Decided
not to go into the dessert as we couldn’t find a ring road on the
"witch", or google earth. By-passing
Taldykorgan then we turned off onto a yellow hoping it would be
better than the red. The surface of the red is good quality seal but
every 10 feet there is a 6 inch dip which is just not suitable to EC
so we have a very uncomfortable slow ride.
There was a
paddock (crop) full of a strange plants. The color of the flower was a bit
like saffron but google indicated that it was not.
We decided on taking a yellow road even though it was a bit longer as we were not enjoying the main road. 
The
yellow was a better road and our speed increased and as usually is
the case, much more to see.
We
pulled off by a small creek and had lunch sitting outside and
enjoying the cooler air near the stream.
The
road changed to a good dirt road and we were able to barrel along
until after one town it started to be less road like. Up into the
hills and dropping down the other side into Zhansugurov. It had been
a very pretty drive and no worse than the main road.
The
grave yards are amazing with their building like tomb… Quite
astonishing really the tombs seem better built than the houses in the
surrounding area.
Back
onto the red and further East heading for some lakes and another
national park.
Where else do you unload a truck of road material with a fork lift? In the middle of the road. I must give them credit they did at least have a witches hat and a 20km/hr sign.
Met
a couple of English cyclists who were raising money to buy a solar
system for a Mongolian school.
Pulling
off at a small river we drove for a few km’s on tracks trying to find
a nice clean spot, for the night. Although the country generally seems to be
very clean there are a few spots where the locals are prone to
litter.
On
dusk about 20:30 found a nice spot on the river bank. No internet so
left around 10ish.
264km Campsite 709m alt.
264km Campsite 709m alt.