Day 6. Saturday. May. 21.

 Sonid Youqi to Erleanhaote(China)

Distance:  127 km

Cumulative Distance: 679 km

Time: 6 hrs 56 min

Speed:  18.3 km/hr

Feet Climbed:  3608

Cumulative Climb: 13,515 ft (4119 m)

AHR (Average Heart Rate) 114 bpm

Punctures: 0.     but it's early days yet.

Altitude tonight: 3262 ft (994 m)

A tough day with wind and sand storm.

From 5.30 it was loading of bags and all knitted out for what we knew was going to be a day of wind and possible rain in early afternoon.

Breakfast in a nearby restaurant and all on the road shortly after 6.15 for this our last cycling day in the Land of Chopsticks. Our destination is Erleanhaote right on the Mongolian border.

Streets were quiet, some drops of rain falling but still a crowd gathered for their daily ’tai-chi’ routines. New industrial units all about but older ones also.

At the 6km point there was a mixup re navigation. Our notes said turn left, flagging tape said turn left but a late change had been made (I knew nothing of it) and I, with a few others put 6 km onto the journey. We had to retrace our steps and travel on a parallel road - some problem with tool booths or other. We rejoined G208 just after a major toll.

Scenery today was uniform from start to finish traversing the Hunshandak Desert in a northwesterly direction. Sand and scrub on both sides. The bushes were very hard and thorny with new growth coming on, protected by the old.

Wind - had a strong strong side wind coming in from the right. It was so strong at times that I was hanging almost 10 deg off the vertical into the wind in order to remain upright. At least it was consistent (no sudden blasts as you pass a gate). When passing parked trucks or low walls at bridges there was a definite dangerous pull in the other direction. It wasn't a cold wind although temperatures never got into double figures. Sometimes the wind helped or hindered more according as the line of the road changed. Flags indicated the wind direction, but not necessary. Anything at all on the right offered shelter - a building back 100 m from the road, a sand-dune or even a few trees.

I had extra layers (arms and legs) on, jacket and helmet cap. Just wearing the short-finger gloves was no problem,, fingers didn't suffer. And no sweating up either.

Sand storm - wind was one thing, but when it whipped up the sand and blasted it across it stung the face. I donned a bandana to shield me. Sand got everywhere, it almost penetrated the water bottles. At one stage after lunch it got vicious. Sand piled across the road, to hit those sand piles took all momentum and back wheel tended to skid. Safer to check the mirror and pull out and circle around. My first experience of dealing with such a situation. I cycled alone all day and could concentrate on the line ahead. Did meet up with others as they availed of breaks.

The lunch stop appeared out of the sand haze ahead just after 70 km. not practical today to erect the canopy. Just utilised the van itself for shelter. Even so, sand got everywhere even on the table. It gave a new meaning to ’sand-wich’. Energy was restored and I left just after Ron came in.

Today's road (G208) moved I a north-west direction with the railway (Trans-Siberian) alongside. A few 500 m trains passed up and down while we were out.

There were some cattle and sheep ’grazing’ by the highway and didn't

Look undernourished. Also spotted some pikas, a small rabbit like animal. They scutted about and I couldn't just capture them on film. Might get another chance.

After 120 km I came to a conspicuous Dinosaur Gate with two brontosaurus. In this area in 1920’s large numbers of dinosaur remains were discovered, and some still being unearthed. I paused here for a selfie but soon a group of lads (also stopping for a photo) jumped to assistance and of course asked where I’d come from. Just as I left the local cycling club here in Erleanhaote cycled out to welcome our gang. For a few kilometres along the road various dinosaurs stood in pose.

At this point a light rain started. Being covered in sand already it became a mess. It’ll dry off by morning.

I reached the hotel in the centre at 2 pm and glad of a wash down.

Tomorrow we enter Mongolia and end up with our first night under canvas. That'll be an experience, depending on the weather.

Before we went out to dinner tonight a Mongolian couple in traditional dress performed a ceremony (song, drink, scarf) to ensure a safe journey - the drink was a potent one to be sure.

So, that's China done. Only 4 more countries to go.

Impressed by much in China  more of that later. Now let's see what Mongolia has to offer.

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

Day 5. Friday May 20.

 Xianghraunqi to Sonid Youqi (China)

Distance:  124 km

Cumulative Distance: 552 km

Time: 6 hrs 6 min

Speed:  20 km/hr

Feet Climbed:  1520

Cumulative Climb: 9907 ft

AHR (Average Heart Rate) 123 bpm

Punctures: 0

Altitude tonight: 3647

Bit of a change today. It had to come sooner or later. We set out with a fresh assisting tailwind on trek in a northwestern direction. But at the 18 km mark within a few minutes the wind had swung around and blew directly up our noses. That put a stop to our gallop. Starting out it was easy to cruise along on level ground at 32 km/hr. When the wind switched it was effort to reach 22 even on a small decline. After lunch I thought things eased off a bit but still a tough headwind.

