Week 77: to Tarkshken: desert and camels

September 14, 2016

Today is a short day as we head to Tarkshken and the last Chinese town before the Mongolian Border!

Cycling is much the same, a short hill, nice asphalt road. When close to a border there usually is a blending of cultures and one transitions into another. We saw that at the other end of entering China from Kazakhstan where we still saw yurts and camels. This part of China is more like the “Stans” yet changing quickly with the building of huge cities and Han Chinese moving in.

As we approach Tarkshken, we see yet another city built with a huge boulevard, though this one seems more deserted and remote. We go toward buildings that look like they might be a hotel. In a strip mall with shops is a big Gray Building. Patrick asks “Hotel” and the locals point in that direction. About 100 meters away is a Pink Salmon colored building that is also a hotel and restaurant.

We check in and shuttle gear up to the third floor, then set out to find some lunch. The strip mall is basically deserted except for a couple of shops. So off we go to explore, and see the restaurant at the Pink hotel. After a bit of struggle, the message finally got across to us there was “no food” at the moment. Going back to the shops, we picked up some snacks and beer and settled back into the room.

Later that evening, we returned to a busy restaurant and are able to order a noodle dish. Over the few weeks cycling across China and eating noodles with chopsticks, we’ve noticed our face getting closer and closer to the dish in order to scoop the noodles into our mouths. A big change we’ve noticed in China, there seems to be less slurping noises made when eating that we remember from 2006-07 cycling through Yunnan China.

The big chore for us is to do final shopping of supplies. We don’t know what to expect of Mongolia so we want to take plenty of the things we know we want to have, like crackers and coffee, so we load up on cookies, cakes, and peanuts.

Sept 15

“Border closed”, a woman says as we ride by her just a km from the hotel. “You work at the border?” Patrick asks and she reassures us that it is closed today and will be open tomorrow.

We had dutifully awakened early, ate our porridge and drank our coffee, carried gear and bikes down three flights of stairs and loaded up the bikes. Then, took off for the Chinese-Mongolian border. It’s a Thursday and we know the border closes on weekends and Chinese Holidays. We know Mid-Autumn Festival is a three day festival starting Sept 15. However, we didn’t make the connection and clue into that this meant the border would be closed today.

We circle back to the hotel, and check back in. Patrick got the TV to work so we watched the news and a couple of good movies, one was Mel Brooks “The Producers”. The other with Adam Sandler about an architect who got a “universal remote” so he could fast forward his life during the sections he first thought boring. So he ended up working his life away and getting lots of promotions. Something to contemplate.

Turned out to be a very nice rest day.

Rachel messes up the herding. Camels are not sure what to make of us.

The poplars have turned. Winter is not far off around here.

The way to eat these Lagman noodles is to get close to the dish and use your chopsticks to get one end in your mouth. After that it is just a matter of slurping until there is no more.

Today's ride: 51 km (32 miles)
Total: 22,246 km (13,815 miles)

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