Russiaontheroad
22/08/2008
Relaxing
We've been slowing down in Russia, trying not to do too many km because our Kazakhstan visa doesn't start until the 28th of August. This has left us cycling for about 3 hours a day, swimming in rivers, washing regularly and eating quite well.
One day we found a brilliant track down to the river and camped really early and just lay around sunbathing and reading..real deCadence:
Russiaontheroad
One day we found a brilliant track down to the river and camped really early and just lay around sunbathing and reading..real deCadence:
Russiaontheroad
Russian War Memorials and statues
There are some amazing war memorials and statues about the place here in the Altai. Here's just a few of the more impressive ones:
And Lenin can often be found watching over the world from some great vantage point:
Russiaontheroad
Amazing high mountains in the Russian Altai
As we entered Russia we realised that there were some seriously big mountains around us:
We got some great views of them and managed to camp right in front of one of the tallest.
We got some great views of them and managed to camp right in front of one of the tallest.
Russiaontheroad
Entering Russian towns
Russian towns have fantastic signs outside them announcing the town. They also do it with nearly every bridge.
Russiaontheroad
Russiaontheroad
Entering Russia - Stuck in No-Mans Land
We had some fun getting into Russia...they wouldn't let us in!!
We got through Mongolian customs OK and got our passports stamped out of the country and then cycled 5km up into the hills. Eventually as we descended a pass we could see brand new tar road ahead of us and a gate with some guards. We started getting excited about the prospects of Tar roads......
The only problem was that they just wouldn't let us through, because only things with engines can travel through their border areas...NO BICYCLES. This was our worst nightmare as we couldn't go back to Mongolia and get a vehicle.....and couldn't go forward.
We brewed a coffee, got our chairs out and just sat there wondering what we could do, luckily it was sunny. We tried bribing them...they wouldn't let us (RUSSIA?????)
After 6 hours and no vehicles coming though, and just as we were about to put our tent up, a Mongolian man came through the border from Russia really easily (No hassle) so we decided to ask him if he could help. It turned out that he had a border permit and after a little bit of haggling he drove us the 20km to the Russian customs (on the most perfect downhill black tar). He even got us through Russian customs really quickly. We loved him.
Even as we left the country the Mongolians were still helping us out!! What a place!!
We later heard about the French couple who were stuck in No-Mans land for 4 days in the same position earlier in the year. It turned out we were lucky.
We got through Mongolian customs OK and got our passports stamped out of the country and then cycled 5km up into the hills. Eventually as we descended a pass we could see brand new tar road ahead of us and a gate with some guards. We started getting excited about the prospects of Tar roads......
The only problem was that they just wouldn't let us through, because only things with engines can travel through their border areas...NO BICYCLES. This was our worst nightmare as we couldn't go back to Mongolia and get a vehicle.....and couldn't go forward.
We brewed a coffee, got our chairs out and just sat there wondering what we could do, luckily it was sunny. We tried bribing them...they wouldn't let us (RUSSIA?????)
After 6 hours and no vehicles coming though, and just as we were about to put our tent up, a Mongolian man came through the border from Russia really easily (No hassle) so we decided to ask him if he could help. It turned out that he had a border permit and after a little bit of haggling he drove us the 20km to the Russian customs (on the most perfect downhill black tar). He even got us through Russian customs really quickly. We loved him.
Even as we left the country the Mongolians were still helping us out!! What a place!!
We later heard about the French couple who were stuck in No-Mans land for 4 days in the same position earlier in the year. It turned out we were lucky.
Yaks at the border
Near the border we saw lots of Yaks and finally remembered to take pictures of them:
Mongoliaontheroad
16/08/2008
07/08/2008
The Mongol rally arrives in Olgii
Today lots of cars from the Mongol rally arrived in Olgii - they crossed the border from Russia last night and we managed to get hold of a Russian map which was a result. They also got loads of route info from us. They were all in small engined cars and about to try and cross the dirt roads of Mongolia. They should have fun.
Anybody can enter providing they pay a small sum of money and they can really only use a 1 litre engined car.
Most people know nothing about cars but some are more organised. Most people travel in teams of similar cars in case they get stuck.
One of them even took a photo of the two of us. So we took a photo of it as well:
Mongoliaontheroad
Anybody can enter providing they pay a small sum of money and they can really only use a 1 litre engined car.
Most people know nothing about cars but some are more organised. Most people travel in teams of similar cars in case they get stuck.
One of them even took a photo of the two of us. So we took a photo of it as well:
Mongoliaontheroad
We've finally completed the Trans-Mongolia cycle route
After 21 and a bit days of cycling, and 4 rest days we have finally reached Olgii in the far west of Mongolia after starting in Ulaan Baatar nearly a month ago.
We cycled a total of 1723km of which about 1600km was on dirt roads. We are completely knackered and for some reason every meal I eat now, seems to be equal to about 3. I also sleep easily for 11 hours or more.
We nearly managed to get to Olgii on the 21st day but the roads were so bad they defeated us and despite having no food left we had to camp 20km before Olgii. We just couldn't face the 16km up hill with nowhere to camp.
