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Mongolian road conditions in May
Hello
I will pass throught Mongolia this May, comming from Vladivostok. Maybe arriving in the second week of May. I have a 30 day visa and can spend the whole time there if I like it. This will be my last section off the tarmac on my 2 year RTW. Afterwards I'll just drive through Russia to go home to Bern. I've given up discussing what is duable,crasy,hard,piece a cake,to dangerous and so on with other bikers, since only I know my limits. For example the lagoon route in south Bolivia, I discussed it with others and felt that we hardly did the same, although it was the same route. But, I like to hear about facts, not feelings, like: -Gravel with corrugation -Gravel with rocks so big that 4x4 have to change to lowgear. -Sand with corrugation -Sand to deep/soft to build up corrugations -Mud with a depth of 5,10,15,20cm -Watercrossings: depth,currant,size of rocks in the river... -and so on. Read through the following threads, but haven't found the answers I'm looking for: http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...mongolia-69269 http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...mongolia-68588 http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...a-2012-a-59454 I've had a look at many pictures here and also on Googleearth, but they are mostly from the summer/fall. What do I have to expect on road condition in May: -Snow? -Mud,how deep,possible to go around? -Watercrossings, how many and how deep? -How many local vehicles a day, very important in an emergency. on those Routes? Northern Route: Yellow Southern Route: Orange Middle Route: Green Eastern Route:Blue Map stolen from Thread: http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...rossings-52736 :cool4: Quote:
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Hi sushi,
You might want to check out Oisin's videos from 2010 which he had just relatively recently uploaded to YouTube. Search for something like "Oisin Not Dead Yet Mongolia", it's a series of videos on his RTW trip and it has several episodes on Mongolia where you can see the road conditions pretty well. I believe he entered from Russia (Altai region) just around the 2nd week of May. Hope this helps. |
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Just had a look at those videos. Seams like the south-route till the bike broke down half way to UB. Somewhere he said 18sh of may. Some mud and snow at the border,then more or less solide Gravel road. Found this about the north-route: will there be more mud in may? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-AM...uM9ACRVPGNy__A https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFLh...GNy__A&index=8 met them in Brisbane at the HUBB meeting 2012 Any links for the other routes? Videos say more than words. thanks sushi |
Its a very late winter in Eurasia this year.
In Moscow now and its normally +3 +5 this time of year ... but its a blizzard and -10. A late start to spring means a late melting of the snows A late melting of the snows means the muddy conditions when the blanket of snow that covers Russia and Mongolia will not melt till later ... and I suspect will be even muddier at the same dates as when Oisin was there in Mid May 2010. The rivers and streams are at their highest flow in the snow melt season ... which unfortunately for you will probably be May. The southern route has mostly bridges, but there will still be many streams that might temporarily be rivers in May I think you are too early in the season. It will be possible but will not be fun. |
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Unfortuneally I can't wait longer to go home. So it will be May.:freezing::rain::freezing::stormy::freezing: My plan is to enter at Erdeentsay and then to UB and on to Tsagaannuu-Tashanta. Are those main routes open and is there local traffic? How many rivercrossings do I have to expect? If deeper than 0.5m I have to build a snorkel, which was fun in Australia at 25°C water temperature, but in May in melted ice water and currant.....I don't know. Probably have to buy a pair of those boot/pants used by the fischermen standing in the river. sushi |
I dont know how many water crossings you will get in May. If you are going then it doesnt matter if you have 3 or 30. The only thing that matters us how deep is the deepest one.
We cant answer that for you 2 months in advance. You will have to find out on location. The border is Ereentsav not Ereentsay as on Google. Google maps - Google earth is wrong. Presumably a typo when they were making the maps, or a mapmaker read barely legible print on as printed map as a y instead of a v. |
Hello all
Thanks so far, I'll decide once I'm a bit closer. Quote:
sushi |
Hi Sushi,
we'll arrive in UB 18th of May. Where do you stay? If you would like to, how about a beer? We'll start a roundtrip of mongolia there and plan to head further east next year. Would be nice to meet and talk a bit. Greetings Claus |
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gruss sushi |
Hey Guys I'm about to go into UB tomorrow and staying at the oasis guesthouse and will find out about the possibilities of the route. If it sounds too bad ill just head back into Russia and across into Kazakhstan.
