Saturday 7 September 2019

Wandering, not lost

Day 7 was my favorite day of the Derby. It all felt easier knowing that we we're over halfway there, were on schedule and the chances of us making it all the way were increasing with every mile we covered. On top of that, the scenery was beautiful that day. We rode out of HS18 through a beautiful valley with rocky hills surrounding us. Sam and Rachel had left just before we did, they were going to try to do four stations again today. Esther and I decided to just see where we'd end up but to not push too hard. We got to a village at 7.30 that morning. Unfortunately the local shop hadn't opened yet as we were both craving a coke. The villages are pretty quiet during summertime. In the winter, the herders abandon their gers and nomadic lifestyle in favor of a slightly warmer house. Most of the houses are pretty old and dilapidated though. The Mongolian people can basically pack all their belongings on a truck, which is necessary for their way of living, but it makes you wonder why we need so much stuff?

We passed the town and headed back to the hills. On this stretch we got a little lost, in a good way. We couldn't really decide which road to take so we did a little cross country riding and took some trails that 'sort of' went the right way. The low hills gave this area a bit of a 'golf course' feel, it felt like we we're on a Sunday stroll at the local park. We agreed that even though we might not have taken the most direct route, it was worth it. For the first time during this race, we didn't feel the constant stress of rushing to the finish line. We were enjoying the ride and our horses.

On the second leg of the day, we both got a really fast horse. Esther's horse looked just like her own horse back home, a dark bay with a wide blaze. Mine was a little chocolate coloured horse with caramel coloured mane. He was pretty small and stocky but a lovely ride. The first part of this leg led us through the hills but our horses were unstoppable, there was no slowing down. The second part was a flood plain along the river. Thankfully there was a good trail that was quite easy to follow so we took advantage of our horses' speed and quickly caught up with Rachel, Sam and Molly. As we rode into HS20, the vet and medic sped off in the car. Abby had pressed her emergency button and they were going to check on her. Thankfully she was ok but she had found a little girl wandering around by herself, we never found out what happened to the girl..

As we were waiting for the vet, the blood wagon pulled up to HS20, with quite a few more occupants than when we had last seen it. Six more people had quit the race that day and Ava was one of them. I was happy to see she was smiling and didn't get injured or anything. She told me she was happy with the race experience she'd had so far and had had enough. On the way to HS21 I realized that I was doing really well: I wasn't hurt, I was actually feeling pretty great. At this rate, we were going to make it to the finish line and would complete the crazy adventure that is the Mongol Derby. Seeing all those people who joined the blood wagon made me realize I could actually be proud of what I'd accomplished. I think that up untill that moment I still wasn't sure if I could do it but right then, I felt grateful, proud and confident I was going to finish.

All day long we were being chased by rain clouds, but it never started raining. It did make for a really impressive backdrop as we we're riding through the green hills. On the third stretch there was a beautiful river and a mountain range to our left. I couldn't stop looking at it and smiling while I was riding along. I was on a little gray horse. The herder told me it was his personal horse that he used to check on his herd. The little guy was fast, every time we cantered he would bolt like a rocket. After a few moments he calmed down and kept up a steady pace. Esther's horse was a little slower but kept a good pace and we rode into HS21 around 18.30 that night. We decided we didn't want to keep going and camp out so we stopped there for the night. It was one of the most beautiful stations of the Derby: on a slope overlooking a river with a mountain range in the distance. For some reason, this family had two giant camels with two young ones tied to a post. Since we got there early, we spend some time with the family and their friends who were visiting. Esther taught the kids games and I took out the balloons I had brought and played with the younger kids. Vet Anna made our day when she brought out the cokes we had been craving since that morning as we watched the sun sink behind the mountains. A perfect day in Mongolia!

2 comments:

  1. sue groefsema jones10 September 2019 at 13:55

    Love reading your adventures...so many emotions, I’m sure it was a life changing experience! You’re tough as nails, Aly!

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  2. Thank you Sue! It was a very special adventure for sure. I'm glad to hear you're enjoying the stories. Hope you are well

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