To Khakhorin with a little off-roading and a little unexpected fall

Arvaikheer was a simple stop. Reach in the evening, found a good hotel and dinner before bed. The next day push off and we ride towards Khakhorin. It was supposedly an easy 150km ride to Khakhorin but I should have known better. Every time I think it would be easy, something would go wrong.

At the 100km mark, the road branching off to Khakorin was dirt road. It was time to finally do some off-roading in Mongolia and based on the quality of the path, it was to be a good off-road condition when compared to Central Asia. 50Km off-road, easy.

Slip & Skid & Fall - Towards Khakorin

I don’t know how and I don’t know why but somehow on a perfectly flat and wide off-road path, I managed to slip – skid – and fall. I concluded that I have lousy off-roading skills. I thought I had developed a pretty good riding skills after going through Pamir Highway but apparently my off-roading skills were crap.

That fall hurt me a little especially my pride. Bike was ok, I seemed fine other than some chest pain which seems to be from my own elbow that compressed toward my chest when falling down but no visual bruise could be observed. After the fall I had to go down a gear and ride even slower, so we reach Khakhorin fairly late in the evening.

Little Detour to visit Shankh Monastery

The Vast Open Land of Mongolia 

Two nights in Khakhorin it was decided and the free day was spent exploring Erdane Zuu monastery. We thought that there would be the ancient capital of Mongolia to be explored as well. Karakarum City or what is left of it turns out to be totally gone. Nothing remained.

All the expectation built up, since Khakhorin was allegedly a popular tourist day trip destination from Ulaanbaatar and one of the most tourist visited place in Mongolia turn out to be very disappointing. 

Erdane Zuu Monastery 

Erdane Zuu Monastery

Erdane Zuu Monastery

It could have been a one-night stop and 2 hours sightseeing before hitting the road type of destination, but I guess we also needed the rest day, and I was also recovering from my fall.

Two days later it was time to finally make a mad dash of 360km to Ulaanbaatar. Roads were boring and once we hit the city, traffic was mad crazy. Mad Crazy. 

I have no idea how to describe the mix of still standing Mongolian traffic jam coupled with crazy driving habits that each of them just seems to use their vehicle like a wedge suddenly jerking out a junction after having locked eye contact for five seconds knowing very well that you are riding through.

We reached hostel by late evening and the three nights in Ulaanbaatar was spend walking around which was way faster than any bus or car or bike. I have a mixed feeling of Ulaanbaatar. It was a vibrant city, but traffic makes it annoyingly distasteful. 

People ware more vibrant and stylish and there were things to see and do but at the same time it was also a city that one could chill and do nothing

Travelled on: Nov 2024

Almost Snowbogged in Bayankhongor

Altai was a two-night stopover where the free day was plummet into dark gloomy clouds of rains surrounding Altai but surprisingly barely a drizzle fell. We decided in the morning that it would be a bad idea to continue the journey and stayed another night just chilling at coffee shops and cafes.

There was not much to do anyway in Altai but taking the journey slow was not too bad in itself. The next day we pushed off late in the morning nearly lunch time and headed for Butsaagan a little village 200km away.

On the road from Altenteel to Altai

Charming Graffiti in Altai Downtown

Restock on Food in Altai Mini Mart

Carolyn which we meet at Altanteel whom pushed on during our lazy free day gave us some intel on lodgings in Butsaagan so the constant worry trying to decide with limited information if to hit the road going the crazy distance of 400km to Bayankhongor directly or to have a break in the journey at Butsaagan was sorted out once we knew there was a hotel to break the journey at Butsaagan, making the riding more manageable.

The ride was chilly cold the whole way and the barren open landscape started to become routine and a bore that daydreaming seams to slog in whenever I lost focus on admiring the scenery. 

Altai to Butsaagan

Some Historic Rock Monuments in the middle of nowhere 

Butsaagan Village 

Riding was on auto-mode mostly. Butsaagan hotel was a quaint little place that had super hard planked bed and outside pit toilets. 60000 tugrik so one of the cheapest stay we had in Mongolia.

