Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Ladakh & Nepal 2025

Hi Richard,
How much do you pay a litter or gallon of gas there? It is about $4.25-$5.00 in California.
You put so many miles on your bike every day. How well can your body handle it?
Did you buy a special sim for foreigner at 500-700 Rupee in your area to keep your phone and pad alive?
Did you get any police escort on your trip?

Be aware of the surrounding and come home safe. The term of your ambassadorship is about expired. The heat wave is gone here so you can ride your motorcycle anywhere in California.

Fuel is a little over a buck a liter...about 100 rupees/l...

A Long Day here is 300km...I think I've done a couple in the 350k range...there are not many roads that don't cross High Passes, so lot of curves...I've only been over 100kph a few times...some of that related to gearing of the bike...I'm not one to punish a bike...even if it's not mine...And, there are lots of villages that have Restaurants and General Stores for Rest Stops...120 rupees meals (really good food) provide plenty of motivation to Stop...

(BTW, I've lost of couple of inches of waist size...I can take my riding pants off without unbottoning them...just loosen the belt and they fall down...)

You have to prove identity to get a SIM in Ladakh (like most places now)...iPhone is eSIM only, so I had to find an Official Dealer since the common SIM Store can't do eSIM...my service for a month (paid extra because I needed the eSIM installation service) was 600 rupees...unlimited Voice...100 texts...1,5gb data...per day...

No Police Escort...No detention...Because of Government Control, a PAP (protected area permit) is required for Foreigners a few K outside of the city of Leh...there are hundreds of PAP checkpoints...many combined with the usual Army/Police Checkpoints you encounter in a "War" zone...There are a few highways that lead out of Ladakh and a PAP is not required to travel on these roads (Manali and Srinagar are 2 cities you can travel to)...still plenty of checkpoints on these roads...

Flight out is on Monday morning...IXL-BKK...then BKK-KKC to visit family and ride Thailand for about 2 weeks...then KKC-KTM for a few weeks in Nepal...then KTM-LAX in early November...this one is Full Refund so I can stay longer if I'm having a good time...hoping that 23 days of rain in October forecast is highly flawed...I'll be heading home early if it is accurate...my gear is good enough...even in cold conditions...as proven at the start of this trip...but it ain't no fun...the one exception IS Thailand...because of the Heat and Humidity, I love the rain there...and like Ladakh, most of the roads outside of the City are mostly deserted...


I have on more than a few occasions thought that I might head home early and finish the Section Hike of the JMT...2 years in-a-row that I've come 1 section short of Completion...only need Mammoth-Happy Isle to complete this year's hike...

I spite of the complaining...and you'all know I'm always been a complainer...

I'm definitely coming back...
I smile every time I think...a motorcycle at 19k...and there is a pass higher being constructed right now...still a few years away from completion...
And, they've had the Grand Opening of another Border Road yesterday...another place to have Security stop me from crossing...

The owners of the company I've used for the bike rental are bringing in some of the new KTM 390 R's and they've put me on the notification list...
I want to ride that bike here...and be one of the first...before it's in the condition the poor 390 I was originally riding is...

And, I've been working them real hard to get some light-weight dirt/dual sport bikes up here...it should be rather simple with an Indian Company now owning (at least) a Majority of KTM...


MotoGP is in Motegi, Japan this weekend...it's on right now...


And, RE: the war zone comment...read some about Kashmir...I shake my head (but also say Thank you for these wonderful roads) every time I think about the money spent defending (imaginary borders) and the number of people killed...it is ridiculous...

And Costs...

I flew to Delhi for $360...was given $190 in bonus spending cash by Expedia...so $170...
BTW, I got bumped up to Business Class for the Hong Kong - Delhi leg...
Don't recall the Delhi-Leh flight cost, but less than a C-Note...
I changed $500 to rupess on arrival...still had some left when the hotel owner asked me to parital pay...
Changed another $200...paid the bill...
I've got just shy of 10k rupees remaining in my pocket...
I owe the Hotel 3600 plus some more for the food provided during the unrest...
I paid $120 +/- for the flight out...all the way to BKK...

