Post 4: Friendship Highway

Monday 24

The good news is that both Catriona and I seem to be on top of the trouble we've been having with skin. We've notched up a couple of rides that count toward the thousand plus total from Lhasa to Kathmandu. The wilting temperatures we experienced in Lhasa are a thing of the past as we gain altitude. This, our second camp, has none of the scorpions and wild roaming dogs of camp one.

Last night was very cold. Even zipped up in my top of the line Goose down sleeping bag, wearing thick socks and a hoody, I was shivering most of the night. We are now two days into the expedition itself, with today a rest day. The tents are arranged in a lager beside a lake and surrounded by mountains on all sides. Our camp is on land used by the local Tibetans for grazing cattle, sheep and yak. All three have been past our site this morning. The herders are very accurate with slingshots which they employ to keep the wild dogs at bay.

In contrast to the high temperatures we've left behind, the weather here in the clouds is cool. Thunder rolls in each evening, followed by heavy rain during the nights. The wind is also beginning to make itself known.

Some of the lads are working with our Nepalese guides and Tibetan porters to get the all important generator running. The three of us in chairs are reliant on power assisted hubs to provide parity with our team mates, therefore there are batteries to charge each evening. Often enough I hear people suggest this power assist business is cheating. On my return  I'll be happy to give them a chance to hand propel my thirty kilogram trike up some hills; the test will also include a spinal anesthesia to ensure no trunk or leg muscles are utilised and I'll be taking a mallet to their fingers for the sake of an even playing field. Hell, while I'm at it I may as well stick an ice pick into the section of the spinal cord that regulates their temperature and take them up to 4,000 metres.

OK, I am feeling a little short of humour today after last nights cold and after my batteries packed in on me yesterday five kilometres from the summit of a 23 km climb. The generator is to blame for the low charge in my batteries and this is now a major issue for the success of the entire expedition. I managed another three Kms perhaps, without power before being pulled off the road by the support crew. I could see the bloody top.

23kms of up to get this shot

There is some consolation in Piotr, our resident doctor and altitude medicine specialist, having to be forcefully talked off his bike as he was showing obvious sign of exhaustion. He has lectured us not to push ourselves - altitude sickness tends to get the heroes first. Don't misunderstand me, Piotr is an interesting and vital member of the team, and he's climbed above 8,000 metres...the point of course, is that ego will get you hurt if you're not careful.

....I've just now relocated to the mess tent where generators are the hot topic. The plan, buy a grunty generator. The challenge, we're camped at forty two hundred meters in rural Tibet and, wouldn't you know it, not a generator supplies store in sight.

The mess tent is now full for lunch. I'm limiting my own meal to a ration of hot chips. After suffering from diarrhea on and off for the last week I'm having a crisis of faith in the local cuisine. Even the smell makes me nauseous. There is a meal supplement in our tent, thank god. After that...?

Which reminds me, we have a soldier/hunter with us so when I saw the livestock nearby I suggested we buy a sheep and get Stu to slaughter it. I was serious. The idea was met enthusiastically and Stu began negotiations. Sadly, the locals have a season for slaughter and between times the stock are treated as family. Damn local customs, I've never wanted to see anything killed so badly in my life.

With data costing $30 US per megabyte, I won't be posting photos.

The wheelchair tents - relative luxury

Piotr surprised by some unattainable beef

Wednesday 26

First an update - we sent a car back to Lhasa day before yesterday to bring back a generator with the necessary output. Problem resolved. We now have fully charged batteries each morning and don't have to watch the porters trying unsuccessfully but doggedly to get the thing started, as they did with the last. I seem to be over my last bout with diarrhea which, along with some good rides, has lifted my spirits.

We left camp 2 yesterday morning and were happy to do, despite the stunning location. At 4,000 plus meters it was too high for comfort. The days were wet and cold, while at night the winds howled across the lake pulling the temperatures down further. Brrr...even wearing down jackets in down bags we were shivering through the night. The place was also plagued by mosquito type insects that infested our tents. One of our guides, mangal became unwell. It is now clear that he has mild HAPE, or High Altitude Pulmonary Edema(sp?) It is a good thing we have come down in altitude somewhat over the last two days as the rule for altitude sickness is 'go down'.

Yesterday we cycled 100 Kms, which included the climb from hell to Simi La Pass in a cold driving wind. Even the strongest of the men were challenged and all were relieved when camp 3 finally came into sight. It was a special day in that Scott Malcolm, one of our team, is also a major sponsor having 'purchased' Simi La pass for $100,000. He was first to the top; a significant achievement given there are some competitive personalities among us. Scott is a remarkable guy and we were all very proud to pose with him for photographs a the top.

Stu, Stephanie and Catriona relaxing

Scott expounds on currency conversions

Actually Scott was kind enough to let me draft behind him in the later stages of yesterday's run as I was absolutely hammered. My battery was running at around 70% efficiency but it was the wind that really hurt. Even on reasonably significant downhills it was necessary to push hard or my trike would just stop. Taking on water left me gasping for air in the thin atmosphere and at times I was panting like a dog, in short sharp breaths.

My tires, that would give me 2,000 Kms on the roads at home are down to the canvas after only 400 Kms here. I'm not sure exactly what has caused this but assume it is the different road surfaces. Luckily a couple of our guides sourced me a replacement set this afternoon, a big relief as I brought no spares from home.

Camp 3 was a rock strewn flat perched beside and above a dry riverbed, surrounded by barren mountains. We arrived in wind and rain, ventured from the protection of our tent for dinner then slept. Up at dawn this morning, we rode out after a breakfast of bacon and eggs and that was that.

Today was a straightforward ride through to Gyantse. The only excitement when one of our guides clipped a horse and cart and fell off his bike. He has appropriately had the piss taken out of him. And I struck a small but important blow against the Chinese oppressor by riding through one of the all too common checkpoints at speed, running over a police mans foot, despite his last minute pirouette...sure it was an infantile thing to do but my reputation has benefited.

From here in Tibet or, properly, the Tibet Autonomous Region, one cannot access Facebook, YouTube, and among many other sites, blogspot, which is why I must email my posts to Karen for distribution. You should have seen him jump when I ran over his toes.

Tonight, oh joy and happiness, we are in a hotel. Not only can I access the shower but it has one of those overhead rose things that shower the water down on you like rain. True, the water smells like someone has just finished in the toilet but we are all very pleased with our clean new selves.

Tomorrow, 93 Kms to Shigatse. And another check point I would imagine...