Jens

Tskaltubo was a russian prestige city with castle-like hotels and mineral water sanatoriums all over the city. Plenty of parks, wide tree lined roads, and statues and monuments everywhere.

When Georgia was liberated in 2001 and the russian tourists disapeared, there was no longer money or need to maintain the beautiful buildings, and most of them were abandoned.

Some of them have been brought up to standard again and the tourists are slowly returning, but there are still plenty of buildings that have not been used or worked on since 1991.

I had to give up and turn the bike at 2600 meter height where the track became too muddy.

The 4WD jeeps mabaged to get a little higher before they had to give up, and a 6ton 4WD truck was stuck up there and needed local help to get out.

It is still too early to get through on this road, but it was fun to see how far you could go.

From Mestia you go east through the valleys of the high Kaukasus mountains (aprox. 50 km)

The roads gets worse and worse and you have to cross e few streams on the way.

Ushguli is the last village and the road stops here. (Apart from a 3000 meter high gravel track that is only open a few months every year)

Dumplings in cream sauce, served in a clay pot with a bread lid 👍

A long day ride from Oni to Mestia in the beautiful Kaukasus mountain range.

– and a pleasant meeting with a french bijer 👍