DAYS
6am and a little Mongolian girl appears to light the fire, but I've woken up feeling rough, a cold on its way perhaps. Target today is 300km, 50 of them off-road. The morning sees us clock up loads of miles, and we're well over halfway by lunchtime. Facilities at the lunch stop include a Heath Robinson toilet with a 12-foot drop ...
As we set off again it's pouring with rain and the speed dramatically reduces so we can see where we're going. Everyone is feeling really cold, the rain becomes
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Spot Brian's flag-waving bike - the one with the blue scarves 6.45am and a bizarre start to the day, as I walk to the hot spring pool in trunks, bare feet sliding on the thick frost. On one side of the pool is a spruce forest turning gold for the autumn. Two yaks appear through the steam to eat grass by the pool.
The two drivers, Lala and Ono, continue to try and keep the bikes running, though it's hard work. Two rear sprockets are wrecked, but the four spare wheels we carry are repaired with new tubes and bearings, levers are straightened and Pete's rear light replaced. I'm getting the blame, but didn't ask for him to fall off in front of me. Despite the large numbers of 'offs' there's very little damage, just heavy wear and tear.
An eagle comes to watch the work, as does a squirrel. The squirrels live underground here and appear more like meerkats, standing up on two legs surveying their patch.
The afternoon is on hold while Laurent is taken to hospital for an X-ray, and he returns heavily bandaged. Says he won't go near a Mongolian hospital again unless he's unconscious. An hour's prune training in the hot water was going well until someone ruins everything by spotting an ice-cold plunge pool. This must be some sort of Mongolian madness and any sane person only tries it once.
At the evening briefing we are warned that tomorrow brings an interesting road with spicy river crossings! Then we are devastated with the news that Laurent is to be repatriated tomorrow. It hits the group hard - he's such a nice man and very popular, and holds tears back as he tells us. He'll be missed.
Sickness, horizontal snow and camels