Asia, bikepacking, bikes, GPS

Chitose to Sapporo

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A very slow start after the long day previous travelling and a hot, sticky night. The lightest of drizzles completing the wetting of the tents that the humidity hadn’t managed. Strange looking campground, found out later that it was once a short golf course (pitch and putt). There was a big central barn-like structure which was useful for escaping the damp, if one avoided the various machinery and paraphernalia. Orlaith, having flown in the day before us, rode in and took us back to a bikepacking trio.

Surprised to see a couple of these New Zealand products – Kindling Cracker – amongst everything else.

Being close to the airport, there were quite a few people starting or finishing tours of Hokkaido. A friendly Canadian motorcyclist helped us try to diagnose and fix the problems with Orlaith’s gears, while I switched my pedals for some that Orlaith had kindly brought from home. A less-friendly Israeli man was quite the Debbie Downer explaining in far too much detail why he didn’t enjoy bike touring Hokkaido – just what one wants to hear at the start of a trip. Quite annoying, but good to remember that Complainy-pants was the common factor in all the stories.

Back to the airport (avoiding the freeway this time, but not navigational missteps) for me to post a package of things that were essential in Mongolia, but completely unnecessary in Japan. Quite a process declaring every little thing in the parcel, but that chore done we were off north towards Sapporo – the capital and largest city of Hokkaido. There must have been a heavy downpour while we were in the airport, as there was a little flooding on our route.

But, blue skies.

In Chitose we found a friendly bike shop that fixed the dodgy gears, sold me a new chain, provided bear spray, and let us hang our tents on their bike racks to dry. We left the city through an area of new warehouses (quiet on a Saturday afternoon) and small factories, interspersed by some housing. Out of there, we found some cycle trails beside waterways before extensive market gardens – everything pretty green, it felt like we were the ones in a hot house.

Small to medium solar farms all over the place would soon be a common sight.

The only climb of the day, all of about fifty metres, but in the heat, took us up to Kitahiroshima and a little urban riding – before we got on another cycle trail (felt like an old rail corridor) that was nicely shaded.

Baseball stadium with retractable roof.

Not wanting to go all the way into the city, we started to look for somewhere to camp on the edge of the trail. Not the easiest as it was quite busy. Finding an option, we left for our first onsen (hot springs, public baths) and dinner. This provided plenty of opportunity to try things for the first thing – leaving loaded bikes unlocked in broad daylight in a busy place, buying tickets (for both entry and, later, dinner) using coin-operated vending machines, onsen etiquette and so on. Blissful to have a proper wash and get rid of the pervasive sweat, not too mention having the meal-ordering roulette promising to have more flavour and variety than the Mongolian version.

Once night had set in, we dragged ourselves out into the heat (being sweat-free did not last long) and returned up the trail. Getting pegs into an old rail bed was hard work – tents went up eventually for another fitful night’s sleep.

Asia, bikepacking, bikes, GPS, travel

Ulaan Baatar to Chitose

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An early morning transfer to the airport was markedly faster than the reverse four weeks earlier. With some sadness we farewelled Mongolia and Ian – both having helped to make for a fantastic month’s of bikepacking. Strangely, we were flying United to Tokyo – which was adequate, but things ran late all day. Mongolia having been an addition to the original trip plan, I was very much looking forward to finally getting to, and spending three months biking in, Japan.

With a shortened time to make our connection at Narita to fly north to Hokkaido, things got a bit rushed as we had to collect and recheck our bike boxes. This proved most amusing as the airport staff were not used to bike boxes and it seemed they would not fit through the X-ray machine. So with a lot of helpful supervision and people kindly making a fuss over us, we had to unpack our bikes. The staff however seemed far more interested in our bikepacking gear as a concept, rather than as a means to conceal anything nefarious.

After the performance, we did make our connection in time. Well, we were on time.

Landing at Chitose, we were somewhat at how dark it was so early in the evening. For some reason, we started assembling our bikes in the terminal – probably on account of the high temperature and humidity outside. This was not the done thing, and we were moved on to finish putting bikes together outside. Dinner was our first taste of famed konbini (convenience store) fare.

Ready to go again.

Almost ten o’clock by now, thankfully it was not ten kilometres to get to the camping ground Rachel had booked and organised a late arrival at. Setting off at such an hour in a new country wasn’t the best – but at least it meant when we found ourselves on some sort of freeway, there wasn’t much traffic! Maps had us on an elevated road when we wanted to be turning right onto the road below – a bit of creative route-making eventually got us where we needed to be, setting up tents in a dark and quiet campground optimistically hoping for a good sleep in the humidity.

