Bardia to Pokhara. Day 15. A day like no other.
Last night fell into bed. It is a 5:30 am wake up and we must be ready to go. We grabbed a bite to eat and headed to the start line crossing a partially dry river bed and back into the National Park. Today’s drive is to be 455 km. Very long. It may take 13 or more hours. It will be tough
The roads are very rough, weaving in and out of motorcycles trucks and buses is stressful especially through the towns. There are Police Check Points every 10 to 20 km. Sometimes they stop and chat with us about speed and explain that the locals don’t always walk across the street with care so we must watch out. Interesting the calm in Nepal after The craziness of India.
Speeds are important to watch too the police warn us numerous times. Sadly Tony has succumb to a terrible cough. He thinks it is the dust of the roads and rock slides we constantly succumb too but I am not so sure. Thank goodness no fever I have noticed many of the participants seem to have it so maybe he is correct. To say this is a challenge race is an understatement.
Cars are being wasted and at the end of the day exhaustion has hit many. We have been vegetarian now since our arrival on the 15th. Tonight many will go to a steakhouse locally as Nepal is not a meat free zone. I have left judgement for going out till we get there. Most nights we are starving but not much energy to eat
Onward, The roads are terrible and we bounce around a lot. At km 150 the Morgan pulls us over to tell us our front wheel is wobbling. Tony tries to shake it and notices it is loose. He says the dampeners are probably damaged from all the potholes and bad roads. We have been jostled and shaken but we both noticed it has been so much more this morning. We sign in at TC 1 and drive on. Shortly after, we really begin to shake and be jostled around. Luckily the assistance truck is right behind. We wave them over at a break in the road. It seems we have some damage from the banging and continuous bad roads.
Jamie and Tony, in the following support truck, coming to the rescue helping sort the steering dampener that is causing us a lot of grief.
After 30 minutes of fettling the crew decided we should continue and we could make it to Kathmandu and then take it apart. Perhaps resolve. In the mean time he suggests if the One shot is working to try a few pumps.
So back on the road now 1/2 hour delayed. We had to make up time. It was not easy. Roads and trucks bring the driving speeds sometimes down to 20 or even 10 km per hour.
On we drove. Due at 12:38 am we arrive 34 minutes late. We can’t even stop for a lunch provided by the organizers we are too late, we must drive as fast as possible to get to the RS
For a timed trial. The drive up the side of the mountain is fraught with blockages and trucks. We couldn’t pass, it is down to one perilous lane driving along the mountain side with a precarious edge is interesting, then all of a sudden one of the sport Mercedes gets stuck on a rock while traveling over some rocky landslides. All four wheels off the road. We are blocked. Tony gets out as I can’t. Not enough room. We are in a right hand drive.
We are all held up. Finally after some time On we go, albeit slowly. 55 km still to go and we are late.
We arrive at the start, late again. We are told we will be penalized. So we jump in and try to get the next slot to leave. Thankfully other participants are kind actually wonderful. I write down the requirements but not really understanding what they mean.
We get only a 20 second start, not really good. We start the first stop watch and all seems fine we are a little ahead then behind. We keep driving holding the time quite well. First change comes and we are good. Second change is ok speed goes down to 30 kph. Next we must switch up to 35kph then up to 40kph. But something is wrong as the car behind us jumps in front. We are totally confused don’t understand how they could have caught up with us
We head on not understanding how we could be out by over 1 minute out. The control tells us that we are over 1 minute out. How can this be. We are also still out of gas we have no RUPEEs.
We head on, our next problem no gas stations take credit cards and we have no cash RUPEEs from Nepal . No Interac machines anywhere. We had borrowed 2000 rupees earlier but now there were no teammates to stop we were alone. I see a money gram store in a small village and beside it a petrol station. I ask if she will give me cash from my credit card. The agent says no. We are out of gas So then I try, will you give me cash for CDN money. After some consideration and discussion she agrees and I call Tony over to the pump. I have $90.00 CDN She gives me 6725 rupees. I have no idea what the exchange rate is, but we need petrol and beggars can’t be choosers. So we filled up and left the area, the car draws all the locals. Roads are terrible we bang around and you can’t often tell the holes are there. On we go, as we round a corner I notice ominous clouds overhead. One side sunny the next curve completely different .The sky turns black and the heavens open. We have no head lights, it is now 5:30 and night falls early in Nepal. It goes from light to dark so quickly. Now Tony expresses his concern we have bald front tires, we have no headlights and we are still 45 km out riding down a steep mountain with terrible potholes.
The rain is hard. We have a lot of shaking. On we go. I am back squeeing . We tuck in behind a small truck and sit behind him he is well lit and going our speed. We could see his front lights so then we could we the road ahead. We watch the pick up in front to see where the major potholes are. We follow him for 40 minutes until we are on the outskirts of the town. The driver turns off and we try to follow the Tulip map towards the hotel. The rain stops and luckily we found it.
Sadly we were penalized for our whole day. We were late to the race, late to the Controls and late in to the hotel. So we received the maximum penalty. Lost our Gold status now. Not much we can do. Today was not a good day. On to tomorrow and Kathmandu and much needed rest.
We hope our new tires have arrived. I checked DHL and they are in KAT now so hopefully know hiccups.
When All is said and done, I like Nepal. There is something calming here. This race is gruelling . We had a terrible results day
Oh well tomorrow is another day
We arrive late at our final destination . Dinner isn’t provided YROYO. Restaurants serve normal food.
