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the frigid lake for a wash, though Goldie’ s near-hypothermic sprint out of the water was enough to deter most of us.
Onward we rode to Telmena Lake, where a makeshift dunny and a protruding head became an enduring image of bush humour. That night, Buddhi— clearly in training for the Naadam Games— challenged our own gentle giant Nev to a wrestling match, followed by a face-off with lead rider Boggie. After much grunting and laughter, both bouts were declared a draw, thanks in part to the effects of the local 12 % Bear Beer, which floored some quicker than others.
The following day brought our longest ride yet— 400 kilometres of rough terrain. A loose terminal on Nev’ s KTM caused a morning delay, but by midday, we were back on the throttle, blazing toward Khyargas Lake. After a quick spin with a lure, fresh fish landed on our breakfast plates the next morning, fuelling us for the final push to Ulgii.
Somewhere in the dunes, I realised my camera— loaded with 2,100 precious photos— was no longer attached. Backtracking ten kilometres in deep sand led to a moment of pure joy as I spotted the red case gleaming in the sun. The effort drained my fuel and cooked the bike’ s engine, resulting in a late arrival to the so-called Eagles Nest Hotel— better described as the Mosquito Nest, given the clouds of bloodsuckers waiting at the door. Ulgii’ s rest day was anything but restful. After attending a local Naadam Festival, we set out in search of Aisholpan, the famed Eagle Huntress from the documentary. Aided by a nomadic guide, we found her and her family deep in the valley, and were treated to two feasts that nearly derailed Bob’ s
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