Ride Across Bhutan.
Nov. 12-26, 2000. Bhutan.
Story Continued

We started the day with a visit to the Gangtey Dzong where the monks were preparing for a special festival that was to take place the next day. We than began our ride with a short decent and a climb to the summit of the Pele La at 10,850 feet, our second big pass. We began an undulating decent that dropped about 5050 feet and ended the day with an 1100 foot climb to the village of Tongsa. All in all we had ridden another 38 miles with 4800 feet of climbing and over 7000 feet of decents. Our hotel had hot water so we all enjoyed a long shower and were able to wash out some clothes.

We were climbing immediately the next morning and it was over 4000 feet to the summit of the Yutong La at 11,200 feet. We decended to 8650 feet before beginning a climb to the Kiki La and then a long decent to the town of Jakar. We ended the day climbing 5400 feet and decending just over 4000 feet in about 54 miles. That evening we went to the Jakar Dzong and took part in the buddhist ceremony that was taking place at the dzong which was built in 1445. It was amazing to see the hundreds of oil lamps that were burning for the occasion.

Our day started with a beautiful ride down the valley for a few miles before beginning another great climb of 3400 feet to the summit of the forth pass, the Ura La, followed by a great decent and another big climb to our first camp at 11,300 feet. We ended the day after climbing 5,800 feet and decending just over 3000 feet in 52 miles. Our high camp was quite cool so we layered the clothes to stay comfortable. Had time for a two hour hike to the top of the nearby mountain before dinner and we turned in early as we had a big ride awaiting us the next morning.

We awoke to an inch of fresh snow covering our bikes and hot tea served in our tents at 6 AM. We had a very hardy breakfast and rode out of camp at 7 AM to climb the last 15 miles to the summit of the Thumsing La at 12,465 feet, the high pass of the trip. The snow kept things cool all morning and we did not spend to long at the summit before beginning an 11,150 foot decent that took 51 miles to accomplish. It was truly amazing, undescribable fun. The day ended with an almost 5,000 foot climb to the village of Mongar. We arrived there at 5:10 PM after riding 82 miles, climbing 7200 feet and decending 11,150 feet. Several of the group came in after dark and all but two were able to do the whole ride which made us one of the strongest groups that had done this ride with KE Adventure Travel.

After a great breakfast it was up the mountain again for 3000 feet to the summit of the Kori La at 8100 feet followed by a 6000 foot decent to the Gamri River valley. We then had 20 miles of undulating climbs and decents along the river valley before crossing the Schazam Bridge and climbing 2,000 feet in five miles to the town of Tashigang. It was another great day covering about 54 miles and climbing 6200 feet while decending over 7500 feet. Tashigang was an enchanting little town with a great bakery and some great little shops. Had a shave from a lady barber for 60 cents US. We had now reached the most easterly point of the ride and from here we headed south for 120 miles to the border with Assan.

The day began with another 5000 foot climb that took us past the university at Kanglung where our Bhutanese guide had studied. We stopped for a short visit and then continued to the top of the pass and a late lunch. We then decended to the village of Khaling where there is a famous weaving center that is sponsored by the government. It was quite interesting and we ended up buying some beautiful weavings before riding on to camp. We arrived in total darkness after spending to much time at the weaving center. Another day of almost 6000 feet of climbing and more great decents. Our guide, Carl brewed up his famous "grog" and we had a great campfire.

This was a day of undulating climbs and decents that added up by the end of the day. We did not have the long climbs that we had gotten use to but we did end up climbing almost 5000 feet by the end of the day with some great decents thrown in. We arrived at our last camp on top of a beautiful ridge by 4 PM and relaxed with a few beers in this most beautiful setting. We covered almost 50 miles and were within 30 miles of the border.

This was our last day cycling so there was sadness that it was ending but a great sence of accomplishment that I had ridden every mile and felt ready for more. We started the day with a couple of short climbs and decents and then began another 5000 plus foot decent to the town of Samdrup Jongkhar and the Indian border. We arrived at a small hotel and immediately began to pack our bikes back into the cardboard boxes that we had transported them to Bhutan in. After a shower and lunch, we boarded a bus for the four hour ride to Gauhati, Assan, where we spent the night and flew on to Delhi, India the next morning.

On the ride I used my Camelback Peak Bagger to carry all my gear, extra clothing and 100 ozs. of water daily. I also used my Lowe's Alpine Adrenaline jacket daily when we were in the high passes. I used my NiteRider Digital Explorer in camp at night and one evening when we cycled to camp at dark. I took a supply of JogMate and Phil's Bars that we consummed on the road.

Be sure to check out our ongoing feature - The Racer's Story.
This segment teammate, Slate Stern, trains for North Pole adventure