Rounding the summit of Nazong Pass, Yubeng Village finally came into view. I had traveled 7000 miles in seven days to reach this small community in the foothills of the Himalaya and I was almost punch drunk with giddiness to see it. In my haste to reach the Village, I foolishly joined Mike on the decent. He seemed almost as anxious as I was to get there and was very nearly running down the trail past horses and pilgrims while listening to physics lectures on tape.
Even though Mike's legs were twice as long as mine, I told myself that I could keep up. I was sure I had more experience on much nastier and steeper terrain
and I had fully functioning knees, a rarity among most of my peers. Unfortunately, I miscalculated one key factor in my plan... Mike's intense motivation to find a place to sleep. He later said he was kept up the night before by a fellow traveler's snoring, but I'm not entirely sure that I buy it. It is just as or more likely that Mike met some new friends at the Hot Springs and never quite made it back to bed. At any rate, I was soon left in the dust. Literally. Shortly after I lost sight of Mike I went ass over tea kettle down the trail. Fortunately, the only witnesses to the event were both very helpful and, better yet, didn't speak a word of English. In the end, I made it to Yubeng Village in one very happy piece and Mike got his nap. Spring took this picture of Mike about five minutes after we arrived in Yubeng Village.
Rounding the summit of Nazong Pass, Yubeng Village finally came into view. I had traveled 7000 miles in seven days to reach this small community in the foothills of the Himalaya and I was almost punch drunk with giddiness to see it. In my haste to reach the Village, I foolishly joined Mike on the decent. He seemed almost as anxious as I was to get there and was very nearly running down the trail past horses and pilgrims while listening to physics lectures on tape. 
Even though Mike's legs were twice as long as mine, I told myself that I could keep up. I was sure I had more experience on much nastier and steeper terrain and I had fully functioning knees, a rarity among most of my peers. Unfortunately, I miscalculated one key factor in my plan... Mike's intense motivation to find a place to sleep. He later said he was kept up the night before by a fellow traveler's snoring, but I'm not entirely sure that I buy it. It is just as or more likely that Mike met some new friends at the Hot Springs and never quite made it back to bed. At any rate, I was soon left in the dust. Literally. Shortly after I lost sight of Mike I went ass over tea kettle down the trail. Fortunately, the only witnesses to the event were both very helpful and, better yet, didn't speak a word of English. In the end, I made it to Yubeng Village in one very happy piece and Mike got his nap. Spring took this picture of Mike about five minutes after we arrived in Yubeng Village. 
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