Max Altitude – 5100m
Riding time – 7 hours 15 mins
Tibet had one last test for me. Two passes over 5000m, incredible headwinds, amazing views and abysmal roads. A spectacular finale.The day started the hard way, scraping ice off the tent (including the inside). The water bottle inside the tent with me froze, and despite having every piece of clothing on, a -10 sleeping bag, two silk inner sheets and a polar inner sheet I hardly slept last night due to the extreme cold. Imagine the temperature was something like -20 celsius. Sleep was also hindered by a fear of the couple – or other villagers – returning to get me or the bike. It didn’t happen, but in my state of mind I was sure it would.
Today was the day that I actually crossed the Himalaya, rather than foothills. I got off to a painfully early start – about 8am – and was straight on to the first climb. It was 12kms long and steep, with progress made difficult by the rocky surface and strong winds. I was able to sustain a good rhythm and summitted after an hour and a half. Half the job done.
From here the road plunged about 500m of vertical, revealing unbelievable views of the Himalaya. There was something intimidating about being caught in the middle of the world’s largest range. The climb back up (pictured right), and over, the Himalaya was the most difficult of the trip. It was also the first time I had seriously feared for my safety on a bike. It was so cold, so exposed and so isolated that I feared that if I stopped pedalling I would become hypothermic. The climb only lasted 8kms but was 12% in places. At one point I came across a broken down truck and sheltered in the wheel arch for 10 minutes. Deep breath, deep breath, close my eyes and then I was off to cross the final 2kms to the summit.
The view from the top was spectacular and it felt like I could touch the peaks. I lingered alone at the pass and knew I had made it through. T
he next 10kms were the most exhilarating downhill imaginable, with dirt roads, sheer drops and amazing scenery. At the bottom it was back to reality, with a monstrous headwind that did not let up til I hit Nyalam (the dust thrown up by the wind captured in the photo at the bottom of page). At times I was doing less than 10kph on the downhills at full effort. I broke for lunch in a truck stop town called Yarne and ate rice noodle soup with a dozen urchins watching every sip. I also looked a sight with my bottom lip completed covered in coldsores from the wind exposure, and the kids seemed a bit intimidated by the dust-covered tourist that looked like he’d been in a fight that he’d lost.Towards the end of the day I started to come good and felt better the nearer I got to Nyalam. 
Even the 10kms of roadworks before town though mud and slush were no problem, and I rolled into town just before 5pm and found a $10 hotel where I could store my bike in the room. As was true of most hotels I had stayed in, there was no shower but I was able to use a communal one in town with hot water for a couple of dollars. It had been five days since I had showered – and about 30 hours of cycling had created quite a film. The woman running the showers saw Superman walk in and Clark Kent walk out, and had to have a double take.
Even the 10kms of roadworks before town though mud and slush were no problem, and I rolled into town just before 5pm and found a $10 hotel where I could store my bike in the room. As was true of most hotels I had stayed in, there was no shower but I was able to use a communal one in town with hot water for a couple of dollars. It had been five days since I had showered – and about 30 hours of cycling had created quite a film. The woman running the showers saw Superman walk in and Clark Kent walk out, and had to have a double take. 
I had some fried rice and was able to make a call to Sarah. It was great to talk to her, and it was the first time I had spoken to anyone in a few days. It was nice to talk to someone who knew me, and where certain things didn’t need to be said to be understood. I am currently enjoying a Lhasa beer and mushroom soup. I realise that today I rode more than 7 hours on three quarters of a bowl of instant noodles. In part it is due to the fact that food is hard to come by, but a contributing factor is altitude which suppresses your appetite. As I sit here silently dreading the fact that the Tibetan phase of the trip is over tomorrow I wonder if I will ever return to the high plateau. I will need to get an early start to get through border control, but it’s all downhill so should be OK. My room is cold, but a furnace compared to last night.
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