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District's Kathmandu Guest House. Fully equipped with mid- to high-end bikes and gear, this shop is a must-stop for all mountain bikers exploring the area. Owner Sonam Gurung will set visitors up with a bike, gear and enough local knowledge for a day trip or a three-week tour. Gurung, who spent seven years in Thailand as a kick boxer, got hooked on mountain biking when he met Greg Vann, an American who was one of the first people to bring a mountain bike into the country. Today Gurung intensely pursues cycling. Langtang IS home to people . tu re. II 3500 3000 2500 GHORATABElA GUMNACHOWK Day 1: Kathmandu to Dhunche by Bus Going anywhere during the national Dasain festival-a celebration of the goddess Durga-is like traveling on Thanksgiving weekend. People crowd into buses, fi lling the aisles. When there is no room left they clamber onto the roof, keeping goats and chickens company. In the spirit of Dasain, holy men splatter sacrificial blood and sprinkle flower petals on the buses to assure a safe journey. But bus rides remain the most dangerous form of travel in Nepal Thin roads are littered with rocks and holes. The drivers' sketchy passing moves make you realize why this part of Asia is the bus-plunge capital of the world. Signs of previous disasters line roads. The best way to counter anxiety is to take a deep breath and lose oneself in the vistas revealed at every turn. After a full day on the bus, I relax in one of Dhunche's many clean village lodges. In the morning I leave for the trailhead. I pay my park entrance fee of 600 rupees-about US$1 0. The money supports conservation efforts and education for the people who live in the park. This is not a virtual reality adventure. Langtang is home to people. The same trai ls visitors ride they use to go to school, trade goods and visit friends, as they have done for centuries. 36