Cycling to the top

I had just completed my latest trek to Jalori Pass (11,000 ft above sea level) which is situated in the Himalayas. The trek was completed on cycle since it was a mountain biking expedition. While going up the mountains, it was treacherous and it was tougher than tough to climb it on cycle, so therefore I pulled the cycle along with my rucksack while going up most of the times. The return from the top most camp was a roller coaster ride which gives you a feeling of that you can travel faster than light. On a whole, the whole trek was splendid.

The trek was organized by Youth Hostel Association, India (YHAI) who organizes various number of treks during this season of April and May(The previous trek of mine crossing Sar Pass was also organized by them). The whole idea of going for this trek was prompted by my brother,Ravi , and I full heartedly thank him for doing so. Without his prompting god knows how lame my holidays would be.

The trek was Mountain Biking Expedition to Jalori Pass and back. It was planned to be an 8 day trek. All equipment relating to biking was provided by YAHI. More details can be found here.

On 24th April, In my sister school, I get a message from my brother telling me about this trek and within the next two days, along with his help of my brother and Ekta, a girl whom I met during my last trek to Sar Pass, the whole trek was finalized.

And of I went to Delhi from Bangalore on 26th April on the Air Deccan flight which my brother had booked on the internet. Reaching Delhi, I meet Ekta who was waiting for my arrival at the airport. She takes me to the YHAI hostel where I halt for the day. The next day I check out and Ekta comes back to the hostel where I halted for the day. We both go take a bus to Cannot Place which is one the busiest shopping areas and from there we take a metro to the ISBT, the bus station in Delhi. Once there I book my tickets to my reporting base camp, Aut, Himachal Pradesh. From there we take a metro back to Connaugt Place where we have lunch at McDonalds. The lunch was quite filling and the Air conditioned area was quite refreshing for me since we were roaming around in the so arching heat along with my huge bags on my shoulder. After that we head out to the National Museum since that are was AC controlled. We move around the areas. What was quite interesting is the paintings and the artifacts that are placed there, were quite splendidly maintained and well preserved ,even though there were damages all round. After a round at the museum I head to catch my bus and Ekta moved towards her home. The bus was quite unpleasing to sit in but I passed through it.

DAY 1, Aut:
Reaching Aut at around 7.15 AM with my shorts and half sleeves shirt was going through hell. That freezing weather was clearly unexpected. I was the first one to reach and since then, I quite acclimatized to the whether. 30 minutes after my arrival, 2 other guys named, Krishnam and Varun, join me and both of them being from Bangalore were quite pleasing. As the day passed, a group of 8 arrived and surprisingly they were also from Bangalore. So many people from the same place aren’t quite what I expected but they all were pleasing to meet. The day passes, some of us have a dip at the near by river which was stone cold but it was an experience never to be forgotten and rest talk to each other sharing their experiences, clicking photos, jogging on the Himachal roads and climbing small heights. The service at this camp was good and up to the standard at which I expected. All people were well welcomed and lunch and dinner was quite nice except for the fact of potato all through the day. As the sky turns dark, four uncles whose nick name were like Professor, Vagesh, LaxmiNarayan and Nayak also join our troupe. Surprisingly again, they also from Karnataka and this was getting quite annoying since one of my intention to come to these treks was to meet different people, different culture but I can't help but I have to go through it. The three of us (me, Varun and Krishnam) slept in the tents whereas some of the guys slept in the other tent and most of them in the rooms provided.

Day 2, Aut:
The morning was even more chiller than the previous day and unpleasant. Four Delhi IIT guys named Prashant, Naseem, Gaurav and Swapnil joined the troupe. Breakfast was served. Varun, feels unpleasant with his stomach. He struggles for an hour or two with out any breakfast. The director, Mr Chauhan, arrives at the location, gives us a bit of scare on the path which we were going on but his advise was to enjoy the whole experience. He took Varun for a medical check up in Kullu, around 28 Kms from Aut. While Varun had gone for the check up, we carried on with our duties and that day was to trek up a hill to a temple 500 ft from where we were. The trek was quite tiring and pounces of water were completed in just minutes. We stopped all round and clicked as many photos as we could during the trek. Once up in the temple, we told our prayers and off we were back to the camp. The down hill walk was quite required and refreshing. Once down we had our lunch which was again filled with potatoes and then the uncles, I and Krishnam, went of to Kullu to do a bit of sight seeing. As we were leaving, we found out that Varun had a kidney stone which was giving him all the problems and he was asking us for details of the flights out from Kullu to Delhi since he wanted to reach home as early as possible. I and Krishnam get down at Bhunter where the nearest airport is situated and we inquired with the airport. The other uncles carried on to Kullu where they found out details about the return to Delhi. After the inquiry, we also headed to Kullu. In Kullu, the first thing we do is book tickets to Chandigarh. And then we move to the famous Vaishnavi Temple. We offer are prayers there and carry to a shawl factory since Kullu is very famous for its shawls. The factory was quite splendid to see how the shawls were made and it different designs. After that we head back to Kullu. We roam around the area and visit the Tibetan market and then head back to the camp. The other people were having their dinner as we joined in. The dinner was again filled with potatoes. After the dinner, the next thing I did was pack my bag for the real start of the trek and making it as light as possible and then I slept of in the same tent as we did last time.

