We checked out and hit the road early. It was a long day of riding as we traced our tracks backwards, enjoying the spectacular views from a slightly different perspective. The weather was fabulous, blue skies with temperatures in the mid 30’s upon departure. Dressed appropriately we were all very comfortable. The day’s big unknown was what time our support vehicle would make it to the evening’s destination. A battlefield repair to a leaky hydraulic clutch line appeared to work, but no telling how it would hold up to the punishing treatment of the roads of the upper Mustang. Robert, injured since the first day, chose to ride in the support vehicle. John the Elder, who aggravated an old knee injury, stayed on the motorcycle but kept a separate pace about an hour behind us for most of the day. Leaving the upper Mustang, we didn’t have time for sadness because from there, it got really crazy. Traffic was significantly more intense than we’d seen. Cars, buses, SUVs and of course the swarms of motorbikes made navigating the challenging terrain even more exciting. Matt and I agreed this was the most intense riding we’d ever done. But after so many kilometers in the saddle, the Royal Enfield felt like an old friend and never let us down. I had my first drop of the trip, very slow speed, and silly. Nothing damaged but my bragging rights. The water crossing that got John the Elder on the way up, got Ian on this go round. He was fine but his bike was flooded and wouldn’t restart until it got the attention of our skilled and trusty mechanic. It was the second “pucker moment” for Ian who earlier, got jiggy in the rocks, went over his handlebars and landed squarely on the chin-bar of his full-face helmet, thank goodness for full face helmets. Warner, humping a pack with 50 pounds of camera gear, went down hard and dislocated his shoulder. The badass he is, he reset it and was on his way. We stopped for lunch in Kagbeni, back at the Yac Hotel, and I finally got to enjoy their “Happy Meal” and a tasty Yac Burger. The challenging conditions continued until we shut the bikes down at our special destination. The steep, rocky hill-climb to our lodging spot was as intense as it gets, but so worth it. Our digs for the night, named “The Heritage at Mallaj”, were incredible. Built more than 100 years ago by the grandfather of the current owner Mickey, it’s literally a royal mansion. Mickey’s grandfather enlisted in the Army and over the course of several decades, made it all the way to the rank of Colonel. Only royal family are promoted to General (at birth) so he retired. Along his journey, he’d become close with members of the royal family and when he asked them for help with plans on a home he’d be building on his mountainside property, they just rolled up the blueprints of a structure they owned and gave it to him. It was spectacular, but had fallen into a state of severe disrepair over the years as Mickey and his kin had moved to Kathmandu to pursue their future. Several years back, Mickey decided to bring the old girl back to life so he left his pursuit of fame and fortune in the big city and returned to his roots. After a complete restore, he’s moved in and opened up the place as a 7-room bed and breakfast. It’s first class Nepali style, and besides great food, adult refreshment, and cozy firepit with tons of seating, he treated us to a performance of the local 11-piece local band, featuring classic instruments and dancing, which several us joined in. You don’t get this kind of authentic local cultural experience on just any vacation. It was a wonderful night of fellowship with new and newer friends. To that. I had a nice chat with one of our guides, Surya, who was also our travelling mechanic. Such a kind soul, the 37-year-old was always there for us, and always had a warm and friendly smile. That said, when by himself, he had a far-away look in his eyes. When I asked about his family, he told me that his mom was killed when he was just six years old and his dad died when he was a young teenager. He confided that he never had a “mother’s love” and when I asked if he was close with his wife, he said yes, but it was different. He has two young boys, 3 and 11 to which I said that watching them grow into happy, healthy men will be one of his biggest blessings. He also shared that he had a rough start to his adult life but is in a really good place currently, loves his work, and working for Jeff, the new owner of the company. Finally, he shared his philosophy on life. All he needs is a roof, rice, and “cotton” and he’ll be fine. It was an intimate conversation and I was honored he felt comfortable enough to have it with me.
