Feb. 22 - Dasu, Pakistan
Wednesday, February 22 :: Dasu, Pakistan :: 76km today / 5039km total
I saw my first road accident in Pakistan yesterday, and I laughed out loud as I rolled by it. Two cars had minor dents from a love tap with each other - no broken bodies, no destroyed vehicles. Compared to India and Nepal it was nothing, even though the drivers were quite agitated with each other! As I write this, after cycling 550km on the harrowing KKH, I have not seen any other accidents. The drivers are excellent and, above all, sane!
Today's ride was brutal. It was only 76km in total, but it was ALL up or down over a very rough, broken surface. There were no flats. Thats 40-45km of climbing (since overall I'm going uphill, up the Indus River, there was more climbing than descending). The road climbed high on the valley wall, then plunged down towards the river, then back up again, relentlessly and continuously. Often the road was just a notch in a near-vertical rock wall - but it was quiet, and I mostly had it to myself. For about 15km I played leapfrog with a particular truck; I would fly past it on the downhills, it would slowly reel me in on the uphills. Both of us were having a great time with the game, waving to each other as we passed/were passed. Eventually I needed sustinence, and the game was over.
Not only was the ride hilly, the road was broken by many rockfalls/landslides. These are often not fully cleared, leaving a muddy track for vehicles to wade their way through. Also frequent are stream crossings; streams cascading down the mountain valleys often run over the road, sometimes several inches deep... if I'm not careful I end up with wet feet while slowly coasting over them.
An interesting side note is that I left the Subcontinent today. The Indian landmass is often called the Subcontinent for a number of reasons, one of which is geological; India/Pakistan were once on a continent adrift in the Indian Ocean, a landmass that slammed into Asia, and merged into it. The result of the collision (which is still ongoing) is the Himalaya/Karakoram mountains, the highest in the world. They are getting higher every year, and it is no coincidence that last year's devastating earthquake happened nearby. Living in this region is analagous to living on the San Andreas Fault. Today I rode over the contact point, and now ride on the original Asian landmass. Kinda cool.
It was tough, but here on the KKH the scenery is so incredible that any pain, cold, or soreness is almost forgotten in the drama unfolding around you. It is nearly pointless to take pictures, since even IMAX could not capture the scene. Sort of like the Grand Canyon - you cannot capture the essence of it on film or in words, and any of you who've been there know what I mean. You have to be there.
I rolled into Dasu very tired after 3 straight days of monstrous hills. Food in town was dicey, but I did my best.
I saw my first road accident in Pakistan yesterday, and I laughed out loud as I rolled by it. Two cars had minor dents from a love tap with each other - no broken bodies, no destroyed vehicles. Compared to India and Nepal it was nothing, even though the drivers were quite agitated with each other! As I write this, after cycling 550km on the harrowing KKH, I have not seen any other accidents. The drivers are excellent and, above all, sane!
Today's ride was brutal. It was only 76km in total, but it was ALL up or down over a very rough, broken surface. There were no flats. Thats 40-45km of climbing (since overall I'm going uphill, up the Indus River, there was more climbing than descending). The road climbed high on the valley wall, then plunged down towards the river, then back up again, relentlessly and continuously. Often the road was just a notch in a near-vertical rock wall - but it was quiet, and I mostly had it to myself. For about 15km I played leapfrog with a particular truck; I would fly past it on the downhills, it would slowly reel me in on the uphills. Both of us were having a great time with the game, waving to each other as we passed/were passed. Eventually I needed sustinence, and the game was over.
Not only was the ride hilly, the road was broken by many rockfalls/landslides. These are often not fully cleared, leaving a muddy track for vehicles to wade their way through. Also frequent are stream crossings; streams cascading down the mountain valleys often run over the road, sometimes several inches deep... if I'm not careful I end up with wet feet while slowly coasting over them.
An interesting side note is that I left the Subcontinent today. The Indian landmass is often called the Subcontinent for a number of reasons, one of which is geological; India/Pakistan were once on a continent adrift in the Indian Ocean, a landmass that slammed into Asia, and merged into it. The result of the collision (which is still ongoing) is the Himalaya/Karakoram mountains, the highest in the world. They are getting higher every year, and it is no coincidence that last year's devastating earthquake happened nearby. Living in this region is analagous to living on the San Andreas Fault. Today I rode over the contact point, and now ride on the original Asian landmass. Kinda cool.
It was tough, but here on the KKH the scenery is so incredible that any pain, cold, or soreness is almost forgotten in the drama unfolding around you. It is nearly pointless to take pictures, since even IMAX could not capture the scene. Sort of like the Grand Canyon - you cannot capture the essence of it on film or in words, and any of you who've been there know what I mean. You have to be there.
I rolled into Dasu very tired after 3 straight days of monstrous hills. Food in town was dicey, but I did my best.
posted by Graham Durrant at 4:34 AM
2 Comments:
Enjoyed a lot! Babes backcountry Best+cobra+radar+detectors Silicone eye surgery Bcf insurance commercial insurance route 1 new jersey http://www.eyewear-5.info/hondapreludepart.html Land rover engine nj Motorola stereo walkie talkie headset with earbuds honda crv 2002 hair removal denver colorado used honda passport eb games San mateo family dentist Face lift facelfit tummy tucks Breast implant pics salisbury Cheap nice wedding invitations Used honda fourwheeler. honda cbr1000f options for 1990 http://www.buy-a-used-minivan-denver.info
mont blanc pens, vans outlet, marc jacobs outlet, chi flat iron, valentino shoes, mac cosmetics, giuseppe zanotti, canada goose outlet, ugg outlet, insanity workout, north face outlet, asics shoes, jimmy choo shoes, canada goose outlet, north face jackets, ferragamo shoes, herve leger, reebok shoes, bottega veneta, abercrombie and fitch, celine handbags, canada goose, beats headphones, ugg boots, ugg soldes, soccer shoes, nfl jerseys, canada goose outlet, mcm handbags, p90x workout, soccer jerseys, roshe run, new balance outlet, rolex watches, instyler ionic styler, uggs on sale, babyliss pro, uggs outlet, longchamp, lululemon outlet, uggs outlet, wedding dresses, hollister, birkin bag, ghd, ugg, ugg outlet
Post a Comment
<< Home