We starved in a beautiful campsite by a river - milk powder as our only food source:
After 15 minutes of descent we were eating huge plates of food.
After a few days rest we will head off to the corner of China, Kazakhstan and Mongolia and then to the Russian border.
We cycled a total of 1723km of which about 1600km was on dirt roads. We are completely knackered and for some reason every meal I eat now, seems to be equal to about 3. I also sleep easily for 11 hours or more.
We nearly managed to get to Olgii on the 21st day but the roads were so bad they defeated us and despite having no food left we had to camp 20km before Olgii. We just couldn't face the 16km up hill with nowhere to camp.
We starved in a beautiful campsite by a river - milk powder as our only food source:
The following morning we rode up a terrible track and eventually after a boring dreary climb we got our first view of Olgii:
After 15 minutes of descent we were eating huge plates of food.
After a few days rest we will head off to the corner of China, Kazakhstan and Mongolia and then to the Russian border.
Cycling in Mongolia - Trans-Mongolia Route - Ulaan Baatar to Olgii - information for those thinking of attempting this ride.
Here's the necessary guides: (scroll down for more info)
If you want to do this cycle ride you will need to think about the following things:
BICYCLE
This will need to be really strong with good strong rims and spokes, big tyres (Schwalbe Marathon XR or similar) and a sprung saddle (Brooks make excellent ones). We met people with suspension seat posts who said they were pretty useless on these roads. You will need spare bolts and nuts and spare chain links and spokes. If you don't clean your chain every few days you will not make it so take oil and cleaning stuff. We always carried washing powder and a foldable bucket to clean the chain. Your racks need to be really strong too.
We would recommend Koga-Miyata, Thorn or Surly.
WATER
Everywhere it is difficult to get water and you will need to carry a fair bit - up to 8 litres. Maps do not have reliable sources of water marked. Our road guides are clear about where the water is. You will need a water filter West of Ulaangom and will need to clear it regularly. East of Ulaangom you can often get away with purification tablets but a filter is advised. Lever action ones are easier rather than the pumps
FOOD
Not too difficult although between Ulaangom and Olgii you will need to carry a few days of food. We always carry a couple of spare days food. BuckWheat is a great emergency food available in several places - can be made sweet or added to soups. There are very few vegetables available on the route. Why they don't get scurvy I've no idea.
ROAD
The roads are hard, change all the time and directions are almost impossible to get off people. They just give general directions. There are three bad bits:
WEATHER
If it rains you can, as a rule of thumb, double the days needed. If it rains badly then you are stuck and will be able to go nowhere until the roads dry.
DISTANCES
We averaged our odometers for our distances and they nearly always matched the markings (if there were any) on the road posts. They don't match the maps.
MAPS and BOOKS
We used a road atlas (with all irrelevant pages ripped out) available from Seven Summits in UB and a Mongolian Phrase book along with the Lonely Planet Mongolia book for the major towns. There is no good small book for this route. Some maps have roads missing!!
If you want to do this cycle ride you will need to think about the following things:
BICYCLE
This will need to be really strong with good strong rims and spokes, big tyres (Schwalbe Marathon XR or similar) and a sprung saddle (Brooks make excellent ones). We met people with suspension seat posts who said they were pretty useless on these roads. You will need spare bolts and nuts and spare chain links and spokes. If you don't clean your chain every few days you will not make it so take oil and cleaning stuff. We always carried washing powder and a foldable bucket to clean the chain. Your racks need to be really strong too.
We would recommend Koga-Miyata, Thorn or Surly.
WATER
Everywhere it is difficult to get water and you will need to carry a fair bit - up to 8 litres. Maps do not have reliable sources of water marked. Our road guides are clear about where the water is. You will need a water filter West of Ulaangom and will need to clear it regularly. East of Ulaangom you can often get away with purification tablets but a filter is advised. Lever action ones are easier rather than the pumps
FOOD
Not too difficult although between Ulaangom and Olgii you will need to carry a few days of food. We always carry a couple of spare days food. BuckWheat is a great emergency food available in several places - can be made sweet or added to soups. There are very few vegetables available on the route. Why they don't get scurvy I've no idea.
ROAD
The roads are hard, change all the time and directions are almost impossible to get off people. They just give general directions. There are three bad bits:
- Between Ih-Uul and Tosontsengel the road is terrible
- Anywhere within 150km East of Ulaangom
- The jeep track over Bairam Davaa and most of the rest of the route to Olgii
WEATHER
If it rains you can, as a rule of thumb, double the days needed. If it rains badly then you are stuck and will be able to go nowhere until the roads dry.
DISTANCES
We averaged our odometers for our distances and they nearly always matched the markings (if there were any) on the road posts. They don't match the maps.
MAPS and BOOKS
We used a road atlas (with all irrelevant pages ripped out) available from Seven Summits in UB and a Mongolian Phrase book along with the Lonely Planet Mongolia book for the major towns. There is no good small book for this route. Some maps have roads missing!!
Campsites - some of the best on earth
Some of these campsites are because we're knackered and can't go any further, others because it looks too beautiful to go any further. Mongolia's landscape is incredible.
Mongoliaontheroad
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