Riding over the high passes of the Himalayas on a Royal Enfield 450 Himalayan - Episode 4

In this episode, I ride into thick fog on a mountain pass, through stunning valleys and high plains, over several passes where the altitude is above 5000 meters, where my oxygen levels drop, past some stunning rock formations, and I finally make it to the lake. Morning from a campsite stop halfway up a pass in the Himalayas. Actually it's the Peace Cafe Zigzag Bar. So for two meals, a drink and the bed, it was $8. Not a bad price at all. Comfortable, did the job. Just waiting for the sun. The mountain range is lighting up so it shouldn't be too long. I got up in the dark. Keen to go again, get on the bike, but it's I think 5 30 sunrise and it's probably another 10-15 minutes before that. I'll head on and over a few passes to Leh. I think there's three. Apparently there's some views on the way. If there's anything like coming up that last range, it should be good. I had rearranged my gear and put more in the top bag so I could actually cinch it down and it'd be more secure on the bike. From the map, it looked like I was about to zigzag my way up the mountain. No matter what you put in front of it, water will always go wherever it likes. I headed into the fog, hoping the visibility wasn't too bad. Just a quick stop as my fingers are starting to get a little cold in the summer gloves. I'm with some winter ones on. Around the lake and feeling the altitude a little more. Oh, we've got rockfalls. I'm going to be quick. They must have slept up here last night or the truck's broken down. I seem to have missed the turn. Ah, there it is. It's a lot harder to see in this fog. I had made it to the top of the pass. This one was at 4850 meters of altitude. I came around the corner, which revealed another stunning valley through the parting clouds. And even though it was well into the second half of summer, there were still patches of snow around. Of course, I had to get off and take a photo of this stunning valley below. The road had quite a variation from new tarmac to well this. You do want a set of wheels that can handle all terrain. There were more of these rest shelters in the valley and also stunning side valleys as well. Seeing the first sunlight kiss the high peaks was breathtaking. I got down to another camp and building site. It seemed a convoy of trucks Mountain ranges everywhere. It's quite mild and pleasant down in the valley. A little cold on the first one. We'll see how the next two go. Just wanted to get a shot of this range here. So different colors, the ripped lines. Crossing that little section back there with all the trucks was fun. Sorry, I just keep looking around. You should notice what I was doing. Attention Joe, attention. I came across a group of riders on a motorbike tour with a lead and rear guide and a support van. I'm not sure I could do this kind of road. The obvious thing is I stopped way too much taking photos to ride in a group, but for me I think it takes away the freedom to explore, to go down some random track or to keep going if I didn't want the day to end. That true freedom to make any decision you want at any time. I guess I like the unknown too much to stick to a schedule. I mean there's definitely bonuses of the group. You get to meet great people and get a lot more local knowledge. I guess it comes down to the individual as everybody's different, so it's great to have all kinds of options. I got to another police checkpoint. Got my passport out, they fill in the paperwork to mark down you've made it this far. Then you're on your way. Another police checkpoint about 500 meters away from the last one. Oh well, out with the passport again. If I can't get a decent photo here I should probably stop taking photos. I'm dropping out to get at least one. This stunning mountain came into view and I had to get a closer look, so cross-country I went. I stopped to get a photo and then noticed the map. It looked like we had an epic switchback section ahead. This was called the data loops. There were 21 hairpin turns to get up the side of the mountain to an elevation of 4,201 meters. Once I'd made it to the top there were incredible views in all directions. There are some beautiful curves. Never great to see. The dappled light through the clouds onto these mountains gave a very painterly feel to the landscape. I had made it to another high pass. There were a few trucks on the next section which was really dry and dusty, so visibility had dropped substantially. I'd made it to the summit of another high pass. I didn't film a lot in the last section because I was having too much fun. This bike on those rough dirt roads, the suspension is way better. There's no rebound. I have now wiped the front of the small camera on the helmet so hopefully you might see something Oh this is so much fun. I've got a couple of hundred k's, probably 190 left. I don't know how many passes there are. It's all too much in a good way. I'm taking it all in. This section was a little rough but a lot of fun and the bike was soaking it all up. I have never seen one blowing that much smoke. I then rode into an incredible canyon. Truly jaw-dropping. The kind of place you create in your mind when you dream of riding through