Gol Mod sits in the open grass country of central Mongolia, where the land rolls away in long folds beneath an enormous sky and the only landmarks are herders' white felt tents, gers, and the occasional lonely mountain. The place is known to archaeologists for its cemeteries of the Xiongnu, the nomadic confederation that dominated the steppe two thousand years ago and rivalled Han China, and the graves of their elite are found in valleys like this.
Xiongnu tombs have a typical look: a square mound on the surface with a ramp, over a deep pit that holds a wooden chamber and coffin. Some contain silks, lacquer, jade, bronze mirrors and horse gear, evidence of trade and tribute with China and other lands. Researchers have found that these nomads were far from simple, building complex burials and keeping contacts across Eurasia. The ride's other theme, the deer stones, belongs to a still earlier age of the Bronze Age: tall standing slabs carved with flying deer, belts and weapons, set up about three thousand years ago.
Riding here is real adventure. Surfaces vary from paved main roads to wide, braided dirt tracks across the grass, and rivers must be forded. Weather swings from hot sun to hail within an hour, and winter is brutally cold, so summer, from June to August, is the time. Navigation needs GPS and local knowledge, since there are few signs and many tracks, and herds of horses, yaks and sheep share the way. Herder families usually welcome travellers with salty milk tea and dried curd, and it is polite to accept.
There are no towns close by to rely on, so carry fuel, spares, food and water for the stage. The nearest services are in aimag centres such as Bulgan or Tsetserleg, and Ulaanbaatar lies several hours away. Dogs at gers can be fierce, so stay near your bike until called off. The reward is space, silence and the sense of riding through a landscape where history is written lightly on the grass.