Royal Mountain Travel Magazine Royal Mountain Travel Magazine Issue 3 | Page 15

Cycling in Ladakh: ludicrous or lovely?

Chortens at Diskit in Nubra. Photo: Piet van der Poel.

the hole in my rim to fit my spare tubes, which lasted less than
10 km. So I was glad to hitch a ride to Kargil with a helpful truck
driver. All the new tubes I bought exploded after less than a
couple of kilometers, even the extra heavy duty ones. Eventually
I replaced my 2.2 inch tyre with a half rotted 1.95 inch tyre and
the problem was solved. It still remains a mystery to me why
even 2.125 inch tubes would self-destruct when placed inside
my reportedly 2.2 inch tyre.
I never made it to Dharamsala as the road on my map became
a trail and was blocked by landslides, rockfalls and fallen
trees. However, the peace, quiet and fresh air of the high
Himalayan mountains, the friendly Ladakhi people, the wildlife
and the magnificent views made it an unforgettable and lovely
experience. But don’t try it if you hate cycling up steep slopes
to high passes.

Reflection mountain tree Lossar Spitti. Photo: Piet van der Poel.

Eric and Jen riding up Baralacha Pass. Photo: Piet van der Poel.

ROYAL

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