Day 11 - Near Sissu 42 Kms - 3400 metres ! "It's a Small World"!

It was like carnival time, hundreds of spectators lining the side of the road giving "expert" advice to drivers as they powered their way uphill sliding and bouncing through wheel deep mud knowing that failure would bring the famed Rohtang pass to a congested halt ! Where else in the world could you get such exciting free entertainment !

We'd left Chatru on our last day in the Spiti with a first up stiff climb revealing amazingly beautiful valley views.

A descent was followed by yet another climb this time on  an ill formed rocky road complete with overflowing streams. Some carrying of bikes was needed to bypass muddy and blocked sections before our road finally connected with the bottom portion of the Rohtang Pass.

In some weird form of muddy cycle cross we descended past amazed drivers in blocked trucks and cars hoping that our route wasn't going to end in a full facial in the slimy mud !

Somehow we arrived unscathed at the bottom of the Pass joining with relief a bitumen section of the main Manali - Leh route - the Spiti was now well behind us !

Taking joy in our new found surface we rode with purposeful abandon taking camp near Sissu in a delightful grassy park area having to cycle straight past an Indian film crew putting together an add for the latest 4WD - something not even guaranteed to make it up the infamous Rohtang !

As the world goes it is one hell of a small place - I was woken by Graham who'd friendlied up to another cycle group staying at the same park - amazingly it included 2 Americans (Pete & Carol) that I'd last cycled with in Peru in 2012 ! Needless to say we were all floored and spent the better part of the afternoon catching up on each others adventures !

Crazily both Pete & I had talked that very morning of bumping into people in the least expected of places - definitely twilight Zone stuff !!!.

The infamous Rohtang! 

It's a small world - Pete & Carol !