Day 3, Aut to Banjar :
The morning was bit more pleasant compared to the previous two day. The breakfast was bread and jams and butter along with banana. For that moment it was different and potato less. Quite amazing to see a day without potato but it was inevitable to be without potato since our packed lunch which we had to carry was roti and potato side dish. The trek's start was simply amazing, going through a tunnel for about 2 Kms in dark. Once out we passed through a dam and seeing the scenery from there was like visiting paradise. Cycling was beginning to be comfortable and the whole group moved very swiftly. The only dangerous thing was that we were traveling on roads same as the Himachal Pradesh Buses and they ride on those road as if it were a race track and they had to come first. Cautious about the buses, we still carried on to our destination. I was in front of the whole group zooming past every one. I went up hill cycling and down hill was simply gratifying. I suddenly realized that no one was behind me. Quite confused, I stopped near the river bank. Waiting for them quite long, I got quite irritated and sat in the river with my legs in the freezing cold water. After a few minutes all of the group members come near the spot and join in. The next thing I remember was that everyone takes bath in that freezing cold water and I joining everyone. It was quite amazing to take a bath in that stone cold water but also refreshing. After the hour long bath in the water, we had lunch and even with potato in it, god knows, but it finished in minutes. We continued our trek and as we went more ahead the tough got tougher. At the slopes we pushed our cycles up and down hills was a rarity. Our guide is quite a nut case. His communication skills are encrypted with so many languages that understanding them takes a lot of time and due to this we actually went ahead of our camp at Banjar. After a while we find out that the camp is way behind and we make our way back towards our camp. The whole day was quite tiring and as I reached the camp at Banjar, I go to sleep in a much acquired position. I get up for dinner which is again potato ridden and then again back to sleep.

Day 4, Banjar to Jibhi :
The sun had risen early. Breakfast was served and packed lunch was given. After the formalities and making sure of where the location is we may was to the next camp. The roads all seemed to be going high and higher and most of the day we were on our legs pushing the cycle. We stopped very frequently. The scenery was getting more and more exquisite. We reached the camp pretty early passing by villages. The camp was also situated next to the river bank, so the first thing we do is to take bath. The stone cold water gets even more cold and the bath gets even more pleasure. Vishwa, Krishnam and the uncles brought in some local special food which didn't have potato. It was called 'Sidhu' and it was quite tasty to eat. We visited a small water fall next where I was the only one who had a small shower. It’s quite awesome to be under a waterfall even though it was small. We come back and then visit the near by town and see its local house from outside. Evening dawn as we return to the camp and we see that most of the people are having a jokes all round. As the night arrives we have a camp fire which is followed with Antakshari which had mix of hindi and kannada songs since most of us were from Karnataka. During this time dinner is provided. The fire stays on and all of us have dinner around it. After dinner we move on to the tents where we sleep for the night.

Day 5, Jibhi to Shoja :
This day was quite slow and tiring. Half of the members in the group rented a van to get them and their bikes to the top most camp. I gave my bag to them. The other half carried on with the trekking stopping every 5 minutes since it was getting exhilarating as we moved on. The scenery continued to get breath taking. The lunch provided was stale and inedible since they provided the previous day dinner for our lunch but it was inevitable but to eat them since we were tired. The last one to reach the camp successfully was by around 5 PM. The night went on to get colder but we had another camp which warmed the whole atmosphere. We went on to sleep pretty early since the next day we wanted to go to Jalori pass pretty early the next day.

