May 27/28, Ride Day 7/8: The Buddha and The Waitress
May 27 – We’re camping at 14,000′ on another grassy plain. Today was a pretty easy day, only about 60 miles, and pretty flat.
There is a house/”bar”/”restaurant” near our campsite, the only structure visible for miles. We went inside and had a beer. There was a monk chanting in a small room off the “bar” area. The two young women who brought us beer, along with the Tibetan 2 oz beer glasses, stayed in the room continuing to refill our glasses, which, when you’re drinking out of such a small glass, happens frequently. They then sat down, stared at us while laughing continuously. We could only image what they were thinking.
I went back later to see if I could photo the two women who brought us our beer. I looked in on the monk and he motioned for me to sit next to him, he had been chanting and reading for quite some time. I sat there and listened, then showed him my camera. He was most interested. I took several photos, and he couldn’t get enough of looking at himself on my camera. I also convinced one of the women to have me take her photo – she was very shy, but finally she got into it!
May 28 – Today’s ride was only about 50 miles, with a 12-mile climb of 1,300 feet topping out at 14,800’. We camp tonight at 13,500’.
The weather today was fantastic, warm, blue skies, almost no wind. Though, sitting here now in my tent, it’s raining, and a wind has kicked up. Everyone is praying for good weather tomorrow.
Just around cocktail time at camp we were surrounded by a hoard of children all 8-12 years old. They were very interested in us, and particularly our cameras. Posing for us was not a problem. The boys were kicking the soccer ball, the girls were playing jump rope games that I remember seeing girls play when I was a kid.
robert j. mang cycling/travel 