Crazy winds and bad terrain

Day 1

Position: N46° 20.143' E096° 19.682'

Distance traveled: 2.3 km

We woke up to a beautiful day, calm and clear skies. We said some parting words to our driver, who turned around and headed back home. The van drove away into the distance, the town of Altay was behind us, we had over 1000 km to travel in front of us.

We took advantage of the nice weather and finished assembling our buggies. Curtis and Eric decided to test out the Mongolian way of making fires, with shit. After collecting dried sheep and goat shit, and some dry grass for kindling, they placed it into a pit and lit it. Amazingly it burned putting off some very strong smelling aromas. But we managed to cook up a lunch of veggies in tin foil over our fire.

The winds started increasing, but erratic, blowing strong one minute, then dyeing off the next. Eager to get some mileage, we launched our kites. But after only a couple minutes the bad terrain and gusty winds ceased to cooperate. So we tied a rope to our buggies and started hauling them over the salt marshes. In some area's it took all three of us to push and pull our heavy buggies through. Just as the sun started to set, and the winds died down, we came across better terrain. We had only gained a couple km, and exhausted we ate some spicy soup and crawled into our sleeping bags.

Sarah

Last day in the van

Position: Altay foot hills, 3 km south of Altai city

Mongolians have a very broad definition of what constitutes a road. After spending nearly 2 hours in a ditch (our driver had to jack the car up 3 times to get out of the salt flat mud) and almost flipping the van, I was glad when we pulled into Altai.

Once in Altai we had to check off a list of errands: we required 70 L of water, air for our buggy tires, some last rations for the road, and finally some petrol for our MSR stove. The 70 L of water was the most difficult to locate. Quite early on we had eliminated the possibility of buying bottled water, partly because of the cost and more so, what would we do with 70 bottles? The remaining option was to locate a well, which our driver found for us in the center of a small ger suburb on the edge of Altai. The water source was operated by an elderly woman who continually smiled as she operated the valves that controlled the flow of water coming out of a large black tube. While we filled up our water carrying bags, locals periodically arrived on motorcycle carrying immense vessels to be filled with water, and carted it back to their gers.

After all was done, we drove out into the steep, about 3km from town, in an attempt to avoid the various power lines that sprawl outward from the city. Generally power lines will be a nuisance and not a threat, forcing us to land our kites and haul our buggies until we are clear of the cables. If the wind cooperates and the lines are high enough we may be able to kite under them, although this risky business has Curtis worried.

For the rest of the evening, we huddled the tent with our driver over a bottle of vodka and some chocolate, learning some key Mongolian phrases. Apparently an important one is "nokhoigoo" which is somewhat like a greeting, but literally means "call off the dogs".

Eric

Mongolia by Van

Position : Sleep?

We are officially on the road. Actually we have spent more time off the road than on it since leaving UB..

Pavement becomes gravel, gravel becomes a worn 4 wheeler path, and the path eventually becomes a river crossing.. But not to worry a short five hours later and we have found the pavement again…no wait , more gravel .

Outside the city the landscape slips back from the roadways a 100 km in every direction, flat , directionless, and walled on the extreme end of the horizon by mountains. Gers the (Mongolian yurt) dot the Steppes and horseman drive their herds up and over the hills to graze in fresh pastures. Two days into the three day road trip west and we have encountered nomads , birds of prey, an ancient city and health restoring hot springs.

It appears we have one final day of travel before saying good-bye to our driver and filling our water stores. We arrive in Atali tomorrow and so begins the Gobi crossing, but that's tomorrow. Tonight we will try to sleep peacefully as the howling dogs of a nearby town try harder to keep us awake.

Curtis

Our first days in Ulaanbaatar

 

Last days in Ulaanbaatar

After spending the morning trying to find the Canadian embassy and running errands, we got news that our buggies had arrived, although they "exploded" was the message. Curtis and I headed to the airport, fingers crossed that all the buggy parts would be there.

The boxes had major rips, but from a quick look, everything seemed to be there. However our next challenge was to clear customs. Luckily Bernard who drove us to the airport was there to help, arguing back and forth with the customs agents: they wanted to charge us import taxes, Bernard was trying to convince them that the buggies would not stay in the county, therefore there was no need to pay import fees. They reluctantly let us take our cargo.

Back at the apartment we assembled and checked our buggies, the only things missing were two bolts to attach the back wheels. Thankfully we have spares, although they are slightly shorter, hopefully they'll do the trick.

Tonight is our last night in the city, so we are busy doing final pack out preparations before we begin our three day road trip in the morning to our start point.

Sarah

Waiting for the buggies, bureaucracy, and translating maps

Position: UlaanBaatar

Another busy day in the capital, today's mission was to purchase topographical maps and to extend our visas. Currently we have been granted 30 day visas, and while we plan on spending roughly 30 days on the trail, time will be required in the city and en route to and from the start and departure points. To extend our visas we were required to deal with some Mongolian bureaucracy, at the Office of Immigration, Naturalization, and Foreign citizens. Although we spent nearly 3 hours at the office, the process was not nearly as intolerable as it could have been. Mostly the process was slowed by the fact that we were incapable of speaking the language. While possibly not appropriate in a government office, this trip will most probably practice my interpretative dance skills.

Picture caption: Sarah and Curtis rushing back and forth from different departments in a crowded government building.

Another day has passed and still our buggies have yet to arrive, however after some research it appears that they may be in tomorrow, which would place our departure from UlaanBaatar on Wednesday morning. We have been informed that transport to our start location Altai city, about 1000 km away will take roughly three days, and given the state of the roads in Mongolia they could be a rough three days. Despite this we should pass by some interesting cities and historical cites, something to make the ride endurable.

Picture caption: Curtis translating the map key with limited luck.

We were successful in finding high detail topographic maps, however the maps are neither weather proofed nor printed in English. Not a cause for concern, but it will keep us occupied for most of the evening.

Eric

The great place of complete joy

Position : Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

It's dark , the city is silent, my belly is full of grilled meat and Mongolian beer, and my headlamp is still on . I was asleep , I think. Maybe ten minutes ago, maybe 2 hours. The jet lag is slowly starting to pass and we are becoming accustomed to operation on Mongolian time. I place my book on the floor, turn off the headlamp, and roll over to fall quickly back into sleep.

Opening my eyes again I notice the sun is up and beaming through our second story window , I know this time that hours not minutes have passed and I slowly allow my body to come fully into morning . It' the first we have seen of the sun since we arrived. We make the best of the morning by heading out to main street (Peace Avenue) to get a few photos, some video and to find a quiet park to test our communication systems.

Sitting on a park bench in the Parliament Gardens Eric and Sarah go through our Satellite communication system and test the GPS. I take a few more shots of a stone lion basking in the early morning light and we head to our second stop of the morning, Gandantegchenling Monastery.

The name roughly translates to "the great place of complete joy". Building of this Monastery began in 1838 and over the next century grew to include nine dastans or institutes and became an important center for learning and practicing Buddha's teachings. In the years to follow the temples fell to the religious suppression of communist rule, 900 monasteries were destroyed. In 1990 , after the Democratic Revolution Buddhism began to flourish once again and The Gandan now houses 10 datsans and approximately 900 monks.

A great morning with beautiful light and a little walking tour of UB. Tonight we pack, measure food and wait anxiously for our buggies to come in from Frankfurt.

Curtis