To Leh From Kerala in Mahindra Bolero

[AR Ram]

Thanks for sharing more pictures SR.

I think in those terrains you can cover maximum 200 kms only a day.

How did you rectify the brake problem?

 

[smooth rider]

15-06-2013 got up by 6.30 am. fist thing that came to my mind was to get the mechanic. it was a cold cloudy morning and it was drizzling. the bell boy told us that the workshop was hardly 100 metres down the road and the mechanic's house was just behind it. awoke suresh up and we both went out in search of the only mechanic in jispa. the workshop hadn't opened yet. ( it was only 6.45 am ) there was a lady with a bucket on the door step of the house behind. we presumed her to be the mechanic's wife and asked her about the mechanic. she called him and he came out rubbing the sleep off his eyes. we told him about the sound and he immediately told us that the brake pad was gone and would need to replace it. he had no spares and asked us to go to keylong 35kms away. i told him that we had checked the brake before setting out on the trip and asked him to remove the wheel and check. he politely obliged. and lo the cause for the sound was found..... any guesses it was 2 pebbles that had got in between the brake disk an the plaate on the inner side. the mechanic pushed it out with a screwdriver and lo the sound was gone. we were overjoyed. the mechanic serviced 2 & 4 wheelers , he repaired punctures, water serviced vehicles.........when we asked for the bill the mechanic asked for inr 50 only we gave inr 100/. we had breakfast from the hotel itself and hi the road by 9.30 am.

 

[smooth rider]

more snaps.............

 

[smooth rider]

We missed the bye pass of keylong town and entered the small town with narrow roads. but were lucky enough not to get bogged in any traffic jam. just a few kilometers beyond we had to stop for nearly 30 minutes as there was blasting going on the road.

 

[smooth rider]

more snaps...........

 

[AR Ram]

The tent accommodation was looking great.

I feel the mechanics there, are more honest. That reminds me, when I was caught by the cops for sun control film at Shimla, they directed us to a shop for removing the film. But there was no power supply, and the guy over there couldn't use the hot air blower to remove it. So he came with us to another shop that was almost 25 kms away. Almost five hours he spent his time to remove it, and ultimately asked for Rs150/-. I got surprised, and paid him Rs 300/-.

As you are reaching Manali the geographical features of the lands are getting changed.

 

[TwinStar]

@smooth rider - It's taken me 2 hours to read these 22 pages. This is an epic, inspiring, passionate & detailed travelogue. Thank you so much for sharing. I look forward to reading to more posts as you make your journey down south & back home. And do keep those photos coming ...

 

[smooth rider]

Thank you twinstar for your encouraging words. we drove on. we saw nomads with their horses and donkeys slithering down mountain slopes. they were hardy people and were least bothered by the rain and the cold weather. at one place we saw houses on the mountains just below large rocks. suresh wanted to share the sight with his mother who was always concerned about him and especially this trip of ours. she had tried her level best to dissuade him from embarking on this trip. but he is a mad bloke like me or all of us petrol heads with a passion for road trips. more snaps for you mates.........

 

[smooth rider]

more snaps.............

 

[smooth rider]

more snaps........

 

[AR Ram]

Ultimately you were passing through a place of inhabitance and civilization.

Pictures are good, seems more of greenery and not much dusty.

 

[smooth rider]

And then the climb of the rohtang pass began. it was raining and the road was full of slush. the mountains were water logged there were water falls. driving became difficult. but the yokohama geolanders never slipped. while climbing up there was a particular section where there was lot of slush. i noticed a lorry coming down. i gave a long blast on the horn to let him know that i was coming up. the chap didn't slow down and we met right at the curve & then he braked. though his lorry halted the trailer that he was towing didn't and it slipped in the slush and it came sliding towards us & then i noticed some iron rods were jutting out. i twisted the steering to the left and we entered deeper slush. and the iron rods missed my windscreen by a whisker. it was a near miss . i thanked god and drove on. then we saw a tata safari coming down, then he stopped and made a U turn on the narrow road and started back up the road . it was snowing on rohtang top. there was lots of people there and there was lots activity on the snow - skiing, all terrain vehicle rides etc. it was too cold and decided not to spend much time there . kids voiced their protest. the place was crowded with vehicles

 

[smooth rider]

more snaps...............

 

[AppU]

@SR:It is really scary to read about lorry incident. Thank god you guys took a quick decision.

BTW, All the pics are wonderful and detailed. Even I'm always mentioning about the LEH trip to my parents. Hope will do very soon

 

[smooth rider]

There were lots of vehicles at rohtang top. most of the vehicles stated their trip back to manali by that time and there was a mad rush. as a result there was traffic jams. the roads too deteriorated and it was utter chaos. saw 2 policemen controlling the traffic sheltering themselves from the snow and rain by huddling into a small cave like depression on the mountain wall. i was caught behind a tanker lorry for some time and couldn't overtake it.then the guy let me pass. at one place there was a landslide and the BRO workers with a JCB and a bulldozer cleared it with in 15 minutes. there was rocks falling on to the road. i was afraid that we could be caught in one as the mountain was water logged and looked imminent to fall down. Driving down we saw a man swaying and walking right in the middle of the road - the reason was jutting out of his coat pocket there was guys in a maruti wagon r taking a bath in a stream