SOLO Motorcycle Expedition to Khardungla Pass &
Mersimik La in Leh, J&K during August-Sept
2011.
Approved
by Indian Mountaineering Foundation Ref No.-1801/IMF/Misc./2011. Dated : Fri,
22 July, 2011
:ORGANISED BY:
Mr Sujoy Mondal
(MOI, ALPINE STYLE, V.I. MANALI.LO.IMF. DELHI.)
8,
Bijoynagar Naihati,
24 Parganas(N)
West Bengal.
This
is the First
Solo Successful Motorcycle Expedition to Khardungla
Pass(18380ft.) & Mersimik La(18634ft.)
World’s Highest Pass from West Bengal
as well as India.
Dream
comes true :- I reached khardungla
(18380ft) on 26th Aug.2011 and Marsimik la (18634ft) the worlds
highest motorable pass as per BRO (Border Roads Organization) its 19600ft on 28th Aug.2011. This is the
first solo successful expedition from Westbengal as well as India.
Route: Kolkata - Chandigarh – Manali –
Leh – Khardung La – Leh – Marsimik La – leh - Srinagar – Jammu – kolkata.
Marsimek-La is on the northern-most tip of the
Changthang Plateau. Take the road from Leh towards manali high way up to karu
then 105km. Pangong-Tso via the Chang-La pass. Just meters before Lukung or
Pangong-Tso, a good track breaks with a welcome gate of Model village Phobrang
to the left. This track will take you to Marsimek-La. The pass is still 32 kms
away from this turn.
From
here ten kms you will reach Phobrang.
There is an ITBP Post at Phobrang. The Phobrang ITBP camp is the place where
you have to show your permission and all relevant papers. I had special
permission to stay at BRO out post at Phobrang, this out post also 1km up to
wards Marsimik la 51 RCC. Marsimek-La is now lies 22 kms ahead. The track
climbs up from Phobrang instantly.The first 18 kms is a dirt track crossing
several sandy humps. No valley on either side of the track - it's just riding
in middle of a mountain. It is all sand and gravel and the track is inclined to
your left. Frequently few kms roads
cutting and chipping by BRO 51 RCC. the road relatively straight, barring few
loops and hairpin bends.
The
last 2-2.5 kms before the pass is not a fair battle between bike and mountain.
From here to top of the pass you take the bike, I mean push it, rather than
ride it to the top. It's more of physical strength and also the mental
toughness. And the most important the
adamant attitude to reach the top. no matter what. Or how you reach the top
this is your last hardel to Marsimik la. here many abandoned ITBP huts. Another
set of hairpin bends, few inclines and me used to welcomed by a sight of prayer
flags, welcoming to Marsimek-La. To reach the pass cannot be described in
words, but on sight of the milestone, all the fatigue goes away and the tears come
out with joy. Am there at 1oclock. There is also a small temple which has a
picture of Lord Shiva and a stone written by BRO, and lot of prayer flags
denoting pass.
12th august : In presence of Mr. Shamal Sharkar
I was flagged off by Mr.Ujjal Biswas the youth service minister from writers
building.
15th august : I had started
for chandigarh
by kalkamail. Few members of Angan Chariya Thirtho da, Anupam da, Gora da,
santanu roychoudhoury and my family members came to see off me at howrah station.
17th august : I along with
my bike reached chandigarh
at sharp 3.30 clock in the morning. I got my bike from rail authority in broken
condition of clatch liver and yok, I have to wait till local garage opened in
the morning. I repair all these locally from chandigarh. At 10.30am finally I started for
manali, 310 km from chandigarh.
After passes 120 km the tyre of the became puncher. Here I lost 1hr. to repair
and finally, at 9.30pm I reached hotel neelkamal at manali.
18th august : Today I had to
service my bike & to meet local police authority for intimation about my
expedition.
In
the morning I was informed by mr janak thakur, owner of this hotel as well as
my friend also that rotang pass was closed due to heavy rain and landslide and
it would take 2 or 3 days to open the route; due to heavy rainfall the BRO
could not able to work and it might take more time to open the route.
Although
I reached a local technician and told him that I would go to leh with this bike
& requested him to service it well, he listened carefully but not answered
me he was busy with another bike; after a few minutes he told me that at first
he would check the condition of the bike then service it and I agreed.
Another
15 in minute my heart trembling with anxiety, what will be result? Due to lack
of oxygen in high altitude the bike was also not working properly. My bike is
tuned to move on plane land , now it to tune itself for high altitude because I
had to cross all the passes Rotang pass(13050ft) Baralacha la (16654ft), Namik
la(15500ft), Lachung la(16700ft) and Tanglang la(17752ft) 2nd
highest pass in the world in this manali lah high way with in 475 km.
There
was no petrol pamp in between Tandi to leh with in 372 km. so I have to carry
all the spear parts with me regarding my bike.