Oh, $600 for the original bike rental and $143 for the extension...

I'd say this is probably the cheapest fun I've ever had...on an International Trip...

I don't feel like pulling up the calcualtor...but I'd bet that's under $2k for 1 month...

Intermission/Lunch Break at Motegi...

Bummer all of my Cafes are still closed...how much money are these people losing because of this...

Oh, and the mountain climbing I was planning...
I watched videos and the climbs probably would have been too tough for my right knee...amazing how much diner plate scree you see on the 6000m+ mountains...

Shin, here's my Police Escort headed into the Market this morning to check for breakfast:

I don't know about the security but one fine job on the wiring !

Power Lines and Fixed Lines (ropes) seem to have a lot in common in Asia...
We'll make this participatory by asking for your favorite term for a mess...

I headed up to the Wari La for one last ride to 17k...the reason I chose this pass is that there are a lot of dirt shortcuts and I wanted to ride some dirt before leaving...

I spent quite a bit of time up there sucking in the thin air...

An Indian Couple came over to have their picture taken with me...I still don't understand this, but it is kinda cool...The Husband had been eyeing the 450, so I asked if he knew how to ride...when he replied yes, I told him the key was in the ignition...long story, short, the first crash of either bike I've been riding...and this is an exaggeration...he just laid it down while doing a U-Turn...His wife and I walked down the road and the 3 of us got it back on its wheels...lifting a Pig at 17k+ is no easy task...

Here are some photos:


The view from 6k to the pass.



At the pass.



Life is rough up here.



He was resting on a rock on that side of the road...I was resting on a rock on this side of the road.



I'd say I'm acclimatized...I hope I don't lose it before Nepal.


It was calm enough that I was tempted to fly the drone...I don't know why I didn't...

Today was my last ride in Ladakh...I was going to get up early an try for an Epic Loop...Decided, instead, to sleep in and watch MotoGP (MM wins his 7 World Championship Title)...

I rode the Zanskar River Road again and made it a little farther thru the canyon...I was wobbly on the first stream crossing, so I Called It at the second...

Taxi is arranged for 7:30 tomorrow morning...

I'm not leaving Ladakh unscathed...I thought I had a major bruise from a left leg dab on one of the first rides on the 450...it hasn't improved any and I'm guessing now that I have a hairline fracture about 4" above my ankle...S-I-L has already been asked to get me an appointment to see a Doc in Thailand...

And a Cool BTW: the hotel has been feeding me most meals since the unrest started...I asked what I owe for food and they shook their heads..."You mean Zero?" "Yes"...

Here are a couple of photos...I guessing it's going to take me weeks, or more, to get to the videos...I've got no more SD Cards and I came here with at least 8...Oh, and I never did fly the drone...Guilt, or respect???



Dirt (road under reconstruction) and a second stream crossing had me call it...



The Indus River and the Village of Nimmo beyond.

So, after that last ride, I went to the Market and started begging for Food...
The only places open were 2 Pharmacies...and neither had food...
As an aside, my Hotel had run out of eggs and rice, but somehow managed a resupply...
The Joke among English Speaking Traverllers was that I should have asked for some Appetite Suppresion Drugs...
The word In The Press is that things aren't going to change in Leh until after the next Negotiatig Session that isn't happening until 6 October...
Also, the Death Toll was updated to 4...
One of the Major Travel Services was stating the Travel to Ladakh should be avoided until after the Negotiations...
I"m sure there are American Embassy Travel Advisories...

It is a Strike (Bandh in their terms) by the People of Ladakh...
My suggestion to the Travel People I've been using is that they hold At Least One Restaurant open for Tourist on a rotating basis...
This has got to be killing some of the desire to travel to the area...and also killing the pocket books of all of the Tourist Oriented Businesses...
But, in spite of all the problems at the tail end of my trip...I'm going back if I stay healthy...

I'm in Bangkok now...waiting on a connection...really am looking forward to seeing the Doc because the pain is getting worse, instead of better...
I'd say Nepal is definitely in jeapordy now...again...

