Heavy Metal around Mongolia and Central Asia

[Timolgra]

Navigation became increasingly difficult and confusing.
Tracks disappeared only to reappear taking us in a what seemed the wrong direction over a wide exposed plain whilst the clouds became more threatening.

Eventually I understood and we weren't lost....I think.

Although it's exposed to the wind and cold we camp up on this ridge so if Dennis does pass hopefully we'll see each other as there'd been no contact with the sat phone.

The sky became darker but the rain held off.
When I woke in the morning an eagle was perched on the rocks right outside my tent.

Pete and Rick spot Dennis way down in the valley as the lights fading.
Pete's first on his bike and chases after him still in his sandals, he's on a mission, eventually catches him and brings him 'home'.

Boy, were we glad to see him.

Dennis seemed to have developed a telepathic link with us and guessed where I wanted to head for. He'd had an epic ride completely off the tracks and straight over the mountains to where he hope we'd be. What a guy

 

[Timolgra]

One of my favourite surfaces to ride on.
Luckily we're going left!

Some you may recall I had a 21" wheel built for my bike specifically to improve the handling on this trip.
The reason I didn't use it was I believed the standard wheel and tyre size to be stronger, the right decision I think.

The track speeds up and Pete hits a stone in the sand, it causes this.
Time for a tube.

Not a bad place to hang around though.

 

[Timolgra]

After what seemed an endless and hot ride west, again through desert terrain we arrived on the shore of Khyargas Nuur, a saline lake and supposedly the coldest place in western Mongolia.

When we arrived it was baking hot and we all ran naked into the warm shallows to wash and cool off before setting up camp. Wonderful.

I see a horseman driving his heard home and wave.

His heard goes on, he joins us as Baz sorts his forks seals in the evening sun.

This was a man who knew who he was in our eyes. The real thing.
After letting me try on his cloak which was lined with a silk paisley pattern he saw me eyeing his horse.
This horse was eager for home, where the others were and he proudly showed me the markings on it's bridles which indicated the competitions it had won.
Then offered me a ride on it.

Ok, but you hold on to it! I felt this horse would take off either leaving me in the dirt for the others to laugh at, else back to the Gobi

I know I wasn't galloping like Chenggis Khaan across the open grassland, looking to rape, pillage and expand my empire but at least I was in Mongolia, riding a special horse. A great moment

We smoked, drank beer and talked for quite some time after that. He even offered to buy some beer from us but we'd run out so I gave him my last but one minature of whisky I'd been saving for someone very special.

When he did leave, like all the horsemen we'd seen there was some showboating to do first.
Backwards, sideways then exploding forward across the plain in a cloud of dust, stood in the stirrups he waved his hat.

The sun was setting in a special place.

A very special place.

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Taking a leaf from Dennis's book means there's no rush to get the tent up.

I think that's my fav pic.....................stunning location, absolutely awesome colours of blues and greens and an iconic 1150Adv

 

[easyman05]

Tim,

what camera was used to take those pics?

 

[Dakar Gal]

Really enjoying the report Tim, looking forward to each installment. Almost feel as though we're along for the ride. Fantastic photos too!

How much are the Mongolian tourist board paying you? cos I wanna go now!!!

 

[Timolgra]

We find a fuel station on the outskirts of a village.
There's noone there

A local arrives on his bike, also needing petrol and makes a phone call on his mobile, we wait.

After a while a grumpy man staggers out of the garage, seems he has a hangover and is still out of it on vodka. We get 80 octane fuel, pretty good for these parts.......perhaps he'd been drinking that!

After a long, long day with deep...... sand in many places and several falls each we have a very wild camp in the mountains beyond.

 

[JALFREZI]

Tim, this report gets better every day.
After a trip like that how do you cope with the normality of being back home, l think l would find that very difficult.

 

[Snoopy]

I think that's my fav pic.....................stunning location, absolutely awesome colours of blues and greens and an iconic 1150Adv

This trip is awesome and what a picture! Did your LX3 do that?

 

[Timolgra]

Tim, this report gets better every day.
After a trip like that how do you cope with the normality of being back home, l think l would find that very difficult.

By getting the world map out

This trip is awesome and what a picture! Did your LX3 do that?

Yes LX3 for that one possibly with a polarising filter.

 

[Robbo1200ADV]

Looks like you had quite a lifechanging experience!!!! What a great trip ,it must be hard being home now.looks like you had a great mix of people which is what makes a trip work.I'm about to take 35 people out to the Himalayas as one of the team leaders for enduro and it will be the people that make the trip ..............plus the stunning Himalayas themselves.Many thanks for putting the time and energy into your report

 

[Deleted Member I]

c'mon Tim .. MORE MORE MORE!!



with Bill is getting boring now

 

[EggChaser]

Like any good TV producer - he is keeping us waiting for the next episode - although don't be surprised if some North Face and Touratech adverts appear in the breaks



Thx for the saga so far

 

[sijohnston]

Utterly brilliant Tim. Baz is, as you say, a legend; the bloke just keeps smiling. Exactly the kind of enthusiasm you'd want with you on any challenge. It more than compensates for inexperience!
Out of interest, if you don't mind me asking, what does a trip like this cost, doing it as you've done it?
Thanks again and keep it coming...

 

[Noiseboy]

Fantastic and absolutely awe inspiring.

Can' wait for more.

Cheers Tom

 

[Bigbadbaz]

Tim

Cracking report so far and it all seems such a long time ago now!

Baz

 

[finn]

Magic

Thanks for filling my head with things to do

 

[Timolgra]

Still in one piece after a few tumbles it's time for a pose I think

There had been a lot of rain overnight in the mountains.

No problem we thought as we'd crossed this one ok and so do the locals, hmmm but this isn't the main river yet.

You can see us parked up in the background and the main river's a real stopper

The locals show us a way through further upstream amongst some bushes where the river splits into 5 or 6 sections, not quite so deep but a fairly strong current.

First we take much of the heavy gear from the bikes and ferry it across.
This will need to be a team effort to prevent a dunking or worse, a flooded bike.

Oops, Pete takes a tumble this is where a GS is too cumbersome

Doh! nearly

From nowhere we seemed to have drawn a bit of a crowd as the locals got to hear what was happening.
They waited on the far bank applauding as each bike got across.

God, now it's my turn. Last thing I want to do is drop it in front of everyone AND a camera....no pressure then

No marks for style here.

Yehaa! across the last one.

Baz is last across and made it with no problems, I reckon we must have smoothed the way for him

 

[the venturer]

Hi!there Tim and the gang. Great to see you are all safe and sound.
Great pictures and storytelling so far. Looking for more picture uploads, especially of my country's.

 

[Timolgra]

Then it's back to that old favourite, sand.

It's early in the day but you can't arrive here and not camp, hey?

I catch my tea but the buzzards are overhead with their eyes on it, so have to hide it until it's time to be cooked.

Later that evening it's getting chilly.
Two women and a man are walking along the river bank.
The women gather some twigs and dried dung then light us a fire. We might get cold.

What a wonderful gesture.

We share some beer and smokes with them, they place a plastic water bottle filled with river water in the fire. It doesn't melt.
When it's at the right temperature they pour the warm water around the fire to prevent it spreading on the valuable grass.

And the sun sets on yet another special place.