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18 nov '06

Storm goggles

Inner Mongolia

I woke up, as you do and prepared for the next skirmish. Snow was already lightly falling as I loaded Wheelie up. Wuxingang the farmer suggested that I wait until tomorrow. I decided that I knew best, waved goodbye and pushed on. Deep down I have been wanting to sleep out in the snow, so perhaps tonight would be the night. I seem to remember something about it being warmer after it snows, but I'm not sure. If the temperature dropped to much then I had a backup plan. To make it to a small village 70km away where I had been told I could find a bed.

One hour in and the snow was a little bit heavier. Not much, but that's all it takes.... A steady flow on frozen ground and bingle bangle..... 'Deep Snow'.

The head wind picked up too... No way I'll make it to the village at this rate. Out came my all purpose funk goggles and on we went.

I watched as the snow gradually got a solid footing and the head wind twisted left. turning into a North Westerly blizzard. I was a bit concerned, but more excited than anything. My only though was. "Oooo.. My first blizzard"

Ignorance is bliss.

The blizzard steadily picked up its pace and visibility started to reduce. Things either moved fast like the 4x4 to get indoors, or became stationary to wait it out.

The snow gradually started to cover the road, with a thin track being left where the fast moving cars were keeping it warm. Vehicles became slower, but we were forced to cycle on the snowy section due to our incredibly slow speed. The wind tried to get past my goggles, into my clothing and up my nose. It succeeded.

My goggles might add an element of funk to the whole winter outfit, but they are crap. Within one hour they had steamed up, frosted over and filled up with snow. My scarf had frozen solid and my nose was raw. My snow = warmer theory wasn't really adding up to much.

Still excited I took off my goggles and ploughed on, the snow slowing me down and the blizzard trying to send me back to Beijing. I could hardly see now, so I popped on my sunglasses in the hope of some snow deflection. Not much, but it was something. I tried to take a photo but the shutter froze.

With a bit of teasing I prised them open.

Ditch had been couped up in the box for practically the whole journey and would get covered in snow the moment she popped her head out.

The roads grew quieter as either cars had already arrived or had decided to wait for it all to blow over. Not me. You dinosaurs just watch me... this is evolution in progress. I don't do extinction.

Visibility was really poor, and the light was starting to fade. It was still about 25 km to the emergency village. Could I make it.? Should I try and make it, or risk getting snowed in....... The intensity in the blizzard picked up again and made my mind up for me. Set up camp and quickly. I tried to find a place out of the wind but could hardly see. My options were reduced to my right hand side, as that was the only way I could look without getting stinging snow in my eyes. Options were limited. Snow drifts were mounting and natural shelter was rare. If there was some it would have been almost impossible to reach it through all the snow. I spotted a stone wall through the blizzard and and headed towards it only to find out it was a herd of cows. Shit !

OK... don''t panic. I kept on going and noticed the section I was on was on an embankment and had a small tractor tunnel underneath. That's my baby. I veered off right. Ploughed straight though a snow drift and got stuck in 3 feet of snow. I continued to drag Wheelie with Ditch still in the box down the slope to try and find shelter. Below the road the wind was less although it still raced through the tunnel.

I cleared the floor of snow and tried to pitch the tent. The pegs refused to go in no matter how hard I tried. Great. The floors frozen. I pushed and pushed until I finally realised that under the mud was a layer of concrete.... Bloody hell !

Right then.... and bit further out into the blizzard I went.

This time the pegs slowly went in, and where they didn't I used rocks to get the lines tight. I transferred things methodically to the tent, ensuring little snow got in there too. After a pee, Ditch was finally delivered like a princess that is never to touch the ground and plonked ceremoniously on her sleeping mat.

>The snow continued for about an hour and then gradually died down. Unless it snows heavily over night, I think being snowed in should be unlikely. My wish came true. Sleeping in the snow I am. All or nothing seems to be the way it is at the moment. All my water had frozen and I was not going out in the cold to cook. Tomorrow it will have to be.. A few sneaky biscuits perhaps.

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Comments:

k writes:

aaaaa thats more like it :) kinda hard to picture how you manage to post these pictures while stuck in 3 foot snow out in inner mongolia. normally there should be a van full of tech crew following you.. but you didnt get one of those did you? just a man on a donkey perhaps...

youve pushed past some barriers there.... pick wisely which limitations you challenge next ;)

great work

18/11/2006 17:18:25

k writes:

ooo! and if you get to -50 can you tell me if its true that your urine freezes before it hits the ground? ive always wanted to know.... i heard it somewhere..

18/11/2006 17:59:36

Dan F writes:

Take it easy out there fella, the cold can be really brutal. But you both seem well enough :')

18/11/2006 18:05:24

mei writes:

Hi humorous guy,it is time to call your Princess for a pee:) ,a little biscuits for supper is NOT enough to your body!! you need more energy from food,i hope you'll find a tiny restaurant tomorrow and have a HOT and delicious diet :)
Take care and Never say die!!

18/11/2006 23:15:51

Leo writes:

......
cold.
cold.
freezing.
i can feel it.
Ditch looks fine.
hold on!

19/11/2006 2:06:22

rob thomson writes:

Duuuuuuuude.

19/11/2006 18:38:45

JZASONZHOU writes:

林冲雪夜上梁山－－－ROB雪天上东北！！注意保暖！！rob和你的伴dog，都要注意安全！！

20/11/2006 10:42:49

っそネ writes:

車両を盾にしながら地形(道路や草原に隣接する森や丘、最上稲荷)を利用してしのぐ。中央の部隊は北西の部隊の応援に。特殊部隊は遅いので車両を先行させる。

10/12/2006 19:10:17

タで「第 writes:

南西の部隊には主力戦車3、中戦車1、自走砲2、

10/12/2006 20:04:43

を助けろ」とか writes:

ない。中戦車3、対戦車車両2、歩兵3を与えたが、これでも少し多いくらい。

10/12/2006 20:48:20

いと思ったりします writes:

最後は敵歩兵を一体残して工場や都市で回復。(これがちょっと反則ぽい?)

10/12/2006 21:31:38

の挑戦で首都 writes:

結果、損害は北西部隊の3分の1程と敵自走砲にやられた

10/12/2006 22:03:01

で、持久戦と writes:

西の部隊は戦車と戦闘車両を盾にしながら地形(道路や草原に隣接する森や丘、最上稲荷)を利用してしのぐ。中央の部隊は北西の部隊の応援に。特殊部隊は遅いので車両を先行させる。

10/12/2006 22:57:13

けじゃないでし writes:

南西の部隊には主力戦車3、中

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