A Texan in Tibet - Riding Day 1 Plan

"All you need is the plan, the road map, and the courage to press on to your destination."
-Earl Nightingale
 

Kathmandu to Syabrubensi

I think I have day one riding sorted out. Assuming no catastrophic delays, I expect about six to eight hours riding and photo stops from Kathmandu to Syapru Besi.  (Sometimes called) "Syabrubensi" sits at 2,380 meters/7,800 feet elevation.  No big deal there, but I'll be traversing some pretty rough mountain passes above 5,000 meters/16,400 feet to get there.  My O² training mask regimen will apparently pay dividends on day one.

Getting out of Kathmandu in one piece might  be the most challenging part of the entire day.  Once I get out of civilization, I should be able to let my guard down and enjoy the ride.  The map on the left can be interactively viewed following this link.  Zooming in on some of the twisties along the path reveals some pretty interesting switchbacks. 

I would really prefer to ride the most northern route out of Kathmandu through Kakani, but May is a rainy month in Nepal and the remote mountain routes might not be passable.  I'm also not sure about fuel availability.  So in the interest of keeping to my plans (Mr. Saunders' quote notwithstanding) and adhering to my basic survival instincts, I'll probably ignore Robert Frost and take the road more traveled...at least on day one.