China to Mongolia

John and Brett arrive in Ulaan Baatar, the capital of Mongolia. Saturday is a rest day for the rallyers, but many teams will be working on their cars. On Day 4, they place 3rd overall in their category, but it's a long way to Paris. John says that it's all good doing well, but they want to make sure Little Red reaches Paris through her own power and not on a flatbed truck!

John reports: We have broken the left rear shock-absorber upper bushing, but have a spare shock, which we will install Saturday morning and then go shopping with the damaged shock for some spare bushings. Thursday was very hot and Little Red suffered from vapor lock and the little mechanical fuel pump couldn't handle pumping fuel over 3,000 rpm. Friday was much cooler and Little Red ran better, but sometime during the day, the engine just died. We had run out of fuel! About 6 other cars (including Dirk in car #69) suffered the same. At this altitude and pushing cars as we are, fuel consumption is much higher than anticipated. There is dust everywhere. It's one thing to create the dust, but another to follow a car and its dust!

Check out Little Red's Facebook page for photos shared by other teams. https://www.facebook.com/PekingToParis2013LittleRed

Little Red and other teams somewhere in China.

At the Mongolian border.

Waiting to cross into Mongolia.

Brett and John enjoying themselves in Erenhot, Inner Mongolia.

Dust-covered engine. How does one begin to clean it up?

Campground in Altanshiree, Mongolia.

Camping in the Gobi Desert on May 30th. Staying in a hotel in Ulaan Baatar on 

May 31, then six straight days of camping before we enter Russia.