[Manuuj]

Nudge Nudge Wink Wink ADC Saar!! Please resume this thread. This kind of torture can be reported to the UNHRC.

We are all stuck at Pangong while you are safely ensconced at home or possibly in a tent somewhere special on yet another adventure. Do take out the time and oblige us by completing this Travelogue.

Respectfully Yours

[alfafan]

@adc - Please continue this travelogue, I am sure that personal and professional commitments have kept you away from the same

However the brilliant impressions left by this and earlier travelogue make us come back for the complete script to salute your determination and courage

[me_sid]

ADC da, am speechless. Hats off to your spirit. You have proven that if one chooses, he/she can achieve anything that he/she dreams off. A small request, can you please push the gas pedal er, no, the pedal only, of this TL.

[AutoInt]

Amazing expedition on bicycle to famous high altitude lakes. Great captivating writing and wonderful photographs. We are still stranded at Pongong lake. I am sure you would be on a trip as this is October. Hope to see the rest of the travelogue soon.

[adc]

Now where I was!! Let me refresh the memories and continue as possible after few years of absolutely nothing happening out on the travel writing side. An absolute apology to everyone for the all missed messages and followups.

As said, from the last post of 26th of July, 2014, the a superb slow cycling along the brilliant pangong was planned, just myself ambling along the shore of Pangong lake, stopping as often as possible - make the moment and the experience of a solo bicycle ride along Pangong last as long as possible.


All in all I did have a good night sleep on a quite cold night of September, and before I set out, warmed up myself by taking out an early morning walk at Lukung of Pangong Lake.


AT 8:30 am, a slight bit of cloud cover is there but on this cold September morning, not a person around and Pangong at Lukung was to myself. The weather cleared up fast, the sunlight finally broke through and a few pictures followed.
















A good hour and a half of roaming around [ remember I am in no hurry to start!], back to the tent accommodation, pack things up, have the staple breakfast of maggi and omelettes.

Finally by around 1030 am, all ready to start. A last cup of hot tea...



... and a great goodbye to host of Tiger Restaurant, I look forward to a mesmerizing day of cycling along the magnificent Pangong Lake.

[adc]

It was back on around middle of October 2010, we were driving along this same route for that tremendous self drive journey along the Pangong towards Hanle and beyond to Demochok. http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...-oct-10-a.html


By the time I start it is around 11 am, I intend to cycle a grand total of 10 km to Spangmik, a tiny village on Pangong beyond Lukung.

Now in middle of September of 2013, the second time along Pangong on a bicycle and the brilliance and magnificence still captivates any and all traveller.














Mid October 2010, as we drove our 2wd Safari along the Pangong towards Spangmik and then to Hanle, this stretch was totally gravel and sandy. Now its a metaled narrow track and no one's complaining.


The road rises up from Lukung a bit as I continue towards the village of Spangmik, again all in all just 10 km cycling planned today. So no rush.

[adc]

Cycling along Pangong towards Spangmik contd...












As said, the road rises up a bit after Lukung. Also what was gravel and sand track in October 2010 is metalled in September 2013.







Just around 1 hr or so of cycling, Spangmik comes out in the horizon as the road descends back towards the shoreline of Lake Pangong.

[adc]

Just less bit of cycling for the day and the track descends back down to the tiny village of Spangmik, on Lake Pangong.

Maggi noodles and a tea later, and with night stay finalized all for Rs 300 or so, and with still around 3 hours of sunlight left, move out to go down to the Pangong shoreline of Spangmik village surroundings.







Spangmik since my last visit on October 2010 has grown up quite a bit in terms of stay option - of course I skip the luxury tents to scout and go in for a homestay with the best view of Pangong.


This exactly what I planned before, to go by Pangong as slowly as possible - just to have time around this magnificent lake as long as possible.











Not a person around in this "off season " of September, the vast expanse for ourselves - it is time for a picture of us - cycle and myself.






And of course the last shot was inspired by this shot from my Manali - Leh cycling ride. [ http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...mmit-trek.html



contd...

[adc]

Along Pangong Lake near Spangmik


Well, quite a few hours by myself having decided to stay for the night Spangmik. With not a soul around, I had the Pangong Lake all for myself.






















