

 

[George]

Good news on the teeth, Danny.

Route planning: UGH! Let's just head up hill on which ever road happens to be open. We'll get to where we need to be eventually.

Put me on the rat bike, 'cause which ever one will be a rat bike when I bring it back.

 

[Digiamo]

Now that's what I most respect about you, George.....your attitude*!
Whatever it takes to get it done!
Fer as the beautiful bike delegation...I was hoping to effect the greatest change in appearance.... ......just kidding, Tashi!

GS3&TT2

 

[Indian Express]

Beautiful morning here in Mussoorie! Trees around the house all full of song birds greeting the early morning sun. I'm riding down the Dehra this morning to get my dental impressions taken for the crowns that will be installed on my implants. This will complete the dental process I started last Sept. Saved a ton of money, enjoyed visiting my Mom, riding these wonderful roads, and worked in an awesome moto trip!
We're also going to replace the clutch cable on my bike, and have one of the black bikes serviced at the Royal Enfield dealer while in Dehra. My bike is a 2012 that Tashi picked up, been sitting around a couple years and needs to be ridden. We connected the heated gear harness, put a set of racks on it, just in case to carry extra fuel on the return trip along the Manali Hwy.

 

[George]

Good pics, Fali. Thanks. Those racks look like they can haul a load.

A 1000 using two of the 500 barrels would be a treat.

 

[George]

'E lifted up my 'ead,
An' 'e plugged me where I bled,
An' 'e guv me 'arf-a-pint o' water—green;
It was crawlin' an' it stunk,
But of all the drinks I've drunk,
I'm gratefullest to one from Gunga Din.



(I'm bringing my filtered water bottle. )

 

[Indian Express]

Nice cool evening up here in Mussoorie. Almost need a light jacket if you are sitting still. Good news at the dentist today. After he completed taking the impressions I asked him what I would owe after the crowns were completed. He said "Didn't you pay me RS 60,000 (little 0ver $1000 last year)? " I said "Yes". He says "You don't owe me anything." ! They were wanting $1200/ abutment and crown in the US! I guess I'm buying a round or two one night for all of us!
Nothing got done to the bikes as the shop was closed. So I'm making another trip down tomorrow AM. Tashi will be taking the night bus or train to Delhi tomorrow to make preparations to pick you all up.

 

[Digiamo]

Thanks for the Din' verse, George. ....Fittin'.
Good dental news all around for both of us, Fali. I'll buy a round for my not needing anything but a cleaning, which is a much bigger discount than I expected.

Here are some pics I was able to get so far in New Delhi.

This Christian Pilgram expresses appreciation after I offer to pour her a cup of coffee. She is joyous as if it was a miracle, said prayers over me at breakfast, then showed me all the souvenirs and stamps she collected from religious sites around the world.

A Moslem Mosque

A typical city side street in the Old Delhi section with typical rats nest power delivery and phone connections.

The "Red Fort" defended the city hundreds of years ago and was used extensively by the British during their occupation of India.

Next three are the site where Gandhi was cremated in a hugh wooden fire.
He was a preacher of peace when he was gunned down in January, 1948.

The tomb of one of the early emperors of India...Munamayan or something ... ... this tomb was the inspiration for the Taj Mahal.

Forgive the opportunistic attempts to dress the shots with fellow travelers.
More coming...


GS3&TT2

 

[Digiamo]

I learned how to caption my gallery snaps...let the pictures tell the story.

 

[Don-STOC237]

Danny and George - eagerly following your travels once again. Just found a new app for android or iphone that instantly translates signs and other large text into other languages. I think most of the signs in India are already in English, but just in case you find it useful...

http://www.techrepublic.com/article/google-picks-up-incredible-visual-translation-app-word-lens-and-makes-it-free/

 

[STraycatt]

Enjoy your taste of India guys ... I (as well as Aeryn and Christy for that matter) can't wait to go back to India and see more of the country.

 

[OuttaTown]

Fali, we must've just missed each other in Delhi by a day - I was coming back to CA after a month out there (& Sri Lanka)...but didn't get up to Mussoorie this time.

Sorry to hear about the weather and heavy rain (definitely means snow in the mountains). Sounds like Tashi is being kept double busy making arrangements.

Does that mean you'll have to go around thru Jammu (was just there) and Srinagar and THEN over to Leh? IF so, same thing happened to me and 2 buddies back in '79 when we tried to do that. Late snow fall mid-June -- we got up past Rotung Pass quite a ways, but had to turn back...and on the way back from Leh, had to go thru Kashmir again! That stretch from Manali was beautiful, but out past the Rotung was some of the most amazing stark rock mountain scenery I've ever seen!



