A normal day: Part 1/3

September 21, 2014

Well here we go. This day is going to have to be divided into three parts. I thought for a while about whether to write about everything that happened on this day, or how much detail to include. But writing it down in detail was something of a help for me and perhaps publishing it will give me some sort of closure as here I am now in China, ten days later, and I still haven't spoken to anyone about it. Forgive me if the second part is a little 'hard-hitting.' But let's start at the beginning.

I woke up to a nice sunny day in my valley and was grateful that summer was hanging on in there. I asked it nicely if it could hold on for just two more days whilst I got through the mountains. This day I was going to climb over a pass that went to about 2,200 metres above sea level, and the next day one at 2,900, so it was a case of 'small mountain, big mountain' again.

Small mountain began by taking me up a river bed. Under normal circumstances roads that climb over mountains do usually run alongside next to riverbeds as they go up, but as this was Mongolia the road just went into the riverbed and ran along in it. Luckily the river level was very low so this wasn't an issue, but I wouldn't recommend taking this route during the spring thaw. And the river didn't seem so very low once the track switched sides and crossed it. The bottom of the river was stony and there was no way to cycle so I had to get off and push through a surprisingly strong current. I made it even without a tall Hungarian, but the water was so cold it had me dancing around once I made it across.

Looking down at the riverbed and wondering where the road was going

Where's a tall Hungarian when you need one?

Just in case you were doubting how cold it was, that is ice

My reward was being brought out into one of the loveliest places I had been for a long time, a grassy valley with interesting rock formations. It was a really great place to be, and to have it all to myself was very special.

It does look more lovely here, but it was still more lovely than it looks

But it wasn't long before I was brought back to the real world. A little higher up and I came to a huge mine. There was a big settlement of yurts to house the Chinese workers and the track I had been following ended here. Some of the workers pointed me around, but then I was on a better road that was busy with mine traffic. I didn't like it so I just went 'cross-country' instead, around another settlement. Then I saw the paved road up on the mountainside, climbing up towards the summit. Cedric had been telling the truth! And then I was on it, tarmac under my wheels and now it was sure to be plain sailing all the way to the Chinese border. I had beaten the Mongolian sands!

I reached the summit and started down. I could see a big salt lake below, and a little further beyond that the village of Tsetseg. Well, at least this one existed, I knew it was my only chance to get food and water for the next 300 kilometres. Down I went into the valley and around the salt lake. But then instead of going directly towards Tsetseg the road curved away and around it. There was at least five kilometres of desert between the paved road and the village. It seemed like I was going to have to go back to the crappy Mongolian sands again after all. What a drag. But there were a few buildings ahead and I kept going on the main road for a little while longer, hoping somebody had had the initiative to build a shop on the road to save people like me the hassle of a ten kilometre detour. No such luck. I passed the last of these buildings. It looked like garages, some people outside, but no shop. I was going to have to head for Tsetseg. And then it happened.

Today's ride: 54 km (34 miles)
Total: 28,834 km (17,906 miles)

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