To cope with this some formed into groups and rotated the front position each km. I joined in with one from 52 to 58 km; for the rest of the time I rode solo and quite enjoyed the freedom to stop and to dictate my own pace. I dropped into one nascent grouping for a period but the pace was erratic and sole preoccupation was watching that wheel in front.

These days will come again. Lucky that we have escaped to this point. The prevailing wind in Mongolia comes from the north-west, and that’s where we're heading.

An item from last evening: after our dinner we came out onto Bulag Gardens, a large central Plaza in Xianghuanqi dominated by a prominent sculpture of the Mongolian horse. Beneath a group of ladies were going through what I refer to as tai-chi. It lasted a long time with different moves to different pieces of music, but all were in harmony. Young kids and other adults were about and continued to take photos of us as if we had celebrity status. Most likely, not many westerners come this way. I decided to stand in with them as we took photos of them taking photos of us.

Generally, there was a pleasant warm summer atmosphere in the plaza with its many other activities. As we left the unusual street lighting came on as karaoke was to be heard from premises about.

Heading out of town this morning (after breakfast at 6am) again the colour of the town was evident right to the edge at 3 km.

Right from then the vast prairie-like grasslands accompanied us for the day on both sides. No tillage visible today till near the end. It was all sheep, goats and cattle with a few horses thrown in. Some sheep herds were being minded while the larger flocks wandered at will. Frequently goats ran with the sheep but I spotted one all-goat pack on the crest.

We still had a tailwind and cyclists whizzed past as I dealt with the goats. Very very few cars or trucks on today's route (especially when we swung off to the right at 58 km. The majority of saloon cars ere white, I noted.

Passed through a handful of what you could call villages today unlike yesterday. Homesteads stood alone with some shed about, some of them miles off the road

For one stretch of the road during the morning, blue flowers lined the roadside - some type of lily, I think from the shape of the flowers. Please educate me! The grass isn't of the lush Irish nature, it's harsh looking and patchy. But water must be an issue. I did spot a few tankers driving deep into the landscape as if replenishing troughs. At least cattle and sheep were happily grazing on what was available.

At one stage a flock of sheep had the road blocked up ahead. Lucky for me there was a break in the roadside fencing to return to  the wide yonder.

After the 58 km turn it was a much smaller road, no hard shoulder, no line but very infrequent traffic. But the road stretched way ahead ever rising and dipping.

Lunch stop appeared at 69 km at a prominent location. Nothing else about to distract attention. Couldn't miss it even if you tried. A welcome break and chance to replenish energy.

I started back on my tod and regularly checked my mirror for traffic or overtaking cyclists. Cars were in frequent but with a headwind they gave no warning. Generally there was little to be seen in the mirror, just the same as the view out in front.

Just after that I noticed very red soil on both sides. Now yesterday I came across a brick kiln just after Houate and all villages back that way were built in brick. Shortly afterwards today I came on an old village (no shops). An old house there had been constructed with red clay Adobe, some straw and pebbles included. Even the roof was of the same material on a lattice of timber.

All most of the roadside the grassland was fenced off using timber posts; they hadn’t come from these parts definitely.

Near the end of the ride I arrived back into windmill country, stretching off on both sides. Whereas I could enjoy the ride in complete silence, a distinctive whir was audible along this stretch. They are so tremendously large close up. I did contemplate going in right to the base of one till I spotted a rather small ’No Entry’ symbol beside an open gate.

For the last 20 km into Sonid Youqi the wind switched about, but with no benefit or otherwise to me. Now it came from the north-east, right across me as I proceeded along a north-west line.

Just before Sonid Youqi some tillage appeared again in one field. Some crop or other had been sown under plastic in rather poor looking soil. Across the road I had earlier noticed lots and lots of white plastic protruding from the ground. Apparently when the last crop had been harvested there, no attempt made to gather the plastic.

Sonid Youqi is a small place, smaller than any of the previous stops, but the approach to the centre is impressive once over the flyover.

The hotel is adequate for our purpose and the hot showers were welcome.

Another satisfying day with a taste of adversity.

At dinner tonight at a nearby restaurant, we shared the premises with what seemed like an office Friday night outing. Again they wanted to take photos of us. After the meal, and just as we were about to leave they started their karaoke. I'm sure they'll be there till a late hour.

On the way back to the hotel, a sand storm was brewing and needed. Eyes to be shielded.

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