Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Random Road Ruminations



  • Spring is fickle. This week, Restaurant Mongolia is featuring a set menu of dust storms, snow falls, sub-zero wind chills and nose-peeling sunshine. Restaurant Mongolia reserves the right to dictate the order and quantity of dishes. Bon appetit.
  • Gravel is bad, but sand is worse.
  • 60kg of bicycle is difficult to push.
  • Dogs hate bikes.
  • Dogs, over short distances, can run very, very fast.
  • 8 colourful bags being carted across the steppe on bicycles is an easy way to induce curious smiles and enthusiastic two handed waves from families in trucks relocating gers to the countryside
  • It is part of Mongolian etiquette not to whistle in a ger, as it attracts the wind.
  • Andrew mistakenly whistles in gers.
  • Despite the honeymoon tailwind, wind is not your friend. It takes great pleasure in reducing your average speed to a crawl...


  • Courting pairs of cranes and randy roadside jerboas are pleasant reminders that it is finally spring. 
  • An abundance of discarded and smashed roadside vodka bottles are also reminders that it has been a harsh winter
  • Birds of prey are cool.
  • Teenage boys are globally annoying.
  • The pleasure gained from a 3-in-1 sachet of coffee/milk/sugar is directly proportional to kilometers cycled on bumpy ungraded roads.
  • For a content soul, titrate snow capped mountains and increasingly green hills to all the frustrations above



Top 5 words to describe the Mongolian Steppe (so far):
  1. Humbling
  2. Enduring
  3. Expansive
  4. Dichotomous
  5. Alluring

Cycling Summary
Tourist ger camp at (Khongo Khaan Uul) to Kharkhorin – 99.4km
Kharkhorin – Rest day
Kharkhorin to hillside – 56km
Hillside to Tsetserleg – 66km
Tsetserleg – Rest day

Lun to Tsetersleg

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