The Gobi Gallop .... a unique fundraiser !

Pain...doesn't that saddle look like pain?  It used to look quaint to me - a testimony to the simplicity of herding life on the steppe.  Now it just looks like pain.  Why you ask?  Because now I have to ride it..!! That's right - a bunch of intrepid riders here in Mongolia have decided to ride across the Gobi on horseback in support of the Children of the Peak - the kids whose families make a living scavenging at the dump here in Mongolia!

And yes, I am one of them.  A scant 19 months after the first time I sat on a horse I am set, along with 4 others and our wonderful guides from Sara's Ger Camp, to take on 700 kilometers of some of the toughest riding on the planet in order to raise awareness and funds to help the Children of the Peak.  As part of the fund raising, we are taking pledges as to how many kilometers we can collectively ride in a Mongolian saddle like the one pictured above.  We are hoping for 70 km  - a total of 10 percent of the ride!

I have attached the informational flyer about the ride below, so have a quick squiz and see what it's all about.  I'd like to say it should be fun...but...??  In any case, it will be an experience of a lifetime and hopefully will help change the lives of some really wonderful children up at the garbage dump.

Thanks for sharing this with all your friends!

The Gobi Gallop
The first annual charity endurance ride benefitting the Children of the Peak.

What it is:

 A ride across the Gobi Desert – high, rocky, hostile.  So barren that we will have to bring along feed and water for the horses and we expect to face sand storms, flash floods and mile upon mile of glass like obsidian underfoot. In short,  over 700 kilometers across some of the most challenging landscape there is…and we’re going to cross it in just 10 days.  In order to make it across in 10 days, we will be having at least three 100 km days.  For those of you who don't ride...that's a LONG way!

When:
 On May 18th, 2013 we will be setting off  from Sara’s Ger Camp – 8 km. north of the big Chingiis Khaan statue.  Our destination?  Oyu Tolgoi -  deep in the heart of the South Gobi Desert.  700 kilometers, 10 days  and countless challenges and adventures later, we expect to arrive on May 28th.

Who we are:
 This year we have 5 riders (3 women and 2 men)  ranging in age from 44 to 64. Our least experienced rider sat a horse for the first time only 1.5 years ago -our most experienced had that pleasure 60 years ago! Together we are parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles who want to give the same kinds of  opportunities and support  to the Children of the Peak as we have given to our own children and grandchildren.

Why are we doing this?
To raise funds and awareness in support of some of the most disenfranchised and neglected children in Mongolia - those whose families make their living scavenging at the dump – the Children of the Peak.  Full details about the project at www.veloofoundation.com


You Can Help!
Please consider sponsoring the ride by helping us provide food & water & return transportation for both the participants and the horses….

Or…

Pledge an amount per km that we ride in a  WOODEN MONGOLIAN  SADDLE  like this one….yes, that’s right – the ride is not yet tough enough for us,  so we are all going to log some miles in a traditional saddle!! We are hoping for a total of 70 kms doing it the hard way, but we will track the  total – verified by video – and when we arrive we will let you know how truly intrepid we are, and collect your pledge.

Or….
Donate directly  to our bank (see below) or via paypal at the top of this post

Special thanks to Baagii & Saraa and their intrepid, adventurous team from Sara’s Ger Camp for making this possible by   being brave enough to take a crew of expats across the second largest desert in the world!!  Check them out at www.horsetrekmongolia.com or www.sarasgercamp.com