As day 1 wore on, the stage proved longer and tougher than expected – with one final surprise waiting. A challenging steep, muddy climb – testing everyone’s stamina. Some made it clean, others picked themselves and their bikes up from the mud and had another go. At the top awaited the stunning Boshloi Valley, the first night’s camp beneath granite cliffs beside the Delger River. This is a region that is one of Mongolia’s hidden secrets and not visited by many other foreigners. The temperatures have dropped rapidly as the sun sets over the mountains; a chilly night is in store of the riders as an epic day 1 of the rally comes to a close.