From Butsaagan we started early this time round heading for Bayankhongor. It was a good thing too for the short journey of 180km was quickly finished by 3pm. 

Along the way we stopped at some kind of roadside rest stop to get some breakfast but the cafe had no eggs and Aishish somehow manage to buy eggs from the mini market and requested the owner to borrow her kitchen for us to cook up our own meal.

Butsaagan Horse Monument

Random Stop - House in Mongolia

Aishish casually cooking eggs for breakfast in another person's home

The old lady was so sweet and kind that I just had to go back outside to pick out the squirrel toy I bought in Belokurikha Russia and gave it to her as a present. She showed me where the toy would go in her home and seem like it would be displayed alongside her family photo.

By the time we reach Bayankhongor and just barely checked into Sayombo Hotel, dark clouds started rolling in and by evening, a few drops of rain quickly turned into snow. It snowed the whole night and by morning a good six inch of snow had piled up everywhere all around the city.

Roads were slushed with snow and ice the next morning and large snowflakes were still falling with no signs of it stopping. I might say that we choose to stay another night in Bayankhongor but in reality we were really forced to stay another night since there was no way to ride on in the blizzard.

Bike Covered with Snow in Bayankhongor

Slush Snow everywhere at Bayankhongor

Me & Aishish Exploring in the Snow looking for cafe

Whole day was spent just chilling at a nice little cafe on the third floor looking out the window seeing a snow-white covered city. It snowed the whole day and temperature went to negative with forecast for the next day morning to be -10 degrees. We seriously doubt we can even depart the next day if the snow persists.

We woke up on the third day in Bayankhongor with bright sun blazing in the blue sky and I thought this was a chance or a window to get out of what is becoming winter. Aishish was still in yesterday plan mindset which was to sleep in and just chill for two days in a row since based on the weather report today was supposed to be -10 degrees in the morning and would be cold the whole day.

The Next Day when the Snow melted

I checked the weather report and it was updated to -8 degrees in the morning. The blazing sun would help us and the roads seams doable despite being slushy. To be honest I was a little worried that winter would come early and I would be bogged down stuck in Bayankhongor with no way to reach the China border.

It was a chance and a small window, and we decided to try at least. Packed up slowly giving more time for the sun to do its work, we had to first clear the bike of snow then slowly load up and pray before starting the bike slowly steaming away the residual coldness. Aishish went for a test ride without luggage and reported that its doable.

Bike loaded up and checked out of the hotel, we decided to get lunch first before hitting the road. It was back to our favourite restaurant getting food and from the third floor we could see the snow slush further melting always to reveal pure roads with no ice.

Escape from Bayankhongor Snow

It was time to hit the cold road, and we were riding in cold freezing negative temperature for sure. The danger was ice on road, but it was lucky for us that while the surrounding area was blanketed with snow, at 1330pm the roads were fully cleared of snow and ice and some parts were even steaming away to be fully dry.

I picked up the pace then and ride as fast as possible towards Arvaikheer. After nearly 100km away from Bayankhongor going through a small mountain pass, we came down to lower altitude and the snow-covered landscape receded away giving way to barren landscape with tinge of snow here and there lingering.

Escape from winter achieved, we could slow down the pace and relax a little knowing that we would reach Arvaikheer today with high probability success. Today was only a 200km distance but we started late at 1330 pm arriving Arvaikheer nearly five hours later at 1830pm. 

It was still cold weather in Arvaikheer being Zero degrees but relatively better improvement from the negative temperature in Bayankhongor and devoid of snow.

Travelled on: Sep 2024

Camping Near Altanteel – Mongolia

Khovd to Altanteel was a rather boring ride actually but still a unbelievable landscape of barren land. We saw camels and some herded animals but there was no settlement at all. At Altanteel which was a small settlement barely 50 buildings clustered together there was at least one big hotel & cafe.

