Day 9

After the previous 2 days of riding, Day 9 felt like a different trip. Fortunately, we were given an extra hour to sleep in. Unfortunately, I was not able to capture any video footage this day as my batteries did not charge. 

The road out of Sissu was paved, the passes manageable, and for the first time in days there was space to look around. Approaching Baralacha La the road followed long winding corridors between peaks that kept getting bigger, with braided rivers threading across the valley floor and snow walls lining the road in places taller than the bike. 

The climb up to the pass was packed with other cars and buses, that we overtook when possible. At 16,040 feet it was wide open and exposed with snow on the ground. Many of us played in the snow for a bit. Shortly after we stopped at a dhaba with yellow tents and red plastic chairs incongruously cheerful against the barren landscape. Many of us were still tired from the night before, so the large bed accommodated some napping as well. 

Sarchu at around 14,070 feet is a place that exists almost entirely for travellers passing through. A long row of yellow-roofed Swiss tents sit against a dark rocky cliff face, with bikes parked outside. Sparse and functional, and after the last few days of riding, perfectly adequate.

Click here for Day 10