"Risin' up, back on the street
Did my time, took my chances
Went the distance, now I'm back on my feet
Just a man and his will to survive
So many times, it happens too fast
You change your passion for glory
Don't lose your grip on the dreams of the past
You must fight just to keep them alive”
These lines from ‘Eye of the Tiger’ very much describe my trip to “Chansal Pass” (pronounced Chaan – Shal). The difference was this did not involve Sylvester Stallone and it was not a boxing match but a motorcycle ride. Chansal Pass is considered among one of the toughest motorable passes among adventure lovers. It connects villages of Dodra and Kwar with rest of the world. Calling it off-roading is an understatement!
I was planning a trip to Chail/ Narkanda etc when a friend said - Tourist hai kya? Go and be a man, do Chansal Pass so plans changed. Started from Delhi on 18th Sept with a friend - Tanmoy Mookherjee.
First Break before Chail! Tried some nice juice from this shop of HPTDC
The diversion towards Chail is at Kandaghat and the road is narrow but scenic. The Road is flanked by trees at both sides.
First day we reached Kotghai. Next day we left for Rohru, had breakfast there and started with a determination to conquer Chansal Pass. From Rohru to Chirgaon the roads are good and after chirgaon the roads starts detoriating. The torturous narrow road starts from Tikri with loose sharp stones, mud, steep gradient and loose gravel thrown at you all the same time. Thanks to out lazy start in the morning, we were running behind schedule and time was not in our favor. It was the road where speeds do not matter, short distances are covered as clocks ticks past your estimated times over and over and you have to think – should I see the beautiful vistas or the best line through that muddy section? Should I take a break and click pictures or just keep riding as destination is still far? With this dilemma, we kept the pace pretty consistent riding hard and paving our way through.
The diversion towards Chail is at Kandaghat and the road is narrow but scenic. The Road is flanked by trees at both sides.
First day we reached Kotghai. Next day we left for Rohru, had breakfast there and started with a determination to conquer Chansal Pass. From Rohru to Chirgaon the roads are good and after chirgaon the roads starts detoriating. The torturous narrow road starts from Tikri with loose sharp stones, mud, steep gradient and loose gravel thrown at you all the same time. Thanks to out lazy start in the morning, we were running behind schedule and time was not in our favor. It was the road where speeds do not matter, short distances are covered as clocks ticks past your estimated times over and over and you have to think – should I see the beautiful vistas or the best line through that muddy section? Should I take a break and click pictures or just keep riding as destination is still far? With this dilemma, we kept the pace pretty consistent riding hard and paving our way through.
Read rest of it on Motoroids Oct 2009 Issue. (Starts at Page 55).
2 comments:
Looks like you needed a 4 wheel drive ATV do make it, great pics! I would hate to have to hire a moving company to try and move me there, lol!
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