Lunden -> Gokyo

Out the door and we climb across a paddock to start the ascent - it’s up immediate on a ridge - zig zagging up - ahead Estonian, Spanish and our two German friends and guide.
We follow him to pass the Estonia group and climb up one shelf to another - step up and the a lake. As we get higher the small lakes refrozen. We left the tea house with a light dusting of snow which deepened as we got higher.

Near the top it was a little problematic as it had compacted and required careful attention and the top had some exposure.

Bu now the packs and the height are having an effect on me - and the breathing can quickly run out of control - not so for miss Brandi - she moved ahead - she was awesome. For me the pass comes not to soon and I was happy to put the pack down. But going down is different - breathing is easy - steep at start, flatter nd while following cairns we head to the head of a steep icefall which we negotiated carefully - the last descent is down steep scree / gravel - it’s slow going but we get down easy - and then along high above the lakes home Gokyo - but which lodge. We wander to find a Visa friendly lodge and we do.

It’s the Gokyo Resort - flash name. Important for us the Visa works.

Thame to Lunden

A stroll up the valley accompanied by dog - eventually called Thame.
When we left the compound dog jumped over the fence and became our constant companion - running ahead, stopping, looking for us, chasing the occasional yak.

The map does not really show the trail correctly but we follow our nose up the valley - apparently on the wrong side. We had crossed to the true left and wind up nd around a bluff cut into with well placed steps. the next open meadow we cross back - urged by a Nepalese lodge owner returning with supplies.
We walk with him and two Sherpani who would appear to be going for a vista or returning home a fee a visit.
Eventually of course pleasant strolling turns uphill and we ascent to Lunden - our home for the night - but which lodge? We wander thru a cluster of tea houses eventually deciding on a small one - run by a Sherpani with a little kid (2 yrs old)

We are only 7 folks - a nice small group. Two German speakers , boy and girl, with guide (an instructor of guides),  us and late two tired girls arrive after crossing the snowy pass - a 10hr crossing.

Our ‘guide’ tells stories : wolves and yeti’s
Yeti’s used to live in the hills and eat yaks occasionally. the local sherpa’s got sick of this and knowing the yeti’s watched there every move from up high and then come into the village in the night and recreate what they saw during the day.
The sherpa’s set up a ruse - played at a festival - getting drunk (pretending) - fighting with knives (in this case wooden) - knowing the yeti’s were watching

The yeti’s came downed repeated the ‘festival’ - except with strong chang (beer) and got rolling drunk and fighting with super sharp knives.  The result  - the drunken yaks killed each other and those still alive are killed in the morning by the villagers.  Except one - a pregnant female who had stayed in the hills. she migrated to the Gokyo Lakes area. she mated with one of her sons and they killed three yaks and attacked a women in 1974 in the area of Machhermo in the Dudh Koshi River Valley downstream from the Gokyo Lakes

She bore no more children and eventually there three remaining yet’s died and nothing remains except the ‘legend of the Yeti’

Wolves
10 years ago wolves appeared in the Thame Valley - they came over the Khumba la Pass from Tibet. They are of course protected like all native animals in Nepal and this is a problem for the Shepa’s and the Yaks  (but we didn’t hear any in the night)

Thame - Thame

Thame - Thame
Back up to the monastery on the way to the high meadows or somewhere. But at the monastery (Goma) the monks are in prayer so we tiptoe to the door only to be asked in good English - please come in.   We are still respectful of the monks and stand in the background as they are led in prayer - by amplified voice. At the top of the raised platform on the right side sits the young lama incarnate. 
It’s cold in the prayer room and I only have on the merino and and shirt. The monks in prayer sit cocooned in a well insulated wrap.  A young monk (30-40yrs old) moves in and out with hot tea for the ‘monks in prayer’ and then offers us a mat to sit on.
Prayers flow one to another and two monks prepare horns.  The next phase sees horns, symbols, bells and a large drum used but now I’m cold and motion to Brandi that I have to go out into the sun to warm up, and to take a pee.

Our hostess has said go horizontal from the Goma and take the split upwards  - mmmm.   We find a cattle track that divides and go up and follow this. I have seen from below a promontory / prow that would be a good vantage point, but the track leads us below it and this we follow.

