Day 50 - Russia/Mongolia Border

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July 20       Photos by Chris Emerick

Richard shakes hands with friendly local Russian in border town.

Today marked the end of the Russian chapter of the 2007 Blue Planet Run. The Blue Planet Run lost a few things: titles, pollution, bugs. Our self-proclaimed King of Russia, Emmanuel Kibet, was forced to step down from his throne. The thousands of trucks with their black, smoky emissions and vicious mosquitoes and horseflies were left behind in exchange for livestock and camels. The Blue Planet Run team members agree that the latter are much more preferable!

Crossing the Mongolia border proved to be interesting, as all border crossings have been since the Blue Planet Run left Europe. Taeko Terauchi learned this firsthand, as she was the lucky runner to go into Mongolia. What greeted her there was not a crowd (because it was so early, one was not expected) but near-freezing temperatures and a group of dogs. Welcome to Mongolia!

Few people were around in the early-morning hours, so the runners simply appreciated the gorgeous sunrise as they followed the Trans-Mongolian railway that will lead them into Ulaan Baatar, the capital of Mongolia, on July 22, Day 52.

Sean heads toward the Mongolian border on a cold morning.

Taeko runs the first leg in Mongolia.

Jason catches up on sleep in the van.