Off Topic Mongolia Campaign

[Saltlick]

Hi everyone! So, this is definitely off-topic, but here it goes. I'm volunteering and fundraising to buy a ranger at Lake Hovsgol National Park in Mongolia an off-road motorcycle so he can better protect the park against poachers, illegal logging, illegal development and such. We will provide 15 dirt-bikes in all, but I will be fundraising for just one. Please take a look at my IndieGogo campaign link below and read about it Contribute if you'd like to(donations are tax-deductible), and please pass it on to anyone who might support this cause or be interested in it - you'll not only be helping to preserve one of the largest, cleanest ancient lakes in the world, you'll be massively improving the work day of an individual park ranger fighting to protect it. Thanks for looking! Cheri

http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/give-a...dos=true#_=

[Jake Levi]

Hi everyone! So, this is definitely off-topic, but here it goes. I'm volunteering and fundraising to buy a ranger at Lake Hovsgol National Park in Mongolia an off-road motorcycle so he can better protect the park against poachers, illegal logging, illegal development and such. We will provide 15 dirt-bikes in all, but I will be fundraising for just one. Please take a look at my IndieGogo campaign link below and read about it Contribute if you'd like to(donations are tax-deductible), and please pass it on to anyone who might support this cause or be interested in it - you'll not only be helping to preserve one of the largest, cleanest ancient lakes in the world, you'll be massively improving the work day of an individual park ranger fighting to protect it. Thanks for looking! Cheri

Thats a good project Cheri !

Whats the dirtbikes costing?

I have wanted to visit for years, to video horn bow making and shooting. But, alas, havent made it, yet.

http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/give-a...dos=true#_=

[Saltlick]

I've also wanted to visit for years! That would be interesting to video the horn bow stuff. Dirt bikes are 7,550 each including gear (boots, helmets, gloves, bigger tank, etc) and shipping. Each volunteer (myself included) has to pay for their own airfare.

[Charlie Horse]

Well. You know, as the guy that brought the Mongolian ger (yurt) to the last Rendy, I'm gunna put in a few bucks on the fundraiser.

I'd love to return to Mongolia someday and spend a month just living out there and watching how they do things. Raising goats and yaks and horses and reindeer (some of my favorite critters) and camels (meh) without fences is something I'd love to learn about.

Of course you know-- this fundraiser is going to make for an unemployed pony! Erm. Horse. They hate it when we call them horses, but..... them's ponies.

[Saltlick]

Thanks Charlie Horse! And yes, I agree... they're more like ponies I would also love to see how they raise their animals. I know they bring the baby goats inside at night when they are tiny to keep them warm. I'm also told they don't eat young animals, that they prefer to let them grow old and then eat them (hence the mutton and not lamb). If it weren't so cold there I'd consider going there and living. My friend who is married to a Mongolian said that you can only own land in the city. One cannot own land on the steppes and plains,so you can literally go put a ger up anywhere (except in an environmentally protected area). Pretty awesome.
And as for the unemployed pony - I'm sure he'll appreciate the break! Bring your ger to the Oregon rendy!

[Jake Levi]

Thanks Charlie Horse! And yes, I agree... they're more like ponies I would also love to see how they raise their animals. I know they bring the baby goats inside at night when they are tiny to keep them warm. I'm also told they don't eat young animals, that they prefer to let them grow old and then eat them (hence the mutton and not lamb). If it weren't so cold there I'd consider going there and living. My friend who is married to a Mongolian said that you can only own land in the city. One cannot own land on the steppes and plains,so you can literally go put a ger up anywhere (except in an environmentally protected area). Pretty awesome.
And as for the unemployed pony - I'm sure he'll appreciate the break! Bring your ger to the Oregon rendy!

Nope, they are horses, 14-15 hands average. For sure, bring the ger !!

I also would love to go there for 5-6 mos, and a ger would be the place to stay. I love Mongolian bows, take a long time to make with allowing each layer of glue to dry. I make Plains Indian style bows now, backed with sinew when I have it. I am trying to come up with a good way to hang or pack my bowhorse for when I want to make a trip. Carving bow staves is a great way to spend an afternoon or evening. The Mongolian horn bows are a treasured thing to have.

The reindeer are centered up around Lake Havasul(sp?) but the rest are all through the country.

I'd also live there but its too long an umbilical to the VA. So here I am. But thankfully there are a LOT of VA clinics etc around the country.

Being as much that the Rendy is so far fom here I am debating trying to finish the RV by Rendy time, bringing it, and two Kiko kids, and afterwards trailering south to AZ with a stop to visit in Utah. Once in AZ looking for a place to park the Wagon and spend the winter there.

Any particularly good camping and hiking areas in AZ that are goat friendly? I know there are a LOT of goats and sheep there, especially on the reservations.

[Saltlick]

Not sure about where to go in AZ, but that sounds like a good plan! Lake Hovsgol is where we are delivering the dirt bikes to. Hope you get the RV done in time! And I hope my truck makes it to the Rendy... it's in bad shape and I keep putting money into repairs but it's still not fixed... I need a better one, but can't afford that either.

[Jake Levi]

Not sure about where to go in AZ, but that sounds like a good plan! Lake Hovsgol is where we are delivering the dirt bikes to. Hope you get the RV done in time! And I hope my truck makes it to the Rendy... it's in bad shape and I keep putting money into repairs but it's still not fixed... I need a better one, but can't afford that either.

My van is a 98, and I am working on making it my forever vehicle, some minor body work happening now, and I am hoping by rendy time to have a new paint job on it, Forest Green to match the Wagon. I am looking at ways to house 2 or 3 goats in the back, we'll see on that. I have spent some bucks on it over the past couple years. Took it to NE Wa two winters ago, and to AK the next summer, towing a 12' trailer each trip.

Mongolia is still on my list of places to go, and for archers the best time is July because thats when they hold the big games. With archers from all over the world participating.

[Saltlick]

Van sounds nice. I daydream about turning a big moving truck into a home on wheels, pulling my Toyota (or other pickup)with the camper shell that is the goat wagon/"other" vehicle. Fun to dream about although I've got no money to make it happen. I have it all pictured in my head!

You're talking about Naadam festival. I think we will be there around that time!

[Jake Levi]

Yes, its the Naadam, the big one of the year, horse racing, archery, wrestling, all the sports, or some of them of the Mongol Warriors. I'd love to see it. I envy you the trip. But this year my income is focused on the van, the RV, and goats. Really have to budget on it all.