One pack only - we are light on clothing - for me shorts, merino, orange Macpac and wind/rain jacket. Brandi much the same

We pass a couple yaks being watched over by an old Sherpani.  In the distance the valley flattens out and some paddocks can be seen - low stone walls form perhaps a dozen paddocks and we discover two stone houses - one with the fresh smell of woodsmoke.

Where to have lunch? - well it’s a bar and drink at least (lunch will come later on  return to the lodge)  We move on with a cold wind at our back seeking shelter - ahead a bunch of large rocks - got to be a spot there somewhere and yes we do find a spot.

All clothes on. Just a couple hundred meters ahead more paddocks and 10 or so summer ‘cottages’ for the year herders - unoccupied at this time.
This summer feeding ground is surrounded by peaks over 6,000meters (19,600ft) but today they are obscured by clouds and lightly falling snow.

Our visit is short and we turn back into the wind.  “Lets descend to the river for a alternative way home - there is bound to be a yak trek or two”. Indeed there is but soon we are pinched out by the rivers as it tightens against a bluff -  a simple hop, skip and jump and we are across - knowing that we will need to re-cross somewhere.

It’s easy riverbed going but eventually we are forced out of the river and up, and then we climb back down again (steeply) for the last kms to home.

It’s been a bird day - 3 big birds on the wing soaring around us riding the wind -  vultures - sorry no meal here.
Large colourful pheasants are spooked from their feeding grounds and fly / soar really to escape. No riding the wind for these ground dwellers. Probably spook a dozen or so during he day.

Back at the Valley View Lodge we spend a pleasant hour playing with Chanidka Rai - a 7 yr old Nepalise girl in the household - skipping rope and drawing.

Namche to Thame Nepal 2018

Namche to Thame

As I look out the window I am not sure where I am - the stone walls dividing track from paddock - paddocks that grow nothing - empty soil. A man urging a cow along a lane - heading home ?

The cloud has settled low on the village - blue roofs, prayer flags, stone walls and little else - but wait in the distance some yaks in a paddock and kids playing - down jackets - North Face maybe  - copies made in China or Nepal.

The wind seeps thru the window behind me - Brandi sleeps under the cover beside me, the socks and underwear on the line - not drying but waving in the dying breeze.

Out the window a lady in blue jacket and long black  .. . .. urges 2 small calves towards their home paddock.

We have come today from Namche - off the main route with few fellow travellers - a group of Brazilians lead by a nomadic guide who claims no fixed abode until pressed - a yacht in Guatemala perhaps that may go to the Bay of Islands next year.. 30yrs a guide to Nepal - and other places  - taking Brazilians to strange exotic places - high mostly, although 3700m does not seem s high right now.

The track today is as flat as one could find in Nepal - descending slowly into the   . . . .. . . .Valley. Of course in the magic kingdom nothing is flat - on either side the mountains  - mostly hidden by clouds rise to 6000meters.

We cross the river by ‘modern’ bridge at a great chasm and climb steeply to emerge in a upper side valley - the famous ‘ sherpa’ village of Thame.
We look for “da dome’s” lodge - not to be found but the Nepalese lady in front of Sunshine Lodge points us to the home of Dr Kami’s - its the Valley View Lodge.

    “Yes a room is available” and the pleasant hostess leads us to a small corridor up half a level.  I ask and tell her that some friends stayed here and she confirms she is the wife of the doctor - plagues on the wall confirm his 30yr contribution to the Hillary Foundation - one of two doctors at Kundi where he resides week in to return home by foot in the weekends.

We get upgraded to the corner room - windows on two sides - and after settling in share a plate of fried rice and veggies for lunch

The afternoon passes with a slow walk unto the Goma (monastery) perched high above town  -no boots just flip flops.   Belgium boys for company we climb into and through the Goma. As we leave the bell sounds for the end of lessons - the young monks (kids) run out of class up the stairs towards us
The youngest rather than clapping his hands together in prayer form grabs Brandi’s hand and shales it vigorously - so she is greeted by the young Lama incarnate and blessed at the same time.

In the beginning - a flat white tour.

We wanted a taxi to go back to the airport - chasing a lost bag. We only checked two bags - a big box full of jackets bound for some hill sherpas via Adventure Consultants and the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club and my pack.

