Day 26. Tuesday June 14

. Achit Lake Camp ( Mongolia) to Kosh Agach Bush Camp 15 (Russia).

Distance:  0 km

Cumulative Distance: 2669 km

Time: 0 hrs 0 min

Speed:  0 km/hr

Feet Climbed today: 0

Cumulative Climb: 56,412  ft 

AHR (Average Heart Rate) n/a

Punctures so far: 2.     

Altitude tonight: 3109 ft

A long long tiring day and not on the bike at all. No cycling today for anybody. Due to yesterday's forced route change we camped further from the border than originally planned. And crossing the border is not a zip-zip process. So last night all bikes were loaded onto a truck, our Mongolian crew said goodbye and Russian vans arrived prepared for an early departure. These vans would transfer us over the border into Russia - no pedestrians or cyclists allowed.

Alarms off at 4.15 (i.e. 9.15 pm on Monday in Ireland) even before the dawn started to shed light, tents packed away in darkness and all bags loaded onto the vans to pull out at 6.15. Frieder. Mike and I were joined by Liz (Can), Charlie and William (Eng) in our van and got on famously over the resulting long day.

The nine vans and truck raised dust as they traversed the desert terrain for 85 km (with a few stops and a breakdown that needed a push). Others availed of the stops to do their stretches under the guidance of Peter (Can).

After the 85 km, entered a narrow canyon rising continually for 35 km up to 8200 ft. Scattered ’gers’ and herds of yaks feeding on the patches of fresh grass by the river. This was a spectacular part of the journey

In this extreme corner of Mongolia the people are Kahzak and their dwellings are referred to as yurts now. The Yurt has a steeper roof than the ger but serves the same purpose.

The canyon finished at Tsagannuur and then a straight run up to the border post i.e. the Mongolian exit part. We expected this part to be the quicker of the two. We arrived at 10.15am and took our place in the slow, very slow queue.

Had a chance to get rid of all Tog (mine were gone since yesterday) and also change money to Roubles. Rate wasn't great (1 Euro = 68 Rbl.) so I only changed 50 to cover these 4 camping days till we reach Gorno, our next Rest Day.

Still waiting in the heat at 2 pm (almost 4 hours) when the Mongolian officials decided to close the shutters till 3 pm for their lunch. Our passports had been collected at this stage but still no movement of vehicles.

Their lunch over, processing returned at a resumed snails pace. Eventually we were let through the gate into the passport control. All our documents got full scrutiny, but at least our bags didn't have to be unloaded and put through the scan. (We had ten vehicles in all.)

On then through 10 km of No Mans Land to the actual frontier. Sneaked a photo here of the actual border barbed-wire fence. Examination of documents didn't delay us too much here. Then another 20 km of NML to the Russian Passport Control. Again full detail scrutiny.

Our bags had to be put through the scan and as mine came out a uniformed official demands “Who owns this bag?”. It was mine, the only one to be singled out. There on the ground between the scan machine and the vans he asked me to open the Tierney Construction / Kilfeacle and District bag. (Maybe that spooked him.). “Have you weapons or knives in there” No, sir. “Any tools?” I said I had the bicycle tools I use on Rest Day. “And what's in that bag” pointing to a small bag of medicines within. I showed him. “You from Syria?” says he. No, I replied. “Where you from?” I’m from Ireland, says I. “Ah” he says beaming with a smile. “That’s ok, everything fine”. The rest of the lads about enjoyed the little episode. Vans all loaded up again and we finished all the border crossing procedures exactly 8 hours after we arrived, 8 hours and most of it in great heat. I’ll never complain again about having to queue for 10 mins at Passport Control.

A whole day had been spent at this simple process between two professedly friendly countries. 

Outside the control zone we waited till all vehicles were through and also met the two TDA sprinter vans we’ll have for the rest of the trip. 

The surroundings about did look different to Mongolia but hunger and weariness was uppermost on people's minds. Then a 50 km drive (on pavement) to Kosh Agach, the site of tonight's bush camp beside a river.

We stopped in the town and made a bee-line for the supermarket to satisfy cravings. That done, I purchased a local SIM card and so hope to upload the blogs on a daily basis for our 10 days in this part of Siberian Russia. Arrived at campsite at 8pm and set up tent....16 hours after starting the day on the shores of Achit Lake. 

Nearly 10 o’clock tonight as we ate our dinner and as the mosquitos ate us. Hopefully not too much harm was done.

A day much more tiring than a day on the bike pushing through sand and over Mongolian washboard. Everyone jaded tonight but ready for the tarred road in the morning as we head northwards in the direction of Gorno Altysk.

Thank God for the health, the patience and the energy.