Rest Day. 4/11. Saturday. June 4.

Rest Day 4/11.      Moron.

Nice to lie in till 9.30. In fact didn't wake at 5 as I had expected. Nothing too strenuous planned for the day.

After breakfast all were busy cleaning and oiling bikes. No major damage done to any bike yet. (One bike belonging to a staff member was stolen from outside his tent when we bush camped outside Bayankhangai on Day 12.) It took a while and Jordan is opening my front hub this evening.

Not only are we preparing for the 6 days ahead but staff are also up to their eyes sourcing food and water etc to feed up to 40 (cyclists and Tour staff and Mongolian drivers) each morning and evening. We’ll have these trucks and drivers to the Russian border.

I nipped across the street to a small supermarket to replenish my supply of sunblock. Pleased to see Baileys there on the shelf ( 27 Euro for litre bottle). Lots of shelf space even in the smallest mini market devoted to alcohol, especially vodka at about 5 Euro per bottle. Also shelves and shelves of large packs of sweets. But not much evidence of obesity about.

Cycled around town (about 10 km) and dropped into the large market just on the edge of town. On the street front we had the usual shops, pub and pharmacy.

In the narrow alleyways off the street had all types of requisites at the various stalls - stoves for the ger, tools, auto parts, food and clothes. I wandered about for a while and got many inquisitive glances being a westerner and wheeling a bike. I’d expect that many of the patrons with traditional garb had come in from outlying areas.

I have mentioned before the colourful roofs to be seen in all villages and towns. I cycled about the residential sections to get a closer look. They all seem to be single sheet cladding sprayed to the desired colour. 

Near the market, I encountered a builders suppliers with rolls of sheet metal and machine to form it. Customers were coming and going collecting their orders. Didn't see the spray operation.

The Main Street is paved as are the principal ones going off at right angles. Off these, dirt roads run between the houses but I saw a few prepared and ready for pavement.

Down at the other end of town I paid a visit to a large plaza with an equestrian statue to Chingunjav, one of the two major leaders of  a rebellion (1755) against the occupying Qing dynasty which ultimately failed. But today he is revered as a fighter for Mongolia’s independence.

Nearby is another apparently recent monument bearing the hammer and sickle. In 1911 the Qing dynasty (China) crumbled and the Mongols broke away and created their own independent country. After the 1917 Soviet revolution, Mongolia sought Bolshevik help but remained independent of Moscow. After Lenin’s death Stalin installed his own man, Choibalsan, in Mongolia and purges began, thousands disappeared, herders forced into co-operatives and private business was banned. Soviets heavily subsidised Mongolia as a buffer with China financing electricity and plumbing grids. Literacy improved a new writing system. With the unraveling of the Soviet Union (1990) Mongolia embraced their own form of capitalism and democracy. Their Parliament, Khural, has just 76 seats. Presently, Mongolia maintains strong links with old allies most particularly with USA in an effort to create a counterpoint with Russia and China. They accept money from international aid groups but with the expected strings attached.

Very frequently colourful playgrounds appear - you’d enjoy some of them, Helen? Speaking of colour, commercial and public buildings are colourful affairs also. Pastels are shunned but they prefer the more vibrant.

In the foyer of the hotel, the board shows the lie of the land for the next 6 days, indicating distance, metres climbed and given back, nature of ’roads’ and accommodation at the end of the day.

So an early night tonight and ready for the alarm to sound at 5 am.

(Just got the sad news that my last surviving aunt, Aunt Bab has died in Ferns in her 101st year. And I missed her centenary celebrations last year also. Ar dheis De go raibh a h-anam.) 

Thank God for a lovely day.

Day 17. Friday June 3.

Day 17.    Mongol Valley Bush Camp to Moron

Distance:  84 km

Cumulative Distance: 1938 km

Time: 4 hrs 05 min

Speed:  20.5 km/hr

Feet Climbed today: 2037

Cumulative Climb: 37,564  ft 

AHR (Average Heart Rate) 98 bpm

Punctures so far: 2.     

Altitude tonight: 4629 ft.

Last night, after the thunder and lightning and heavy rain that lasted just an hour, we had spells of light rain later on. Packing up a wet tent is a little more troublesome in the early dawn at 5.30.

Heavy clouds hung over the camp as we breakfasted on porridge, honey, yogurt and coffee. It remained overcast and dull for the period of today's cycle with a bit of a shower at the 50 km mark. I was pleased with that shower- I got an opportunity to test my new waterproof jacket. It lived up to its billing. I'm pleased.

From the camp it was a gradual pull for the first 52 km, so all the work would be done before lunch at 62 km. We (the four of us) kept it handy for those kms and Joan (USA) pulled us along for a long period. She is a very strong cyclist, has done many triathlons and completed Ironman on 12 occasions. An Iron Lady.

Traffic as expected was very light. More motorcycles than cars. You see a motorbike coming with two on board, but as they pass you see a child or two in between, an animal or a spare wheel. Animals are moved in small trucks as they stand quietly in the rear.

Along this incline we moved just at 18 km/hr but still we had more power than some of the trucks. We asked him to jump onto the end and that we’d let him draft but refused!

Just before lunch I noticed a clicking sound in the front wheel, nothing major. I asked Jordan, the Tour mechanic who was on lunch duty to have a look at it and indicate what might be wrong. He turned it and listened and reckoned that some sand had probably got into the front hub. Tomorrow at Bike Shop he’ll refill that hub with grease. Strangely from then till I arrived at the Hotel, not a sound. Still we’ll give it an examination tomorrow.