Of course the box arrived but not my rucksack - was it anything to do with the battery power pack that i had in the bag, or not . . . .. . . . (no matter when we did get the bag the power bank was gone and in it’s place a note i n Chinese and English saying lithium batteries were not a good thing - thanks Samsung. )

1st trip a waste of time, but  ‘ your bag will be on the 11.30pm arrival  ‘ - no problem then, but I wasn’t going to go out then.

Our taxi driver Lama was very accomodating so we booked him again to go out the following day.
Day 2 - dropped the box and caught up on Suze Kelly and Bronwyn, and then Rene at the Radisson.
Late in the day we got my bag - that was really good. Thanks to Lama we  got a guide tour thru the back streets of Kathmandu as we tried to avoid the 5 o’clock traffic (much quicker the back way)
Dinner was across the road from the hotel and Brandi decided the complimentary rice wine was great and requested a ‘second round please’
Day 3 - early to the airport is the advice - even through for some silly reason I had booked a 0930 flight. Of course the advice had been to - ‘go early young man to avoid the cloud and wind build up’
At the airport it was crazy. I started out at one counter for a minute or two and then -              ‘go inside’ !!  Advice from a local
So I joined a queue at the counter  - now these aren’t neat queues but rather a push gently towards the counter with Nepalese guides cutting through and around the desk to get their clients serviced.
Finally I’m there - had the papers in a plastic folder - glanced at only and told to - ‘go other queue please, we are  only booking 0830 seats now.’
So to the other desk - a couple people there only and wait patiently AGAIN.  At least an hour has passed by now  so it’s getting closer tp our time.   ‘No other desk please’
Now back to where I started but I’m learning the Nepalese technique of getting attention - keep pushing forward and smile.

Our flight is Tara 153 on the  paper - but now I understand that this flight comprised three aircraft who went out early - like 6.00, 6.05 and 6.15   Now a couple might be back but now I’m worried about the wind.
FINALLY - papers please. - bag weighted 10 and 13 kgs (22 and 28lbs) - no problem here is your boarding pass Flight Number 119. Others on the  Tara 153 designation getting Flight number 121

I ask ’What time do you expect the 0930 flight to depart”  -     ‘mmm probably about 10 or 1030’.  OK thanks.  At least we have boarding passes - thru security  ‘girls first please’ - a pat down only and into the airport waiting area.

Waiting area - be patient - it’s only 0940 and we have been at the airport since 6.40. No problem About 100 - our flight is called - perfect - my cappuccino - very good it was too - is finished

Out onto a small bus and to the plane which has just arrived back and is busy unloading passengers and bags. But now we wait on the bus in the heat of the day - for what we don’t know and no one says anything to enlighten us. Finally Brandi goes to sit in the shade of the bus steps with a cool breeze . She is worried about the heat and the up coming flight (with the previous experience of throwing up in small planes.

Time passes slowly and I doze - suddenly without a word that I hear everyone is getting off the bus and into the small plane. A seat- isle - seat configuration, 14 passengers in total plus a hostess who gives a brief (very brief) safety intro.

Flying at last - a easy flight with no real bumps and a nice step descent into Lukla and so to walking.

What a week it has been

What a week it has been    Brandi and Geoff

Sat 3rd         - The Bear  - 50 mile fat tyre bike race on snow - 12.20min 

Sun 4th        - easy day as  just a little tired after Sat

Mon 5th       - ski morning and then return bikes and transponders

Tues 6th      - Ski morning with HAGGIS, Bushy and Sam - 25,000ft  morning

Weds 7th     - Ski Morning with Bushy, Sam and  Georgia  26,000ft.  

   - Ski jumping practise

Thurs 8th    - Ski Morning with Bushy, Sam  30,000ft.  

  - Ski race night - GS Howelsen Hill (12th - 2nd over 60yrs)

Fri 9th        -  Ski  morning.  - Brandi and Geoff 

                  - Ski Jumping competition night - 4th - off the 50 meter hill

Sat 10th     -  Ski morning - fresh snow falling with Lindsay, Jef Peterka, Annabel - 5 inches or so

                 -  Winter Festival ski jumping through the Hoop of Fire

Writing it down it does not seem like so much,  but we are both tired from a full week of ski activities

While i was jumping Brandi was running stairs at work.

