The lush green grasslands and forests we have been crossing on the Rally so far finally ended today as the riders entered the upper Gobi Desert. The terrain became more arid, with massive barren landscapes stretching into the horizon in all directions. The riders managed to dodge the unseasonable summer rain clouds that danced across the horizon in front of them for most of the day. While the riders missed the storms, ahead lay waterlogged ground, with the track turning into a chocolate cake consistency which had the riders slipping and sliding all the way to the evening’s camp site. Some of the group described this section as fun, while other were glad to see the last of the rare Gobi mud! The riders pitched their tents on what appeared to be a sheltered location but in the early evening the wind picked up, testing out the structural integrity of our tents! Mongolia is definitely a place where bringing high quality gear is a must, Temu and Alibaba need not apply!