epic landscapes. See you can even get a Royal Enfield Classic through here. You may need to take it a little easier but it can be done. Now that is an incredible rock formation and more unique rock formations on the side of this canyon. It is amazing what erosion, water and time can do. I definitely had to stop and get a photo of these. This bridge isn't in service yet but I don't think it will be too long before this is a sealed road. How are these teeth marks from the excavator's bucket? I had made it to the high plains. A nomadic goat farmer with a lot of goats. Now with a lack of oxygen up here that would be a lot harder than it looks. I started climbing again. I had spotted the top of the pass and then it started to hail. I'd finally reached the top of the last high pass. I started to descend down the other side. I was finding it a little harder to breathe so out of curiosity I pulled over to check my oxygen levels. The reading was 74%. With it being that low I quickly got my backpack back on and headed straight down and decided not to stop for any photos. Just focus on getting to a lower altitude to get the oxygen levels to rise back up. I wasn't feeling any of the other symptoms of hypoxia besides shortness of breath but I was going to take it very carefully as I descended. Well as carefully as I could. I rode into a construction area and the feeling of the track surface started to change. Then I lost all traction. When that happens the goal is to keep the bike going as straight as possible as it's harder to fall off going straight which I managed to do. I very carefully rode up the other side. It was that super fine powder dirt. It was truly like talcum powder. Another large group of riders out exploring. I spotted what looked like a really old town on the top of the hill so I pulled over to get a photo. Now that looks incredible with that reddish colour rock next to the sandy colour rock forming lines down the face of the mountain. How are the colours in this little valley? It might be bigger. I've just got into it. Wow. Oh man. So yeah I had to bail off the top of the mountain. 74, 75 on the oxygen meter. I just started to feel a little harder to breathe so I thought I'd check. But all's good. The hail hurt. I kept getting hit on the nose. Just before I got here was it I guess it's an old building village. There's a few buildings up there perched up the top there. Amazing. I wonder what's around the next corner. Looks interesting. And how are the formation of these rocks? Eroding away and only leaving strips of rock behind. If you're wondering the white structures are called stupa which are Buddha shrines. You see a lot of them up here in the Himalayas. I spotted the top of the ridge in the distance that looked like shark's teeth. I pulled into one more checkpoint which had a small environmental fee. I had finally reached my destination of Leh but that brought up the first challenge. The sim card I'd got for India didn't work here so I couldn't go online to search for somewhere to stay. So I rode around town for a bit to see if I could see a sign for accommodation. Then I saw a Royal Enfield dealer so I thought maybe someone there might be able to help me. As soon as I walked in a guy named Imran who had the same bike as me said hi. I told him of the sim card not working. He said I could hotspot off his phone. When he saw I was looking for accommodation he said come stay where we're staying. It's motorbike friendly. I took him up on his offer following him and his mate who had dropped off his bike for a service. We wound our way through the streets of Leh finally making it to the accommodation. That was a pretty awesome ride over three no four passes I think yes four. Well I've had a shower a bit of a lay down and feeling better. Damn it I think Leh's at 3,500 meters where that top pass was 5,360. Still can feel a little bit of attitude but the longer you spend up here the easier it gets. Coming to town and not being able to get the sim card to work. I've just found out that pre-paid sims don't work here. It's got to be on a plan so I don't know what that's about. Some people may have taken that as a bit of a disaster but it actually turned into a bit of a In this area if you're heading north you need a permit and I don't have one yet but the owner of the establishment is going to help me try and get one. So you know things work out in the end. So it's another example of the things that happen on a journey that you may think going one way and end up going the other. And the establishment itself I don't actually know the name of the place yet. Put it up here. It's appropriate and fine you're traveling through. It's an older building. It's yeah it's comfortable. It's a big room and there's wi-fi and hot water now. So this is the room. Again big spread out. Basic stuff. Basic toilet. But again does the job. There's even a veggie patch down below. Oh my love you're such a fragile thing I know And with the winter comes the iceless snow But I'm it all In the next episode I check out the lay markets. Rather large bulls roam the streets. I come across two humped camels. I ride over the former highest motor bull road in the world. My track turns into a river. And it's high fives all around.