26th July 2024.
I rode up to the Georgian passport control, gave the guy my passport, bike registration papers and my driving licence and waited. He keyed in James’s details into the computer, stamped my passport and we were free to go
As we left the border I picked up a SIM card, I’d purchased Insurance for James, NZ$20 in Russia. We were now heading for twisting mountain roads with spectacular views, it was so rugged. For over a month it had been flat straight roads, now the polar opposite. I had to stop to take photos, the landscape was so spectacular.
The edges of the tyres were now getting some use. The sheer joy of motorcycling had returned with a vengeance. But not for long!! The rain that had been at the Russian border had now caught up and brought more as back up.
The rain was torrential. The cars and trucks were now doing barely 20km/hour. It was all down hill, the smell of the trucks brakes and the dirty diesel fumes were all I could smell. Visibility was very poor, I managed to pass some if the trucks.
The rain was so intense that the sides of the roads were beginning to get washed away. Rivers flowed across the roads leaving debris of rocks, boulders and the base metal beneath the road. The temperature had dropped to 10°C. There were patches of snow in the mountains.
Police cars came up and blocked the roads, nobody was getting up the hill. As I rode across some of the covered concrete tunnels I wondered how much weight they could support, all these trucks and cars and all this rain?
After a couple of hours I had reached the bottom of the mountains. The temperature had jumped up to 18°C, the roads were now sweepers and the rain had stopped.
As I approached Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia, the rain started up again. The traffic was bumper to bumper. It was now dark, the visor of my helmet was steaming up, the rain on the GPS made it difficult to see and the GPS’s audio had stopped working.
I finally got to my hotel to find it didn’t exist, it looked like apartments. I tried to call the hotel phone number, then found out my SIM card was data only. I went into a convenience store and asked if any one spoke English, the store owner did. I asked him if he knew where the hotel was, he had no idea. I asked if he could ring the number for me. He did. He said a women will be down to show you where to go. The hotel was just rooms in the apartment block. There were no signs.
What a great help that man was, out in the rain to help a complete stranger.
I finally was in the room by 8:30pm. It was a 13 hour day.
I had a shower, washed my wet things, dried them as much as I could with the hotel hairdryer and went to bed, thankful to have made it into Georgia.
I rode up to the Georgian passport control, gave the guy my passport, bike registration papers and my driving licence and waited. He keyed in James’s details into the computer, stamped my passport and we were free to go
As we left the border I picked up a SIM card, I’d purchased Insurance for James, NZ$20 in Russia. We were now heading for twisting mountain roads with spectacular views, it was so rugged. For over a month it had been flat straight roads, now the polar opposite. I had to stop to take photos, the landscape was so spectacular.
The edges of the tyres were now getting some use. The sheer joy of motorcycling had returned with a vengeance. But not for long!! The rain that had been at the Russian border had now caught up and brought more as back up.
The rain was torrential. The cars and trucks were now doing barely 20km/hour. It was all down hill, the smell of the trucks brakes and the dirty diesel fumes were all I could smell. Visibility was very poor, I managed to pass some if the trucks.
The rain was so intense that the sides of the roads were beginning to get washed away. Rivers flowed across the roads leaving debris of rocks, boulders and the base metal beneath the road. The temperature had dropped to 10°C. There were patches of snow in the mountains.
Police cars came up and blocked the roads, nobody was getting up the hill. As I rode across some of the covered concrete tunnels I wondered how much weight they could support, all these trucks and cars and all this rain?
After a couple of hours I had reached the bottom of the mountains. The temperature had jumped up to 18°C, the roads were now sweepers and the rain had stopped.
As I approached Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia, the rain started up again. The traffic was bumper to bumper. It was now dark, the visor of my helmet was steaming up, the rain on the GPS made it difficult to see and the GPS’s audio had stopped working.
I finally got to my hotel to find it didn’t exist, it looked like apartments. I tried to call the hotel phone number, then found out my SIM card was data only. I went into a convenience store and asked if any one spoke English, the store owner did. I asked him if he knew where the hotel was, he had no idea. I asked if he could ring the number for me. He did. He said a women will be down to show you where to go. The hotel was just rooms in the apartment block. There were no signs.
What a great help that man was, out in the rain to help a complete stranger.
I finally was in the room by 8:30pm. It was a 13 hour day.
I had a shower, washed my wet things, dried them as much as I could with the hotel hairdryer and went to bed, thankful to have made it into Georgia.
Georgian border. A nervous wait
Just into Georgia. Magnificent
Todays route
27th July 2024
I found a new hotel 2 km away from the one I stayed in last night. The forecast for the next 2 days is rain.
It gives me a good opportunity to try and track down a new air mattress.
I decided to take the metro and bus into town, to go to a camping shop, to see if I can get a mattress.
I’ve been on many metro systems around the world , I have to say I’ve found the noisiest and bumpiest one yet. A return ticked was only NZ$2.50 which certainly makes up for the discomfort.
The great thing about taking public transport is that you are among the locals. You’re not driving, so you don’t have to look at the road all the time, you get to look at everything else.
I had success at the camping shop, a new mattress.
I found a new hotel 2 km away from the one I stayed in last night. The forecast for the next 2 days is rain.
It gives me a good opportunity to try and track down a new air mattress.
I decided to take the metro and bus into town, to go to a camping shop, to see if I can get a mattress.
I’ve been on many metro systems around the world , I have to say I’ve found the noisiest and bumpiest one yet. A return ticked was only NZ$2.50 which certainly makes up for the discomfort.
The great thing about taking public transport is that you are among the locals. You’re not driving, so you don’t have to look at the road all the time, you get to look at everything else.
I had success at the camping shop, a new mattress.
The view from my first hotel in Tbilisi
The view from my second hotel
Trying to figure out the metro
Lots of street art
Good family conversation going on□
28th July 2024
It was a stroll around Tbilisi today, just chilling out and taking it easy. Until 1936 it was called Tiflis, it has a population of 1.2 million people.
There are many stray cats and dogs roaming the streets. They all look like they get fed. There is even a statue dedicated to the stray dogs of Tbilisi.
It was a stroll around Tbilisi today, just chilling out and taking it easy. Until 1936 it was called Tiflis, it has a population of 1.2 million people.
There are many stray cats and dogs roaming the streets. They all look like they get fed. There is even a statue dedicated to the stray dogs of Tbilisi.
He has back legs. He is huge
Little stray kitten
More street art
Ejmiatstin Armenian Appstolic church
Ejmiatstin Armenian Appstolic church
Outside the Ejmiatstin Armenian Appstolic church
Seems Russia is not popular in its former Soviet territory
Mimino sculpture
Narikala Fortress
Statue of King Vakhtang Gorgasali riding his horse
European square, looks circular to me!
Tbilisi TV tower
Metekhi Virgin Mary Assumption church
Groups of men stand around chatting, everywhere. Probably discussing when the building in front of them will be completed
Drainpipes just let the water drain on anyone walking by. Look at the overhanging extension to the building
Round fountain, that’s its name.
29th July 2024
I left Tbilisi in the dry “Yay”, it was slow going with all the traffic. Once I got out of the city the roads were way less congested. The roads meandered through the hills, it was so pleasant to see the hills and views.
My first stop was at Mtskheta to view two UNESCO World heritage sites. Two churches, Svetitskhoveli Cathedral and Samtavro Monastery. Svetitskhoveli Cathedral originally dated back to the 4th Century. That had been rebuilt many times due to invaders and earthquakes. The current one was built between 1010 and 1029.
From there it was to Gori, where the Stalin museum is located. Joseph Stalin was born in Gori to a poor Georgian family. He was a Soviet politician and revolutionary who led the Soviet Union from 1924 until his death in 1953. He held power as General Secretary of the Communist Party from 1922 to 1952 and Chairman of the Council of Ministers from 1941 until his death. Initially governing as part of a collective leadership, Stalin consolidated power to become dictator by the 1930s; the totalitarian political system which he established is known as Stalinism.
They had some of his possessions on display. There was very little English, most of it in Russian and Georgian.
From there I headed to a town called Chiatura. It was once a mining centre for manganese. In 1905 it produced 65% of the worlds manganese. The soviets installed cable cars to be able to boost production. Now they are derelict and on show as a tourist attraction
Then it was off to find a wild camp. I found one 8 km from Chiatura. The road started as concrete, then potholes and stone, then rocks and a bit of mud, deep puddles, then dirt and grass. It was steep in places. It’s a 4x4 track.
I found a flattish piece of grass and pitched my tent.
As I got the pannier off James, got the multi fuel cooker out to make a coffee, the bread for a sandwich, then a little friend appeared. We ended up sharing sandwiches.
She’s quite a noisy thing. When the cows strolled down the hill she started barking and rounding them up. Nice bit of company though.
I left Tbilisi in the dry “Yay”, it was slow going with all the traffic. Once I got out of the city the roads were way less congested. The roads meandered through the hills, it was so pleasant to see the hills and views.
My first stop was at Mtskheta to view two UNESCO World heritage sites. Two churches, Svetitskhoveli Cathedral and Samtavro Monastery. Svetitskhoveli Cathedral originally dated back to the 4th Century. That had been rebuilt many times due to invaders and earthquakes. The current one was built between 1010 and 1029.
From there it was to Gori, where the Stalin museum is located. Joseph Stalin was born in Gori to a poor Georgian family. He was a Soviet politician and revolutionary who led the Soviet Union from 1924 until his death in 1953. He held power as General Secretary of the Communist Party from 1922 to 1952 and Chairman of the Council of Ministers from 1941 until his death. Initially governing as part of a collective leadership, Stalin consolidated power to become dictator by the 1930s; the totalitarian political system which he established is known as Stalinism.
They had some of his possessions on display. There was very little English, most of it in Russian and Georgian.
From there I headed to a town called Chiatura. It was once a mining centre for manganese. In 1905 it produced 65% of the worlds manganese. The soviets installed cable cars to be able to boost production. Now they are derelict and on show as a tourist attraction
Then it was off to find a wild camp. I found one 8 km from Chiatura. The road started as concrete, then potholes and stone, then rocks and a bit of mud, deep puddles, then dirt and grass. It was steep in places. It’s a 4x4 track.
I found a flattish piece of grass and pitched my tent.
As I got the pannier off James, got the multi fuel cooker out to make a coffee, the bread for a sandwich, then a little friend appeared. We ended up sharing sandwiches.
She’s quite a noisy thing. When the cows strolled down the hill she started barking and rounding them up. Nice bit of company though.
Svetitskhoveli Cathedral
Samtavro Monastery
Joseph Stalin
Joseph Stalin's house
Stalin’s house is undercover
You might recognise this from my photos from Red Square
Lenin and Stalin
Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin
Stalin’s shaving kit
His first office
His uniform, with a ghostly figure!!
His carriage. Not as grand as I was expecting
His room
Has an on suit
His bedroom
The Museum
One of the old manganese mines
Cable car for the miners
It’s like India here, cows are everywhere, on the streets in the parks, in my wild camp□
Tonight’s camp
My friend watching the cows
My little stray friend
Me watching my friend hurd the cows
My route today
30th July 2024
This morning I woke up to a lovely sunny day. My little friend had left during the night, presumably to go back to where she normally sleeps.
I made a coffee, scrambled through my pannier for some thing to eat, it was slim pickings, dry bread and peanut butter, still better than nothing.
Not far from where I’m camping is supposed to be a view point of the Katskhi column. It’s a limestone monolith with a monastery at the top. I thought as I’m this close I’ll check that out before I pack away my tent and gear. I headed off down a track that took me into bushes and trees, it was getting pretty dense. The bramble bushes have big thorns, they were scratching my legs and arms to pieces. I tried another couple of tracks but still no joy.
I packed up and then headed down the 4x4 track. It was a good workout.
I then rode to the base of the monastery and got a great view.
From there it was to Gelati Monastery which was a UNESCO site but has now been delisted as a group of Italian cowboys have cocked up the restoration of the mural. It was closed until August. The monastery dates back to the 12th century.
I then headed north to the Caucasus Mountains to see Chazhashi Village. Its medieval village with fortified structures and is inscribed on the registry of Georgia's Immovable Cultural Monuments of National Significance and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The towers are lookouts. Lots invaders to watch out for.
If Russia had been all about flat, straight roads, then today was the exact opposite, corner after corner, all day. The road north followed the river Tskenistkali. There has been some major slips, there are now plenty of roadworks going on. At times it was like going on an adventure motorcycling training day.
On the roads are the usual cows, they have now brought in reinforcements, of pigs and horses. There are still the dogs, 90% of them bark at you and run out as you pass by.
I found a wild camp and pitched up. Tonight I’m all alone.
The river runs close by and there is a constant roar, hopefully I can sleep through the noise.
Last night a herd of horses came by, all I could hear from my tent was galloping. I got up and took a pic.
This morning I woke up to a lovely sunny day. My little friend had left during the night, presumably to go back to where she normally sleeps.
I made a coffee, scrambled through my pannier for some thing to eat, it was slim pickings, dry bread and peanut butter, still better than nothing.
Not far from where I’m camping is supposed to be a view point of the Katskhi column. It’s a limestone monolith with a monastery at the top. I thought as I’m this close I’ll check that out before I pack away my tent and gear. I headed off down a track that took me into bushes and trees, it was getting pretty dense. The bramble bushes have big thorns, they were scratching my legs and arms to pieces. I tried another couple of tracks but still no joy.
I packed up and then headed down the 4x4 track. It was a good workout.
I then rode to the base of the monastery and got a great view.
From there it was to Gelati Monastery which was a UNESCO site but has now been delisted as a group of Italian cowboys have cocked up the restoration of the mural. It was closed until August. The monastery dates back to the 12th century.
I then headed north to the Caucasus Mountains to see Chazhashi Village. Its medieval village with fortified structures and is inscribed on the registry of Georgia's Immovable Cultural Monuments of National Significance and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The towers are lookouts. Lots invaders to watch out for.
If Russia had been all about flat, straight roads, then today was the exact opposite, corner after corner, all day. The road north followed the river Tskenistkali. There has been some major slips, there are now plenty of roadworks going on. At times it was like going on an adventure motorcycling training day.
On the roads are the usual cows, they have now brought in reinforcements, of pigs and horses. There are still the dogs, 90% of them bark at you and run out as you pass by.
I found a wild camp and pitched up. Tonight I’m all alone.
The river runs close by and there is a constant roar, hopefully I can sleep through the noise.
Last night a herd of horses came by, all I could hear from my tent was galloping. I got up and took a pic.
Katskhi column from the entrance to the four wheel drive track
Katskhi column at the base
Gelati Monastery
Following the river to the mountains
The Caucasus Mountains
The Caucasus Mountains
The Caucasus Mountains
Admiring the view in the The Caucasus Mountains
The Caucasus Mountains
The Caucasus Mountains
Cooling down in the The Caucasus Mountains
Chazhashi Village
Chazhashi Village
Chazhashi Village
Chazhashi Village
My camp for the night
My visitors
Todays route
1st August 2024
From the comfort of my new mattress I was awoken by the flash of lightning and the rumble of thunder. It was in the distance, I looked at my watch to see the time was 2:30 am. As the lightning flashed, I counted how long it took for the thunder to be heard. The counts were less and less. It was getting closer. The rain started.
Then the show began. And just like that it was over.
At 6 am I heard bells, not from the churches but from my cow visitors. Why do they wear bells, because their horns don’t work
It was raining lightly so I waited till it stopped, which was at 7.
I let the tent dry a bit, chatted to the cows who had come over to check me out and lick my panniers, leaving bits of grass and cow slobber as a memento!!
I headed through the mountains heading for Batumi, which is a holiday town next to the Black Sea.
The start of the ride was on a road made from concrete slabs. It was very bumpy, with lots of holes and debris, it was all corners. After a couple of hours the road descended and turned into silky smooth tar-seal that twisted non stop. Some of the most enjoyable riding of the whole trip. Motorcycling bliss!!!
Once down from the mountains I hit heavy rain and heavy traffic into Batumi.
Tonight I’m in a cheap hotel in the city.
From the comfort of my new mattress I was awoken by the flash of lightning and the rumble of thunder. It was in the distance, I looked at my watch to see the time was 2:30 am. As the lightning flashed, I counted how long it took for the thunder to be heard. The counts were less and less. It was getting closer. The rain started.
Then the show began. And just like that it was over.
At 6 am I heard bells, not from the churches but from my cow visitors. Why do they wear bells, because their horns don’t work
It was raining lightly so I waited till it stopped, which was at 7.
I let the tent dry a bit, chatted to the cows who had come over to check me out and lick my panniers, leaving bits of grass and cow slobber as a memento!!
I headed through the mountains heading for Batumi, which is a holiday town next to the Black Sea.
The start of the ride was on a road made from concrete slabs. It was very bumpy, with lots of holes and debris, it was all corners. After a couple of hours the road descended and turned into silky smooth tar-seal that twisted non stop. Some of the most enjoyable riding of the whole trip. Motorcycling bliss!!!
Once down from the mountains I hit heavy rain and heavy traffic into Batumi.
Tonight I’m in a cheap hotel in the city.
Some of my early morning visitors, the rest had mooved on!!
One of many villages in the area with the towers
Getting to use the edges of the tyres finally!!
Is this Prague? no, it’s Batumi the Georgian holiday town by the Black Sea
Batumi
Batumi
Ali and Nino. A moving love monument standing 8 metres tall
Batumi
Batumi harbour
Lots of fishermen
The London eye?
This has a jet ski engine and goes under water, then jumps out.
Todays route
2nd August 2024
I left Batumi and headed east to make my way to Vardzia cave town.
Getting there I headed through the Mtirala national park. The roads were a bit rough and twisty to begin with, they continued to twist and got smoother, which also meant the outer edges of my tyres got smoother too. It wasn’t to last though, I hit roadworks, these are like an off road adventure ride, standing up in first and second gears going over pot holes, small craters, mud, sand, gravel, streams, deep gravel, pig pools of water. This went on for well over an hour. It was up hill most of the way. By the time I was at the top of the mountain and the end of the gravel I was pretty knackered.
From there it was down hill on new seal. Another blast like yesterday.
Once down from the mountain I followed the Kura river, through a gorge. The scenery changed to more rolling hills with a few cliffs thrown in.
I arrived at the Vardia Cave town and set up camp directly opposite.
I got a brew on and then cooked dinner. In Russia I bought a can of pork, well it had a picture of a pig on it. When I opened it, it looked like dog food. This was fortunate for a stray dog that was near by. He looked hungry and it was good to see him enjoy it.
I left Batumi and headed east to make my way to Vardzia cave town.
Getting there I headed through the Mtirala national park. The roads were a bit rough and twisty to begin with, they continued to twist and got smoother, which also meant the outer edges of my tyres got smoother too. It wasn’t to last though, I hit roadworks, these are like an off road adventure ride, standing up in first and second gears going over pot holes, small craters, mud, sand, gravel, streams, deep gravel, pig pools of water. This went on for well over an hour. It was up hill most of the way. By the time I was at the top of the mountain and the end of the gravel I was pretty knackered.
From there it was down hill on new seal. Another blast like yesterday.
Once down from the mountain I followed the Kura river, through a gorge. The scenery changed to more rolling hills with a few cliffs thrown in.
I arrived at the Vardia Cave town and set up camp directly opposite.
I got a brew on and then cooked dinner. In Russia I bought a can of pork, well it had a picture of a pig on it. When I opened it, it looked like dog food. This was fortunate for a stray dog that was near by. He looked hungry and it was good to see him enjoy it.
Finally on the seal after a physical workout at the top of Goderdzi pass
Rabati castle
Heading through the gorge
Some nice rolling hills
Vardzia cave town.
My camp with Vardzia cave town in the background
Tonight’s camp
View to the right of camp
View behind camp
Coffee time.
James, the dirty beast!!
Today’s route
3rd August 2024
I headed east to Armenia . The border crossings were easy, very small queues.
I headed east to Armenia . The border crossings were easy, very small queues.
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