After a long day I finally pulled into the sprawling metropolis of Tosontsengel. There was a welcoming committee (see photo). Most of the day was fun riding, all dirt or track or steppe. I found fuel and topped up, needlessly really as I’m carrying enough to get me into Russia. The land is so barren though that running out isn’t an option.

I also topped up with water, filling everything I have. There are shops dotted around, even streams and rivers. I have water purification equipment so it’s not exactly survival. However, a breakdown or worse could turn the tables very quickly. I can carry 8.5 litres and it’s just enough really. Having company with alternate transport helps of course.

We were going great until the last 20k, when the track turned into deep sand. It’s really difficult to ride and my bike went down about a third of the way in. No damage, she’s a tough old girl and I’m pleased to report that sand is soft! Once you stop it’s harder to get going again, you need to get the front wheel up and planning. If there’s more soft sand the bikes will go down again, but it’s part of the adventure. It’s character building.

It’s also bollocks.

We descended into a valley and found the only shade we’d seen all day. It was time for lunch so we pulled up next to a couple of Russian vans. Hot, tired and dusty. The vans are everywhere in Russia, always the same shade of grey, purposeful looking but kind of cute too. I want one!

There were some people having lunch so we kept our distance, but they called us over for a chat. A German tour group were having a superb pasta dish, would we like to join them? It was very kind and soon we were tucking in, taking about their trip. A three week tour of Mongolia, a group of friends who often go away together.

They were interested in what we’re doing, one of them had done the same by bicycle many years ago! It was just what we needed before pressing on. Thank you!

Although we passed up on the first crossing, there were many more to be had along the way. No issues, in fact they’re quite fun once you get into them. Here’s Chip showing how it’s done.

It was a fairly tough day today. All dirt so we only made around 200kms, which is petty good going considering. We started the day with a 20km detour, as there was a river crossing which was a bit too deep. We got to the edge and a car was about to cross from the other side, so we waited to see how deep it was.

Deep but doable was my initial thought, though I wasn’t keen. Chip and Ken turned into Chip and Dale… After you
No no. After you.
Of please, I insist…..etc.

We spoke to the driver and he said to go back 2 miles and up over the mountain. It was just as easy for us to go back past the camp spot and take the other road, north then west rather than west then north. So we did!

This morning I hiked up to the top of the hill we camped at the base of. There was a toilet at the top 😉 You can’t see the tents, but you can just make out the 8 lane trans Mongolian highway cutting left to right across the picture. What I’m liking about Mongolia is that if you see something you like the look of, you just ride straight towards it! See a good camping spot? No problem!

Take out the papers and the trash… etc. That song has been knocking around my head all day, ever since I came across a herd of Yak today. (Ken calls it a “Yak pack”). I don’t think I’ve seen a yak before. Maybe in a zoo one time, but it wasn’t something I remember particularly.

They didn’t seem too bothered about me or the bike. Like most of the livestock I’ve seen, goats, horses, cows and sheep – they’re all surprisingly relaxed around motorised transport. I would have thought it would be the opposite.

There’s a fashion show in Tsetserleg tonight. We’re not there to see it, but last night we met one of the organisers, Michelle. It was a stroke of luck as the lady in the restaurant didn’t speak any English, and the menu was in Mongolian – with no pictures!!

She fetched Michelle from the next table, who spoke very good American and translated for us. Thanks for that! I hope the show goes well for them, it’s to promote the benefits of Yak wool. Hmm, I wonder what song they’re playing as the models walk down the catwalk?

Mongolian roads are pretty good when they decide to make them. As good as anywhere else. Unfortunately there are no routes across the country where it’s all tarmac. When the road runs out there is generally a track running across the steppe.

I say a track, but it’s more like 8 or 10 tracks running roughly parallel. They’re ranging from hard packed and smooth to soft sand with corrugations or just heavily rutted. Occasionally you can sit down on the bike for a rest, but beware! Be ready to stand up at any time. The best track is of course the one next to the one you’re on!

The weather is warm and sunny for the most part at this time of year, but it does rain and I did get caught out before lunch. The storms are impressive as they’re very localised, almost like a series of micro climates. It’ll be bright sunshine where you are, but you can see lightning in 3 or 4 different corners of the sky.

We stopped at a pretty canyon, it was a short blat across the steppe from the road. Not the kind of thing I was expecting to see, but very pretty none the less. It reminds me of the film Rambo, where he jumps onto the trees to avoid the helicopter. I didn’t try it!

Scenery today is as good as ever, but we ran out of tarmac about 130kms West of Tsetserleg. The tracks so far have been fairly easy to navigate, mostly hard packed with the odd strip of sand. The sand isn’t too deep so if it stays this way it shouldn’t be too much of a problem.

Let’s hope those aren’t famous last words!