Be assured of my prayers for you all - good health, safety, and a LOT OF FUN!!
Like the others - I'll be following you all thru this thread - and check out your blog too! Manali to Leh is still on my bucket-list!!
Shubh yatra, my friend,
Peace, Gord

 

[Digiamo]

Thanks Adam and Gord for the good wishes for this trip.
John and I are at the New Delhi Domestic airport taking s flight to Dharamsala for two overnights before the ride.
May the Gods be with Tashi to rearrange all these weather related changes.

)(Droid pro & TT2)(

 

[SteveST1300]

Danny how come all the tourists you find are pretty girls? You guys have fun living a dream through your reports and pictures I would say enjoy yourselves but I know you will!

 

[Indian Express]

Fali, we must've just missed each other in Delhi by a day - I was coming back to CA after a month out there (& Sri Lanka)...but didn't get up to Mussoorie this time.

Sorry to hear about the weather and heavy rain (definitely means snow in the mountains). Sounds like Tashi is being kept double busy making arrangements.

Does that mean you'll have to go around thru Jammu (was just there) and Srinagar and THEN over to Leh? IF so, same thing happened to me and 2 buddies back in '79 when we tried to do that. Late snow fall mid-June -- we got up past Rotung Pass quite a ways, but had to turn back...and on the way back from Leh, had to go thru Kashmir again! That stretch from Manali was beautiful, but out past the Rotung was some of the most amazing stark rock mountain scenery I've ever seen!



Be assured of my prayers for you all - good health, safety, and a LOT OF FUN!!
Like the others - I'll be following you all thru this thread - and check out your blog too! Manali to Leh is still on my bucket-list!!
Shubh yatra, my friend,
Peace, Gord

Thanks for the well wishes Gordon! I'm excited and ready to get this show on the road. We are leaving a day early on the 31st and riding to Jallunde r, next day short ride and stop over at Patnitop, then over to Sri Nagar. From Sri Nagar we have to get a very early start to be at Sonmarg as they are restricting traffic to one way in each direction every other day between Sonmarg and Khargil. The Zojilla Pass will be an interesting ride. Once past Khargil the ride will be nice and all the other sites and Khardungla Pass (18 K ft.) are all motorable. We are hoping to take the Manali route back. Rumor has it they will have it open by 1st week of June so I'm hoping by the 10th-12th the road will be open. Hoping we have internet along the way to keep everyone updated if not we'll catch up with you guys once we get to Leh.
I'll post a few pics once the guys get to Mussoorie and we take them on a maiden run around the hills.

 

[Digiamo]

Danny how come all the tourists you find are pretty girls? You guys have fun living a dream through your reports and pictures I would say enjoy yourselves but I know you will!

Thanks Steve for the well wishes...what can I say, I am selective.
John and I are in Dharamsala in the mountains and will join Tashi and Fali in Musoori on Thursday.

)(Droid pro & TT2)(

 

[thepaleobiker]

Great Journey! Its one of the things I'd love to do when I get back to India ! I'll be eagerly following this space

Regards,
Vishnu

 

[Indian Express]

Thought I'd share a few photos from the past couple days. The yellow bike is a Royal Enfield cafe racer that was at the RE shop where we got the bikes serviced on Monday. Across the street I noticed this young bull rubbing his emerging horns on a motorcycle!
The other pics are from my walk yesterday afternoon. The gals at the well were not wanting to take a pic so I took one with the zoom up high after I had walked by. A lot of chatter and gossip takes place at these well sites as they fill up their containers.
Paul and George are a couple hours away from landing in New Delhi. Everyone should be here tomorrow with Danny and John arriving late in the evening by taxi from Dharamshala.

 

[Digiamo]

Thanks for the views Fali. Yes John and I are on schedule to be at the Hotel in Mussorie tomorrow evening.
Strange coincidence but the same single day John and I are in Dharamsala, is the same day that Dahli Lama makes a rare visit to his monastery here.
As I unwittingly wandered out if my room at 6:00 AM, I encountered throngs of people lining up at the gate.
As the good New Yorker I am, seeing a line, I got on it first then asked, "What am I on line for"?
"The Dahli Lama is here for a rare one day visit but you need to have gotten screened with passport up until yesterday."
I excitedly ran to where they said I had maybe* a slim* chance to be permitted to have audience with His Holiness.
Here is that place after I waited for 40 minutes, during which time they assembled this "home made" metal detector.
At this point I was not supposed to have anything in my pockets but it was before the pat down so...click.

And what a view from just before entering this place...and such a great group of friends the Holy one has.

)(Droid pro & TT2)(