Leh , Day 4 – Mountain Bike trip to Khardung La

Time to get some attitude was the call and I still wasn’t going to run , I just wanted to take my time and get the body ready slowly, So we choose Mountain bikes, The boys had sorted us a company out that would give  us the bikes and a ride up the hill and follow us down in case anything happened.
  
 
The boys out testing the bikes before we left. Poor old mike was keen for a down hill bike but had to go on these old bombs for today.
  
 
All in and bikes on we headed on out on the 1.5 hr drive to the top  about 35 mms from town up to Khardung La which is at 5300m I think it was.
  
 
Half way up at South Pullu there is a police check, we are right on the borders of Pakistan and China and there’s not a lot of love between them here . Passports and special permits are needed even just for the day trip. easy to get so no worries.
  
 
Once the top which is said to be the highest passable road in the world the views war amazing. The one thing was that we would be running over this mountain in the run, it is the forst of 2 climbs we will do so I was checking it out big time and well at the same time just trying to breath normally, hard thing is when you try to eat something, damn hard at 5000m.
  
  
 
This view behind Tim is of where we will start the race. 42 kms down that valley, oh exciting just looking at it.
  
 
Then it was bike time, helmets on and we were off. the first 15 kms down was all gravel and not the smoothest road but so much fun. Me and mike were loving it.
  
  
 
  
 
You cant just ride all the way down without stopping to check the views out, So amazing . Just check out the Zig Zags , Im sure that the word zigzag must have been invented here. They are huge and long. The second half or last 25kms was all sealed so fast and of course it became a little race.
  
 
Once back in town after our great ride it was straight in for a beer and pizza. So much fun today.