As I offer to tow, the passengers faces lit up. The CH numbered Swift as well as the Alto guys also want to be towed.
this makes the locals worried, they are thinking, that being a tourist, I will tow the tourist swift and not them.Moreover the Swift is much lighter.
So they offer to push up the small cars by muscle power, and I can pull up the sumo.
I ask them to find a rope or something, as I do not want to take my tow ropes out of the luggage.
Thats last resort.
Meanwhile, its time for alto to make the attempt. He is a local driver, and is confident that he will make it on own power.
So the little 800cc machine takes a long runup, and guns for the hairpin.
Tires spinning halfway up, she starts spinning and does a full 180 to go back where she came from.
Next is the swift.
This is a VXI and has wider tires than the alto. Wheels are spinning, and all the passengers start pushing, and after a lot of drama, she makes it to the top. As she comes abreast of the safari and stops, she starts sliding towards the white elephant, thankfully human intervention stops the "bang".
Meanwhile the sump driver has found an extra rope. Its made of cloth, and is the one they use to tie luggage with.
For now, we will try with this.
I back the safari, in 4L, slowly, and as I stop she starts sliding sideways. I again release the brakes and spin the tires a little, and they dig in good.
We tie the rope, and Its time for me to start pulling.
Now even with 4WD, climbing up a slippery slope is one thing, but climbing with 2 ton dead weight is another.
However my fears are unfounded. The white elephant pulls her stricken cousin with ease, and slowly we inch forward
![Riders on a Storm-688146724_lzy4kl.jpg](https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/attachments/travelogues/213876d1692564456t-riders-storm-688146724_lzy4kl.jpg)
I shift to second, and pull slightly faster
Hurray, the hairpin is all clear!
The passengers are very happy, and cheering, they won't be stuck at Rohtang!
My wife comes in(she was clicking pics), and I tow the sumo for almost half a km, and then the flimsy rope breaks.
But no issues. I ask the driver to try and pull on own power as the swift and Alto have now manged to tackle the next hairpin(which has softer snow).
If he gets stuck again, I will pull him up again.
Meanwhile a tractor is coming down, and the thick tread is breaking the ice, good for us!
So off the sumo goes, and I click a few pics
This sign, I bet all you Ladakh travellers have been seeing it for years. "Double laning in progress".
The white elephant
She
![Riders on a Storm-688133178_avkujl.jpg](https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/attachments/travelogues/213884d1692564483t-riders-storm-688133178_avkujl.jpg)
really white now, with snow on the roof, the bonnet, and all over elsewhere
Soft snow on the road
We enter the tarmac zone, and bus and tractors have created a nice path for us to follow. Snowfall has all but stopped, so its easy peasy now
Just before the pass, the Sumo is waiting to thank us. Pleasanteries exchanged, they go on their way, and we stop at the pass to click a few pics, and eat omellettes. No eggs yesterday were a big problem!
TO BE CONT...........