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Upon turning south at Khovsgol Lake I finally had the prevailing winds firmly on my side. I didn’t have to wait long for my advantage, enjoying a nice tailwind back to Khatgal. This was far more enjoyable than my testing ride out. I camped south of town and had some rare visitors—two elderly horsewomen, looking very majestic upon their steeds . The next day I had another rare encounter. I met two cyclists (headed in the opposite direction) from Scotland who were making the Mongolian rounds. That night, camped above the non-frozen scenic lake, I watched a storm approach. A rain storm at last, I thought. But as the storm came closer the air above the ground turned brown. Just another dust storm.
From Moron I looked forward to making some good progress. I had done so the first week but since then had failed to gain any momentum, my progress first slowed by headwinds, then stomach problems and finally by the side trip to the lake. I didn’t have to play the usually guessing game regarding tracks leaving Moron for the road out was actually paved, or at least what was left of a paved road. The pavement only lasted seven miles but was a nice way to start the day nonetheless. The Delger valley had been particular arid so I was happy to leave it for greener environs. After Tosotsengel I even saw fields under cultivation! I guess Mongolians grow things after all.
After Ikh-Uul I received my first glimpse of Mongolia’s largest river, the Selenge. This was some of the most scenic riding to date, mainly due to the greenery. There were even some shades of violet or yellow as the wildflowers began to bloom. The scenery made up for the road conditions, which were quite bad. Every track was wash boarded and/or rocky. These are the kinds of road conditions that test one’s patience and I did lose mine on several occasions. The result: a sore back from riding too hard.
My wish for a proper rainstorm was soon granted. It arrived at the perfect time—just after I’d set up camp for the night. The pitter-patter of rain against the tent walls is one of my favorite camp sounds. I’d camped fairly high, just below a pass, so after the sun went down I knew it was just a matter of time before the rain turned to snow. The next morning I woke to find my green surroundings turned white. I waited until enough snow melted to reveal some tracks before departing. I dropped down into the next valley and entered a small village. I saw a young girl throwing a ball up on the roof. Repeatedly. From a distance it looked rather strange. As I cycled closer I realized she was shooting hoops, where the ‘hoop’ was a missing panel in the section of the roof overhanging the front of her house. There it was again, that single minded determination I’ve seen exhibited by Mongolians, especially females. With that dedication she might be a future WNBA player. In the same village some locals waived me over to a roadside restaurant with an offer to treat me to lunch. I’d stopped visiting these places, not so much to avoid the food but to avoid the time commitment required. They make everything from scratch, including the heat source, which is usually wood or dung fire. However, I didn’t want to be rude so I accepted the invitation. By the time I’d finished eating it was well into the afternoon. So much for my goal of making good progress.
The storm had delivered a large amount of moisture and was widespread. As far as I could see I saw snow covered mountains. The run-off brought the valleys to life. All the little stream beds were flowing, making for some wet crossings. I also discovered how quickly some moisture can turn a nice jeep track into an impassable quagmire. The riding continued to be pleasant, passing from one scenic valley to the next. Before Bulgan the terrain began to open up again. My planned route continues south from Bulgan but I wasn’t quite ready to leave all this greenery behind for the arid steppe I’d encounter further south. I decided to make a small loop/detour up to Erdenet, Mongolia’s second largest city. I intended to take the back route to Erdenet but couldn’t find the right track. Instead, I stayed on the main route. To my surprise this was new pavement, my first good stretch of pavement in nearly a month. I covered the hilly route to Erdenet in the afternoon and experienced a bit of culture shock upon entering the city, the first proper city I'd encountered since leaving UB. An alterior motive for detouring to Erdenet was to treat myself to some different food. I found an authentic Indian/Malaysian restaurant with a menu varied enough to keep me busy for a few days. Hopefully I leave Erdenet a few pounds heavier.
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| Distance | Elevation Gain | Flat Tires |
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| Leg | 293 mi/471 km | 15798 ft/5183 m | |
| Trip | 1093 mi/1759 km | 10 mi/17 km | |
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