The trip from Murun to Erdenet, Mongolia's third largest city (84,000), was uneventful but for the behavior of many Mongolian drivers when they drive on pavement. The highway, A0902 turned from dirt to (two-lane) pavement about 30 km east of Hutag-Ondor. Shortly after leaving that town, we passed our first overturned mini-van blocking the eastbound lane. Later that same day, we passed the site of a head-on collision (see picture) with debris blocking the road and another overturned mini-van. All the drivers and passengers were gone when we passed through, but there must have been some serious injuries. After the slower speeds on dirt tracks and roads, many Mongolian drivers pour on the speed, and, seemingly heedless of on-coming traffic, often pass under harrowing (to us) conditions. Many of these drivers have no concept of closing speeds or braking distances, so they follow other cars closely at speed, and have no concept of releasing the accelerator to slow down before braking. Some drivers will speed up when another vehicle is trying to pass to prevent the passing vehicle from pulling in front. After witnessing this behavior for a couple of hours, all riders slowed down and kept safer distances.

Erdenet, the capital of Orkhon Aimag, is an unappealing city of rows of Soviet-style blocks of apartments, all but the newest in disrepair and deterioration, even though the city wasn't founded until 1974 . The fourth largest copper mine in the world dominates the economy. Russia's stake in that mine was sold just days before our arrival. http://thediplomat.com/2016/07/the-mysterious-sale-of-mongolias-erdenet-mine/

After the riders left Murun for Erdenet, Tom flew to UB to have his back examined, On the road, we learned that his fall near Hyargas Lake resulted in two broken ribs and and punctured lung. Tom consulted with Dan Murphy on the road to discuss possible course of action. Tom elected to have surgery to drain his lung. The next day, the riders headed to the Amarbayasgalant Monastery, a detour north of the road back to UB, Chip decided to take a taxi back to UB to visit Tom, and did not see the monastery. He counted himself lucky to have made the 200 mile trip without mishap especially after the taxi passed yet another head-on collision with passengers still lying about off the road.