Initially we asked permission to camp in the hotel gardens, and the manager said it was ok and free. Later in the evening when we were about to set camp once the sun had set and all the children had left the gardens, another guy claimed that he was the real manager and we are not allowed to camp in the park.

Wild Camels in Mongolia 

Altanteel - Mongolia 

Stubborn and resisting the force hotel stay, I suggested to go out into the steppe and just camp there since it was good weather and not that cold. We both agreed in the morning that it was the correct choice for if we did not camp, there would probably be no other opportunity in Mongolia. 

We went back to the same hotel restaurant for breakfast unashamed to use their good toilets and cafe heating.

Camping in Altanteel - Mongolia 

From Altanteel, it was a 300km ride to Altai where most of the journey was just fighting really crazy crosswinds which slowed me down all the way to 2nd gear going 20km/hr. The rest was vast barren landscape that while beautiful, quickly became stale.

Travelled on: Sep 2024

So Much for Altai. Khovd, It Is

It was due time to leave Oglii after four nights. Fairly productive time in Oglii if I think about it, but now it was really time to hit the road and cross Mongolia. Aishish & me decided to try going to the Altai National Park for the night doing a two-day detour.

Just short 2km out of Oglii and the asphalt road totally disappeared to be replaced by corrugated dirt tracks. It was also going through a slight mountain pass and by 25km into the track, I gave up. It was going to be like Wahkan Corridor in Tajikistan all over again and I was not ready to brave the pain for hours just to see landscape if I could help it.

Leaving Olgii for Altai National Park

Me & Aishish - Abandoning the plan for Altai National Park and turning around 

It was a detour anyway and not a forced route that I have to forcefully go through, so I stopped the bike and had a discussion with Aishish which concur with me and that was the end of the expedition to Altai Tavon Bogd National Park. We immediately double back to Oglii and hit the main Asian highway No.4 towards Khovd.

220km to Khovd from Oglii and the road and ride was just amazing. The new spark plugs were working fine, and I was pushing the bike nice and fast around 110km/hr but 80km before Khovd, I could feel that something was wrong again and power was loss from the engine. The new spark plugs had probably fouled.

Wild Camels - Mongolia 

Altai Region - Mongolia 

Altai Region - Mongolia 

From Olgii to Khovd - Bayan Enger Pass

I limped with Bragge all the way to Khovd having lose power and after scouting and hunting for hotels, we finally checked into a local motel for 40000 tugrik each. That night itself I opened the spark plugs again for a check and sure enough, one of the new spark plugs was defective. This time I had to use back spark plugs which was the stock original plugs that was replaced in Dushanbe Tajikistan.

I carried them around forever and nearly forgotten about them and luckily, they still worked. Old plugs but better than faulty ones. Next day I did a quick hunt around Khovd trying to find additional spare spark plugs but had no luck even after finding the bike market. I would have to really pray that the old plugs would last till Ulaanbaatar which hopefully they would have the proper spark plugs replacement.

Travelled on: Sep 2024

Olgii Layover: Cash, SIM Cards, Insurance, a Bad Spark Plug, and an Eagle Festival

I stayed in Oglii for a total of four nights. It was really not planned to be that way but that’s how it became sometimes. I reach Oglii late evening after crossing the border from Russia and found the Traveler Guesthouse after towing some locals back to town and checked into a cozy Yurt dormitory for 40000 Tugrik.

There were quite a few travellers at the guesthouse which we had some very interesting and intense topic conversation but the next day everyone checked out of the hostel, and I was alone in the guesthouse. I spend the day doing chores like any other times getting into a new country for the first time.

A slow walk into downtown Oglii and first up was getting money from the ATM and then after a Sim-card and finally finding the money changer to change the remaining Russian Rubble to Mongolian Tugrik. 

Oglii Central Square 

Getting a Sim-Card in Oglii

Getting Insurance for the Bike in Oglii

I tracked down the insurance company but one of them had closed doors and the other seems to be non-existence when I asked around the building even though I could see the signboard outside.

