My new German friend Pascal and I decided that we needed to get out and do something. Why not rent a couple of mountain bikes and head out of Old Manali to discover some new countryside?
We asked my friend Pinku at the front desk of our guesthouse (Purnima) and he made a quick phone call and claimed that it would cost us 500 rupees for a bike for the day ($11). What? We rented a motorbike for only 600! We decided to head out on our own and see what we could find. The first and closest spot we went to did indeed want 500. Pascal tried to bargain them down but could only get them to 450...so we moved on. He did get a deal of 500 for 2 bikes at the next place and off we went...nice work Pascal!
We headed north from Old Manali along a sometimes paved but mostly gravel road. We passed by a small village and various houses spotted throughout the countryside. The views of the surrounding mountains were fantastic.
Pascal pedaling
The riders:
Gorgeous views:
Looking down at a small village:
On our way out we had to giggle at the fact that we rounded one corner and a man carrying half a dozen bongo drums walking in the other direction asked us whether we wanted one as we rode by...”Oh yeah, a bongo drum, that’s what we’re missing for our bike ride!?!” Then five minutes later, around another bend, a young teenage boy holding a stick with bags of pink cotton candy floss also tried to flog his product...too funny.
"Safe" electrical work going on here...
It was a lovely afternoon with the leg out being more uphill, which was great as we got to coast most of the way back...tired but happy.
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