Day 6, Shoja to Banjar via Jalori Pass :
All of us rented a van to Jalori pass early next morning and after reaching Jalori Pass we went to the fort which is located at the tip of the top most mountain. The trek towards that was simply amazing. Passing snow , flocks of sheep and various other plants and trees and on top at the fort it looked like we were on top of everything. The Himalayas looked fresh with white snow caps and eagles and different birds flying all round. Simply amazing. On our way back we were just sad to leave the paradise but the best part of going down hill was waiting in our minds. The uncles made a truck to take them down since they were sacred to the step hills. We followed them with caution of not slipping and falling. We moved one behind the other while moving down and it was quite splendid to look at how we moved. So graceful . We stopped at many areas. Took our own time. Stopped at one of the local Shawl shops. That when the most tragic moment happened. My bike was punctured. To top it all of there was a nail shoved in to the tire. The first thing I do is to remove the nail and drag it to the next puncture shop. Thanks to the guides on the bike who helped me off to remove the tire but the end that guide took the money for the puncture from me itself. While coming down also I had it checked since the air had been sucked out. Again the guy takes the money from me from the procedure. I cycle as fast as I can and reach the camp at a decent time. The camp being on the river side makes it much more comfortable for us as we can take bath. The night passes and we reach have dinner and sleep off.

Day 7, Banjar to Aut:
We start with everyone on their bike and we ride of to the next destination. The whole movement went smoothly until few minutes after the departure. The guy right in front of me, Vishwa, suddenly jumps up and falls right on his face making him bleed from his mouth and nose. We rush him to the near by water make him lay down on the ground and give him space to breath. We stop a truck and a jeep. Some of his friends go with him in the jeep and rest of the gang goes in the truck with the cycles. The rest of the trekkers in shock of what just happened. We recheck all our safety guards and we start to move as slowly as possible. The batch turns numb with sad incident. I however move ahead of the batch and race towards the front enjoying the whole scenery and the down hill ride. Moving like that gave me a lot of joy and happiness. I raced towards the camp and I was the first one to reach there. Checking my bag for the mobile and then my face is shattered. The mobile is completely destroyed. I am in shock as to what happened to it. The day goes on with me being a little glum.I collect my money for the puncture. I, the uncles and Krishnam pack our bags for the night trip to Chandigarh. Later Vishwa, who teeth alignment was disturbed and jaw mostly fractured, accompanies us also since he takes a flight with Krishnam to Bangalore. The bus is pretty smooth and we all sleep.

Reaching Chandigarh at around 6.00 AM, I,Krishnam, Vishwa and Nayak moved towards the bus stand. Once there we take the first bus to Delhi. The Delhi bus was a bit boring to sit in, since it was rigid and stuff but we had to go through it to reach Delhi. Once in Delhi, all of us take a metro to YHAI hostel where Ekta was waiting for us. We right away check in, refresh ourselves and make Vishwa feel at home, gave him what ever he wanted. Except Vishwa the rest of us moved on to see around Delhi. The first place we went to was Sharavana Bhavan, had awesom south Indian lunch there and then moved on to Delhi Tourism. The guides there gave us little info on where to go and how. Our next stop was to Qutab Minar, One of the famous monuments in Delhi after which we returned to Connaught place. I and Nayak roamed round there where as Krishnam had to go to the hostel to check on Vishwa and Ekta went towards her place. I and Nayak went around cannot place checking out different places and then went on to Andhra Bhavan for dinner. The dinner there was again spledid and amazing. After dinner we went on to the hostel where Krishnam and Vishwa were also there. We sleep of for the day.
Vishwa and Krishnam's flight were early morning the next day. I wake up to say my good bye's to them and then I go back to sleep. The next day the other uncles of the batch also join in. Nayak and Vagesh, the next day carry on to Agra to see the Taj Mahal. I check out from there and Ekta comes there to pick me up. We carry on from there and make it to Rajghat. Rajghat is the area where Mahatma Gandhi was buried. The place was quite open and very pleasing to see with a lot of greenery around. After paying our tribute to Gandhi, we move on to his museum where we went through his pictorial biography. His whole story was quite amazing to read even though I am against Gandhi’s acts on how he got freedom for the country.

We carried on Connaught place where we went to Nirula's for lunch. The place was quite suffocating with out the Air condition but we went through it. For wasting our time we went around the whole Connaught place and through Palika Bazar, one of the most famous bazars in Delhi, inquiring for the IPL shirts. We then came back to Nirula's for an Ice Cream. Having the Ice Cream in the hand, we rushed to the airport. Ekta dropped me there. I checked in waited for the flight and then off I went to Bangalore on the JetLite flight.

I have uploaded the pictures of this trek in here

You check out other picture of mine in here