Time to head home

Gati, Chandigarh

Only in the Pind!

Broken throttle cable

Time to call home

Ouch! Bilaspur

42 degrees C and still 150 km away from destination.

APS Acute Plains Sickness

Now that we are at 38 degreesC, we are kind of missing the cooler climes of Ladakh!!

Day's end, Manali

Our friend Virender always ensures that we are welcome in Manali. What better way to end a days ride than with a bonfire on the banks of a river with trout gently sizzling on the barby?

Shanag, Manali

The places we go to, The things we see...

Manali

A fantastic day of riding brought us to Manali by days end. Now we find that the road to Ladakh is not so challenging but the weather certainly is as we rode in minus zero to 24 degrees in the course of a day!

Phuntsog, dhaba owner, Zingzingbar

Zingzingbar

Bumped into a good helmetstories friend Neeraj at a dhaba in Zingzingbar. He's cycling to Leh with a friend. Spent a hour chatting before we hit the road again.

Ascending Baralacha La

Above the Sarchu plains

Gata Loops

And to think that the weather the day before was clear and crisp!

Sarchu morning surprise

Jamshed looks a little bemused at what greeted us when we woke up

Return leg, Sarchu

Bumblebee fan club, Leh

...And after...

Before...

Walk along the Indus, Choglamsar

Basking Bumblebee

Schizo skies and Bumblebee luxuriates in one of the spokes of sun bursting out of the clouds

Worsening weather

It's already down to 1 degree C... Brrrr!!

Machine lust

Came across this beauty on Old Leh Road. Owner won't part with it ... sigh...

Heavy weather

The barometer has plummeted and most of the passes are under heavy snow. So there's a time to ride and there's a time to kick back and relax... Nubra can wait

Finally sunny in Leh

Baralacha la once again

Bharti's Dhaba in Bharatpur

After the descent from Baralacha la, Bharti's Dhaba in Bharatpur is a welcome stop

Gata loops viewpoint

While the Tsarap Chu wends its way to Zanskar, we climb to Lachung La and Ladakh

Baralacha La top

The road to Baralacha La

Camp at Tandi

The road to Sissu

Todays catch

Acrobatics, Manali

Storm clouds over Manali

Hopefully tomorrow will be sunshine and blue skies

TLC for Buttercup

Out fishing

While the bikes are getting fixed...

Trip meter from yesterday

Chai, Manali

Brilliant sunshine outside and the first cup of tea

Things we seen, things we don't

It's 2:30 in the am and we are just back in our room after a long hot soak in a natural hot water spring. And that's after a great meal that started with momos and ended with sumptuous grilled trout....

Hotel Marble

Helmet stories' favourite penthouse room in Manali

Manali!

Raining on our parade!

Kullu valley dude

Pakoras and the Beas river

Weather's awesome and the view better

Open roads

Now past Mandi and one of my favourite bit of Tarmac -- the swooping curves along the Beas till Pundoh. The RE workshop was closed at Mandi so will do the minor adjustments to the bikes in Manali.

Pit stop Bilaspur

Managed to get to Bilaspur before the heat struck! Traffic as bad as expected but still managing 50 kph average. Not bad.

Mellow Yellow Tour

The bikes have arrived in good shape! Tomorrow to Manali early start to beat the heat. Bumblebee is running a bit harsh but we'll see to it at Bilaspur. Fingers crossed! Watch this space...