Shegar to Shigatse

Shegar is only a very small town by the roadside but we are glad of the simple hotel that we find. Its not too long and the sun has set and we once again remember that we are at 4300m above sea level - the temperature plummets and doing anything outside becomes an ordeal. The restaurant where we feed tonight doesn't make matters much better and despite some vigorous card playing, we still shiver as we await our food. Our hosts seem to have fun at our expense by delivering our main course first, followed by soup, and then last of all we are treated to plates and plates of plain boiled rice - hmmm!

Our intention for the Gyatso La, being the highest pass on our route was to treat it with respect and climb only half way up today, and then tomorrow tackle the top. We set off steadily after a very leisurely breakfast and preparation. Again the team is feeling weary - its been a long while since our last rest day and the exertion, and the harsh conditions are telling; I have sunburnt lips, Andrew has a nasty cold, and Rich Scrivs is totally beaten up - burnt, cold smitten and slow to rise from bed in the 'chippy' morning air. Today he decides to give the cycling a miss- and so rides in the support vehicle with Dean - however - he may come to wish that he had chosen the pedaling option...(see other stories).

Although the going is tough, and the loose surface slows us, at least we think to ourselves that we haven't all that far to go. Its another sunny day, and we pass picturesque Tibetan villages - flags fluttering in the traditional colours of white(clouds), blue(sky), red(fire), yellow(earth), and green(water), both from the tops of the houses and high above the villages atop the nearby hills. We pause initially at the first road camp - expecting to see our friends, but nothing even after a good half hour. We decide to continue, and the road climbs more steeply - within just a few short kilometers we have gone over 4700m, and still we climb. No sign of the truck. In the high valley that precedes the open pass, we encounter heavy driving snow, and we pull in the drawstrings around our hoods - grey clouds overhead don't look promising - we want to reach the camp for the night but still no sign! Onwards and onwards - to 4900m and then we round a bend to find a disappointing cluster of stone and brick buildings. We tumble inside, and our eyes dart around - looknig for potential sleeping options - it doesn't look good - and when we engage with the locals - using motions at the hands of the clock, we are told that its only 2 hours over the pass and down to Lhatse. Now of course we could do it - but we certainly didn't want to! The quandary is a good one - we now don't know what has happened to the support vehicle - still no sign (they have our sleeping bags!) - nor we really know how far or how hard it will be to get to Lhatse - its going to be a cold night up here - that’s for sure - and the locals can't offer us much in the way of accommodation. Stuck!

Finally we hear a spluttering engine approaching - and Dean, Rich and Sony pile out of the lorry fuming. We discuss our situation and they explain that the truck is having a disastrous day - stalling all over the place. In a thrice we have concluded that it will probably be best to head for Lhatse. Dean and Rich, magician-like conjure Mars Bars from up their sleeves, and Tang Hot Orange drink from their deep pockets, and we are off. We have to wonder a little at the sense of our departure - over the highest pass at 5pm in the evening - but the weather is indeed good - the sun is out and the sky clear once again. We pedal with as much concentration as we can manage - and we move slowly along - the road is much flatter now and the terrain around us is quite amazing - a moorland feel - with round rolling hills, covered with the barest scrubby grass. At around 6pm we catch our first glimpse of the pass itself - only 5kms away on the horizon, but for us this altitude an eternity away - it takes over an hour of stopping and starting to climb to the full height of 5220m - we each clock this altitude on our Casio watches - an altitude not to be bettered for quit some time!