19th august : Rotang pass
was closed so I went to my ex working place at manali mountaineering Institute
where I spend the few years as mountaineering Instructor. Then I went to
jagatsukh my friends house and then to hotel.
Due
to this situation the Ichapur riffle factory mountaineering team and all other
sikher were also bound to stay manali. I spend lot of time with all these team,
they also help me lot in this days.
20th august : when I came
back from hidimba temple, I heard in the afternoon that the rotang pass had
opened, few small vehicle already passed by. So I decided to start for leh in
the next morning.
21st august : As per plane I
set alarm at 4oclock in the morning and I started at 5.30 morning. It’s a good
road up to marri upward height gaining. Before raula falls I noticed that
different sound of gear box increased and I felt excessive heat on right foot,
I stoped and checked the engine, aha the engine oil glass window became loose
and engine oil drained, so I had to untie my kit bags and repair it with
M-seal, wait for dry and then pure another engine oil and start again. I
reached marri at 8o clock and took my breakfast here with 2 alo-parotha and
tea. High altitude started now with the high price of alo-parotha Rs. 25 each.
Tea Rs 10. now the heardle started with knee deep sticky muddy way. Vary
carefully I had to pass nearly 10 – 12 km. when I reached the top of rotang
pass the sun also inclined to wards west. At gramphu I had my launch with rice,
dal and sabje of rs 80 per plate at 1.30 pm. I just crossed 63 km with in 7
hrs. next I had at Tandi at 4 0 clock. This was the last petrol pump on this
manali leh high way so I take another engine oil + full tank of petrol +
another 4 liter in extra stock for next 372 km up to leh.grampho to tandi 43 km
road is good with the bank of Chandra river with nice landscape. Near about
4.45 PM crossed keylong (3150m) 113 km from manali. Sun light became redish but
clear. So I thought to proceed as far as I could. But within another 10 km my
bike was unable to go jispa. So I asked
an strong old man for night stay. He observed my poor condition with troubled
bike and suddenly the sun light became dimmer. I started to follow that old man
and climbed up to 600ft. above road head garage to his castle. Up to 9.30 pm I spend
with that Buddhist retired ITBP couple and took dinner with veg. momo.
22nd august : having a cup
of tea, I prepared myself for today and rushed out with another cup of tea. I
repaired my bike and finally started at 10.30 am. Today I have to reach pang
(4450 m.) 301 km from manali and also cross barlacha la (16040ft), lachung la
(16600ft), naki la pass ( 4950m) but I was start to late today. At 4.30 pm I
reached sarchu safely in tentage
accommodation place. The weather became cloudy and dul from here pang is 75 km,
and there is two another pass I have to cross, namikla and lachung la both were
above 16000ft.so I decided to stay here for night. After one hr. I enjoyed
snowfall at sarchu valley for another 1 and ½ hr. it was to cold in sarchu so I
put off light with in 9 0 clock. Double bed tent attached toilet with fooding
and break fast Rs. 500/ per bed.
23rd august : its too cold morning, so I had my breakfast here
then start at 7.30 morning.its quite deficult to drive in so cold morning, but
I have to go, other wise I could not able to reach leh today 245 km. any way
one by one I cross the namikla and lachung la, and reached pang 11 morning, in
namik la me introduced one Bengali girl Bpriti and his father from ballygange
and their group they were vary kind hearted person and also appreciate me lot.
Here I have my launch start again and at 3 0 clock am on tanglang la (17582 ft)
the world’s second highest pass. in between road was not so good, scree and
unmetaled. Once me also skeet down on scree on pang more plane and lost ½ an
hr. to tret my knee, to became working condition. at 5.30 afternoon I reached upshi 50 % unmateled
and metaled down ward scree. From here leh is 49 km, so I have a cup of tea and
finally I reached leh at around 8.30 night and took rest in sidherth lodge
Rs.600/ room attached toilet and clean.
24th august : that day was
rest day for making permission from D.C (DISTRICT COMMISONER ) Leh and
servicing my bike. So I reached D.C office at 10.30 morning and after
submitting my papers I got permission for 8- 9 days to made my expedition
succesfull. Now my bike became well to reached khardung la (18380ft) highest
memorable pass in the world. So I planed for next day for khardung la. As per
my plane I just load the only tool kit and spear parts of bike for khardun la.
25th august : I started
early 6.30 morning for khardung la (18380ft). its 39 km from leh and appx,
height gain 5000 – 5500 ft. in few place’s bike ran only in 1st or 2nd
gear, so I have to took rest lot. Finally I reached khardung la top at
11oclock. Spend there 2 hrs. took snaps and then came back leh with in 3.30pm.
Roads were good up to south pully, then its unmateled, another 15 km up to top,
lot of sliding zone here. Although the road over all good for tourist.
