We've had a lovely time so far on the island. Yesterday we rented bikes and biked up to the tip of the island, Cape Khoboy. It was 43km each way, and we had mountain bikes on a very uneven road (including a section where we had to push the bikes through deep sand). S got tired quite quickly--perhaps we started too fast?--so she was pushing herself to get through, but did finish in the end. It was a lovely ride much of the way, through green pastures with cows grazing and galloping horses. An entire band of horses, including foals, walked right by us on the way home for dinner. The scenery at the top of the island was quite spectacular. It was the first sight we've caught of the broader lake since arriving, because the island is oriented toward the Maloe Moro (the little sea). The more temperate and gentle western landscape supports more people, while the eastern side is rockier, more uneven, and covered with forest. Today we were thinking of going out for a bit of a hike, but we're pretty sore and very tired from yesterday (it was an 8-hour ride) so we've mostly been taking care of business and talking to other travellers. (And eating! We're so hungry!) Tomorrow we head back to Irkutsk, hoping to make it in time to pick up our train tickets to Mongolia (and after that, make our train). We haven't been able to confirm any arrangments to travel to the Gobi, so we're worried that things might get difficult to arrange when we arrive. We also don't have accommodation for our last night in UB, July 11-12, which is the Mongolian national festival Nadaam and is when the vast majority of travellers visit. But these things usually do work out in the end.