My goodness. Today had so many elements. Beautiful monasteries, an absolutely spectacular descent into the Spiti Valley, and a 20km struggle into the wind on a bad road surface. I lie contented in my warm bed in Lossar, stomach full and body tingling after the exersion.
Spiti Valley
There is an alternative to the main road from Kaza to Lossar. It is hilly, passes some beautiful monasteries, and crosses a new bridge over a chasm. My cycling friend Mark crossed the chasm in a basket run by a pulley when he cycled here 2 years ago. Now there’s a bridge. Much less exciting but safer, I guess.
Chicham bridge
The monastery at Kee is on all the photos of Spiti Valley. Perched on a mound above the valley, it looks amazing from a distance.
Kee monastery
Inside the monastery I was transported back to my cycle across the Tibetan Plateau. The smell of yak butter did it. I met all sorts of groups of people, and was able to speak Hindi, Indonesian and Chinese with them. Something else I love. All really lovely people.
View from the Kee monastery
Kibber was my lunch stop. I had a tea stop at a very unexpected place – at the top of a kind of mini pass – in flat green pastures full of cows.
The inconceivable cafe
The descent from there back to the Spiti Valley was incredible. The river was spread out over a silt plain, bordered by huge sandy sides rising up on both sides to plateaus high above the river. The weather looked threatening, making for a special experience.
Spiti Valley
Spiti Valley
The last 20km were a real slog. With a strong headwind, a bad road, undulating landscape, climbing on average, and a smattering of rain, I arrived exhausted in Lossar.
The road to Lossar
The road to Lossar
Tomorrow my first pass – Kunzum La.
arctic-cycler.com 
Ohmygosh, snowy peaks! Spectacular scenery – I have trouble imagining the magnitude!
It was, indeed, amazing scenery.