We had a great day of riding followed by an 87 km drive to our next camp. We crossed many rivers by foot and by vehicle. The last one required some navigation to find the best route. The fact that the other van and people on board were standing on the other shore with their cameras out made us suspicious of the route they had taken. Our wiley driver detoured and took another route across much to the other van's occupants dissappointment.
The highlight of the day was the visitors to our camp. Kids, dogs, horses, goats, and parents all came by to see what we were up to and share in some fun.
First descent of the day. It was long.
A little rock scrambling along the way.
Ger village.
Our tea break along a river crossing.
David and Jasper having tea and cookies.
The van crossing the river.
Jen and Puje.
Reza floating down the river.
Jen crossing the river.
The local milk transport vehicle. He was making his way along with the empty clanking milk cans. I wonder how easy it is carry full cans?
Attempting to ride across the river.
Not happening.
Puje walking across the river.
More Mongolian wrestling. Here the young guide is taking on the older guide.
If you didn't put some of the moves into context it could be seen as something more provocative.
Enough said.
Smack down. Young guide wins.
The humiliation of defeat.
The local hillsides from our lunch spot.
Lunch beneatht he rocks next to the river. Not a bad life.
Our Lunch spot.
The Ovoo at the top of the pass.
Horse skull on an rock Ovoo.
Heading down the top of the pass.
At the top of the pass there there is a small pond.
Approaching the top of another pass. The colors on the top of this one reminded me that it is autumn in Mongolia.
A wooden Ovoo near a river crossing.
Our tent nestled in amonst the trees.
Sunlight through the grove of trees in camp.
Our river camp.
Our valley for the night.
Our young friend who wanted us to ride his horse.
One of the local kids who came to visit.
He is the horse version of Taz.
Our guide showing on his riding skills.
David looking large on a Mongolian horse.
Like kids anywhere they are drawn to the bicycles.
Future Mongolian Expeditions guide.
Since there wasn't a bike small enough for this young man our guide is giving him a ride.
My dad used to give me a ride on the bicycle like that when I was a kid.
I think he is having fun!
The ger where the kids live.
Hmmm, I wonder if he likes the bike or the horse better.
His horse standing by while he rides a mt. bike.
Herdsman crossing the river on his way home.
Evening on the river.
Local ger with the typical dogs and the herdsman (malchin) riding by.
Our other friend who showed up.
Here I'm showing these two young kids a book about my life in America. I had Puje translate the text into Mongolian so that they could read it as well as see the photos.
the wind burned cheeks are very common on Mongolian children.
Going home.
This young boy went home and came back with a bike his size to ride around.
One of the most beautiful dogs I saw in Mongolia. He was a little more shy then the other dog. Also he was obviously the submissive of the two.
The acrobat.
Goats in trees. Not what I expected. This little guy was part of the large herd that came through our camp. Apparently his solution to competition for food was to go higher.
Goats wandering through our camp.
The goats are eating the tent.
The other beautiful dog that came to visit us. He was very friendly and just as interested in spending time with us as his humans were. He was the alpha.
Puje in the cook tent.
A nightly occurence on our trip.
Some of the largest trees we saw in Mongolia.
Settleing down for the evening.
The gers where our company came from.
Men and fire.
Kieran.