The Bear FatTyre Bike Race on Snow

The Bear

A story in the paper about a Fat Tyre race in the North Routt county attracted Brandi’s attention
Let’s do it ?  I thought she was joking really,  and it stayed out there in the wind - but no - she was not joking and soon we were looking at the web site, and then at gear needed for the race.

First we needed bikes - a visit to Orange Peel sorted that out - two fat tyre bikes lined up
A Carbon Salsa - (28lbs - 12.7kgs)  for Brandi and for Geoff a Scout KLT (30lbs - 13.6kgs)

Now to enter - find the web site and fill out the details, pay the $75 dollars - and were in !!
Two of 45 racers in total - with 11 doing the long ride (105miles) We entered for the 50 mile race (or as Dallas called it - the pussy event)

Ok - so what gear do we need ? Lets start at the bottom.
Shoes. We both have mtn bikes shoes but  we are heading out into the wild backcountry of North Routt around Hahns Peak, and the winter average temperature is -9 degrees C.  That’s like some of the coldest nights in winter for our Tuesday nite rides. But of course we know that it could be as low as -25 degrees so footwear will be really important to our survival.

Google here we come. A lot of looking around to determine what will work best. Another visit to Orange Peel and then back to the net. 

Our final combination.
Super glue the xtra cleat holes in the bottom of the shoes - stops the snow from penetrating into the shoe
2.   Cut some heavy duty tinfoil to fit as the first layer in the bottom of the shoe
3.   Put in some special heat retention insoles
4.   Insert our normal formthotic insoles
5.   Wool socks, and the final article
6 .   a heavy duty of Endura Overboots - ordered on line and arriving just the Thursday prior to the race

Ok - the feet are sorted - what about the hands?  On the net we see mtn bikers with great sets of full heavy duty pogies. It seems the best way to keep the hands warm but they aren’t cheap and how may times are we going to use them - mmm - probably just the once , so the expense is not justified. 
What is the solution ?  I know from experience that a set of plastic bags works really well but it does not seem to be the best solution.  Stuff bags - reusable and with our hands inside with ski cloves on I think we could survive the 25 below temperatures that might expect.

Next - body clothing. Start with merino wool layers, add a vest, a riding winter top and puffer jacket in the pack along with wind jacket.  Seems simple enough - better add a xtra puffer in the backpack.
What about the legs - cycles bib, long johns, and then XC skate pants  (got some light weight ski over trousers in reserve)


So to race day.  A 4.45 start - it’s a hours drive to the start at the Hahn’s Peak Roadhouse.
Arrive at about 6.30 for the 7.00 start. It’s blowing and snowing. Quick reassessment of the pants brings the ski over trousers into play and Brandi goes for the ski goggles and an extra layer. Both prover to me mistakes.
Bikes off the truck, a quick trip to the loo and then packs on and out into the falling snow.

We line up with the folks doing the 105 mile ( 11 crazy souls ) and the other 32 doing the 50 miles.   No fanfare, pipe bands - just a   3 - 2 - 1 and go. 
Roll down the road into the wind and blowing snow - not hurrying to follow the front as we plan on a slow and steady 50miles.  All to soon Brandi is hot and we stop and strip down - googles - gone for the day and the xtra layer as well . My parka stashed on the outside.
Up the first hill and it’s only a short distance before the whole field is walking - well at least the whole field we can see. The leaders are gone.

Up and over and then down to Columbine. Tricky riding in the snow and just before the paved / packed road Brandi takes her first tumble  (many more will happen during the day)

Paved / packed snow road for a km or so and then onto County Road 550.   Read  - snow covered snowmobile road.  Now it’s good to be early on the road before the little noisy monsters arrive. 

A hard pack line exists from those who have gone before and the riding is easier now but it’s still really single track riding and any deviation of the hard pack and the riding is all but impossible  - mmmm  is 5 psi to much pressure.  Yes that's 5 psi ( remember we ride mtn bike about 20psi and road bikes about 80-100 psi.

The climbing is steady but not steep and we mange to ride most of it . . . . . lots of company in sight but not close and we really just ride by ourselves.  It’s 20 miles to the first aid station but before we get there the snowmobile tours  arrive and passing us. The nice hard pack line is quickly destroyed.  

