On Saturday 27 October, we spent the day closing down the truck so it can be left here until we can get a Ford mechanic to look at the engine fault.
Earthroamer parked behind the Buyant Hotel
The diesel heater had failed (again), the entire water system had frozen solid, this can be extremely serious as the tanks, pipes and fittings can be damaged.
The grey water had frozen
We used Dagas’ primus stove to heat the tanks and the pipes from below, Dick used the 220-volt electric heater from above, and we managed to melt all the ice.
Dagas used his primus stove to help us melt the ice in the water pipes under the EarthroamerDick used the electric heater to melt the ice
We then drove very slowly to a garage with an air compressor and blew all the water out of the system.
Dagas using the air compressor to dry out the water system
We have parked the Earthroamer behind the small Buyant Hotel in Khovd.
Eldos took us to see the bazaar markets in Khovd on Saturday morningDick found a double adaptor at one of the stalls in the Khovd marketsA lady in the bazaarChinese toys for sale at the bazaarOld shipping containers are used to store the goods at the bazaarWe left the Earthroamer parked in a yard behind the Buyant Hotel in Khovd – here is Dick with Dagas and Eldos who had assisted us with the EarthroamerThe Russian Heating PlantThe machinery inside the plantDick with a group of the coal truck drivers
On Sunday 28 October, we departed by plane from Khovd and flew to Ulaan Baatar. Tomorrow we will see the Ford dealer and see if we can arrange for a mechanic to fly to Khovd and diagnose the fault and then get the parts required for repair. If this is successful, we will try to have the Earthroamer driven back to Olgii and put in a secure dry warehouse for winter. In the meantime, we plan to spend a few days in Ulaan Baatar – it is -6° Fahrenheit at the present time! Then we will go by train to Beijing, a plane to Hong Kong and another plane back home to Sydney.
The plane that we flew in to Ulaan BaatarLooking down from the plane on to the road where we had been towed back to KhovdThis is the same road but from the ground was we drove over it on day 70 – no snow to be seen
We are both extremely disappointed that our beautiful Ford Earthroamer has proved to be so unreliable.
Flying into Ulaan BaatarDriving from the airport into the city of Ulaan Baatar
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