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2003-07-27 - Panikhar - Kargil (Day 103)

We are up and ready to go at 7am with the hope that the water level for the river crossing will be lower if we are across before the sun really gets the snow run off going. The beginning of the ride is again a shock in that I didn't remember it being as hard as it was as I was expecting a nice easy ride to the river. As it turns out it was a relatively tough 20km and I expect that the elation of the first river crossing had me so happy that I simply didn't notice it was still a rough ride afterwards. Going back, I did notice it and was even less happy about it being rough knowing that the river crossing was still ahead - certainly not something I was looking forward too. The ride back was like the hour-long wait at an amusement park for the new ultra-scary roller coaster you are going on for the second time. The first time scared the heck out of you, but you were happy when it was over, but now you are facing it on a different day and thinking this really isn't that great an idea. I guess the only real difference is that in this case, its more likely that I would go down and probably get hurt then not which isn't a great thing to look forward to.

I can see the glacier stretching up to the top of the valley for several kilometers before reaching it and know that is the source of the river crossing and the thought of going back into the water, which was still glacier 20 minutes before at 8am just isn't pleasing. The last time it was a nice hot afternoon, now I'm still in my coat trying to keep warm and snow-water is the last thing I want in my boots. I come around the turn and look at the river with deep apprehension, to find that it is less then 1/2 of the depth it was before. I am so happy that I have to remind myself that it still deserves a good look and I should stop before plunging in as compared to what we faced on the way down, this is a cakewalk. After just a minute look, I ride across, it is a breeze to cross, and Steve does the same. As always seems to be the case when one has agonized and agonized over something to come, it wasn't nearly what one had feared.

Not too long after, we start to hit pavement again and the ride turns back into a simple ride in the countryside as we pass villages and ride back into Kargil.

Its Sunday so the welding shops that will be needed to fix up Steve's bike are all closed so we are stuck until Monday so today is yet another day of wandering around the city and reading.

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