An early start for the final day's riding and Biker Dom is slow to rise after late night blogging. It's the last time I have to take the tent down, and I'm the last one to pack, as always.
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| Nice view from the tent despite the early start |
Setting off we head north towards UB and once again the lead jeep changes course multiple times as we criss-cross the grassy plains. I've mentioned the grassy plains so often because that's the majority of the landscape that we rode across. But that's far from all Mongolia has to offer, as the country is so huge there is a wide variety of landscapes from mountains to desert, from grassy plains to rocky hillsides, we just scratched the surface, but what a surface!
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| Many routes to the same place across the grassy plains |
The pace is fast and we sweep towards UB like the invading hoard. Mr Gantulga says we are a fast group, able to cover ground more quickly than those he's had before. Christian and I often lead the group following the jeep, and I always know when he's behind me as I can hear his booming Acrapovic exhaust. On a particularly fast stretch I notice he's not behind me, then suddenly the jeep stops and turns. I look back and see the group gathered. I race back to join them and find Christian on the ground; he's hit a jump, but instead of landing back wheel first, the front wheel digs in and flips him and the bike. Judges award "10" for the double somersault. He's laid out on the floor, the bike's a mess (yes, the trick KTM I rode a few days ago) and everyone is worried. But Christi is made of tough stuff and eventually he gets up. The doc's taking no chances, as his helmet hit the ground, and he spends the rest of the morning's journey in the jeep as a precaution. Charlie says: OK guys, no more pissing around!
Rejoining a tarmaced road we roll into UB proper for the first time. The sense of heavy industry is strong, and we can see tall chimneys bellowing smoke in the distance and getting closer we see they look like relics of the Soviet era (Mongolia used the be a Soviet satellite state) There's also lots of residential building going on to accommodate UB's growing population. Apparently a few years ago, Mongolia had a particularly harsh winter killing many livestock; this precipitated large scale migration into UB, and that trend is expected to continue.
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| Ulaan Bataar suburban skyline |
The capital is like developing country capitals world over, mad with traffic and thick with pollution. But unlike India or Cambodia there are virtually no car horns to be heard. But that doesn't stop them from driving like loons and blocking junctions.
We arrive at bike base camp and have group hugs all round as the tour is over. We are herded into the back of a transit van and are transported to our hotel. It's a hot and very unpleasant ride as the transit only has six seats in the back; three of us have to stand and the A/ C is weak. At least the hotel is decent. And... Wi-fi!
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| Parking up the bikes at the end of the trip |
A group of us take a taxi to the Black Market to look for souvenirs, but we're disappointed; it's really like a large department store selling everything from clothes to electricals, but no mementos. Our waiting taxi driver is boxed-in so we can't leave, but a woman offers to take us back to the hotel for 5000 Tors (that's about two squids). We pile in and half expect her to offer to take us to a house of ill repute, but she doesn't and just chats away happily as we drive. Mongolians pride themselves on hospitality and it shows, both in the way the lift was offered and the excellent food we got from the back of the truck during the tour.
Then it's a meal out with Charlie and the team, where after speeches, we are all given T-shirts and congratulatory platters. A nice touch.
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| Riders and support team |
Another early start tomorrow as we head back to Europe.
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