Sainshand – N45°45.512 E107°15.308

10th June 2014      12-24’C     327km (130km off road)
Sainshand – Ikh Gazriin Chuluu – N45°45.512 E107°15.308

It was a beautifully cool morning as I headed out from Sainshand towards Chyor along the newly built road. Arriving at Chyor, we found a place for lunch, a strange sort of Mongolian dish of fried noodle with potato, capsicum and carrots, but tasty.  On leaving the restaurant, a car pulled up and two couples and two small kids got out.  The voluptuous woman who was driving the car arrived with her left breast entirely outside of her shirt, she walked over and said “hello, welcome to Mongolia” and popped the exposed breast back in her bra, as if it was nothing and happened all the time.  I was still in a state of surprise when she picked up one of the little boys and put him on the bike for a photo.  Once the photos were taken, they all said goodbye and drove off.

I checked directions with an old man, who pointed towards the direction I should be headed and set off.  There were at least 6 or 7 tracks all in the general direction and it was just a case of picking one and hoping it was right.  After about 20km the tracks thinned out to just 2 or 3 and I rode on through the Gobi desert.  I very nearly had a big get-off in some deep sand, I was convinced I was going down, but somehow I saved the bike and in the process caught my left calf on the footpeg, scoring a corked leg and a nice bruise in the process.

At a town where I checked directions, just to make sure I was headed the right way, a guy on a motorbike gestured that he would guide me to the right track, which was very helpful.

After another few hours riding off-road in mixed conditions of sand, gibber, grass plains and rocks, I arrived at the place I’d intended to stay tonight, but the ger camp had closed up, only a few empty buildings remained.  As it was too late and I was too tired to ride to the next town, I decided to camp, and found a magnificent place to camp amongst huge stone boulders and with a view that stretches far into the distance.  It is a very beautiful place, and I’m sitting atop a cluster of boulders, with the occasional sound of birds chirping, otherwise complete silence.  I’m looking forward to my first night in the tent in Mongolia, although I suspect it may be cold.  Right now in the sun it is warm, but later once the sun goes down it is certain to be cool.