Lure of the Mountain

Re-post as requested by Dr. Knowles

2016 Dec.8 or thereabouts – Linus and I were just chatting about m/cycles. Inevitably, Leonard and his GSA came into the conversation. He traded in his Triumph Tiger Explorer for the new Liquid Cool GSA. He had offered to let me ride his new bike many times but I declined. I felt that the bike was simply too tall for me. I couldn’t comfortably ride the bike in congested or slow-moving traffic. He would enticed me with the advanced electronic features found on the bike. I knew it was all good and the bike handles well but I did not want to chance dropping his new ride, which was highly likely. In the course of our chat, Linus and I sort of agreed that the bike that matches the GSA’s engine specs closest and yet would fit me would be the R1200R. It was left at that.

The next morning, when I went on-line, lo and behold!-an advert for a used R1200R pop-up on the screen! And it was posted by our friend Kim. Reading the description, I couldn’t believe my eyes! It was the same bike model that Linus and I were discussing the night before. It was 9-month old, hardly used with 3,900 kilometres on the clock and best of all, near the price I could afford. It was as if Leonard had heard us and was giving me a strong, unmistakable signal to act quickly. I called Kim, and enquired a little. I called Albert and ask if there was a slot available for the Tibet ride. All these I did without thinking, as if on auto-pilot. Within hours, I’ve clinched the deal with Kim, without setting eyes on the m/cycle at all. Kim got me some discount. His words that it was a good deal was good enough for me. Albert warmly welcomed Selene & I to his ride.

So, there you go. In a matter of hours, I’ve made a couple of major decisions without even thinking. Even on hindsight, the opportunities and fluidity of events falling into place couldn’t be all coincidences. Someone was making it happened for us.

2017 Jan. to May.-Busy with work. M/cycle sitting in parking lot unwashed since taking possession in January. Managed to get in some miles (2 full tanks worth) before end May.

DAY 1, JUNE 1 – Hit NS Expressway at 0400hrs. Journey began.

Day 5, June 5 – Enter China through border town of Mohan, Yunnan Province, China. (via Peninsula Malaysia, Thailand, Laos.)

Day 9, June 9– Those beautiful snow peaks, Meili Xue Shan, were visible 2 days ago from Lijiang, yesterday from Shangri-la, and this morning when we started out from Deqin. Drawing everyone closer yet still above and afar. We were at 4292m. As usual, we started out early and were soon scooting along the winding road. Temperature was in the single digit range; between 2 and 7 deg.C. The pristine snow-caps occasionally peeked at us from above, its hue changing subtlely in tandem with the intensity of the sun’s ray. And then at about 2pm, as I rounded one of the numerous twisties, the snow capped peaks suddenly exploded into view. In full. From end to end. Meili Xue Shan. The sky was the clearest blue I’ve ever seen, and the snow peaks so pure and totally unfettered by clouds. It was huge and majestic and seemed so close. Unconsciously, I reached out a gloved hand to connect with the scene, and from the corner of my eye, a white Tiger Explorer materialised, the rider a familiar figure in a worn green tee, head turned and looking at me from across his left shoulder, grinning, and remarked, telepathically, “Nice right, Dad?” I burst into tears…

June 16– We were travelling along the China National Highway 318 which is 5,476km long, runs across eight provinces between Shanghai and Zhangmu(Nepal border). There were endless bends, blind corners & switchbacks as it twist and wind itself across the harsh terrain of Tibet. Some of the bridges were frighteningly high and many sections do not have barriers around the bends, exposing riders to sheer drops of thousands of feet. You really have to be alert because falling rocks or bad road might just be around the next blind corner. It is a really ‘challenging’ road, to put it mildly. However, the views and scenery offered along this route were, again to put it mildly, breath-taking. We were seeing those unbelievable sights one might see on National Geographic or Discovery channels. At a spot along this G318 highway, a wall stood, proclaiming boldly in Chinese writing, Tibetan & English, the 5000km mark from Shanghai. It was at this auspicious spot that Meng suggested we celebrate Leonard’s life by taking a few photos in memoriam. It was a good suggestion. In the accompanying images, I was brooding while in contrast, Selene chose to remember him as a happy and carefree soul. There is no right or wrong. To each his own. We have to mend ourselves.

Incidentally, the black tees in the photos are softball tees design by the softball team whom Leonard was a member of. (Leonard was a SEA Game medallist, too, representing SG. He was their pitcher.) The tees was for a one-day tournament involving a few teams, which was played in Leonard’s honour at RI field. To me, this is awesome gesture. Of true friendship. Of Love. For people to pay tribute in this manner meant that he must have done some good deeds, and touch some hearts, and meant something to someone. It is a measure of the person. His many friends that came forward, whether from sport, bikers, NS, school friends, everywhere, were all very genuine people, who really felt the lost like I. There was a team of secondary school students he coached, who handed me bagful of hand-written notes and letters, pledging that they will remember his advise. We were all very touched by this simple and heartfelt act. Though he may have left early, he has lived, and was also very fortunate to have so many true, honest and wonderful people around him. Bless be all whom he met.

Day 17. June 17-Mount Qomolangma (or Everest, to the world).
Mt. Qomolangma Base Camp, North Face, Tibet. 5200m.
We have come as far as our m/cycles could possibly take us. We are at EBC 1. If we wish to go further, it has to be on foot. Not such a good idea. But ‘here’ is good enough for me and many of us, I believe. To be this near to the highest point on Earth is a dream that many have. Right now, we are blessed with clear blue sky. Everest stood clear and sharp, its snowy peak pure and white, mesmerising, beckoning, so near yet so far, majestic, raw & powerful. I know not of a clearer description.