A super slow bicycling along the shoreline of Lake Pangong, one of the best travel moment till date.




As I was engrossed, see two cyclists - dont recall exactly the European country name, go by. We get acquainted and a mutual photo session follows.







They are heading towards Mahe, a short distance away. Foreigners are permitted till there only and cannot move beyond Mahe.




As for myself, I explore as close to the shoreline of Pangong as possible. Brilliant is the vista and the experience.






contd....

[gearhead_mait]

At last the thread is moving.

On a different note - I went to East Sikkim road trip last month. Before that I posted a few queries to you as well. I stayed at Rishikhola, and Sebastian Pradhan still remember you. When I quoted your name to him, he said "Yes, Anirban from Team-BHP. Black Safari. Abhi nahi aata hai yahan"

My travelogue on the trip (you can revisit some of the places and how they have changed overtime) :

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...chey-gaon.html

Nice to see you back. Welcome again!

[SouraC]

At last the Epic Ladakh TL is on the move. Thanks ADC da for the same.

I don't know if you can remember me but I have requested you to finish this TL in the Kolkata Monsoon Team-BHP meet.

Inspired by people like you, we also completed our Ladakh trip and tried to cover as many places as we can in 18 days.

Although our trip no way comes near to what you have achieved in this trip still sharing the link below and hope, you find time to visit it.

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...r-kolkata.html

[adc]

Originally Posted by gearhead_mait

At last the thread is moving.

On a different note - I went to East Sikkim road trip last month. Before that I posted a few queries to you as well. I stayed at Rishikhola, and Sebastian Pradhan still remember you. When I quoted your name to him, he said "Yes, Anirban from Team-BHP. Black Safari. Abhi nahi aata hai yahan"

My travelogue on the trip (you can revisit some of the places and how they have changed overtime) :

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...chey-gaon.html

Nice to see you back. Welcome again!

Thanks for the welcome post, was tied up in quite a few things and also just lost interest in writing things up.

Anyway just went through your travelogue and definitely things have changed. It was in May 2009 or so, now over 6 years above, we had been to those places and only Pradhan homestay was out there. Absolutely no tourists and no rush of people. It sure has changed over time drastically, as seen from your post and also what I hear out from other friends and acquaintances.

Yes I will visit again, was supposed to do that route in april by cycle, lets see how next year if the plan happens.

Originally Posted by SouraC

At last the Epic Ladakh TL is on the move. Thanks ADC da for the same.

I don't know if you can remember me but I have requested you to finish this TL in the Kolkata Monsoon Team-BHP meet.

Inspired by people like you, we also completed our Ladakh trip and tried to cover as many places as we can in 18 days.

Although our trip no way comes near to what you have achieved in this trip still sharing the link below and hope, you find time to visit it.

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...r-kolkata.html

Arre sure do remember you now that I just connected your snap out there in the travelogue. Any journey is a good travel, big or small. Good that you changed. Started on the reading, will be finishing it up as by the time this ends.


Good to hear from you too, some many travelogues still to write from Bhutan to Nelang and Tunganath, from Kumaon to Rajasthan and of course a cycle trip also that's stuck in assembly line for the last 2 years.

[adc]

Along Pangong Lake near Spangmik



Standing this close on the shore of Pangong and with a strong breeze keeping the waters alive, I prolong each and every moment here at around Spangmik.











Some self shots of cycle and myself...





..and it is time by evening to go to back to Spangmik homestay as the farmer returns with his horses.





So all in all a grand total of 12 km of cycling was done - and tomorrow it is even smaller - around 10 km away till Mahe only - as said this was deliberate just so that can spend as much as time along the Pangong.

contd...

[adc]

Day 6: Spangmik to Mahe - Along Pangong Lake

A good staple breakfast of Maggi and omelettes and tea and goodbye to my host at Spangmik homestay, start on now towards Mahe. As said just 10 km of cycling for the whole day.

And that gives me the time to get back to the shoreline again, before I hit the dirt track. Colours captivate again on this brilliant morning of mid September.









contd...

[shreyascashyap]

Amazing thread adc da. Your photos do justice to the beauty of the land! Truly an epic journey. How did the trek hold up during the ride?