Rabongla to Tashiding and on to Yuksom, Sikkim, India
Photo,
Pictures of, Images, Picture
(October 2011) |
The roads in Sikkim are a magical fairyland.
The Rangit River far below.
Walking back home with freshly cut bamboo poles. Bamboo is a versatile,
fast-growing plant that gets used for all sorts of building projects here.
A funny metal suspension bridge crosses the Rangit River. It had an interesting
wiggle to it.
A small reservoir behind a minor waterworks.
Mountains disappearing into the haze.
Riding above the clouds.
Lunch at a small roadside restaurant with some friendly doggies.
Don't be fooled by the refrigerator in the background. The power goes out often
enough to make any meat suspect. We stuck to the vegetarian dishes and the
occasional egg.
.
We arrived in Tashiding on market day, when the tiny streets were busy with
shoppers. Our bikes got loads of attention, especially from the kids.
Oh Brooks, how can you let me down! On a bumpy road, the rail of my leather
Brooks flyer bicycle touring saddle snapped in half, nearly putting the bike out
of commission. We were able to move the saddle so the broken part was held
together by the seat post clamp. Not sure if I should try to find a welder or
fix it with super glue. Brooks is good about warrantee replacements, the problem
is where to send it.
This was the first of a couple days of equipment failures. Sikkim, with its
bumpy roads and steep slopes, is hard on bike gear.
The first of five beautiful waterfalls we passed between Tashiding and Yuksom.
There's also a walking trail that hikers can take between towns.
Everyone's got their umbrellas for the occasional downpours.
Is there time for a quick shower?
At the base of the waterfalls, there's usually a nice pool where people go
to wash their laundry on the rocks.
Water comes pouring out of the hills.
We could hear the thunder of the falls long before they came into view.
Phamrong Falls, the most impressive waterfall of the day.
Roadside repairs draw a crowd. One man asked if he could have my old tire.
How did this happen? My Continental Travel Contact Tire is only six months old,
and this gash developed in a very hand to fix place. I tried boots and glue to
no avail. Finally I gave up and put on my folding spare tire. Once again, the
spare tire saves the day!
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