Going South

26 Sep
Getting lost Sainshand - Camp 16
We started early, withdrew some money and refilled our stockes and pumped air in the tires at a petrol station (useless as we will find out shortly after) .... we were cycling around sainshand for about 10km to find the main road ... then we thought we found it and continued cycling ... after another 5 km the road got narrower but it was still a road ...we saw an abandoned house and decided to have our stop there ... once we reached the house we realized our tires were full of small thorns ...out of a plant which grows in the sand...after our soup we checked our tires .... all flat ... so we started repairing and exchanching tires ... back on the road we couyld harldy cycle coz of the thorns ... if we pushed our bikes they could not get deep inside .... after another few km suddenly the road stopped ... we continued in a dried river bed ....but the deep sand made it almost impossible to get forward... at around 6pm we decided to camp beside the river bed ...exhaused from the day and still seeing Sainshand from far doesn't make us happy ... we only made 9 km line of site today ... luckily we were checking ourt the surroundings and found the "high way" the worst thing of this day was we didnt brought enough water and supplies coz we expected to be in the next small village before the evening .... so always bring your food ...

27 Sep
Camp 16 - Orgon - Camp17
We woke up and pushed our bikes to the road ...it was an easy cycling on good road ... at km 54 we reached Orgon and stopped at a supermarket. there is no restaurant here so the ppl in the supermarket gave us cooked water and we had our cofe and soup and some chocolate bars ... we continued cycling... brought out of the city by some kids who wanted to join us a bit. we cycled for another 10 km ... and 1 car passed us ...the first of today. Best cycling is between 4 and 6 because of the great sunlight ....
We also realize it is getting colder ...the wind , when it blows is really cold and it is time to leave mongolia ...the winter is approaching
Road conditions rolling and good roads

28 Sep
Camp 17 - Erdene - Camp18
we started at 9 ...and planned to be in Erdene around noon time ...to restock our food and have something to eat .... and then continue further to Zamyn Uud .... The road was ok ...so easy cycling was guaranteed .... we passed a camel herd and besides that again nothing ... then the last 12 km we had to change a bit the direction and realized the wind ...who was turning into headwind now ... we had to climb a bit and with the wind we made around 6 kms per hour ... so the stretch to Erdene got longer and longer ...finally we reached Erdene and it was like reaching a gost town ...the wind and the sand where blowing and nobody on the streets ... it looked scarry and unreal. Finally we found a supermarket and had an ice and some cold drinks .... after checking aroudn we found a restaurant and the made us really nicxe food ... neat filled pancakes ...GREAT ... we were so full and tired and realized it was already 4.30. We decided to continue a bit more ...now knowing, till Zamyn Udd there will be no place to refill stocks. We bought water and soup and chcololate bars ....but beer ...no beer to find ...we checked out all supermarkets but no beer ...strange coz the 25 was ove r... the i askd a woman: Where can we buy shan airag (beer) and she waived with her key and opened her supermarket .... so fullty stocked we cycled out of town and camped inbetween some nice small stone formations. We pitched our tent and started to have some cloud nine, haribo, mars bars , beer and mandarines which I got from a passing car and bonfire ...great life :)
Road conditions rolling and good but rough roads

29 Sep
Camp 18 - Camp 19
We started in the morning and enjoyd the nice and easy cycling for 19 km. There we reached the "main road" going to Zamyn Uud. After a break at a ger and climbing up a small hill ...we had to pass a valley ...the dust valley. The road was so sandy and there are some chinese trucks passing by ...and everytime a truck passeds ....you have to cover yourself for at least 2 min ....to not eat all the dust. After we climed the 2nd hill ...it was around 4-5 km rolling .... we decided to camp inbetween some hills to avoid to be seen by the road. There we had the biggest and nicest bonfire of the trip ... I guess I carried another 10km of fire wood :)
Road conditions rolling and good but rough roads

30 Sep
Camp 19 - Zamyn Uud
The 1st 20 km went fast and smooth .... we stopped at a ger and had a soup cofe and a water melon ...we continued and passed a camel herd ...then we saw it Zanyn Uud. We had a last breajk and started cycling the last 25 km .... The 1st 15 out of that 25 km were easy cycling and I started recall the whole 5 weeks in that awesome cycling country ... I never cycled in such a great "outdoor country".The last 10 km to Zamyn Uud ... we had serious sand ...that means we had to push the bikes once in a while ... Once we reached Zamyn Uud ...we cycled the last 3 km to the bortder on paved road ...what a feeling .... then we reached the border ...the guy told us it is closed now (even though he still let trucks in) and he explained us we could not cross by bike ... so we went back and check in into an hotel .... dreaming of beeing in China tomorrow ...but this was a dream ....

Road conditions 40 km rolling then more down then up last 10 km deep sand