Tuesday 24th August
After breakfast at the ger camp and Paul finishing off the repairs on the fuel tank we took part in one of our few ‘tourist’ activities – a camel ride. We were led to an oasis, an island of lush green grass, pools of water and frogs nestling amongst the sand dunes, before heading back to the camp. It took no more than an hour but my nether regions were declaring very loudly that an hour on a rock hard saddle was more than enough. Coming back from the camel ride we were amazed to see the remains of a hedgehog run over on one of the sand tracks. Of all the space here in Mongolia the hedgehog can still manage to get run over!!
Then it was off to the dunes with Landy. Paul’s aim was to get in a bit of practice at dune driving, hopefully get stuck and have to dig ourselves out. Goal achieved (the latter part taking about an hour) we headed back towards the ger camp and the main road to Dalandzagad where it is vital we get some internet access to order spare parts from Foundry 4×4 to be waiting for us at Ulaanbaatar.
Just a minute or two later, as we crested the brow of the first dune on our way back, we saw right in front of us a tractor struggling to pull a cart heavily laden with a packed up ger. The cart is stuck in the sand, the wheels of the tractor are spinning in the sand, and the children of the family are frantically scrabbling at the sand in front of the cart’s wheels trying to help free the cart even as the tractor is pulling it. The family’s dog and cat wander round
We stop and pull out our Dyneema rope provided by Goodwinch, hook it up to the cart and, with both us and the tractor pulling, help free the cart.
Then the tractor breaks down. The men are desperately trying to restart the engine by hand. Occasionally it fires and once or twice
Landy tows a tractor and a trailer over soft sand
it even starts, only to stop again. We’re not sure what we can do but we sit and wait. Eventually it’s obvious there’s only one thing we can do. Paul reverses Landy back over the sand, hooks up the Dyneema rope on to the front of the tractor. Then, with Landy in low range gear, he slowly begins to reverse. Landy’s own wheels are spinning in the loose sand, but the General Grabber AT2 tyres are able to get enough purchase to keep Landy moving. The rope tightens and the tractor begins to move, just fast enough to for the tractor driver to bump start his engine. A cheer goes up all round.
This surely has to be a headline: Land Rover Defender bump starts a tractor by towing in reverse on soft sand.
However it’s not over yet. Paul pulls Landy forward as the tractor reverses back and hooks up to the cart. Then, still in reverse, on soft sand, Landy pulls not only the tractor but the cart which contains a ger and all the family’s possessions, until they are free of the soft sand.
New headline: Land Rover Defender tows tractor and whole house!!
(Did I mention we still have a dodgy water pump?)
Drama over it’s back on the road again to Dalandzadgad.
Campsite – just past Bayandalay
Distance travelled – 138 km
