Let’s get high.

So the bike appears to be finally ready to make the grand mission. In a couple days, I’ll be taking her into the proper Himalaya – the roof of the world. Only 50 km up the road is the first real test – a 3980 meter (13,057 foot) pass, about 2000 meters higher than the town I’m currently living in. Beyond that, I’ll be crossing passes at 4500, 5000, and 5300 m (17,390 ft) in the three days it will take to get to Leh, where I’ll spend a week or so. Just beyond Leh is the highest road in the world, Khardung La, at 5600 m (over 18,000 feet).

(There appears to be some dispute over this, naturally. The Chinese claim that GPS readings show the pass at less than 5400m, meaning some roads in Tibet are higher. Well I’m not in Tibet on a motorbike, so China can eat my exhaust).

To put that in perspective, Mont Blanc, the highest peak in Europe, is 4800m. That’s a peak. These are roads. Fun.

At any rate, it’s high time my bike got named. I’ve basically been tossing around feminine names, as I’ve done with my bicycle at home (Ladyboy) and my scooter in Taiwan (Doris). I’ve joked with people here about naming her Britney. It makes sense: she looks and sounds fantastic, but man is she fucked up inside.

At any rate, I’ve already had a few suggestions in the comments of my last post, but please feel free to add your own. I’m going to let this come semi-organically, but if a cracker of a name arises, it’ll probably stick. Thanks in advance.

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