Mongolia X Journal 6 // Desolation Angels // What will I do with a broken rack? // Cycling connections in Mongolia

If you read Mongolia X journal 5, you would have already learned about the Ovoo [photos above], these large stone cairns or sacred piles of wood timber in the northern protected areas are cultural features marking important mountain divides of this Earthly landscape. These spiritual markings are placed on most bald mountain passes (high passes, or "Davaa") and this will familiarize you to the kind of terrain that is still ahead of me here. I have been excited to hear news about the Mongolia Bike Challenge 2012 (you will love the film, I promise) sponsored by Orbea bicycle of Spain, both the event organizers including logistics from Fawcett & Company, of Canada - all have put together an honors world class endurance event across what is one of the most beautiful, rugged and wide open landscapes on our planet. This location is not to be missed, if you go, bring your mountain bike and prepare for something incredible after every pedal crank, every river crossing, every moment between yourself and an immensity beyond descriptions (you and all the flies, bring DEET). 

Out in the wild grasslands I believe you will feel peace, feel humbled, and understand where it all started for the human race, once living unsettled, nomadically on the land before we divided and conquered it. The Mongolians historically were conquerors of Asia during the ages of Genghis Khan, and that spirit and revival is renewed today in one of the most hospitable cultures to get to know.

Today's journal is short and reflective. I left Ulaanbaatar with three Korean cyclists, all whom are university students with perhaps an ironic mission for their summer, to mountain bike across Mongolia as part of their attempt to publish a Korean language guidebook and storytelling fable about the experience. I use the word "fable" as a descriptive term, just as words describe the landscapes, the weather and the people or animals as I see them. The Korean trio were prepared to do as I was, to ride as far as humanly possible and experience what is so amazing about Mongolia - the emptiness, the natural landscapes and dirt tracks stretching out for thousands of kilometers in every direction. They had their Lonely Planet (Korean) guide to Mongolia (2012) and printed pages from a popular blog about cycling here (read my book, I will tell you all about it then), and they had limited time on their visas to do it all. Perhaps, the Mongolia Bike Challenge would of better fit their time schedule, according to their report, they had 20 some days to experience mountain biking in the country before an important meeting back in Ulaanbaatar with their publisher, who promised them 10,000,000 KRW (Korean Won, about $9500 American dollars, not too bad for amateurs with this guidebook!), these cyclists offered  their story, route, map and photography in exchange for the one-off payment from an unknown publisher in Seoul, South Korea. They have a very sweet deal lined up for themselves. But there were some slight technical problems with all this, let me fill you in on some of those details below.

We all came equipped with mountain bikes of different makes and models. They were all riding what I had used in the Himalayas, aluminum hardtail frame mountain bikes, basic Shimano Deore components and simple racks that either clipped to their seatposts (one rider had this) or mounted to the rear of their seatclamps and directly above the wheel axles. For equipment, they each carried large internal framed backpacks over their racks with small nylon panniers, and they had a cook stove and bought bottles of butane gas from a store outside Ulaanbaatar. They had a large bag of rice, and loads of ramen noodles, even instant coffee. Their cube tent was spacious for 3+ except it took a beating in high winds on the first few nights we traveled together. 

We met in UB, at the city center crossroads of Seoul Street on the 27th of June. After having fallen into a hole in the flooded road, I limped back to find a bicycle shop with spare parts to cure my mechanical failure -day 1. When we met, they explained their plan, to take a bus as far West as was possible, and then to cycle return to Ulaanbatar. The distance is some 2500km and they had 20 some days to do all this. I knew, for the equipment they were using and the time allocated, and the lack of paved roads, it would be impossible to complete their goal. I suggested they ride with me, or northwest - there is an important reason for doing so. You ride against the northwest winds, it cools you in summer, this is a good plus. Another reason is primarily it is better to leave from the developed city, however chaotic it might be in Ulaanbaatar, it has all the supplies and importantly here, the bike shops to help you. Starting from UB leaves options to repair kit, or replace it. So, with this lead in I presented my route to them for overlanding Mongolia. They smiled, looked at my map, and said their "goodbyes".  I was off alone to find a bicycle shop to do some necessary repair to replace my bent rear luggage rack, replace it if I can, and then try to relaunch across country. And that is exactly what I did, well, not exactly.

After pedaling around UB for a few hours, I find excellent help at this music store around the corner from Peace Avenue, (this was hours after cycling 70 kilometers out of the city and into the mountains around Nairamsdal, a beautiful area too), but there were already more casualties of bike touring Mongolia, I now lost my communication - iPhone 3GS to the flooded roads and a wet pocket in my Arteryx Gore jacket and all of a sudden as I walked out of the music store, I was suddenly "bumped" by a street person in business for himself, lifting only my cycling gloves, how fine is that!? Although, I needed them they would easily be replaced with my old spares from 2011. 

So I am still good, no phone, have gloves and will find a bike shop. I received directions, cycled across town, over a large bridge and into an industrial area. From here, I find help, get directions and cycle my way through a labyrinth of dusty tarmac roads, gravel and dirt to follow a Mongolian carrying my rear load, as the rack clanked and shook now, broken right off it's original mounts when we tried to realign it. You can't bend aluminum for repair, you can only replace it, thus steel is real and I am now in seriously deep shit over all this. Well, I am not alone, at least not for too long. 

I found ATTILA BICYCLES behind TREK today, the business is run like a tight ship at sea and this ship is behind TREK bicycles in the garage spaces, many mountain bikes, many replacement parts, and technicians there who are 20 year+ veterans from their many cycling experiences in the Mongolian racing circuit. I worked together with one of Mongolia's former national champions in mountain biking. After 4 hours of fitting bolts and teflon coated lock nuts, countersinking and tightening again, we replaced the ill-fated and now departed Topeak Supertourist DX Disc (although I would still recommend it to others on a tight budget, for all of western China and the Himalayas, it was reliable when mounted directly to the wheel axle holes in an aluminum frame). I wasn't using aluminum for Mongolia, I was using a titanium LYNSKEY frame without eyelets for racks, so I had to depend on aluminum adapters on the seatstays, and the trekking rack from China that I purchased in Mongolia, fit snug for less than $20. 

At 2200 hours, it was time to go and find a place to crash (sleep) for the night. The shop is now long closed and Mika Baaska, a shop builder, mountain biker and sponsored rider helped me out, leaving the shop open while he tuned his new bike, and I finished the final turns of the bolts to secure the ride for MongoliaX2012. Right when I started putting all the tools away, we look up and see two Korean friends I met earlier, riding in slowing looking for some help. I asked what they needed, "We need racks, one broke and the other isn't good, not strong enough..." Of course, I had a plan to fix that problem and help them, I didn't second guess, and although the solution required no engineering genius, the racks we put together were made of simple (cheap) aluminum parts, but the connecting steel rods from one separate rack became the reinforced support for their aluminum stays (which on their own would snap, if you taste Mongolian roads you will know this). I fixed, drilled the steel to allow larger bolts, Miga had the owner Naran's permission to help us with extra bolts, washers and teflon lock nuts. We had an electric drill as well, and I sat in the dirt outside their shop, this parking lot now my workspace for the past 6 hours. By 2400 hours, I completed the second rack repair and they asked me to do another - but I was very tired now, my day started at 0730 in the morning, I cycled 70 kilometers into offroad mountains and back again, and I worked with Naran's mechanic for hours, and here I am ready and exhausted, I needed to call it a night and let the adventure begin tomorrow. Of course, I will offer them my skills for free, nothing in return except a safe place to sleep for tonight.

Morning came early at the Seoul Hotel, we slept on the upper floors carrying all of our bikes and equipment up the switchback staircase. The employees were watching us from a distance, and GoGo dancers were shaking the tables on the main floor, we had no time or energy to look around, off we went into our shared room. The hotel suite was spacious, we cooked up some pasta and shared figs, and other simple energy snacks, showered, it would be morning soon, I need to get up and fix that second rack. All this work is for free. I would do it for anyone, anyone in the global cycling community. But these three amigos from Korea were the Desolation Angels, after I help them here the story takes an interesting twist....

Thanks for reading my Mongolia X journal, my private thoughts while over landing by mountain bike across Outer Mongolia. More adventures are coming soon! 

To find out what happens next, stay tuned to this space!  Thanks for reading! 

Mongolia X Journal 6 // Desolation Angels // What will I do with a broken rack? // Cycling connections in Mongolia

If you read Mongolia X journal 5, you would have already learned about the Ovoo [photos above], these large stone cairns or sacred piles of wood timber in the northern protected areas are cultural features marking important mountain divides of this Earthly landscape. These spiritual markings are placed on most bald mountain passes (high passes, or "Davaa") and this will familiarize you to the kind of terrain that is still ahead of me here. I have been excited to hear news about the Mongolia Bike Challenge 2012 (you will love the film, I promise) sponsored by Orbea bicycle of Spain, both the event organizers including logistics from Fawcett & Company, of Canada - all have put together an honors world class endurance event across what is one of the most beautiful, rugged and wide open landscapes on our planet. This location is not to be missed, if you go, bring your mountain bike and prepare for something incredible after every pedal crank, every river crossing, every moment between yourself and an immensity beyond descriptions (you and all the flies, bring DEET). 

Out in the wild grasslands I believe you will feel peace, feel humbled, and understand where it all started for the human race, once living unsettled, nomadically on the land before we divided and conquered it. The Mongolians historically were conquerors of Asia during the ages of Genghis Khan, and that spirit and revival is renewed today in one of the most hospitable cultures to get to know.

Today's journal is short and reflective. I left Ulaanbaatar with three Korean cyclists, all whom are university students with perhaps an ironic mission for their summer, to mountain bike across Mongolia as part of their attempt to publish a Korean language guidebook and storytelling fable about the experience. I use the word "fable" as a descriptive term, just as words describe the landscapes, the weather and the people or animals as I see them. The Korean trio were prepared to do as I was, to ride as far as humanly possible and experience what is so amazing about Mongolia - the emptiness, the natural landscapes and dirt tracks stretching out for thousands of kilometers in every direction. They had their Lonely Planet (Korean) guide to Mongolia (2012) and printed pages from a popular blog about cycling here (read my book, I will tell you all about it then), and they had limited time on their visas to do it all. Perhaps, the Mongolia Bike Challenge would of better fit their time schedule, according to their report, they had 20 some days to experience mountain biking in the country before an important meeting back in Ulaanbaatar with their publisher, who promised them 10,000,000 KRW (Korean Won, about $9500 American dollars, not too bad for amateurs with this guidebook!), these cyclists offered  their story, route, map and photography in exchange for the one-off payment from an unknown publisher in Seoul, South Korea. They have a very sweet deal lined up for themselves. But there were some slight technical problems with all this, let me fill you in on some of those details below.

We all came equipped with mountain bikes of different makes and models. They were all riding what I had used in the Himalayas, aluminum hardtail frame mountain bikes, basic Shimano Deore components and simple racks that either clipped to their seatposts (one rider had this) or mounted to the rear of their seatclamps and directly above the wheel axles. For equipment, they each carried large internal framed backpacks over their racks with small nylon panniers, and they had a cook stove and bought bottles of butane gas from a store outside Ulaanbaatar. They had a large bag of rice, and loads of ramen noodles, even instant coffee. Their cube tent was spacious for 3+ except it took a beating in high winds on the first few nights we traveled together. 

We met in UB, at the city center crossroads of Seoul Street on the 27th of June. After having fallen into a hole in the flooded road, I limped back to find a bicycle shop with spare parts to cure my mechanical failure -day 1. When we met, they explained their plan, to take a bus as far West as was possible, and then to cycle return to Ulaanbatar. The distance is some 2500km and they had 20 some days to do all this. I knew, for the equipment they were using and the time allocated, and the lack of paved roads, it would be impossible to complete their goal. I suggested they ride with me, or northwest - there is an important reason for doing so. You ride against the northwest winds, it cools you in summer, this is a good plus. Another reason is primarily it is better to leave from the developed city, however chaotic it might be in Ulaanbaatar, it has all the supplies and importantly here, the bike shops to help you. Starting from UB leaves options to repair kit, or replace it. So, with this lead in I presented my route to them for overlanding Mongolia. They smiled, looked at my map, and said their "goodbyes".  I was off alone to find a bicycle shop to do some necessary repair to replace my bent rear luggage rack, replace it if I can, and then try to relaunch across country. And that is exactly what I did, well, not exactly.

After pedaling around UB for a few hours, I find excellent help at this music store around the corner from Peace Avenue, (this was hours after cycling 70 kilometers out of the city and into the mountains around Nairamsdal, a beautiful area too), but there were already more casualties of bike touring Mongolia, I now lost my communication - iPhone 3GS to the flooded roads and a wet pocket in my Arteryx Gore jacket and all of a sudden as I walked out of the music store, I was suddenly "bumped" by a street person in business for himself, lifting only my cycling gloves, how fine is that!? Although, I needed them they would easily be replaced with my old spares from 2011. 

So I am still good, no phone, have gloves and will find a bike shop. I received directions, cycled across town, over a large bridge and into an industrial area. From here, I find help, get directions and cycle my way through a labyrinth of dusty tarmac roads, gravel and dirt to follow a Mongolian carrying my rear load, as the rack clanked and shook now, broken right off it's original mounts when we tried to realign it. You can't bend aluminum for repair, you can only replace it, thus steel is real and I am now in seriously deep shit over all this. Well, I am not alone, at least not for too long. 

I found ATTILA BICYCLES behind TREK today, the business is run like a tight ship at sea and this ship is behind TREK bicycles in the garage spaces, many mountain bikes, many replacement parts, and technicians there who are 20 year+ veterans from their many cycling experiences in the Mongolian racing circuit. I worked together with one of Mongolia's former national champions in mountain biking. After 4 hours of fitting bolts and teflon coated lock nuts, countersinking and tightening again, we replaced the ill-fated and now departed Topeak Supertourist DX Disc (although I would still recommend it to others on a tight budget, for all of western China and the Himalayas, it was reliable when mounted directly to the wheel axle holes in an aluminum frame). I wasn't using aluminum for Mongolia, I was using a titanium LYNSKEY frame without eyelets for racks, so I had to depend on aluminum adapters on the seatstays, and the trekking rack from China that I purchased in Mongolia, fit snug for less than $20. 

At 2200 hours, it was time to go and find a place to crash (sleep) for the night. The shop is now long closed and Mika Baaska, a shop builder, mountain biker and sponsored rider helped me out, leaving the shop open while he tuned his new bike, and I finished the final turns of the bolts to secure the ride for MongoliaX2012. Right when I started putting all the tools away, we look up and see two Korean friends I met earlier, riding in slowing looking for some help. I asked what they needed, "We need racks, one broke and the other isn't good, not strong enough..." Of course, I had a plan to fix that problem and help them, I didn't second guess, and although the solution required no engineering genius, the racks we put together were made of simple (cheap) aluminum parts, but the connecting steel rods from one separate rack became the reinforced support for their aluminum stays (which on their own would snap, if you taste Mongolian roads you will know this). I fixed, drilled the steel to allow larger bolts, Miga had the owner Naran's permission to help us with extra bolts, washers and teflon lock nuts. We had an electric drill as well, and I sat in the dirt outside their shop, this parking lot now my workspace for the past 6 hours. By 2400 hours, I completed the second rack repair and they asked me to do another - but I was very tired now, my day started at 0730 in the morning, I cycled 70 kilometers into offroad mountains and back again, and I worked with Naran's mechanic for hours, and here I am ready and exhausted, I needed to call it a night and let the adventure begin tomorrow. Of course, I will offer them my skills for free, nothing in return except a safe place to sleep for tonight.

Morning came early at the Seoul Hotel, we slept on the upper floors carrying all of our bikes and equipment up the switchback staircase. The employees were watching us from a distance, and GoGo dancers were shaking the tables on the main floor, we had no time or energy to look around, off we went into our shared room. The hotel suite was spacious, we cooked up some pasta and shared figs, and other simple energy snacks, showered, it would be morning soon, I need to get up and fix that second rack. All this work is for free. I would do it for anyone, anyone in the global cycling community. But these three amigos from Korea were the Desolation Angels, after I help them here the story takes an interesting twist....

Thanks for reading my Mongolia X journal, my private thoughts while over landing by mountain bike across Outer Mongolia. More adventures are coming soon! 

To find out what happens next, stay tuned to this space!  Thanks for reading! 

Mongolia X Journal 6 // Desolation Angels // What will I do with a broken rack? // Cycling connections in Mongolia

If you read Mongolia X journal 5, you would have already learned about the Ovoo [photos above], these large stone cairns or sacred piles of wood timber in the northern protected areas are cultural features marking important mountain divides of this Earthly landscape. These spiritual markings are placed on most bald mountain passes (high passes, or "Davaa") and this will familiarize you to the kind of terrain that is still ahead of me here. I have been excited to hear news about the Mongolia Bike Challenge 2012 (you will love the film, I promise) sponsored by Orbea bicycle of Spain, both the event organizers including logistics from Fawcett & Company, of Canada - all have put together an honors world class endurance event across what is one of the most beautiful, rugged and wide open landscapes on our planet. This location is not to be missed, if you go, bring your mountain bike and prepare for something incredible after every pedal crank, every river crossing, every moment between yourself and an immensity beyond descriptions (you and all the flies, bring DEET). 

Out in the wild grasslands I believe you will feel peace, feel humbled, and understand where it all started for the human race, once living unsettled, nomadically on the land before we divided and conquered it. The Mongolians historically were conquerors of Asia during the ages of Genghis Khan, and that spirit and revival is renewed today in one of the most hospitable cultures to get to know.

Today's journal is short and reflective. I left Ulaanbaatar with three Korean cyclists, all whom are university students with perhaps an ironic mission for their summer, to mountain bike across Mongolia as part of their attempt to publish a Korean language guidebook and storytelling fable about the experience. I use the word "fable" as a descriptive term, just as words describe the landscapes, the weather and the people or animals as I see them. The Korean trio were prepared to do as I was, to ride as far as humanly possible and experience what is so amazing about Mongolia - the emptiness, the natural landscapes and dirt tracks stretching out for thousands of kilometers in every direction. They had their Lonely Planet (Korean) guide to Mongolia (2012) and printed pages from a popular blog about cycling here (read my book, I will tell you all about it then), and they had limited time on their visas to do it all. Perhaps, the Mongolia Bike Challenge would of better fit their time schedule, according to their report, they had 20 some days to experience mountain biking in the country before an important meeting back in Ulaanbaatar with their publisher, who promised them 10,000,000 KRW (Korean Won, about $9500 American dollars, not too bad for amateurs with this guidebook!), these cyclists offered  their story, route, map and photography in exchange for the one-off payment from an unknown publisher in Seoul, South Korea. They have a very sweet deal lined up for themselves. But there were some slight technical problems with all this, let me fill you in on some of those details below.

We all came equipped with mountain bikes of different makes and models. They were all riding what I had used in the Himalayas, aluminum hardtail frame mountain bikes, basic Shimano Deore components and simple racks that either clipped to their seatposts (one rider had this) or mounted to the rear of their seatclamps and directly above the wheel axles. For equipment, they each carried large internal framed backpacks over their racks with small nylon panniers, and they had a cook stove and bought bottles of butane gas from a store outside Ulaanbaatar. They had a large bag of rice, and loads of ramen noodles, even instant coffee. Their cube tent was spacious for 3+ except it took a beating in high winds on the first few nights we traveled together. 

We met in UB, at the city center crossroads of Seoul Street on the 27th of June. After having fallen into a hole in the flooded road, I limped back to find a bicycle shop with spare parts to cure my mechanical failure -day 1. When we met, they explained their plan, to take a bus as far West as was possible, and then to cycle return to Ulaanbatar. The distance is some 2500km and they had 20 some days to do all this. I knew, for the equipment they were using and the time allocated, and the lack of paved roads, it would be impossible to complete their goal. I suggested they ride with me, or northwest - there is an important reason for doing so. You ride against the northwest winds, it cools you in summer, this is a good plus. Another reason is primarily it is better to leave from the developed city, however chaotic it might be in Ulaanbaatar, it has all the supplies and importantly here, the bike shops to help you. Starting from UB leaves options to repair kit, or replace it. So, with this lead in I presented my route to them for overlanding Mongolia. They smiled, looked at my map, and said their "goodbyes".  I was off alone to find a bicycle shop to do some necessary repair to replace my bent rear luggage rack, replace it if I can, and then try to relaunch across country. And that is exactly what I did, well, not exactly.

After pedaling around UB for a few hours, I find excellent help at this music store around the corner from Peace Avenue, (this was hours after cycling 70 kilometers out of the city and into the mountains around Nairamsdal, a beautiful area too), but there were already more casualties of bike touring Mongolia, I now lost my communication - iPhone 3GS to the flooded roads and a wet pocket in my Arteryx Gore jacket and all of a sudden as I walked out of the music store, I was suddenly "bumped" by a street person in business for himself, lifting only my cycling gloves, how fine is that!? Although, I needed them they would easily be replaced with my old spares from 2011. 

So I am still good, no phone, have gloves and will find a bike shop. I received directions, cycled across town, over a large bridge and into an industrial area. From here, I find help, get directions and cycle my way through a labyrinth of dusty tarmac roads, gravel and dirt to follow a Mongolian carrying my rear load, as the rack clanked and shook now, broken right off it's original mounts when we tried to realign it. You can't bend aluminum for repair, you can only replace it, thus steel is real and I am now in seriously deep shit over all this. Well, I am not alone, at least not for too long. 

I found ATTILA BICYCLES behind TREK today, the business is run like a tight ship at sea and this ship is behind TREK bicycles in the garage spaces, many mountain bikes, many replacement parts, and technicians there who are 20 year+ veterans from their many cycling experiences in the Mongolian racing circuit. I worked together with one of Mongolia's former national champions in mountain biking. After 4 hours of fitting bolts and teflon coated lock nuts, countersinking and tightening again, we replaced the ill-fated and now departed Topeak Supertourist DX Disc (although I would still recommend it to others on a tight budget, for all of western China and the Himalayas, it was reliable when mounted directly to the wheel axle holes in an aluminum frame). I wasn't using aluminum for Mongolia, I was using a titanium LYNSKEY frame without eyelets for racks, so I had to depend on aluminum adapters on the seatstays, and the trekking rack from China that I purchased in Mongolia, fit snug for less than $20. 

At 2200 hours, it was time to go and find a place to crash (sleep) for the night. The shop is now long closed and Mika Baaska, a shop builder, mountain biker and sponsored rider helped me out, leaving the shop open while he tuned his new bike, and I finished the final turns of the bolts to secure the ride for MongoliaX2012. Right when I started putting all the tools away, we look up and see two Korean friends I met earlier, riding in slowing looking for some help. I asked what they needed, "We need racks, one broke and the other isn't good, not strong enough..." Of course, I had a plan to fix that problem and help them, I didn't second guess, and although the solution required no engineering genius, the racks we put together were made of simple (cheap) aluminum parts, but the connecting steel rods from one separate rack became the reinforced support for their aluminum stays (which on their own would snap, if you taste Mongolian roads you will know this). I fixed, drilled the steel to allow larger bolts, Miga had the owner Naran's permission to help us with extra bolts, washers and teflon lock nuts. We had an electric drill as well, and I sat in the dirt outside their shop, this parking lot now my workspace for the past 6 hours. By 2400 hours, I completed the second rack repair and they asked me to do another - but I was very tired now, my day started at 0730 in the morning, I cycled 70 kilometers into offroad mountains and back again, and I worked with Naran's mechanic for hours, and here I am ready and exhausted, I needed to call it a night and let the adventure begin tomorrow. Of course, I will offer them my skills for free, nothing in return except a safe place to sleep for tonight.

Morning came early at the Seoul Hotel, we slept on the upper floors carrying all of our bikes and equipment up the switchback staircase. The employees were watching us from a distance, and GoGo dancers were shaking the tables on the main floor, we had no time or energy to look around, off we went into our shared room. The hotel suite was spacious, we cooked up some pasta and shared figs, and other simple energy snacks, showered, it would be morning soon, I need to get up and fix that second rack. All this work is for free. I would do it for anyone, anyone in the global cycling community. But these three amigos from Korea were the Desolation Angels, after I help them here the story takes an interesting twist....

Thanks for reading my Mongolia X journal, my private thoughts while over landing by mountain bike across Outer Mongolia. More adventures are coming soon! 

To find out what happens next, stay tuned to this space!  Thanks for reading! 

Mongolia X Journal 3 // An Dae Gi // Building a MTB touring bike // Lynskey titanium // Repairs with Helping Hands

Journal 3. This photo sequence is just days apart. The story is about equipment failures and helping hands that assisted me throughout the sequence, from a hand-built titanium frame built in the USA, to a local bicycle shop owner in Korea, to a bicycle shop located in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

From Gangneung, South Korea to Ulaanbaatar and Beyond -The start of my 45 day Mongolian expedition all began when I contacted AN DAE GI after receiving positive confirmation that I would be riding a LYNSKEY titanum frame for 2012. It was big news, since I am not a professional competitor and world-famous companies do not give out their craft - Machinists built each frame from titanium tubing by hand in Tennessee, USA and comes with a lifetime warranty, you know it's going to be really, really good.

Converting a mountain bike frame into a Touring Bicycle, is it going to be reliable for a journey?

Since the luggage carrier was my domain, it became an enormous responsibility to do it right. Alas, I failed miserably, however, this is where my story turns for something miraculous and the helping hands began reaching out in South Korea and again, once I set down and started riding in Mongolia.

Gangneung Bike Mart, South Korea. Here local bike shop owner and operator AN DAE GI, who has really been supportive and generous getting involved with my efforts through Adventure Cycling on mountain bikes. I trust this mechanic because he really cares about his customers; does all his own maintenance on every customer's bicycle in his workshop; and accepts all walk-ins - regardless of where they purchased their cycles, his service is second to none since I arrived here three years ago. AN DAE GI has an art to his bicycle service, he has taken mangled wheels from completely rusted out bicycles that have been vandalized, searched in his maze for spare parts, rebuilt the wheel and replaced only what was necessary - charging little for his passionate time and professional work - simply, he knows bikes. He loves to ride and locals love his shop - I am definitely one of them. (:

"The bike was built, the luggage carrier attached through my engineering eyes (I need some schooling here, trial and failure - perfect lesson for me), and equipment was chosen, off to Mongolia."

After sorting out my choices of equipment and cycle clothing, next was making a big decision about the mountain bike frame I would use for the mountain journey across Mongolia. After contacting Lynskey Performance, USA and connecting with Dongjin Imports, South Korea - we made a Pro deal on their titanium frame that would change the fate of this journey significantly. Titanium is an incredible metal, both lightweight and durable, it stands as one of the premier metals in bicycle manufacturing today. Lynskey is a famous company, makers of LITESPEED which today is a subsidiary Quintaroo owned by the American Bicycle Group.

How to build the perfect touring mountain bike? This would be a significant question since I would be traveling alone for 2500 kilometers over some of the toughest terrain on Mother Earth, I needed reliable equipment to carry the camping gear, tools, clothing, and electronics across country for the summer.  It would require more than a titanium frame from one of the world's most successful and quality builders - it would require special modifications to fit a custom rear carrier rack and other components from my stable.

Building a perfect touring mountain bike is easy, a frame should have a longer chain stays and seat stays will obviously compliment the symmetry for the perfect rear carrier setup. We did that in 2011, AN DAE GI used my 18" (inch frame, large aluminum OEM Giant frame) and would try to do it again for 2012 using a 19" inch Lynskey titanium frame. However, there was one significant difference between the two frames, "eyelets" and this would lead to some problems fitting the carrier rack, also known as luggage carrier. So, how did we modify the rack for attachment? 

The older aluminum frame I used for the Himalayas in 2011, was simple in design, it has a replaceable rear derailleur hanger, a disc brake mount, and important eyelet holes located near the axle of the rear wheel, where the seatstay and the chainstays meet together and the wheel quick release is tightened to secure the rear wheel. On a newer mountain bike frame, especially titanium, there is a significant difference, the titanium frame was designed strictly for XC (Cross Country) riding, omitting the eyelet holes completely and finished with brilliantly shaped titanium flared wheel axles. The wheel axles are the frame's hook where the wheel hubs meet the frame and secure themselves. Without eyelets, frame like this will require adapter clamps attached to the seatstays and the rack therefore will necessarily rise and have a higher center of gravity.  The higher center of gravity will cause the rack and the bicycle frame to be two points pivotal on the mounting locations, this creates a great deal of stress or flex, on the mounting hardware.

I would learn through the first day of my journey out of Ulaanbaatar that mounting configuration, add heavy load of equipment and the possibility of "flex" between a rigid rack attached to a rigid, hardtail frame can cause damage when stress flex exceeds a limit.  In this case, I used aluminum adapter hardware with rubber inserts which under stress, rough off road conditions and plenty of rain - actually turned away from the frame causing permanent damage to a luggage carrier.

Back to the bike shop, this time in Ulaanbaatar - ATTILA BICYCLES. I navigated from UB through Nairamdal and back to UB again. In this precarious start through the mountain tracks I was introduced to off road conditions throughout Mongolia. The topography and network of dirt tracks are steep, starting out from UB at over 1300 meters above sea level, it rises considerably higher still to pass the mountain ranges surrounding to the north. I rode through Birch tree forests, sighted flocks of wild deer, and spoke to locals as I was reaching a terminal point in the roads, where private land developers had overtaken the tracks and built a new housing community.* I turned out of the mountains and back towards Ulaanbaatar, while the journey was shortened by missing a turn on the highway, the rain and cloud cover thickened above me, it was about to open up the Pacific from above and soak me to the bones. Cold rains, higher altitudes than I am used to, and a seeping pocket on the Arteryx Gore jacket led to more troubles in wait. I swerved pot holes again, once I reached the industrial outstretch to the northwest of Ulaanbaatar.

The roadway disappeared into clay colored trenches, cars and trucks drove past showering brown waters over my head, while I pedaled towards the highway junction. There were cars and drivers immobilized by the roads. The flooded concrete road had so many hidden holes in the surface, unlucky drivers fell into them, losing their CV axles and dismembering their wheels from their automobiles. This was a masochistic situation for motorists trying their luck at missing the unseen hazards, and I would become the roads next victim. Slam! I popped my front wheel in and out of an enormous hole in the road, but the rear went in and didn't come back out. A silent bending of aluminum and twisting had already occurred, I clunked my heels against the rear pannier bags, they were now touching my shoes, pushed forward by the enormous weight of the load I carried. Now, in serious trouble and it was, for the moment, the end of a memorable bike ride in Mongolia.

I knew the journey wouldn't continue, it was an underwhelming experience. I didn't get too distressed, but I thought back about all the trouble it took preparing to leave, sourcing components, arranging a sponsor, working on graphic designs, sharing before the journey in social media, and now here I was at the beginning all worked up, sweating profusely, soaked in flooded street mud and muck and my rear luggage carrier was sinking too deep now, it seemed time to call it quits and head, didn't it?

I thought of the summer back in South Korea, with the kids, with my wife, at the beach, it would be easier on me and the family to be reunited. My spirit for high adventure was dulled by the thump of my shoes against the Ortieb panniers, "thump, thump, thump..." as I tried to pedal along, no use. I walked. Eventually, I came to the intersection where I should have turned West, that was sight to remember without taking a photo so I continued East into the city, now congested and clogged with cars, trucks and buses like a huge centrifuge spinning wildly out of control in a lab, except this was urban Mongolia!

I roamed Ulaanbaatar city while turning pages in my Lonely Planet, and found a music store right off Peace Avenue with an employee who knew English, "Perfect, I am in luck!"  Since, the iPhone was now R.I.P. from the flooded pocket, I needed to pull the SIM card and borrow her phone to find 7Summits my next stop on the search for replacement parts and service somewhere in the labyrinth of a large city. There was also a street person lurking at the bottom of the steps to the music store, located on the corner of the 2nd floor of the department store building with wide stone steps leading up to the entrance. At first pass, I avoided the street man, but when I exited the building the second time - he mugged me! This was all quite perfect timing since my iPhone was dismissed due to rain, the rack luggage carrier twisted aluminum now transforming into rubbish, and of course, now I had been mugged. But what was missing? My cycling gloves. Oh, I hope the street man already has a bike. Farewell my dirt covered friend. I dug into my panniers and donned an old pair from the Himalayas.

After reaching 7Summits, I learned they had no luggage carriers and only a fleet of mountain bikes to rent or sell, all of which was priced MSRP, which is over the market value in any country. The customer rep at 7Summits was really helpful though, directing me to the new bicycle shop across the city. It took a long time to get closer to the shop, over a bridge, out of the central part of the city and into an industrial area again - I thought I was lost. Fortunately, I found a tire repair center at a cross roads, they were genuinely helpful and the lead mechanic spoke fluent English, he had studied in a university overseas in Praque, Czech Republic. We proceeded to unloading the carrier rack and the mechanics twisted the aluminum metal, it was strong, double-walled material - but the twisting reduces the quality and stiffness of the metal - it was finished as a carrier, soon to be recycled somewhere. With a man standing by watching us, he asked in Mongolian if there was something I needed, "a bicycle shop, do you know of one?" And fortunately he did, and offered to assist carrying all the rear luggage inside his Hyundai SUV, perfect timing for helping hands again. Off we went, sweeping through the rough pavement, traffic and chaotic traffic behavior, that is, quite the norm once you arrive in UB. We went though housing block areas, gravel roads turn to dirt and mud, and finally we reach TREK BICYCLES and behind them is the heavenly - ATTILA BICYCLES.

There at ATTILA, I met Naran and Miga, along with a team of mechanics who have been mountain biking in Mongolia for over 25 years. It didn't take long to find replacement parts, I needed a luggage carrier and this time we hard mounted metal-to-metal, the aluminum adapters with 5mm bolts and teflon washer bolt, double-nutted and counter-turned to lock together and never loosen. A great help they all were, many helping hands along the way - getting me back to the expedition in 1 day and I still managed to cover 75 kilometers, it's a good start today. Day 1 complete, just 44 days to the finish!

Thank you for reading the Mongolia X journals. These are a collection of private journals from a summer solo crossing Mongolia on a mountain bike. If you love to ride, you will be entertained here.

More adventures coming soon!  Stand by for more episodes through the X journals in Mongolia. (: