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

Just got my coffee…outstanding…out here in the hinterland…

Adding a little to my decision…
Phaplu has rain in the forecast…
The Nepal Tourism Map doesn’t show a crossing for one of the major rivers along the route…
A Sherpa I spoke with said it would be difficult…

I’ve seen videos…but I think down is the right decision…

Second Breakfast in Jiri…
Rode with a Sherpa this morning…down to Bhandar…he was going to Market…
Just like on mountains, they move incredibly fast…in my defense, I’m 15 years older and don’t know the roads…

A few more photos:


The 500 Rupee Repair Shop...I should have taken a photo of the Junk Yard of Dead Bikes at the side of their shop...amazing the number...



The Hotel in Deurali...the Woman Owner/Cook/Hostess gets the Prize for My Favorite Nepali of this trip...BTW, her Husband was the Sherpa I rode with down to Bhandar...



It's no longer called Jiri To Everest Base Camp Trek...



When I left Deurali, I did a traverse to the Sun Kosi Khola Canyon and rode towards Phaplu...I made the Junction where I would have turned up into the mountains and turned around...


Those Diversions around the Road Closures on NH03 were as bad as I thought they would be...Thank Goodness I only had to do them on the return to Kathmandu (I joined the Highway East of the diversions on the way "up.") I've got some video, but didn't bother to take the phone off the mount, so no photos...

One more short day of riding before I return the bike...

Yesterday was a bust…figures…
I made it thru the trip without injury…
Here’s hoping the clouds don’t ruin the view on the way out…

Babbling on...and letting it sink in...

The thought that kept running thru my head while in Nepal...Cheap Chinese Junk...I don't follow Foreign Politics too closely, but I know Nepal was a very active participant in the China Belt and Road Program...thus the label from me...being gernerous, the roads are crap...with a few exceptions...it made for Technical Riding...even when the expectation was for lots of pavement...

If I were Nepal (again, not really knowing anything), I'd Partner with the Indian BRO Organization...both build roads on Moving Mountains, but there is no comparison between what I rode in Ladakh vs. Nepal...if I ever go back, it will require a 4WD rental...


So, the plan is still to stay in Asia until after Buriram (MotoGP)...I was planning on staying warm, with a trip to ride the length of Vietnam...But, they have some Silly Rule that you have to have a 1968 International Driving Permit and mine is a '49 IDP, issued in the US, which isn't accepted in Vietnam...Long-Story-Short, the Police are really good at taking advantage of Foreigners who aren't following the Strict Driving Rules...the result is bribery into the Hundreds of Dollars may be required to get yourself out of that Pickle...no thanks...flights...hotels...motorcycle rental were all cancelled...

Which brings me to: West Bengal and Sikkim...Leh is Dang Cold (which I was kind-of looking forward to), but it's 11,500' and my experience this year with Improper Acclimatization has been horrible...so it's out...This other mountainous part of India will be ihnteresting and Not So Cold...Looking Forward...


BTW, I'm still doing the Thailand Visa Exemptions, so that's why I need to leave and return...
BTW2, I'm still waiting on the Kawasaki Luggage Rack so I can do the Follow The Mekong Around Thailland Ride...

Oh, and a Cheapskate Alert...
Fights to-and-from India were free...from up here in the NE vs. having to fly to BKK first...
Train to the North of India and flight back to CCU booked fairly cheaply...
Hotels booked via Cyber Monday Deals...

Flight Home after Buriram booked free...
Car to get from LAX to Ridgecrest arranged at a significant discount...

I just hope I don't get into an accident because i've been driving on The Wrong Side Of The Road for so long...