Sushi and the rest let me know if you want to meet up!! |
I saw a picture on probike mongolia on facebook, they made them 5 days ago.
Snowstorm and so on... http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fb...type=1&theater |
Just arrived in Ulaanbaatar, i'm here at the Oasis and there are quite a few bikers around and it seems people have already done the southern (two dutch guys have done it on street tires) and central routes this year, the weather is very warm and is meant to be really good for the next 5 days, but hey this is Mongolia!
Sushi if you wanted to tackle Mongolia together, safety in numbers and amazing conversation then i'm more than happy to do so... let me know P |
Hey, does anyone have any information on the central route through mongolia as the southern route just sounds like 1300km of construction gravel and i'm not doing that, just concerned the central route is too early?
I just don't know what to do!!! |
You met the people who did the central route:rofl:
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BBC Sport - Giro d'Italia 2013: Poor weather rules out Gavia and Stelvio passes |
Edit:Mongolian road conditions in late May,early June 2013
Hello
As I started this thred I'd like to share me experience of Mongolia. I arrived in Vladivostok on May 6th and due to the Russian custom and a holiday it took longer to head off to Mongolia. I couldn't get informations on the eastern part in advance so I thought I'll see how wet the Far East would be and then decide whether entering Mongolia from the east or the north. From Vladivostok around China it was so wet that I could hardly get off the road to camp. Also the fact that I had only one chance to enter Mongolia due to my visa situation I played it save and made the detour via Ulan-ude. So on May 22th I was finally in Mongolia and got welcomed by heavy wind and rain. I stayed at the Oasis in Ulaanbaatar and tryed to find out the road conditions by talking to other bikers who came via the south route. Once again it was impossible to get a clear answer. A guy,who hasn't ridden a bike for years,did it on a XT250 and discribed it as pure fun. Others on XT660 described it as challenging but O.K. Then there were two guys on BMW 1200 GS Adventure who ended up on a truck. After a few warm days in UB I wanted to see a bit of the east. But as I had packed the bike my battery made problems and then came rain and later snow. So one more night at the Oasis. Next day was good so I drove till east of Undurchaan when it begun to get muddy. Yamaha XT660Z Tenere Mongolia Snow East of Ulaanbaatar - YouTube Yamaha XT660Z Tenere Mongolia Undurchaan west on A1502 - YouTube So I turned a bit north and then returned back to UB. Yamaha XT660Z Tenere Mongolia Northeast of Undurchaan - YouTube From UB I chose the middle route. Till past Zezerleg it's paved and then sandy and gravel with big holes. Yamaha XT660Z Tenere Mongolia Zezerleg to Tosontsengel 1 - YouTube Yamaha XT660Z Tenere Mongolia Zezerleg to Tosontsengel 2 - YouTube Yamaha XT660Z Tenere Mongolia Zezerleg to Tosontsengel 3 - YouTube I followed the main road to Uliastaj. This is also the supply way for that city. Yamaha XT660Z Tenere Mongolia Tosontsengel to Uliastaj - YouTube The track south to Altaj was small and very sandy. Yamaha XT660Z Tenere Mongolia Uliastaj to Altaj 1 - YouTube Yamaha XT660Z Tenere Mongolia Uliastaj to Altaj 2 - YouTube Yamaha XT660Z Tenere Mongolia Uliastaj to Altaj 3 - YouTube From Altaj to Khovd was a flat corrugation gravelroad but due to the strong wind I coudn'd fly over it. There are also some sandy holes with bulldust. I had a look at the road Khovd to Ulaangom but didn't go all. First its a good gravel road that turns into a sandy track. Yamaha XT660Z Tenere Mongolia Ulaangom to Khov - YouTube The road from Khovd to Ulgij was in the best condition of all what I've seen on this trip in Mongolia. Yamaha XT660Z Tenere Mongolia Khovd to Ulgij 1 - YouTube Yamaha XT660Z Tenere Mongolia Khovd to Ulgij 2 - YouTube Yamaha XT660Z Tenere