Being delayed at lunch, I cycled into Moron (pronounced ’Moroon’) on my own. It was all a beautiful downhill (20 km) and the sun was breaking through. On either side, the green was now tinged with yellow buttercups. Still no fences, no divisions, not even from the road.

In time Moron came into view just before I hit the city gate. As with other towns, roofs  are multicoloured corrugated sheeting. Moron is a spread-out grid of streets with a population of 35,000. It's a base for those visiting Khovsgol Nuur (Lake) 100 km north of here. That lake is considered the Mother of Mongolia and it's every Mongolians wish to visit/ make pilgrimage to there. Moron is the centre of civilisation in this part of northern Mongolia served well by hotels, restaurants, tourist information etc.

Moron boasts of a large wrestling stadium. Mongolian wrestling, part of their annual Naadam Games, has no weight divisions and bouts in Naadam are limited to 30 mins. Wrestlers wear an open-chested tunic reputedly arising out of a female entrant (illegal) thrashing her male opponents. Since then, to prevent such an embarrassing reoccurrence contenders must expose themselves.

When I arrived the Main Street, Peace Street, a was closed off to traffic, not to bikes. I reckoned that some festival is taking place; no, just a car-free day in the centre of town.

Our hotel is right in the centre and was a welcome haven of shade at 11.30 as I arrived. I thought the name odd “50 , 100 Hotel”. I now find out that it's called so as the 50 N latitude line and the 100 E longitude line intersect just north of here. It's the best hotel in town and well suited to refresh us after the last stretch and prepare us for the next.

Got the re-packing and laundry organised and off to the bank (next door) to change some Euro. No problem.

Argali sheep.

Just up the street is the Khovsgol Aimag Museum (County Museum) and I paid it a visit; had the place to myself. Many items there dealing with the areas social past together with birds, animals and fish and featuring a 400,000 year old tusk of a woolly mammoth. Another exhibit was the two-stringed horse-head fiddle, reputed to be the fore-runner of the orchestra violin.

So, a pleasant day of cycling and seeing some of Moron. Tomorrow will be predominated by chilling out and tending to the bike.

So, now we kiss goodbye to the tarred road and On Sunday morning off on a 8-day off-road section to bring us nearer to Russia.

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

Day 16. Thursday June 2.

Day 16. River Camp to Mongol Valley Bush Camp 7.

Distance:  137 km

Cumulative Distance: 1854 km

Time: 6 hrs 31 min

Speed:  21 km/hr

Feet Climbed today: 3451

Cumulative Climb: 35,527 ft 

AHR (Average Heart Rate) 98 bpm

Punctures so far: 2.     

Altitude tonight: 3603 ft.

Had a good nights sleep in the River Campsite and all battery cells were topped up for today's ride. Can't say the same for the camera; battery is almost spent and just had a hour or so on charge during breakfast. So, I need to be more sparing using it. That wasn't such a problem today as scenery was much the same as yesterday.

(As I write this in the tent at 7.40 pm here in Mongol Valley Bush Camp) a strong wind is blowing outside and thunder rumbling overhead. #? rain yet but I expect we'll have our fill before the night is out. Correction: it has just started.)

Started out by crossing the Selange River and settling into a stiff pull till the 20 km mark. Lovely quiet road as it stretched way out in front; didn't see a car for that first 20 km. In fact little traffic all day again.

Had another climb, the largest of the day from 25 to 60 km at a pretty steady 3%.

Still herdsmen were out guiding their flocks to fresher pastures, sometimes crossing the road in front of us.

But from 60 to 70 km we had a glorious compensating downhill with the kms passing ever so rapidly.

Along this part and in so many places today the dirt tracks that were utilised before the construction of the sealed road were visible stretching at least 100 m on each side of the present road. This time last year we would have been cycling on these.

Lunch was at 77.5 km and at this point (10 30) temperatures were rising calling for another application of sun cream. Mike and Frieder opted to wait longer for ice-cream in the nearby hotel/mini-market and as Joan had already gone ahead, I said I’d push on and that they’d catch up. I didn't see them for the rest of the day till camp. I quite enjoyed the cycling alone for a change. No great wind so no need for a rotation. The silence all about was something else - not a sound of traffic or machinery in the distance, very little bird-song and just the bleating of sheep and goats now and again.

From lunch it was straight into a 20 km pull to a high point just above 4000 ft. Sun was high in the sky now and sheep and goats availed of the little shade around. I envied them!

At this point trees have disappeared from the hills, those pine trees that gave yesterday that Black Forest look. Trees and rich growth now is to be seen in the distance by the river.

I arrived in camp shortly after 2 pm and the heat from then till after dinner was sapping. I erected the tent but did little else during that period.

Arrival in camp each day is followed by the compulsory washing of hands and a pot of hot soup. Most welcome but needing a bit of shade to enjoy it.

At 6 pm Riders Meeting is called for some housekeeping and then advice/ directions about tomorrow's route. The route and profile is up on the board when,  we come into camp so plenty of time to take it down (unlike last year when it was guarded like a secret till the last minute and then a rush to take it down). The different scales make the profile look daunting but having that profile with the distance markers in front of you (I clip mine onto the brake cables) is a great help and guards against expecting the top to be just around the next corner.

No reception out here in Mogul Valley so this post is coming to you a bit late.

Tomorrow, Friday, is our last day on road till the Russian border. So 13 days of off-road. How exciting!

But a Rest Day to look forward to on Saturday to wind up for that.

(That thunder, strong winds and rain lasted for just an hour. Calmer now. Here's hoping for a pleasant night.)

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