That morning was my turn for the slight gut upset – completing the set for us all having minor illnesses in Mongolia. None of them lasted long though, we got off lightly for a month travelling where we had to treat all our water and were eating all sorts of food different to what our bodies are used to.

Didn’t stop me eating breakfast, the same as what we had for dinner the previous night – but an even larger portion. Food = fuel.

Riding out of town was a fair bit of guess work of how to best negotiate various streams and bogs across the wide valley. Eventually we found a solid path, although I was soon off it trying to draw a vocal but harmless pack of dogs away from the others.

Spent a lot of the morning looking at this range with its intriguing outcrops.

Walking to begin.

Twas a draining day as we rode into a strong wind throughout, on the rockiest and slowest surface we’d yet had. It was becoming apparent why the first bikepacker we’d seen all trip had spent so long complaining about the route – and we weren’t even at the corrugated section that he saved most of his scorn for. Seemed mostly to be a case of someone who had been by themselves too long and just wanted to talk and talk, the surface setting him off.

The most amusing part of the strong headwind was the effect it had on the thousands of jumping insects (grasshoppers/crickets?). Sunning themselves on the track, they would jump away from us as we approached (itself a scene due to the numbers); unfortunately for them, and us, the wind was so strong they would immediately be blown into us and our bikes. Cue a few hours of being constantly thwacked by splattering insects; right in the face was the worst, keeping one’s mouth closed was heavily encouraged.

Just as I was really needing one, toilets appeared out of nowhere – along with a small collection of buildings and a basketball court. Rachel and Ian chatted to a farmer and his son. It sounded like some of the buildings are community buildings, including where the grazing land is managed, divvied up from.

The steepest climb of the day, very short – mercifully as I wasn’t exactly full of energy.

Over the rise, we did managed to find a lunch spot out of the wind. Nice to catch a breath, and watch the birds have fun in the wind.

The gradual climb continued to 2500 m, which would be our highest campsite of the trip – and my coldest, still sleeping on the ground. We enjoyed the evening watching the light change on the hills, as well as having visits from local dogs and later a herdsman on his horse – we shared tea and biscuits, but little conversation was possible. A tough day with a dodgy stomach and into the wind throughout, but we all got through ok – but still having a much higher opinion of Rachel and Ian’s route than the one we were on.