Over a couple of bumps to Kathmandu

Intro: 

August 12 I head off for another interesting bike ride.  This time I’m starting in Srinagar in the Kashmir Valley in North West India then head east to Leh, Manali, Shimla, Rishikesh, Pokhra and eventually after 7 weeks end up in Kathmandu Nepal.  I am riding with the same company I did the Silk Route with, TDA Global Cycling.  Details of the ride can be found at:  https://tdaglobalcycling.com/trans-himalaya

The route is called the Trans Himalaya for the obvious reason.

There is going to be a bit of a reunion when we gather at the start as many of the riders and staff I know from previous rides.

The biggest challenge of this ride (I think) will be dealing with the altitude, at several points we will be at 17,500ft.  I’ll have to be very careful to limit the physical exertion when at these altitudes.  I have been at altitude before, climbing Kilimanjaro (19,340ft) way back in 1986, I have cycled at 15,000 ft on the Pamir Highway in Tajikistan during the Silk Route in 2016 – so I am expecting the riding to be very hard, but I’m reasonably confident I can do it.

One of the other interesting bits about our route is that we go through several tiger reserves.  If an area is called a tiger reserve, I suspect there may be a tiger or two there.  I’m pretty sure a tiger can outrun me on my bike – I’ll just make sure I’m riding with someone that I know is slower than me.  I’ve read (and I think I believe it) that your chances of seeing a tiger in a tiger reserve are extremely unlikely – possibly in a zoo.

August 5, 2019 – Update

We haven’t even started and things are changing, the “troubles” have returned to Kashmir, the Indian Government has directed all tourists and pilgrims to leave the Kashmir.  As a result the start has been moved from Srinagar to Leh (Ladakh).  So changing flights and hotels.  For some reason I can’t get a mail message to the hotel in Srinagar – their mailbox is full, may have to resort to attempting a phone call.  I also just found out that the day we arrive in India, at Dehli, is a national holiday.  I’m expecting the chaos and crowds at the airport to be extreme.

I now have 7 days before I leave, i.e. this is the point of terror due to all that has to be completed before I leave.  But the good news is that I have just completed one task – changing the title on my blog, relearning how to access and adding the first post.