Message from Colin on sat phone - 25 August 2011.
I was organsied early for a long day. The road was narrower than before, if that's possible, and it was pretty much up hill all the way, steep in places, partly bitumen but mostly rough and rocky, it was a real struggle. I was stopped at every army check point along the way by soldiers with automatic rifles, and, just to make sure, they had missile launchers at the ready. Eventually I made it to the top of Zoji La Pass, the second highest pass on the Srinigar-Leh Highway at 3,528 metres (11,575 feet).
I was greeted at the top by a thunderstorm that took me by surprise, at the same time my back carrier rack broke from its makeshift binding. In the midst of the downpour I had to retrieve my anorak and fix the rack. There was no shelter. The storm overpowered the warmth of the day with freezing winds and driving rain. Zoji La is one of the most perilous passes in the world and after the downpour it was like skidding down a muddy ice rink. My tyres had no grip and navigating a safe line down the narrow track past overhangs and sheer drops with hairpin bends took me over an hour or so. I reached some bitumen and had a safer ride the last 20 or so kilometres into Sonamarg. My first impression was a town that resembled something you'd find in Austria with pine trees and green fields but on entering the town its self I found it was similar to the last two, but without the army decoration. I was advised to cycle a little out of town for a good place to stay. The advice was good, I found a clean and comfortable room, with water (cold of course) for a wash. When I looked in the mirror I scared myself, unshaven, hair awry, covered in grey dirt, red eyes blinking back at me. But I'm happy. Very happy to have the worst behind me with one day left to Srinigar.
I was organsied early for a long day. The road was narrower than before, if that's possible, and it was pretty much up hill all the way, steep in places, partly bitumen but mostly rough and rocky, it was a real struggle. I was stopped at every army check point along the way by soldiers with automatic rifles, and, just to make sure, they had missile launchers at the ready. Eventually I made it to the top of Zoji La Pass, the second highest pass on the Srinigar-Leh Highway at 3,528 metres (11,575 feet).
I was greeted at the top by a thunderstorm that took me by surprise, at the same time my back carrier rack broke from its makeshift binding. In the midst of the downpour I had to retrieve my anorak and fix the rack. There was no shelter. The storm overpowered the warmth of the day with freezing winds and driving rain. Zoji La is one of the most perilous passes in the world and after the downpour it was like skidding down a muddy ice rink. My tyres had no grip and navigating a safe line down the narrow track past overhangs and sheer drops with hairpin bends took me over an hour or so. I reached some bitumen and had a safer ride the last 20 or so kilometres into Sonamarg. My first impression was a town that resembled something you'd find in Austria with pine trees and green fields but on entering the town its self I found it was similar to the last two, but without the army decoration. I was advised to cycle a little out of town for a good place to stay. The advice was good, I found a clean and comfortable room, with water (cold of course) for a wash. When I looked in the mirror I scared myself, unshaven, hair awry, covered in grey dirt, red eyes blinking back at me. But I'm happy. Very happy to have the worst behind me with one day left to Srinigar.
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