Leonard, with our feet on terra firma, this is the closest mum & dad can come to you. We will get on with life but that does not mean forgetting you (says your sis Vina). We know you are up there, where kind and gentle soul should be. To you, my son, pupil, friend, riding buddy, also teacher, guide; there is no good-bye. Only ‘see you later’. Namaste.

Day 21, June 21– we were leaving Tibet for Qinghai, using the only mountain pass that link them. Seems pretty straightforward. Just ride on the black top along the peaks of the mountain range at altitude of around 5200m and in a few hours, we descend to lower altitude and warmer clime. Easy. How wrong I was.

We set out from the Hotel Qomolangma at about 7am and were making reasonable progress towards the pass. But before we reached the first summit, it rained, and then snowed. I, urban Singaporean, who have not seen snow before, was delighted. We reached the summit call Mount Tanggula, which separates Tibet from Qinghai, and stop for some pics. It was 0 deg.C. I stuck out my tonque to taste the flakes, threw snowballs, and was so loving it. I love snow.

Time to move on. The Roadster (my m/cycle) on-board computer was issuing ‘black ice’ and ‘snow’ warnings. It was getting colder (below 0 deg) already, and we were still a long way to Qinghai. This pass or road was built on permafrost and mainly use by 18-wheelers, 30T or 50T loaders ferrying goods & machinery, and the vehicles routinely destroy the tarmac/asphalt.
It is in a constant state of disrepair. It is extremely silly for m/cycles to traverse this pass when snowing, with poor visibility, sub-zero temp, seriously broken and slippery road with loose gravel and giant portholes, and fighting for space with mammoth 18-wheelers coming both ways. I had to wipe snow off my helmet visor every few seconds to see where I was going. It was that bad. Many times I felt like giving up and stopping but the prospect of standing in the snow by the road while giant trucks which can barely keep a straight line bounced past me prevented me from surrendering. I am pretty sure the others felt the same. We trudged on.

In what seemed like an eternity, but actually only 2-3 hours, we started our descent. We were wet and cold. My fingers and toes had lost all feeling an hour ago and I fear I might lose them to frostbite. It was at that moment that I decide I never want to see snow again. Ever. In 3 hours, I’ve gone from loving snow to hating it.

What an experience! It was like a scene from the 60’s movie “Ice Station Zebra” by Alistaire MacLean, about some espionage activities in a polar camp in the North Pole. Just like the movie, everything was opaque and white-out, freezing and terrifying. It was an unforgiving environment. One difference though. This is real.

But I can tell you this; I would not trade this experience for anything in the world. You cannot order hail to fall from the sky, even for a short minute or two, as it did a couple of days ago on the Tibetan plateau, or call up a snow storm, at a place that have not snowed at that time of the year for the past ten years. You come seemingly well-prepared only to discover your inadequacy when the going gets really tough. But to be fair, the extreme conditions were out of the norm, leaving us with no choice but ride it through. This incident left me in awe. I feel so privilege that Nature has chosen to let us experienced her power and then mercifully, let us go.

Bouncing video footage taken from a 4WD will show how bad condition was. And through it all, Leonard rode with us.

June 23 onwards-numerous Unesco Heritage Sites, endless grassland, lakes with more water then the straits between Singapore & Malaysia, food that numb our palate and beautiful weather; the trials and tribulations of the past weeks seem so distant. Frayed tempers that surfaced are soothed. Although we still have to keep our speed down, the roads somehow seem smoother, less intense. Perhaps the rolling grasslands and gentle undulations ease our eyes and minds. Who knows? China is awesome. The grassland and the animals that lived off it also did something else; it revealed a new Selene.

Selene was dead-scared of pets & animals. She would walk around the block to use the stairs to the 13th floor rather then cross-path with the stray cat lounging near the lift. If we encounter someone walking their dog, she would put me in between, even though the animal was leashed and held by the owner, and not even dare look at the dog. Such was her phobia, until one day, Leonard announced that he will be bringing a pet home for mum. It was Cookie the puppy, unceremoniously dumped on mum. But soon, mum & Cookie became inseparable. Leonard had opened a door in mum’s heart, to a place full of unconditional love, that she never knew she had. On the grassland that day, all was revealed. Mum is now confident enough to hand-feed cows, and even freed a calf entangled by the fences. Horses and huge dogs doesn’t bother her anymore. She is comfortable with animals now. A priceless new dimension is added to her life. And it is because Leonard did not want her to be lonely as she ages. I feel that this is one of his most under-rated quality and achievement. He is gifted with a knack for helping others, young & old, become better versions of themselves. Bless his soul.

Day33, July 3 – Midnight. Home. The change of pace in the past few days have calm my mind. There was time to reflect on the trip. Time to let my mind drift. And in that time, I came to realise the purpose for embarking on this ride to Tibet. I was not there to conquer the snowy peaks in Yunnan, or the hazardous and unpredictable road conditions. Or the harshest of weather and terrain in Tibet. Or Mount Qomolangma. Tibet and Everest and the elements will still be there long after I am done & dusted, and is, therefore, not conquered. Leonard lured me there, I now realise, ultimately, to conquer………myself.
Om.

This ride is dedicated to him, who lived, and urged me to do likewise.

Leonard Sim
1989-2016
et venit, vidit, vicit

My deepest appreciation to Albert who accepted our reason for joining this ride, and who has walked with me through the darkest moments of my life.

Jaywalker. July 2017.