On the top we share the moment together - but no sign of Dean and Rich S - the truck we presume is having some problems back down the hill. We wait for just 10 minutes - the sun is fading fast and we still have 30 km of descent to cover - down into Lhatse - I certainly don't fancy the idea of a the biggest off road descent of my life being tackled in the dark. Enough time to savor a little of the atmosphere - to hold a coherent conversation with Nick, Tim and Andrew, and then GO GO GO - brakes off, over gloves on and a careful eye trained to the gravel before us. The profile in the Lonely Planet is worth a look - the descent that we are about to tackle looks vertical in the book and we certainly accelerate rapidly. This time though gladly no headaches - and we can enjoy the drop. Tim incurs another puncture on the way down - not bad considering - first one for the team since we entered Tibet (Schwalbe Marathon XR tyres doing sterling work). Andrew and I had started ahead of Tim and Nick and so we stop below - unknowing of what exactly has caused the delay - we cross everything - hoping for nothing major. Without the support vehicle we are now left a little exposed - most of the spares are aboard and so we tread more lightly for the rest of the descent. Our concentration is total on the way down, watching, as with any off road descent just the road that belts toward us. Normally though a descent may last for a few minutes - but this one has other ideas - it drops and curls, and swoops and plummets - through open hillside and narrow gorge. We barely have the opportunity to look up and when finally we do reach a pause - we joke together - 'now who can answer the following questions about the valley that you have just descended. Its dusk now - and in our hurry to get down to Lhatse we have bolted head down - and its true - none of us could really say what we have passed - save for an impressively adorned herd of Yak with red braids right back at the top. But we have safely made the descent - and we roll gently down the last few kilometers to the tarmac road. 24km of rough trail, easily the longest off road descent any of us have enjoyed - and what a time to do it - we are all pooped! We rumble smoothly along in the semi darkness -and in to Lhatse - a crazy Chinese town - aflicker with Neon signs and aloud with the tinny twang of cheap stereos belting out Chinese pop - we ride in almost - but not quite oblivious - and into the restaurant of the Lhatse Hotel.

Over and hour later 2 washed out friends struggle through the door looking for someone to shout at - they have traversed the toughest stretch of the route in the trailer of a 'Truckit' - a mini tractor - and have been shaken to jelly over the rough road, and frozen by the night time temperatures - its past 10 when they arrive. Tomorrow will be a rest day - we need a beer - 6 Lhasa's please barman!

From Lhatse we ride to the Hot Springs before Sakya bridge - and find annoyingly hot water - its scalding and so all we can do is sit by the side of the steaming pools - damn! In the afternoon we are drenched in dust. The road is inches deep in dust and each passing lorry throws up huge clouds. From behind the others I watch them in turn disappear - engulfed in the airborn mud - only to emerge the other side - still wearing a fine layer. We don dust masks - to try and protect our breathing - but its almost in vain - the dust slips through the finest cracks. The second half of the journey takes us up and over the Tso La - a small pass - easily scaled - and time for a good few pictures on the top. We stay in the small village sharing the same name - Tso La - and cook outside before the sun sets. A master chef effort tonight over our single gas burner by Tim and Dean - including Pasta a la Tomato Soup avec Sweetcorn, and Custard brulee aux tinned Ananas - a veritable taste sensation-mmmmmmm.

Shortly after Tso La although we couldn't really understand why - the road developed a serious case of Tarmac - we don't question such things and we ride onwards - the road drops and we slide along barely pedaling. We have joined a river - and its the most beautiful of mornings - I snap a couple of twinkling winding river shots - hoping that I'll get to see them one day - all these pictures taken - and I've never even seen them! The tarmac eventually dwindles and resumes into dirt and dust - and the riding gets hard - we have a stiff total to hit today - 106km - and its grinding work. With this road surface its hard to look up and absorb the surroundings - and as I ride I sometimes wonder whether I'm actually learning or seeing anything of the country - especially in my tired state. We meet the truck a couple of times in the afternoon - they encourage us on to our destination. Shigatse is the second city of Tibet - and we're all looking forward to a shower and some civilization. At the last stop before Shigatse we all flake out on the floor - wasted - and even the prodding fingers of the local kids barely stirs us. I kindle some energy to chase them around the truck with my dust-mask, cap, sunglasses and Saracen lycra on - I look a scary sight! Its not long from here and we top the small Tra La (yes it’s a real name - although we do have some good comedy Tibetan pass names - Regu - La , Rectangu - La, Spatu - La, etc etc) from here its a gentle descent down into the city - and we can see the by now familiar glass and concrete of a Chinese overbuilt city drowning and overpowering the tiny Tibetan quarter. We cruise into the city, following the support vehicle to a comfortable hotel - the Sondutse. Sony takes us to a great Tibetan Restaurant facing the Tashingpo Monastry - plenty of food and beer for a bargain price - we celebrate just 4 more cycling days to Lhasa.