Our plan was to complete the drive to White Lake and spend a coupe of nights there resting in the sun and enjoying the Lake. So this morning we set off west. Quickly we were forced back onto that roadbed as the valley narrowed towards the start of the lake and so we jostled along for about an hour before we came to the end of the roadbed; after this point the highway was nothing more than a bunch of tracks in thre grass and a few broken down bridges. It quickly became evident that we were not going to drive miles on this "road" to the western end of the lake simply to drive back again in a few days. So we turned off the road and headed directly towards the lake shore making our own road.

As soon as we stopped by the lake the vehicle was swarmed by mosquitos, that put paid to the idea of lounging in the sun. But never the less we could still lounge in the suns heat inside the vehicle. So Nina got started on a cooking extravaganza and I settled in to some new work on our website.

Eventually itchy feet (not from the mosquitos) produced the decision to return to Chuluut Gorge for the night rather than spent two nights here surrounded by mosquitos. BUT - as soon as I started the truck the computer emitted a high pitched sqeal; a warning that the coolant level was low. So out into those mosquitos to find the spare cooland and add about 1 gallon. Then off we went.

After 5 km creeping back down that road the cooland alarm went off again. Not good. An examination under the vehicle at first revealed only the slightest of leaks from some hose junctions that take hot coolant from the engine to the campers hot water system; this could not be the culprit. And so it turned out; eventually I found a much heavier flow coming from somewhere in the engine compartment. So it was on with the cover-alls, lift the cab of the truck and start looking.

As I was lifting the cab a passing truck stopped and the driving team came over to see if we needed help. One of the guys spoke English and together he and I examined the wet area searching for the source of the leak. He gave me some good advice about making sure the coolant pressure cap was not causing too much pressure, he also correctly spotted the source of the leak. Though it took me 20 minutes after his departure to confirm that diagnosis.

The problem turned out to be a slightly loose hose clamp on a 2" hose that connects the engine coolant outlet to a tube running to the radiator. However a good deal of dismantling was required (of the air intake system) to gain access to that clamp.

The good news is that we drove the remainder of the afternoon, on the rough roadbed and grassland wheel tracks, without further problems. In a couple of days, if we have no more leaks, I will declare the problem solved.

As you can see our plans for a couple of days at White Lake were diverted by mosquitos, rough roads and truck troubles.

We camped for the night next to the Chuluut Gorge in a beautiful stand of old Larch Trees.