Pokhara Mountain Bike

126 ‘Peace Pagoda’ – Pokhara, Nepal

Pete working

 

In India & Nepal we took a break from the cycle touring life in order to rest Alice’s back and have a change of scene for a while.

While Alice went back to Rishikesh in Northern India to complete a yoga teacher training course, Pete found work in Pokhara, Nepal helping out at ‘Pokhara Mountain Bike’ (www.nepalmountainbike.com) a locally run business providing guided tours & mountain bike hire for tourists along with support for a growing number of local Nepali Mountain Bikers.

Pete used his background of working in the cycle industry in the UK and Europe to offer advise on developing the business, updating their new website, making some promotional videos and implementing some grass roots training programs for the next generation of Nepali Mountain Bikers.

A wonderful experience & his first ‘real’ work for over a year, he got to ride almost all of the trails in the Pokhara valley on their ‘Commencal’ bikes (a little more advanced that our touring bikes!) and work with the great group of local guides, all has crazy about bikes and trails as he is!

Thanks to Jagan, Sergio, Dhan, Laxman, Laxuman, Shuman & Santaram for being so welcoming!

Nepal

The Gang.

Riding out of Pokhara.

Definitely the first cocktails of the trip!!!

Spectacular flight through the Annapurnas to Jomsom.

Tea Time in the Himalayas.

129 ‘Lower Mustang’ – Nepal

Trails..

Chillies & Wood.

off you go then…

Not a bad backdrop to wake up to.

Making friends with a Buff.

Kathmandu in the Divali Festival.

Hard work? Try riding from the UK!!

You’ve been Tikka’d!

128 ‘The Colour Man’ – Kathmandu

Durba Square – Kathmandu.

Mmmmmm Momo!

127 ‘Stupa’ – Kathmandu

Bouda Stupa at night – awesome spot for meeting old mates – Rich & Dave.

Last Night of Luxury.

In Nepal we took a break from the usual cycle touring lifestyle as Pete’s big brother came out for a visit (with four bottles of french red, 1/2 kilo of stilton & a tandem frame in tow!). It was great chance for us to take a well earned break with plenty of chilling out, good food & some awesome Mountain Biking.

Good times.

Annapurna Circuit By Bike – Nepal

No room in the bus… so up with the bike!

134 ‘Rope Makers’ – Nepal

Kids waiting for that swing.

Waterfall.

Following the newly built jeep trail makes the route accessible to bikes.

Up the beautiful Marsyangdi from Besisahar.

Dal Bhat Break!

133 ‘End Of The Road’ – Nepal

Going Light(ish)weight.

The trail keeps getting better after the end of the road.

Buddhist stones

Living on the edge.

Here Comes The Weather!

Pisang, home for the day while i waited for the weather to pass.

Waiting for the rain to stop. I caught the tail end of a cyclone that hit India pretty hard. For me it rained a lot in a p[lace where (apparently) it never rains. Not a bad view though!

On the trail again.

The odd bit of shouldering the bike.

Just like home.

What a trail.

Dinner time, sitting as close to the stove as possible!

Preparing for the Thorong La (this bright idea of carrying my frame on my back didn’t really work – i just lost circulation in my arms!)

Seemed like a good idea at the time.

Getting higher – over 4,000m

Early Morning Attack

Pete’s Annapurna adventures

132 ‘Ponys At 5400m’ – Nepal

Decent Time!

The clouds clear just in time.

High altitude desert North of Jomsom. Very windy!

Jomsom

Stupa.

131 ‘Mustang Ceiling’ – Nepal

Marpha.

Put Simply…

Coming down into the woods.

Yep, that’s right, it’s what it looks like….

Looks like home.

Jungle.

130 ‘Riding The Deepest Valley On Earth’ – Nepal

Everything.

While Alice tries to fix her back in a yoga ashram in Kathmandu, Pete sets out to ride the infamous Annapurna Circuit solo.

A full write up and guide for other solo travellers should be coming to the recommended category of this website soon.