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11 Oct 2014
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Join Date: Nov 2012
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Wifey interested in this tour- what do you charge please and what does the price include?
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13 Oct 2014
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Registered Users
New on the HUBB
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Join Date: Jul 2013
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Been worried about where you have got to since there have been no updates on your blog since Sept 8th.
CARRY ON!
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17 Oct 2014
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Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Lands End, Cornwall, UK
Posts: 675
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How to Join Me Next Year
Quote:
Originally Posted by Planet-Muncher
Wifey interested in this tour- what do you charge please and what does the price include?
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That's great to hear - if she wants any first hand recommendations - ALL my riders from this year are happy to talk to her.
Price - I'm really not sure, but the details are on the HC Travel website as they are the guys who do all the logistics.
I do know that the price includes accommodation and full-board, bike hire, support vehicle and what is an unbelievably fantastic riding experience. Next year we are due to do the run in August.
here is the run down - though this is from 2014's tour, they are about to update it for 2015.
Ladakh Ladies
I look forward to riding with her 
Best wishes
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17 Oct 2014
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Join Date: Mar 2001
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Where Am I?
Quote:
Originally Posted by picinisco
Been worried about where you have got to since there have been no updates on your blog since Sept 8th.
CARRY ON!
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Thank you for the concern, and my apologies for the lack of input on my website blog - as I explained in the other thread, I got caught up in more travels before I had finished this Ride Tale, so things got a bit behind and then I started having problems updating my own blog, some sort of bug in the system I think.
I am alive and well and have just recently been riding in Rapa Nui
which has been amazing - but that will be a Ride Tale of its own 
Last edited by Tiffany; 26 Oct 2014 at 13:02.
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26 Oct 2014
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Still up the Mountain
We're up on the top of the mountain pass and we met this very nice man
Never accept sweets off strangers, but when you're this far from the rest of the world, it doesn't matter
He's also a guide and we enjoyed looking at our reflection in his sunglasses
The local dogs trotted past, not interested in us and obviously on their way somewhere - though we were miles and miles from any settlement.
A check over for one of the bikes
We lingered for a while, which gave me the opportunity to take my boots off and demonstrate just how wet my feet still were
then back on the bikes it's time to head down
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26 Oct 2014
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Join Date: Mar 2001
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Herding Cats...
......in an attempt to get a picture that would truly reflect the staggering amount of snow around us and the beauty iof it all, I tried to organise my excited riders, as they say, there are some things in life that are easier than herding cats and this may have been one of them
I´ve ridden ahead and am now trying to direct
Almost there
And finally I get a nice picture of the team in the snow
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26 Oct 2014
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Join Date: Mar 2001
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Mountain Life
Just to prove that you get the warts and all story
This was the sight of my bike after I had kicked the side stand down and run to help one of my riders who was on the verge of dropping her bike in some water. I pushed away too hard and fast, leaving my bike toppling over the side as I ran back to my sttricken rider.
No harm done and some helping hands to get her upright again.
soon back on our way again
we were getting tired and feet are going down a bit more than they should do
when the welcome sight of the chai tents appeared
we pull up and go inside the blue tinted shelters
Mugs of hot chai all round, and then we go in search of a loo...
and for a closer look at what it's like
This was the neighbour one
it was around this time that I seriously considered doing a FaceBook page entitled "Loos of Ladakh"
this is how the family keep their toothbrushes
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26 Oct 2014
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Sarchu - Again
Back out to the bikes and on down the hill, we've still got many miles to go
snow is disappearing as we descend
We seem to have ended up in a mini convoy of bikes, we're happy to be Tail-End Charlies
The oh so welcome sight of Sarchu Valley
my Stick with Nick sticker gets a shot with the mountains behind
Our row of "luxury" tents that await us
Very different from my previous experience of Sarchu
Chintzy surroundings and real beds
and even an en-suite bathroom
Barbara was particularly relieved to see they served nice hot cups of tea
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26 Oct 2014
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The Road to Leh
Early morning, and we're awoken by a snuffling outside of the tent
A marmot has come over to see who we are
We didn't feel too ready to get up yet, and were suffering fromt he aches and pains of yesterday, but the stunning surroundings soon made us forget any sore spots
The view from our tent
Loading up the bikes for a big day
we're riding through to Leh today and it's going to be a long day
not even the lorries put us off
a couple of summits to reach, with the first one being pleasantly free from snow
and on to what looks like Monument Valley or thereabouts
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26 Oct 2014
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Pang
Pang
And the Home of momo heaven (Tibetan-style dump0lings), here is my friend Padma making them for us
I have a copy of the In-flight magazine with me, it has an article about Cornwall (home nation) and I share it with Padma and her family -
it's quite interesting to read about Cornwall from an Indian point of view, the magazine also has pictures of my village - they are amazed at the sight of the ocean pictures.
An Army truck goes past while we're eating
It's starting to cloud over when we set off again
Luckily there are some very straight stretches of road as we have reached the high plateau (this means we can cover some ground quite quickly)
This is nomad country and their yurts are scattered around
another summit 
but it's actually quite cold here
we want to get a photo of us all together, and spot another bike traveller, I go over to ask him if he'll take a picture for us and he greets me with a smile and says
"Hello Tiffany"
I'm somewhat surprised - after all we are at one of the remotest and highest points in the world, it turns out he's a FaceBook friend of mine and recognised me - despite all layers of clothing I'm bundled up in.
we get the photo
[IMG]  [/IMG]
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26 Oct 2014
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High to Low
The temperature had dropped a lot, shivering, we set off, to be faced by a sea of freezing mud- just wet enough to be slick and slippery
we kept to the edge as we made our way down- the safest place to be where the mud wasn't deep, but bear in mind that we're supposed to be riding on the left! and there is a sheer drop of several hundred feet just to our right
To our relief, the mud was replaced by tarmac after a few miles, the tarmac a bit patchy, and various sections of roadworks. It's a harsh life for the workers, living in tents at the side of the road at altitudes of 4000m.
Some of the workers are women, we stopped for a quick chat with these ladies of Ladakh who had put aside their pick axes for a tea break
I passed on some chocolate and some posh hotel toiletries that I had acquired from our hotel down the valley.
To our delight at the bottom of the mountain was a herd of yak
With a photogenic baby one being guarded by its Mum - she charged briefly at another tourist who went too close
Dry landscape with trees ahead
and time for another chai break
and another picturesque loo
We knew we were in Little Tibet when we saw our fist stupas
and the final stretch of beautiful road leading to Leh
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26 Oct 2014
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Leh
It was a relief to be off the mountain roads, following the river valley with its sweeping curves rather than the torturous hairpin bends of the mountain passes.
Thikse Monastery
and its tourist monks
There are a lot of Buddhist monks around as the Dalai Lama is in town, there are various posters welcoming him
The smooth tarmac was a delight to ride on, we finally made our way into Leh
And a welcome cold  on the steps of our hotel
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26 Oct 2014
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Life in Leh
Monasteries on every mountain side
 #
Animals on every corner, from puppies to donkeys
A friendly shopkeeper
Who needs an electronic till when you can have a cardboard box of money
And strange goods being sold in the shops
I think it's sugar
__________________
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26 Oct 2014
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Moving On
We've been sharing a support vehicle with another group, and in that group are two Americans. It's early morning on the 4th of July and with secret preparations underway, we greet John and Gary at breakfast
The Ladies of Ladakh present their Comb Choir rendition of the Star Spangled Banner
Luckily for us we had our secret weapon in the form of Barbara who is a church organist and played her tissue paper comb instrument at perfect pitch with the rest of us struggling to stay in tune, whilst US flags tethered to oranges flew on the table.
then back into bike gear and onto the road, we're heading west out of town
Enjoying the stunning scenery
and feeling a bit more relaxed in our riding - we know we won't be encountering snow, ice or even high altitude on these sections of riding
A small town lunch break
and one more mountain
One of our favourite roads of the trip - the Old Road up to Lamayuru Monastery
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26 Oct 2014
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Lamayuru Monastery
This is the beautiful road we were riding up
One of my favourite roads in the world, and virtually no other vehicles on it as we rode together.
The final stretch of road up to Lamayuru Monastery
And up to the monastery itself
We go in, leaving our shoes outside
some of the monks we spoke to
I get in a bit of practice with a prayer wheel
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How to Join Me Next Year
Where Am I?
Still up the Mountain
Mountain Life
High to Low
Leh
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