a trip to the moon

In the first 30 minutes that we entered Georgia, Cri was in a Lada
filming (the Lada stopped in the middle of the road, they put gasoline
in it, that it stopped again, than they “did something” and it started
again) and I had to ride standing into a village along with the rest
of the weading. Yes, we were suddently guests, being kissed, hugged,
given food and drinks; we had to get away fast because Luka was
waiting for us in Tibilisi… but what welcoming people they were.

We experienced Georgian hospitality at it’s best, knowing Luka’s woderful
family, we went that up to Kazbegi and than to the Russian Border (to
see “Border Locked” and soldiers… well the relations between the 2
countries are not at their best right now). We also changed Gnu’s oil
in Tibilisi (to Castrol Edge 10W60) and lost a seal from the fine-
filter so she was leaking a bit till an Azeri mechanic made her leak a
bit of a bit of a bit in the next day.

On the 7th of June we have briefly crossed Georgia. When we entered
it, we felt it so very familiar, it was home some years ago. We know
the drills, the people’s ways.

…. we ride out of Ankara late Sunday after a perfect
Brunch.

We visit Amasya and ride high on the oposite hill to get a
stunnin view and we continue to Tesova.

We want to head to Ayvachick, across the Kackar mountains but the people
in Tesova don’t seem to even want to show us the way. It’s dark by now and
they make signs to the sky.
Yeah, it’s gonna rain, we know .. but it’s not gonna be in
the next hours. They take us to the police station, we get Tunc on the
phone and it seems that the policeman are not very aware on how to get
across the mountains, what they can do .. is “show us on the map”. But
what they can also do is arrange for accomodation for tonight in “The
Teacher’s House”. We leave Gnu and the helmets near the police station
and in the next morning the same policeman was guarding them with the
machine gun at his chest. Excellent QoS.

We leave them some polaroid photos and head accross the mountains.
It’s been… the thing!
I bet we didn’t take the straightest way but it was what we were looking
for: rain, no asphalt, altitude, mud, rocks, stunning views, hanged
villages, so very good. It took hours in the 1st and 2nd gear… but
Gnu performed beautifuly. And only 4 drops, at 3-4kmh.

It was an excellent decission to take the hard cases. They saved Cri’s legs a
couple of times. We hit it further to Sumela that day. (they’ll close
soon this Internet Cafe in Yerevan so I have to stop for now but.. we
are safe, in perfect health, well feed, no sore bones, muscles or
anything that side, Gnu is in excellent shape (and she had to work a
lot… last time 2 nights ago when we crossed from Georgia into
Armenia on a dam broken-broken-broken country road, with hard cold
rain pouring into our bones, over a border post that took us back to
the times when we were not borne… b/w TV with long faces into a
truck container, “musama” on the table, machine guns and happy soldier
faces).
Till the next time,… we shall ride.