A Ride Through the Orkhon Valley

Our host was ahead of us, leaning and rocking to the right, slightly hunched as his horse shuffled beneath him. His blue deel fluttered in the ever-present steppe breeze. My guide trailed behind. The sound of hooves burrowing into submerged stones startled me from my daydreams. It transported me to the banks of the Ohio River where, as I child, I would rub stones together before skipping them across the surface.

My guide, our host, and I had arrived at the Orkhon River, which flows through Mongolia’s great Orkhon Valley. For millennia, nomadic peoples have moved across this valley, on horseback, guiding their herds and armies to its waters.

As I guided my horse into the river, he thrust his head down to drink. I looked around. The 10 am sun was shooting its rays behind us, illuminating everything in its passage. The water sparkled as it splashed. A hawk encircled us from above and the forest, from where we had departed, sang its autumn song — to the tune of yellows and oranges.

Mountains lined the valley from both sides, one range barren and the other covered with life. It felt as if we were riding through the purgatory between worlds, each with its own season. I had never seen a sky so vast; it dwarfed the largest skies of the Great American West.

Our host’s home awaited us in the distance — three gers (or yurts) huddled together at the base of a mountain. I would later attempt to run up it in one go.

It felt sacred to ride a horse here. Crossing that river was an eternal moment. I didn't feel compelled to secure it in my mind, as I knew it would ignite when sparked, even as it grew more distant — a sparkling speck in the valley of time.

I willed my stubborn horse to press on towards our nomadic shelter. There would be warm milk tea to drink and homemade dumplings to eat.

That horse felt like a throne, where after so many years of dreaming, I could finally take a seat and admire the land that was always around one more corner.

Happy Holidays

I just wanted to take a minute here to wish you a Merry Christmas, Happy
Hanukkah, and a blessed Kwanzaa. Whatever you celebrate, may you also take time to thank yourself for showing up this year. All the best to you and your family this holiday season. I appreciate you and look forward to sharing more of this journey with you in 2025.

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