Asia, travel

Back to Ulaan Baatar

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Returning to Ulaan Baatar, on a highway we were pleased not to be riding – only one nasty crash scene seen, we had two days to clean and pack our bikes and gear. Not having to find bike boxes as we’d stored ours from NZ at the hostel, it didn’t take too long to pack. But I did want to find a set of individual hex keys, particularly a 6 mm, and thread fastener for the next leg of the trip. Ian and I spent some time on foot going to places that may or may not have been hardware stores. After some failures, we hit the jackpot at a large two-storey indoor mall filled with small shops that specialised in one type of engineering goods or other.

An electrical components shop.

Rather obvious what they’re selling.

Safety shop.

All quite fascinating, it reminded me of Istanbul and its engineering shopping district! We did find what we were looking for too.

Our last day in Mongolia was spent on a day trip of some sights in and outside the capital. First up the largest Soviet influenced monument I remember from our visit – the Zaisan Memorial, on a hill near the edge of the city. To commemorate the fallen Mongolia and Soviet soldiers in the Second World War, the panoramic mosaic on the inside was impressive in size and detail.

First, some stairs.

Good view of the city.

Still a little smoggy.

A flasher part of the city, right on the edge.

(Rachel’s photo.)

Unfortunately our next stop, a winter palace was closed for the day.

The most remarkable aspect of this scene for me is not the palace, although I do like all the green, it is the use of a lawnmower in Mongolia!

Leaving the city, we were off to the giant statue of Chinggis Kahn – the largest horse and rider statue in the world, unsurprising when you see it up close, big is an understatement. All the stainless steel looking rather fetching.

It was all pretty touristy, but being tourists we couldn’t complain too much.

Ian aside Mongolia’s tallest man.

Very crowded inside, we did make it up the congested, tight staircase to emerge from Chinggis’s crotch onto the neck of the horse.

Back inside and the world’s largest leather boot – if you were wondering.

Stopping at a roadside ger restaurant, we struggled ordering again and were pleasantly surprised when a huge bowl of roast lamb and veges arrived, along with milk tea and fermented mare’s milk (which was better than the other time I’d sampled this). Well, Ian and I were delighted with the meal – Rachel and Pauline perhaps not so much.

After all that food, I may have been a bit sleepy for the rest of the afternoon at a national park where there were plenty of rock formations that one could imagine were animal shaped. The best example being Turtle Rock below.

Nicely balanced.

Interesting rocks all around, animal shaped or not.

Up the end of the valley was a large temple complex, that required a decent uphill walk, ostensibly for meditative purposes – it was so busy, the few quiet moments away from the crowds were pleasing.

With a final Mongolia ice cream, it was back to the car and into UB for the last time and our last night in Mongolia – this trip that is, we all left the following morning hoping to return one day. What a great place to explore by bike and so much open space to roam and camp in; very friendly and hospitable people too, even if our grasp of the Mongolia language never developed beyond poor.

Asia, national park, travel

Hustai National Park

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After breakfast overlooking the Little Gobi, a longer drive to get us most of the way back to Ulaan Baatar awaited. I may have dozed for much of it. Off the highway, a bumpy dirt track took us towards the gates of Hustai National Park. Buying an entry ticket was more difficult than any other purchase of our month in Mongolia – the only time we had to use US dollars, thankfully Ian and Rachel had been carrying some around for weeks.

Last night in the tents in Mongolia – near the playground and outside the main tourist village for the park.

Once someone opened it for us, we spent time in the visitor centre learning about the local area and Przewalki’s horse – what we’d come to see. An extra pair of chromosomes the main, of a number, difference between them and domesticated horses. Long thought the only wild horse (c.f. brumbies and mustangs), they died out in the wild but have been reintroduced to a few habitats – Hustai being one.

As dusk approached, when the horses would start to come down from the hills to drink, we drove into the park to an area set up for viewing.

Spot the horses was quite difficult from such distance.

Eventually we could pick some out on the skyline.

They didn’t seem that thirsty, we watched them from afar for ages.

There were a couple of scopes set-up to get a better view through. Taking photos through it was hit and miss.

While we waited a large group of park rangers arrived on dirt bikes and a couple of horses. Apparently there was a domestic horse in the herd, and they wanted it out. A couple of the rangers took off up the steep hill.

Slowly the horses made their way down the slopes.

This guy must have been tasked with final capture of the imposter – a loop of rope was on the end of the pole.

The two bikes appeared on the ridge and descended to corral the horses. Suddenly, all hell broke loose and there were noisy dirt bikes going everywhere chasing the horses up the valley and then wheeling them around back down the other side of the valley.

Eventually the domestic horse was separated and captured.

Excitement and horse viewing over, it was back to camp for our last Mongolian camp meal – undoubtedly noodles, some veges and questionable meat – and what would have been a peaceful night, but for some late arrivals setting up camp just up the hill and having a karoake party into the wee hours.

This seemed to be a gathering spot for European campervans; we’d not seen a single one on our ride, yet the overlanders chose to meet here. Weird.

Biking to go places, going places to bike.