Mongolia Khovd to Ulgij 3 - YouTube Yamaha XT660Z Tenere Mongolia Khovd to Ulgij 4 - YouTube In Ulgij I had to decide if i go straight to Russia or take the nothern route back to UB. So far I didn't run into any watercrossings nor really difficult parts so my heart said go for the north route,but after a long talk with my bike she convinced me to let it be. Probably a wise decision then after 2 years and 95000km the bike isn't in the shape to go to Mongolia in the first place,bended front fork from the kanguru,spring of the rear suspencion lost almost 10cm of tension,still the first clutch, couling and battery problems. In all I should thank my bike for still working. But at least I went for a look of the first section of the north route till the first rivercrossing. Yamaha XT660Z Tenere Mongolia Tsagaannuur to Buchmurun Sandy Riverbed - YouTube Yamaha XT660Z Tenere Mongolia Tsagaannuur to Buchmurun River GPS N49 73211 E90 20898 - YouTube Then I had my first flat tyre not coused by me or nails and stayed at the border in a Ger. Yamaha XT660Z Tenere Mongolia Ger Border Tashanta Tsagaannuur GPS N49 60366 E89 46291 - YouTube Mongolia was a great review of all the tracks I did so far on my RTW. Compared with those tracks I have to say that Mongolia is a league of its own. The difference of "I survived Mongolia" and "I enjoyed Mongolia" depends on the weather and you and your bike. It comes to the old formula; weight(bike,equipment) has to equate with personel riding ability. My advice to those not sure about their riding abilities, why not enter via Ulan-ude to UB and then slowly get yourself familiar with the roads instead of crossing all the way and maby just surviving or worse ending up on a truck. My dear BMW 1200 GS Adventure friends, who gave you the impression that this is the best bike for Mongolia? Was it your local dealer or Ewan and Charlie? In that case you should have a look at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarcasm. Nowhere in the world I've seen so many of those as in Mongolia. But if you know (not just think) you can handle it, then go for it. Anyway, I had a blast, and hope you will too. sushi P.S. (Videos by GoProHD wide angle and city names from my papermap.) http://www.fotos-hochladen.net/uploa...ne64zfivp2.jpg |
Good post Sushi, and a good list of detailed sections of the assorted roads for others to see for themselves what conditions are like.
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They don't listen to me, has nothing to do with the language, simply the fact that I'm not riding "the one and only brand, tested by Ewan and Charlie". Well since 50% of ALL Germans,(CH+A is less), already have a 1200GS chances are high they turn up in Mongolia with the bike they own. But of the 5x 1200GS I met at Oasis,UB, 3 Germans came from Ulan-Ude, made a round tour and had a good time. 1 shipped afterwards to Ulgij,the others home. 2 Britisch failed on the easy part Ulgij to Khovd and had to go on a truck, being really disappointed, like nobody told them before that it's a bad idea. sushi |
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My next question, is that of the 3 guys who went Ulan Ude - UB - Ulan Ude on good asphalt highway the whole way ... did those bikes have TKC80s on the wheels? |
Hello
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The 2 Germans did the middle route and then up to the north route back to UB and then shipped home. They saw quite some action but didn't cross because of the time they had left. Don't know the route between Ulan-Ude and UB of the 3rd who then shipped to Ulgij. But he knew his limits. Peronally I think you see much more on a round tour where you can turn and choose an other route when it gets to difficult than just doing the south route and just survive Mongolia. Quote:
sushi |
Gravel Goldwing(s)
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Really, I know some braver, more intrepid Gold Wing riders . . . 'Gravel Harley', anyone ? |
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