26th august : Today I have
arrange my accommodation for phobrang village there is no hotel or other
accommodation then ITBP, BRO, or ARMY camp. So tried to 24 ITBP head quarter
for permission to stay there in phobrang. They told me sorry . Then I went to
10km to wards Airforce station leh 16BRO HEAD QUQRTERS there I met with CO
Sunil verma 16 BRTF. After know about my
program with a cup of tea, mr. verma ordered to his PA, to arrange my
accommodation as his guest in phobrang 51RCC out post. If I not getting permission
to stay in BRO out post then it’s became to tough for me to achieve my goal.
27th august : I started at
50 clock in the morning for phobrang. It’s 170 km from leh. After driving 36 km
I reached karo in manali leh high way. Heaving
breakfast I took left for lukung. On the way I crossed changla pass
(5320m) the 3rd highest pass of the world. Durbuk then thangtse and finally I reached lukung on
the bank of pangong Tso 143 km long 30 m deep saline water lake. It does not
freeze even in winter. Before hiting lukung in the left I saw the welcome gate of model village phobrang. So I
had to go that way. I can not deny the blue colored lake pangong
. I spend there 1 hr. and took light food. Then started for phobrang it was 10
km from its welcome gate. Any way, I started off my bike at BRO 51RCC camp at 5
0 clock. The officer incharge welcomed me with a cup of tea as they were
already informed by Headquarter 16BRTF. I got lots of help full information
about Marsimik la and its way, from them as they were the builders of that
road. It would be complete in the year 2013. now just road cutting is going on.
So the road is soft and sandy. So they told me to alone there vary carefully
and they also said that for the last 2-2.5km there is no road at all up to the
pass. And its nothing but wrestling with
the bike and the mountain in this thin oxygenated weather. Any way I just stood
in front of my dream. Quite exited. I concentrated my body and mind in one
thread, for the next day’s battle.
28th august : I woke up
early in the morning. But the weather was not suitable to go up. It’s cloudy
and on the pass its snowing as per the officer’s opinion. They told me to wait
for sun light to come out and thanks god it became sunny within 8.30 am. And I
finally started for my dream after heaving breakfast at 9o’clock with minimum
equipments and spear parts of bike
repairing. After going up I felt that the bike was not able to take pick up. I
removed the air filter and open the air line of carburetor, after a struggle of
5 hrs, I at last reached my dream top, Marsimik la ( 19600ft as per BRO and 18634ft as per limca book of
world record). And it was one of my greatest achievement in my life. With this
100cc. 4S champion, I finally touched
another top of the world, Marsimik la (18634ft). There I spend 1 & ½
hrs, took some snaps and came back to phobrang BRO tent at about 3pm.
29th august : I started at 9
am and reached leh at 4pm. On my way to changla pass I faced with snowfall and
at last reached leh safely. I took rest for a few hrs and then finally packed
up for Jammu ,
via Kargil, Dresh, Srinager, Jozila pass.
30th august : Early at 6o
clock I started for Krgil (2700m.) 221km from leh. After 4 hrs drive, the road
started climbing up to Fotula top (4102m). on the way I passed out the
wonderful landscape of moonland and the
panoramic view of lamayaru (3500m). In
the evening at 6 pm I reached Karhgil which is a very nice place
surrounded by mountains the picture que city where I stayed for the night in
hotel.
31st august : I started at 7
o clock in the morning for srinager(210km from kargil ) after heaving a cup of
tea. At 9o clock I hit the world’s second coldest place, Drash (3100m). there I
had my breakfast, today was ID so all people were in festive mood with new
dreasses. I spend here 1 hr. then again I started and vary carefully crossed
jozila pass (3542m). roads were vary bad full of scree & unmateled. Anyway
at 3oclock I hit sonamarg (2650m). from there srinagar is 86km and good road ahead. So I
had my lunch and started again but before 15km from srinagar at 90ft road my bike became puncher,
when I tried and spend 2hrs but could not be able to resume it in working
condition an Angle (local girl) came with her father and forcefully picked up
all my bag and baggages to stay at their home. You could not imagine about
their hospitality if you were not there. Any way I spend that night there with
this muslim family with their traditional food and sleapt well in their well
furnished room that was just like a dream room of 5star category.
01st September : after having
breakfast and repair my bike I started for srinager and reached within 1hr.
near Dal gate, accommodated in hotel and spend few hrs at dal lake. Before one
day of ID- and 3 days all markets were closed in Kashmir vally.
2nd September : today I stared
for jammu at 5oclock morning and reached jammu at 4oclock evening.
Well road, then I booked my bike in jammu
railway station for kolkata.
Signature
Sujoy Mondal (MOI,
ALPINE STYLE, V.I. MANALI.LO.IMF)
(9477150743)
8, Bijoynagar Naihati,
24 Parganas(N)
West Bengal.