The rest of the day was spend doing maintenance on Bragge. Oil change, filter cleaning, chain lube and tuning and I even tried to find a way to tune the idle rev since it was somehow low and kept dying out. I did not manage to fix it even with a phone call the next day back to Malaysia consulting the mechanic.

Apparently, there was no tuner for this fuel injection model but there was a way to increase the fuel intake permanently that is independent from the throttle line but getting to the screw head was impossible.

The third day in Oglii and I decided I would stay another night waiting for Aishish to arrive instead of moving on to Khovd. I first met Aishish in Dushanbe hostel, and he ping me up while I was in Russia going through the Altai region not knowing that he was just a few days behind my tail. It was understood without saying that once we meet up, most likely we would do Trans-Mongolia together all the way to Ulaanbaatar.

So a second free day in Oglii and in the morning Tim from Germany arrived, checked into the hostel and tagged along with me to town for lunch. After lunch we split ways and I had a feeling that the day before at the insurance place was probably wrong. I went back and this time went up to the second floor spotting the actual office for the insurance company.

Insurance obtained for Bragge, I then took a walk around Oglii visiting the black market which was actually a haphazard junk of single-story buildings built like a maze selling a variety of daily or other types of useful household goods. I did keep an eye out for bike parts and managed to get more spare bolts.

Bazaar Market in Olgii

Bazaar market in Olgii

That night Aishish arrived late, and we exchange plans over dinner which sure enough, we would travel together piecing the route as we go along day-by-day however it seems that the main trunk route along the southern corridor would be our best option with the cold weather creeping quickly around.

Day four in Oglii and I offered to piggyback Tim out to the Golden Eagle Festival which was 40km away from Oglii. Initially I thought that Bragge was struggling due to the super extra weight of a pillion but after 20km into the journey, Tim managed to flag down a car to hitch hike the balance 20km and I continue on with still nearly half power lost. 

Leaking something from the Engine Block 

Upon closer inspection, I notice some liquid leaking from the right exhaust mounting from the engine block. This was not a good sign, but the bike was still running, and engine light was not really turned on or rather it did turn on, and I immediately stop but it goes off after a few minutes of rest. 

I made my way slowly to the eagle festival joining back up with Tim which I told him that he would probably need to hitch-hike back to Oglii once it was over.

The eagle festival was not planned and just so happen that there was one while I was in Oglii. We saw many eagles but no hunting practice or competition. There was however horseback riding competition in the nomadic style. Picking up coloured sacks while galloping the horse at full speed and tug of war was the two event that we watched.

Eagle Festival in Olgii

Tug of War - Mongolian Style

Kid on Horse

Hunting Eagle in Mongolia

The Girls in Tribal Dress - Eagle Festival Olgii

Nomadic tug of war involved a headless carcass of a sheep where two horse riders would pick up the carcass, each holding on to two of its legs and with the signal of the referee they would begin to try and pull away the carcass from each other until one emerge the victor out of the tug of war. 

This was all on horseback, so it was interesting to see how they strategize by clinging on to the carcass while making the horse run the other way trying to force a pull.

A few hours were spent at the festival watching the games and walking around looking at the booth set up selling souvenirs for the tourist. After that I bid Tim farewell while he hitch-hikes back to the hostel and I made my way back slowly on struggling engine. 

Immediately upon reaching the hostel, I opened up the spark plugs and sure enough the right-side plugs were faulty and partially broken off.

The faulty Plug on the right

Luckily I carried spares and changed both plugs then went for a test ride. Power was now back to normal and idle rpm was also back to the normal stable mode. The liquid leaking from the exhaust mounting from the engine block could have been petrol or even petrol with engine oil but there was no way to know for sure. 

I could only hope that with the faulty plugs replace, there won’t be any more pressure built up and the seals will continue to work preventing further leaks.

Travelled on: Sep 2024