We work hard with a couple other groups to create our own line but the going is hard.  Finally we arrived at the checkpoint.

Temperature control has been problematic  - the temperature is hovering around - 3 degrees C. Not cold by local standards but our internal temperature most be hovering around 103 degrees.

At the aid station we scoff a couple honey stingers,  a cup of hot water and move out.
Now we are back on packed single track - all alone in the wilderness.  The riding is relatively easy right now but any movement off the track and the front wheel dives in and wants to pull you down. The back wheel follows and a crazy back and forth across the track begins to try and regain control - sometimes yes and others no and more quick step outs or simply crash into the snow.

All to soon the big climb of the day looms out of the falling grapple. Yes just in case you forgot  -it’s still snowing. Grapple (read frozen rain or hail) - it’s noisy on the pulled up rain coat hood, or snow flakes blowing in the wind. We are now up at 2,900 meters and our walking companions tell us the top is just head - 1/2 mile or so. But is it really the top  - yes and no. 

I  declare a lunch stop - well its a brief stop. Not sure of the temperature up here but hat and rain hoody are both on so the the temp is down now. Probably around minus 10-12 degrees C.

Down steeply.  Brandi walks the bike down and I ride the back wheel hard skidding down the track in the deep unpacked,  and then it is up again. Back up to over  2,900 m and we wander along the Continental Divide for 4miles or so before we start dropping

The road down is a easy grade and we enjoy some riding at last.  A small bump out of a creek and the first and only 105 miler passes us. He seems to be in a hurry and disappears immediately.   We check with our wandering companions later and they saw him briefly as well.
Continuing down we appear to be riding into a low valley cloud. No - it’s a huge flat open space.  California Park.
As we wander out into it our companions are mere ghosts yet they are only 100 meters or so away.

We are in the white room - falling snow, white everywhere, cross wind and its almost impossible to see any definition - where exactly is that track?    The ghosts continue ahead of us until we enter the forest.  I know they have a GPS which is somewhat reassuring as we have not seen a course sign for many hours - just some faint lines in the snow.

We chat for a minute and then continue. I’m not sure where we are on the map in my mind, but we cross another empty space with the roar of snowmobiles everywhere ahead of us.

What time is it ?  The skies are getting darker - must be a bit after lunch. NO - wrong. It’s 4.37. We have been moving constantly for 9 hrs 37mins so far.

A major intersection and we turn onto the a road the was nice riding on the way in, but now ripped up by snowmobiles it is hard to find a comfortable ridable line.  We are taking turn about it seems with our two companions.  Finally a low pass leads us into the Columbine Basin and home and the finish now seems real.

5 miles of easy travel brings us to the checkpoint - a nice comfortable building with 7 bikes outside. I thought there was just 4 of us out there.

Beef chili, hot water a biscuit and we hit the road. Pour the remains of the themos into the water bottle and drop it back in the cage  ( We had learnt to keep the bottles upside in the cage to assist in having the water flow - still it’s been frozen for some time and we have to unscrew the cap to get any water at all)

Headlights on.  We know what’s ahead - a small bump - it’s pushing we know for 10mins plus but half way up we are caught by a couple guys who jump on their bikes. It’s our incentive as well and with the worst of the climb behind us we soon roll over the top and start dropping down towards home.   6kms to go The riding is good but the lights feeble so we have still to be careful and as we zig zag down the back with the lights of home in the distance.

The final kms are on hard packed roads - a delight to ride - and we hold hands briefly with expressions of love over our shared adventure.

We turn into the Hahns Peak Roadhouse to a very enthusiastic welcome by Jon - the organiser. He is excited that we rode the race  - on rental bikes with no recent bike riding and that we ‘stuck it out’
Then he is gone and we retreat into the Roadhouse with a change of clothing, and relax over a beer while waiting on our dinner.  Well actually a shandy - still have to drive a hour to home.

Our day on The Bear.

The numbers from my Garmin  (not sure if they are accurate because climbing the hill we were moving at less than 1km per hr so it may have gone onto auto pause but the time is correct.

https://www.strava.com/activities/1390447975

Distance   63.42km      Time   7:27:53     Elevation Gain   1,639m