I left this journal blank. It was a great summer in Mongolia and in South Korea. I worked out a plan to cycle to the eastern Gobi Desert
(Sainshand) and visit
Terejl National Park (photos below) in the same 7-day route nearing the Chinese border (
Zamiin-Uud Замын-Үүд). I met new friends in Ulaanbaatar again this summer. Travelers arrived from Estonia (Lauri Mihkelson), Germany, United States, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Switzerland, Holland, Serbia, Korea, Japan and Mongolia (Mongolians are naturally the kindest hosts in the world) (: I stayed at Zaya's Hostel in central UB. There,
I split the MongoliaX2014 into three (3) Microadventures: Terejl National Park (1), Gobi Desert-Sumber East (2), and visiting Khentii grasslands on a return trip through Avarga mineral lakes (3).
First into the Terejl National Park (1) to see the running horses, bright green pasture Steppe hills and mountains, some herders and flocks, road workers from China, and wooden bridges towards the Turtle Rock. There, I camped there nearby a Shaman ground where pine trees were wrapped in colorful ribbons and cloth alongside the snaking hiking path towards Turtle Rock of
Terejl Park. This location is just 60km (Park entrance, 3,000 Tugruts) 80km outside of Ulaanbaatar riding east on Peace Avenue directly from downtown (State Department Store -
MAP of central Ulaanbaatar). The city of
Ulaanbaatar is changing and developing - I noticed the paved roads of this capital city have improved since I started my trip in 2012 (massive holes filled in). The city was safer than two years before, as police or security officers would wait outside major shops or patrol through downtown on sidewalks.
Second, riding southeast into the eastern Gobi Desert (2) along the TransMongolian railway route to China. Along this route, I met the most cycle travelers in all my travels. A family from Serbia with trailers on the road for 5+ months with their 3-year old son in tow; a Dutch couple on Recumbent bicycles having a blast riding to/from Ulaanbaatar to Sainshand in the Gobi all summer long.
A Swiss couple (Jean-da and Leo) several years into their Round-The-World Tour, they are still traveling as I update this journal, bonnes voyages mes amis! I also picked up a ticket for the TransMongolian railway and bribed ($2.50) my way onto the train back to Ulaanbaatar to have lunch with a Japanese friend named Tomoko before leaving for Khentii grasslands, a Japanese cyclist/engineer who has ridden in Antarctica and designed a Fat Bike.
Third, riding east and west to and from the Khentii grasslands and offroad to the Avarga mineral lakes (3). This section of the journey was different than the first two in several different ways. I met a cool family outside of Baganuur, they resided along the highway and the grandmother had her year-round Ger tent setup with a large pasture of milking cows and horses from neighbors would often get mixed into her herds and shooed away by her grandchildren and their friends. From Baganuur, I continued east to Khentii leaving TOV central province into the greater grasslands which sprawl out for thousands of kilometers. I met
An Ovoo - Shaman or Buddhist spiritual mound on mountain crossings (Davaa)
My first tour across Mongolia (2012)...
My second tour across Mongolia (2014)...
The easier ride this year, 745 miles/1200km mostly on pavement, 200km out to Avarga mineral lakes). I traveled to see Mongolia, meet international travelers, relax in nature, and enjoy. (:This trek was more about feeling Mongolia - the clean air, finding and utilizing clean water sources either through filtering rivers
(MSR microfilter) or carrying 10 liters of unfiltered well water (filling a few liters in villages, it's clean and delicious direct from a deep spring) or sometimes topping up on near-surface well water used by horses and humans (in which I always filter before drinking or use in cooking). I cooked this year in Mongolia, previously I carried no stove, pots, fuel or perishable food that required cooking for 45 days crossing the country. I enjoyed cooking meals this summer, and prepared them over LPG (Liquefied petroleum gas/natural gas) and a simple LPG burner head, on a stainless steel pot, and carrying a spoon and a small knife.
BECAUSE IT WAS THERE...
I have completed through solo crossing thr 4-corners of Mongolia 3700km or 2299 miles (2300km offroad) unsupported in 65 days (7 rest days included). Like many of the travelers I have met in Mongolia (including David Yu - Los Angeles Med Surgeon/friend/new sponsor), we always want to return to the magic of Mongolia. I did it because as George Herbert Leigh Mallory (18 June 1886 – 8 or 9 June 1924) said when he climbed Everest...Because it was there.
Terejl National Park on day 1 of my 20 day tour. 1200km was no problem given the surfaced roads going East/Southeast to the eastern Gobi Desert along the TransMongolian railway route.
I didn't carry rear/side panniers, I chose to use a 35L backpack and sleeping bag stuff sack contained all my clothing except the Goretex jacket. Upfront in the Ortlieb Frontroller Classic panniers I packed spare parts/tools/food/dead notebook computer/medicine/First Aid/and snacks.
The pavement, the landscape, the horses free to roam the park. Terejl was a good place to be.
Out of sight in lower right, a dead dog in this river. Very important to filter all water sources downstream!
I roll to ride Mongolia.
This is my dream, or one of them for bicycle touring in a foreign country in the summer.
At night, I gathered twigs as kindling, and unfortunately there are Mongolians who picnic and throw trash in collective piles, I burned some plastic bottles as ignition and packed out a pile of other garbage left behind. Remember to always pack-out what you bring in on camping trips and microadventures. Leave the place cleaner than you found it, it helps the next person who wild camps in these beautiful locations. (:
Shamanism is alive in Mongolia
A lone calf walks by the Ger camps. These host international travelers taking Jeep-guided tours for the day or several days from Ulaanbaatar. You can actually do a lot in this area, Terejl also hosts a beautiful monastery - just a few kilometers beyond the Turtle Rock. Follow the gravel road Northeast and you will find it there. There are horseback tours arranged with you tour company in this area as well. Enjoy.
MongoliaX2012 - 1553 miles, 2500km, 40,000 meters, Offroad, 45 days. A first "solo crossing" for me. (:
Traveling is about the friends you meet, the places you see, the experiences you keep, the dreams under your feet traveling for a few months at a time. This is traveling adventure that is familiar to me. Going some place far from home and familiarity is exotic and it can be life fulfilling as a journey. These journeys don't have to end, they are a step to a new beginning.
More adventure coming soon, thanks for visiting (:
