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MongolVol: Ride in Mongolia, 4500km of dirt track on a Vespa
Posted on 23.07.2021
Mongolia we come!
Our support vehicle in Mongolia will be a white van called "Buhanka": military vehicle of Soviet origin produced starting from 1965. It is the most widespread vehicle in Mongolia, imported by the Russians during the period of Soviet influence in Mongolia. The engine is a 2500 HP petrol 75 with an average consumption of 20 liters per 100 km. Essential wire, screwdriver and hammer to repair 95% of the problems of this mythical vehicle.
Among the basic necessities we all have a compass. Necessary so as not to get lost in the middle of the boundless spaces of the Gobi desert, where references are lost and unclear traces do not always take you where you want to go.
Our Vespas have already left for Ulan Bator to be released in the Gobi Desert. The conditions of the roads marked by the guide are critical: "On the map they look like big roads, but often they are just tire tracks on dirt, sand or mud and there are very few road signs in the whole country."
After six long days of fear, with our wasps trapped at customs, we are finally able to leave on August 10: the joy is immense, the emotion beyond control, we are ready to go!
Day 01: 250km traveled in about 5 hours and already you begin to see the barren land intertwined with the vegetation. The mountains have become hills and flank immense prairies, so extensive that they make us look like grains on the horizon. As our wise comrade Alfredo says, "We are in the midst of NOTHING, the nothing that teems with LIFE!". The first day of MongolVol passes between laughter, serenity and the desire to grind kilometers.
Day02: If FREEDOM had an address, it would probably be around here After about 220 km, this second day ends with the arrival at the gates of the Gobi! The road to get here was slightly more difficult and there was no shortage of impervious ones, especially in the asphalted section. Pay close attention, otherwise you could break a shock absorber at best, as happened to us. Getting here is something unique, almost mystical. One feels so far from everything that it seems to live another life, even the difficulties of last week are now a faded memory ... We see here the tent of an authentic nomad, called gher. A unique experience that shows us how in these parts you can live even with little. Also on the second day we reach the White Cliffs, white cliffs, a panoramic point just before suddenly setting up a workshop for Vespas in the middle of the desert!
Day03: We meet a group of camels along the road, in the heart of the Gobi on a truly extreme dirt road for 180 km.
Day04: we are headed to Khongor Dunes. To reach the stage of the fourth day we literally did the deadly leaps! Sand, gravel, ditches, undulating tole and endless. The roads are really challenging even for 4x4 vehicles, on a Vespa it's pure madness! Exactly what we dreamed of.
Day02: If FREEDOM had an address, it would probably be around here After about 220 km, this second day ends with the arrival at the gates of the Gobi! The road to get here was slightly more difficult and there was no shortage of impervious ones, especially in the asphalted section. Pay close attention, otherwise you could break a shock absorber at best, as happened to us. Getting here is something unique, almost mystical. One feels so far from everything that it seems to live another life, even the difficulties of last week are now a faded memory ... We see here the tent of an authentic nomad, called gher. A unique experience that shows us how in these parts you can live even with little. Also on the second day we reach the White Cliffs, white cliffs, a panoramic point just before suddenly setting up a workshop for Vespas in the middle of the desert!
Day03: We meet a group of camels along the road, in the heart of the Gobi on a truly extreme dirt road for 180 km.
Day04: we are headed to Khongor Dunes. To reach the stage of the fourth day we literally did the deadly leaps! Sand, gravel, ditches, undulating tole and endless. The roads are really challenging even for 4x4 vehicles, on a Vespa it's pure madness! Exactly what we dreamed of.
Day07: We have reached the Altai mountains. The temperatures have dropped significantly (we are around 15 degrees with wind and often rain), we find it hard to believe that only 4 days ago we were running on the sand dunes, with the scorching sun of the Gobi. We can well say that we did not miss almost anything (we will go to the sea another time), a country where, in a few days, you pass from the desert to the tundra, from camels to yaks, from summer to winter .. .JUST A PARADISE!
Day10: Mongolia strikes again! After visiting the extinct volcano Khorgo, a stone on the muffler fell to a member of the crew: our Guido di Mont Saint Savin aka Benigni from Vespaonline.
Day14: In the middle of our MongolVol we also find ourselves wading a river with our friends Vespas. We head to Ulaanbataar and enjoy our last day in untouched nature.
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