Monday, July 31, 2017

Sunday, 30 July, 2017 --- Day 13 -- From plateau campsite To Tbilisi

ΚΑΤ’ΕΜΠΟΡΙΑΝ ΚΑΙ ΘΕΩΡΙΑΝ
ES MUSS SEIN
CARTAGO DELENDA EST
Nos perituri mortem salutamus

Sunday, 30 July, 2017 --- Day 13
From plateau campsite To Tbilisi
Stats
Day dist: 50.36 kms
Riding time: 3 hours  7 mins
Avg speed: 16.08 km/hour
Max speed: 64.15 km/hour
End day odo: 2,304 km
Dist covered so far: 604 km
Coordinates: 41.699859N 44.799547E
Alt: 407

Camping in a ditch at a plateau has its advantages. It was the best sleep I had so far.




The camping site

We hit the road at 7:30

The Plateau

Blessed be the cyclists


The midnight express

The church on top

For the last 20 kms to Tiblisi we entered the highway


By 14:30, Alex and I had made it to the “Why Not hostel” in Tiblisi


ΕΙ ΘΕΟΣ ΥΠΕΡ ΗΜΩΝ, ΤΙΣ ΚΑΘ’ΗΜΩΝ; Προς Ρωμαίους 8:31
IF GOD BE WITH US WHO CAN BE AGAINST US? Romans 8:31

Saturday, 29 July, 2017 --- Day 12 -- From campsite To plateau campsite

ΚΑΤ’ΕΜΠΟΡΙΑΝ ΚΑΙ ΘΕΩΡΙΑΝ
ES MUSS SEIN
CARTAGO DELENDA EST
Nos perituri mortem salutamus

Saturday, 29 July, 2017 --- Day 12
From campsite To plateau campsite
Stats
Day dist: 94.19 km
Riding time: 6 hours 46 mins
Avg speed: 13.88 km/hour
Max speed: 51.13 km/hour
End day odo: 2,254 km
Dist covered so far: 554 km
Coordinates: 41.876416N 43.403104E
Alt: 845 m

By 7:30 we were gone

Biking by the river

The never ending road

Even though it was a Saturday, the traffic was rather heavy, so, the group decided to take the parallel road, which, of course was a heavily dirt/gravel road, plus we would hve to cross a bridge. In return, there would be little or no traffic.

00449




Naturally the river was too inviting to ignore and some of us had to take a dip.



After many miles, the dirt road emptied us into asphalt.

The never ending road


Village church

Castle on hilltop

The road

The locals did spread out some of their produce on the road. I did not really understand what it was buthere it is.



The road

Entering Gori

Entering Gori we met a coupleof German cyclistes


Finally, we hit a plateau


This is where we camped

I would also like to highlight Dea's cooking abilities and devotion. Dea, despite the day's fatigue that we all felt, after setting up the tent did cook for all of us and with scant material and utensils produced delicious and nutritional meals.

ΕΙ ΘΕΟΣ ΥΠΕΡ ΗΜΩΝ, ΤΙΣ ΚΑΘ’ΗΜΩΝ; Προς Ρωμαίους 8:31
IF GOD BE WITH US WHO CAN BE AGAINST US? Romans 8:31

Friday, 28 July, 2017 --- Day11 -- From Akhaltsikhe To campsite

ΚΑΤ’ΕΜΠΟΡΙΑΝ ΚΑΙ ΘΕΩΡΙΑΝ
ES MUSS SEIN
CARTAGO DELENDA EST
Nos perituri mortem salutamus

Friday, 28 July, 2017 --- Day11
From Akhaltsikhe To campsite
Stats
Day dist: 68.91 km
Riding time: 4 hours 55 mins
Avg speed: 14.16 km/hour
Max speed: 45.81 km/hour
End day odo: 2,159 km
Dist covered so far: 459 km
Coordinates: 41.947371N 43.509272E
Alt: 769 m

Got up late worked a bit on the blog and getting in touch (so many days out of the grid) but did not have time to post anything. Besides, internet was very slow.

Hit the road at 11:00

Hotel Mimino

On the road again

Cow crossing

Late in the day arrived at Bonjoni




In Borjomi we stayed for about 45 min. I was so tired that I just lied on the ground at the park for almost the entire break.

Leaving Borjomi

Entering the eparchy of Surami


At some point the rest of the group was as tired as I was and abandoned the grand plans. So we found a camping site just next to the road and the trian tracks.


ΕΙ ΘΕΟΣ ΥΠΕΡ ΗΜΩΝ, ΤΙΣ ΚΑΘ’ΗΜΩΝ; Προς Ρωμαίους 8:31
IF GOD BE WITH US WHO CAN BE AGAINST US? Romans 8:31

Thursday, 27 July, 2017 --- Day 10 -- From 6 km bf mountain top To Akhaltsikhe

CARTAGO DELENDA EST
Nos perituri mortem salutamus

Thursday, 27 July, 2017 --- Day 10
From 6 km bf mountain top To Akhaltsikhe
Stats
Day dist: 58.66 km
Riding time: 5 hours  32 mins
Avg speed: 10.65 km/hour
Max speed: 51.85 km/hour
End day odo: 2,089 km
Dist covered so far: 389 km
Coordinates: 41.643191N 42.92-930E
Altitude: 1,063

We left at 7:30. Steep uphill and dirt road. It was not easy but made it to the top. It was 9:00 and had covered 6.54 km. Alt: 1880 41.63335 N 42.510986 E

The arrival

There a couple of tourists there at the small coffeshop that was at the top. Two of them were hikers from the Czeck Republic and were very friendly. As we were sipping our tea another biker arrived. He was Alex, an Englishman, who actually was headed in the same direction as we, so, he joined us.

As we were sitting, all of a sudden we were invaded by a herd of cows that even went to our bikes


After lunch we started the great descent


Avery unusually looking mosque

And there you, as we startedd our descent there goes Alex;s tire. It was kind of difficult to fix, as we did not have all the tools but we did manage to fix it.

As we were working on the bike, more bikers came from the wrong direction. It was a Russian couple and they were very friendly.

All together

It was downhill, which was great!! At the same time it was still a dirt unmaintained road and one could not speed and had tobe very careful.


The road down

Finally at an altitude of 1,200 we met with the paved part of the road, finally!


The ride was pleasant now but I was too tired to enjoy it.


Cows take over

Alongside the river

Roadside stop

The never ending road

Entering Akhltsikhe

We lodged at the guest house called Mimino


ΕΙ ΘΕΟΣ ΥΠΕΡ ΗΜΩΝ, ΤΙΣ ΚΑΘ’ΗΜΩΝ; Προς Ρωμαίους 8:31
IF GOD BE WITH US WHO CAN BE AGAINST US? Romans 8:31

Wenesday, 26 July, 2017 --- Day 09 -- From Bf Khulo To 6 km bf mountain top

ΚΑΤ’ΕΜΠΟΡΙΑΝ ΚΑΙ ΘΕΩΡΙΑΝ
ES MUSS SEIN
CARTAGO DELENDA EST
Nos perituri mortem salutamus

Wenesday, 26 July, 2017 --- Day 09
From Bf Khulo To 6 km bf mountain top
Stats
Day dist: 29.40 km
Riding time: 3 hours 52 mins
Avg speed: 6.03 km/hour
Max speed: 25.01 km/hour
End day odo:2.030 km
Dist covered so far: 330 km
Coordinates: 41.646371N 42.489086E
Altitude: 1,752


Our camping site

We left at 9:00. The road was steep but at least it was paved. My GPS indicated 2.8 kms to Khulo. It was actually 6 km.

After a short lunch stop we made it to Khulo

Khulo Entrance

We did not actually enter the city but continued on the road that now turned into a dirt road actually descending.


The road

We knew, of course, that the furhter we went down the more we would have to climb back up as we had to cross a 2000 high mountain.

River dam

It did not take that long for the climb to start. It was a combination of things occurring at  the same time that hurt a biker's heart. Number one it was continuous uphill and most importantly, it was a badly maintained dirt road with big stones all over the place that we had to bike on, a really nasty combination.

00408
Lunch stop at 14 km (left at 13:45)Breakfast

The altitude was alreay 1,367


The dirt road

Side of the road stop 22.64 km, alt 1,752

We decided we will make it to the top, but as we biked on, it appeared that it would not be feasible, So when we found a place to camp, we called it a day.



Our camping site and scenery around it

ΕΙ ΘΕΟΣ ΥΠΕΡ ΗΜΩΝ, ΤΙΣ ΚΑΘ’ΗΜΩΝ; Προς Ρωμαίους 8:31
IF GOD BE WITH US WHO CAN BE AGAINST US? Romans 8:31