Nothing broken…I’m glad i was wrong…
But, it ain’t gonna get better unless I stay off it…
Good thing is I can ride roads without much pressure on the foot/leg…so Thailand touring…

Nepal final decision in about a week…

Whitney getting shut down because of the Fools in DC?

New Living Goddess

Nepal has selected its latest Kumari—a living child goddess revered by Hindus and Buddhists. For years, the girl—2-year-old Aryatara Shakya—will reside in a temple palace, rarely leaving except for festivals, during which devotees bring gifts and worship her.

The Kumari tradition dates back to the Malla Dynasty in the 17th century, when a rift between the goddess Taleju Bhawani and King Jayaprakash Malla is said to have spurred the goddess to be reincarnated in a series of young girls. Today, Buddhist families of the Shakya clan can bring their daughters to senior Buddhist priests and the royal astrologer for consideration. After undergoing tests (reportedly including whether the girl is afraid of the dark), one Kumari is selected. She spends almost all of her time in the temple with limited social interaction. Once the Kumari goes through puberty, another girl is selected.

Some Kumari face physical and social difficulties upon their reintegration into society as mortals. See a documentary about the tradition here.




Here are the links:

https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flink.join1440.com%2Fclick%2F41799307.4150%2FaHR0cHM6Ly9hcG5ld3MuY29tL2FydGljbGUvbmVwYWwtbGl2aW5nLWdvZGRlc3MtaGluZHUtdHJhZGl0aW9uLTBjZDkzZmE3OWUzNDQ2ZmZkZjk5NTIxMGY0NGI4Zjk5P3V0bV9zb3VyY2U9am9pbjE0NDAmdXRtX21lZGl1bT1lbWFpbCZ1dG1fcGxhY2VtZW50PW5ld3NsZXR0ZXImdXNlcl9pZD02NmM0YjljNTVkNzg2NDRiM2E4ODI5ZTA%2F66c4b9c55d78644b3a8829e0Bce20da3e&data=05%7C02%7C%7Cc6a47b9f14924e2b871408de00c35bdd%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C638949036229437796%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=Q5V8liOwiwu0XQnl0ZoiRl9ZlZ2qRffQPkS3vuhDyqY%3D&reserved=0




https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flink.join1440.com%2Fclick%2F41799307.4150%2FaHR0cHM6Ly9udGIuZ292Lm5wL2xpdmluZy1nb2RkZXNzLWt1bWFyaT91dG1fc291cmNlPWpvaW4xNDQwJnV0bV9tZWRpdW09ZW1haWwmdXRtX3BsYWNlbWVudD1uZXdzbGV0dGVyJnVzZXJfaWQ9NjZjNGI5YzU1ZDc4NjQ0YjNhODgyOWUw%2F66c4b9c55d78644b3a8829e0B928fa254&data=05%7C02%7C%7Cc6a47b9f14924e2b871408de00c35bdd%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C638949036229456657%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=jL4oA4RjKY%2BsgrL7SB%2BBOlfzHowXq94Li4AUGm2T3i4%3D&reserved=0




https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flink.join1440.com%2Fclick%2F41799307.4150%2FaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cueW91dHViZS5jb20vd2F0Y2g_dj02LWRMamVQVks0RSZ1c2VyX2lkPTY2YzRiOWM1NWQ3ODY0NGIzYTg4MjllMA%2F66c4b9c55d78644b3a8829e0Bdd156b03&data=05%7C02%7C%7Cc6a47b9f14924e2b871408de00c35bdd%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C638949036229475338%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=h2E3BE3WtU%2FYVWPxGIxPTGTDRYLEp2O8A1UM28C1B7U%3D&reserved=0

Just glanced at a Promo Email from Garmin...
Which reminded me that Handheld GPS is another thing that is Banned in Ladakh...

This article has some photos of the baby being carried by her Mother:

https://thehimalayantimes.com/photo-gallery/in-pictures-new-living-goddess-kumari


Interesting reading/viewing info about the Controversy...history and tradition vs. human rights?
I wonder if the same thing will happen in the search for a new Dalai Lama...which will eventually happen...

