Freezer fingers. Not mine Sophs. Three doonas seems such a shame to leave behind. Still we manage to breach the barrier and move out into the cold cold world.
Yesterday we swapped the pannier rack from Soph's bike to mine. So bob and Soph are going to get better acquainted. It is always a challenge doing the bike / bag relocation exchange from our room to the street where we can cycle out. Depends upon where we have been able to secure the bikes the night before.
The start is fine but freezing. It is one thing sitting in the sun but another once you start moving on the leeward side of a dam big hill. Sunnies go on not because of the glare but the cold. Soph pulls over a little down the road with tears coming out and muttering about lack of beanie. She puts her glasses on, a prize from this years North Face 100, thanks Anna.
The ride takes us down on a great section of road. A couple of sections of road work, but in comparison to what we have seen it is great. Pines and switchbacks.
Coming down on one I feel the back wheel slide a little, feels a bit squishy. Bugger me my third flat all on the back tire. Roll through a little town and pull over above some terraced fields. Flip the bike and inspect the tire, nothing. On the inside it appears I have a pinch flat, but it has come from the impression from the extra puncture guard I put in the tyre. It is folded in one section and this looks like on a tight turn it has rolled and caught the tube causing a millimeter hole.
Soph catches up with the local kids who come down to inspect. They don't seem to follow the why aren't you in school question. None of them are in school uniforms. One seems a lot more knowledgable then the others in English anyway. One helps me who also shows an aversion to photographs but is coincidentally quite photogenic. Fix the tube with a quick patch and reinflate, all looking good. Ride on.
After climbing over a small rise we roll down into the outskirts of Baijinath. Just before a bridge we pull over to confirm direction and end up in the dhaba to the side eating samosas for breakfast. I order two chais and four samosas and than go and inspect a local 10/12th century temple. It is part of the Baijinath group of temples, that look very similar to the temples at Angkor Wat in Cambodia. The main temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and contains a beautiful statue of Parathi (? To check). It lost it's original roof some time in the past but the surrounding temples and statues are aged and weathered but otherwise in good shape. Inside one it has a sunflower type motif fashioned into the stone on the ceiling. When I get back to the dhaba Soph has finished off all the samosas and both teas. Cold appears to makes her hungry.
Back on the bikes we move through the main section of Baijinath before on the far side having climbed for ten minutes pull over to strip off all the excess layers from this morning. Thermal bottoms, gloves, jackets etc as the rest of the day will be climbing. We also take the opportunity for a pit stop. On inspection of my rim I notice that I now also have a snapped spoke and again on the rear cog side, I had heard a pop earlier before climbing out of Baijinath. Bugger, now will really need to sort out a solution.
Continue to climb back up into the hills and into the firs. The road is fantastic, well tarred and at comfortable inclines efficient to climb at a steady pace of around 11km an hr. It feels really good to be climbing and the switch is working ok for both of us. Every now and again when puffed the road will turn giving a fantastic view across the himalaya which brings spirit back into the tiring legs. We pass donkeys being loaded up and tea plantations before finally rolling into town a couple of hours before expectation, even with the tyre down time.
Kausani is an indian tourist town, and there are stacks of hotel options. We grab a chai before having a look at the Hotel Uttrakhand. Post initial bargaining we get the price to 50% prior to going to inspect a few more hotels which assists with lowering the price a further 200rup. Still more expensive than our last couple of nights but it is also arguably the best room with a view that we have had since Kasauli and Birds View.
We go and inspect town, very small market but locate some Veg Noodle. Back past some guys playing a board game similar to pool but on a square table and flicking round disks at other round disks. Up the hill to an Internet cafe prior to one of the best chai in ages.
Hot showers than down to the Garden restaurant located across the road from the hotel which is located in a thatched hut, nice but very chilly so beanies on. The waiter (Aris Singh) has a balaclava, making me feel less weird. He helps me with my Hindi whilst we wait for the dishes. A Kofta, Jeera Aloo, chicken Tikka and Naan. Italian espresso. Followed by Kheer (rice pudding) 595rup later and very full we cross the road and retire to a night of cable. The room is warm when we reenter, yes...
