27^th September

The road for the next 4 days is unfriendly and desolate, there’s not much traffic so just as backup in case of an emergency I have the guide trailing me. So my new guide Mah and his lady wife in hijab lead me out of Golmud and then he signaled me to take the lead. It used to be the same arrangement with the earlier team, we would decide to meet up at a check post or a mountain pass or when the destination came close, they would catch up with me and take the lead for the last 4/5 km.

The ride from Golmud to Tulang (or Dulan) was almost a straight line for the first 250 Km. on my right was the Burhan Budai Shan range and on my left was a desert like flat land. Then the foothills of the Burhan Budai Shan intercepted the road, and the last 100 Km, was a bit uphill and down.

In Tulang, got some welding and fixing done on the bike. My main worry now is that I have completed 6106 Km so I need to replace the engine oil. The oil I had got from Bombay is over as I had to change the clutch plates in Kodari (for which the oil had to be drained off and replaced). Have to get something as close to the prescribed oil.