And the photos you may not even know you were waiting for – Western Mongolia

We are still slow on the catch up of getting photos online.  But we do have one of the best galleries to date up on the site now.  Western Mongolia was one of the most difficult, most hard on the trucks, most dangerous and most beautiful routes to date.  We spent over a week driving off road, sometimes not seeing another human being for 2 days straight.  Navigation was left to a compass and binoculars, just like in the Gobi Desert, but since there are mountains in the West of Mongolia the task is just that much more difficult.

We went through extreme cold, some days the tempurature would not get much above negative 18. The ground many days was covered in snow, making the task of staying on the right track almost impossible.  A day did not go by that we were not at least lost for a little while.  To date however, Bouey and I can both agree that this was hands down one of the most exciting weeks the trip has presented yet.  Check out the photos…they do not disappoint.

Km marker 1532, there is not on km that is not unbelievableGood thing they put a stop sign here, I think at least one car goes by each week.Days go by without seeing anyone.No lane highways.A few horses wake us up in the morningGood morning Mongolia!!Temperatures rarely made it above zero.Just so you don't get lost the sign points to turn where there is no road.Binoculars are the best way to make sure you are still on the right track.Mongolian mountain passes are amazingThen the road endsThe first river we saw for days2007 or 1007?270 kms from the last town...350kms to the nextThe highest mountain pass in MongoliaAncient shaman religios traditionsPanorama 1Panorama 2Panorama 3Panorama 4Just a little bit lonely out thereThere is not a moment that goes by that Mongolia will not amaze youSet the tents while warm and dry, wake up surrounded by snow and wet.The snow makes it even more amazingSo we had to write about it immediatelyUnrealYaks...some the coolest animals ever.Don't know what it says, maybe if we did it would be easier to find our way.Just in case you wanted to pick up a game of b-ballA medium to large sized townThe local fueling stationToday this was our lakeMongolia...enough said.Did I already mention that we had 1600kms of this?Our personal GPS system for an afternoon when we were lost.Meeeooooowwwww.The Mongolians are some of the few with bigger pickup trucks than usThe local well500kms from anything else we found one of the best clubs we have ever been toA little grooving time with the localsArtwork on the town square?Nice bed UbuSometimes it is really apparent that you are not even close to homeHmmmmmTsetserleg local radio stationKm number 1324Km number 1421The GPS grabbed a friend for a photo op, we gave them polaroidsThey could not let Mr. Ed have all the glory of the photoThe last border townWe were only 2km from the border when we heard the tire hissing.The temp was well below zeroSo it is time to get a workingMongolia Russia BorderWe got out in about 5 hours, not to shabby for a border post that hardly has power.Our last sight of the gersCamels + Sunsets = !!!!!Well hello mister EdKm number 1237