View Gwaldam and Kasauni photo gallery:
Yesterday we swapped the pannier rack from Soph's bike to mine. So bob and Soph are going to get better acquainted. It is always a challenge doing the bike / bag relocation exchange from our room to the street where we can cycle out. Depends upon where we have been able to secure the bikes the night before.
The start is fine but freezing. It is one thing sitting in the sun but another once you start moving on the leeward side of a dam big hill. Sunnies go on not because of the glare but the cold. Soph pulls over a little down the road with tears coming out and muttering about lack of beanie. She puts her glasses on, a prize from this years North Face 100, thanks Anna.
The ride takes us down on a great section of road. A couple of sections of road work, but in comparison to what we have seen it is great. Pines and switchbacks.
Coming down on one I feel the back wheel slide a little, feels a bit squishy. Bugger me my third flat all on the back tire. Roll through a little town and pull over above some terraced fields. Flip the bike and inspect the tire, nothing. On the inside it appears I have a pinch flat, but it has come from the impression from the extra puncture guard I put in the tyre. It is folded in one section and this looks like on a tight turn it has rolled and caught the tube causing a millimeter hole.
Soph catches up with the local kids who come down to inspect. They don't seem to follow the why aren't you in school question. None of them are in school uniforms. One seems a lot more knowledgable then the others in English anyway. One helps me who also shows an aversion to photographs but is coincidentally quite photogenic. Fix the tube with a quick patch and reinflate, all looking good. Ride on.
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| From India, Gwaldam to Kasauni. December 2010 |
 |
| From India, Gwaldam to Kasauni. December 2010 |
 |
| From India, Gwaldam to Kasauni. December 2010 |
Back on the bikes we move through the main section of Baijinath before on the far side having climbed for ten minutes pull over to strip off all the excess layers from this morning. Thermal bottoms, gloves, jackets etc as the rest of the day will be climbing. We also take the opportunity for a pit stop. On inspection of my rim I notice that I now also have a snapped spoke and again on the rear cog side, I had heard a pop earlier before climbing out of Baijinath. Bugger, now will really need to sort out a solution.
Continue to climb back up into the hills and into the firs. The road is fantastic, well tarred and at comfortable inclines efficient to climb at a steady pace of around 11km an hr. It feels really good to be climbing and the switch is working ok for both of us. Every now and again when puffed the road will turn giving a fantastic view across the himalaya which brings spirit back into the tiring legs. We pass donkeys being loaded up and tea plantations before finally rolling into town a couple of hours before expectation, even with the tyre down time.
 |
| From India, Gwaldam to Kasauni. December 2010 |
Kausani is an indian tourist town, and there are stacks of hotel options. We grab a chai before having a look at the Hotel Uttrakhand. Post initial bargaining we get the price to 50% prior to going to inspect a few more hotels which assists with lowering the price a further 200rup. Still more expensive than our last couple of nights but it is also arguably the best room with a view that we have had since Kasauli and Birds View.
 |
| From India, Gwaldam to Kasauni. December 2010 |
We go and inspect town, very small market but locate some Veg Noodle. Back past some guys playing a board game similar to pool but on a square table and flicking round disks at other round disks. Up the hill to an Internet cafe prior to one of the best chai in ages.
Hot showers than down to the Garden restaurant located across the road from the hotel which is located in a thatched hut, nice but very chilly so beanies on. The waiter (Aris Singh) has a balaclava, making me feel less weird. He helps me with my Hindi whilst we wait for the dishes. A Kofta, Jeera Aloo, chicken Tikka and Naan. Italian espresso. Followed by Kheer (rice pudding) 595rup later and very full we cross the road and retire to a night of cable. The room is warm when we reenter, yes...
View Gwaldam and Kasauni photo gallery:
 |
| India, Gwaldam to Kasauni. December 2010 |