Day 25. Monday 13.

Uureg Lake View to Achit Lake Bush Camp 14

Distance:  89 km

Cumulative Distance: 2669 km

Time: 7 hrs 13 min

Speed:  12.4 km/hr

Feet Climbed today: 3748

Cumulative Climb: 56,412  ft 

AHR (Average Heart Rate) 109 bpm

Punctures so far: 2.     

Altitude tonight: 4710 ft

Last evening before retiring I wandered down to the lake just to soak in the atmosphere and beauty. Lovely.

Today is our last full day in Mongolia. And such a fitting last day - it had a bit of everything, sand, climbs, pushing the bike up, washboard, descents, crossing desert and camp by a lake. All bar pavement. Have so many memories of our adventure through the country.

Andreas had worked out an alternative route to make the border by Tuesday. Our original plan was to go around the northern end of Achitt Nuur (lake) but that meant facing a river too big to ford. So plan B was to cross a mountain range and circle around the southern side of that lake. The new route was explained at Riders Meeting before breakfast at 5.30 am.

We set off cross country and picked up a trail after 5 km. this is a little-used track and consequently rather rough for the next 15 km. the first 12 km was rideable but tough and technical.

The final 3 km was impossible as regards gradient and surface....Muskerry Lake all over again. The bike felt a ton weight to push it along. Everyone ,bar one, had to dismount for those final kilometres (and that one got lost later in the afternoon). It resulted in downing the average speed for the day to 12.2.

But there was one remote ger halfway up with a sizeable mixed herd. There were a few false tops before the actual summit but we had been warned of these.

Eventually after much huffing and puffing the real top appeared and it was cold at this height of 8300 feet. And to think that we hadn't completed 20 km yet since leaving camp and it had taken 3 hours to get here! The climb involved a lift of 3400 feet. High fives all around among those there at the time. Felt elated to have conquered it....probably the first Irishman to have cycled up here, possibly the first to have cycled all across Mongolia.

Just off the track here at the top, snow still covered large areas. Conor, I printed your name with pride at our highest point in Mongolia. It’ll be there till the next snows come.

Then a long (4 km) descent along a track not as rough as the ascent, thank God. Passed an ovoo with a slab altar alongside; wonder if it is connected with traditional funerary rites? The descent finally flattened out and the surface improved to the remote village of Khotgor.

The three of us went into the centre of the village for a Coke stop. As we halted in the central area, I ceased pedalling abut the bike kept sailing along. Puzzled. Then I realised that one of the kids had grabbed the back-carrier and was pushing. Could have done with his assistance earlier in the morning. While we were there he examined all equipment in the cockpit. The square housed the election HQ for the election and canvassers jeeps came and went while we tarried. One actually came into camp this evening to canvas the Mongolians with us I presume.

Khotgor is a remote coal-mining community. The mine was on our left as we left the village with high man made spoil heaps. Much of that coal is exported to Russia - saw some of the large trucks and plenty of pieces of coal strewn along the track as far as the camp. Khotgor is a Khazak Muslim community and looked so different to other villages we have been to. Not a ger to be seen, nor those coloured roofs. Block built houses and walls with flat roofs, even stone built fences. At one spot I saw these blocks out drying in the sun; seemed hand made and very black.

I had forgotten all about Lunch (the morning had been so full) and was pleasantly surprised when the van and canopy appeared just across a river crossing. After lunch we dropped into a large flat area with many parallel tracks. Flagging was only along one track and it was here that Ivan took a track that brought him into anothe valley. He ended up doing an extra 60 km for his error. 

Near the end of the day another 200 metre sandy climb had to be completed. It wasn't very steep but still drained energy. Greeted near the top by a herd of camels that scattered when we passed.

From the top of that climb another lake, Achit Nuur appeared with a long slow descent. In places the track was difficult to figure out but cyclists far off in the distance helped. It was sandy also but not of the beach type.

Tonight we are camped on the shore of Achit Nuur, another freshwater lake, good for fish and home to wild geese and eagles. I saw neither of them; but plenty of flies about. It is shallow and I availed of it to freshen up. No need for a towel as the lovely warm breeze did the business. 

Tomorrow we cross the border and transfer to Russia. Crossing the border is a long tedious matter and may take up most of the day. When Andreas was here last year it took 4 hours for him to get through.

We’ll see what happens.

Thank God for the health and thank God for the energy.