I've been following Doctor's Orders...basically just sitting on my @$$...
One trip into Town a few days ago (and that was also the trip to the Doctor's Office)...
It's interesting looking at my leg...the Muscle Relaxant and Inflamation Reducer seem to be working on everything but the injury itself...

I've set the 8th as Decision Day RE: Nepal...not optimistic...

A couple days early and I'm leaning towards skipping Nepal this year...
It's pretty obvious to me that I'd be punishing myself if I try to trek...
And, who knows what would happen if I had to dab on the left side while riding heavily damaged roads and trails...

The Monsoon has extended well into October and is Wrecking Havoc in Nepal right now...
A lot of Nepalis have died in recent fooding and landslides...

Although the long-range forecast is finally starting to show some sunshine...
And temps at altitude are still showing as relatively mild...
So, I'm still in a "We'll See" mood right now...I still have 5 days to make a final decision...

Glad that KTM-LAX ticket is fully refundable...might get changed to BKK-LAX...

I saw lows in the 50s for Ridgecrest, so obviously summer is over...

Hi Richard,
Yes, Ridgecrest has a nice fall weather now.
Your "Cat put her head in the bag." syndrome is over. It's time to come home.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/cXuNevBoe53bjmCy5
Let's have a Humberger lunch before the season is over. I assume you have some credit left on your account.

Shin

The Question is: "Can I keep from becoming a RESCUE Statistic?"
(BTW, I've carried International Rescue Insurance for almost all of my Adult Life...)

We all know I'm Pretty Dang Good at dealing with Adversity...
If Tourists bail...the Travel Industry Poeple of Nepal Suffer...

That's what's running thru my head...
I have until the night of the 11th to finalize my decision...all I need to do is inform the "Taxi Driver" that I want a ride to KKC at 6:000am on the 12th...

BTW2, my Thai Visa is valid until 27 November...If I don't go to Nepal, I've already gotten the OK from my wife to stay until the Visa expires...Depending on mud in the Jungle, I'll probabaly buy a dirt bike and ride...this is costing me Next To Nothing...my only problem is I've let the Family know where I Stash My Cash...and it keeps disappearing...:-) Ice Cream...Candy...Food...Monk Donations...probably need to go to the ATM again soon...Funny that no one is interested in the remaining Indian Rupees...

Last post by me in this thread...
I found a Kawasaki KLX-230 that caught my fancy...
It's being delivered tomorrow...
So, I'll be spending time riding roads and dirt in Thailand until I've done it all...
Or, get tired of it...

I'd say I've probabaly already done my last trip to Nepal...
Sad to say I'll probabaly never do those routes I've walked in the past that I've always wanted to do on a bike...
(Mountain in my younger days...motorized as an Old Geezer...)

I'm still planning on another trip to Ladakh...probably more historic/religious site seeing with my wife...I skipped most of that on this trip...my wife has much more interest in that side of travelling...it'll be new for both of us...

I'll say it again...the Place Is Amazing...the Mountain Scenery...the Riding...the potential for Trekking...The Religious History...The People...
I'd say that's more than enough to make it a Five-Star Attraction...

Here are a few videos from Ladakh...unedited...so you'll have to put up with a few "hands in the frame segments"...


Leaving Hanle


Leaving Hanle


Leaving Hanle


Leaving Hanle


Leaving Hanle


Leaving Hanle


On the way to Tso Moriri


Approaching Tso Kyagar on the way to Tso Moriri


Tso Kyagar


On the shores of Tso Kyagar


Tso Moriri


Riding the perimeter of Tso Moriri



Most are really short as I've "gotten into" short videos when the Landscape can't be ignored...The last video IS worth watching...about 3 minutes..These videos are fron the day I rode with the MD, Documentary Maker and the Solar Engineer from Hanle to Tso Moriri.


Seriously, I'd learn to ride a motorcycle so you can experience this place...and if you already ride, what are you waiting for...other than next Summer/Autumn...?


BTW, the Mig La is now open...a disappointing 19,400'...it was supposed to crack 20k, but I guess BRO found an easier, lower, crossing...more reason for me to return as I've now not ridden the highest road in the world...


BTW2, if you look at Google Maps for Tso Kyagar, you'll see a boat finishing an "S"...