Gyumri

September 26, 2023

It was pretty cold this morning with a bit of a mizzle, which is something between mist and a drizzle. So we had our jackets on as well as an extra layer between the jackets and our shirts. It was pretty busy on the road for the first fifteen kilometers where the road split with most of the traffic heading off towards Yerevan. That section was also had a rather poor surface although it did have a decent shoulder that shielded us from the traffic. Once past Spitak we had a good surface again and the sun came out which meant we could remove our jackets. The route was undulating but constantly gaining altitude, about four hundred and fifty meters net gain but a lot more in actual clibing, until we reached Lusakhpyur where we started the only real climb of the day. From here it was a magnificent downhill run into Gyumri. All in all, a pleasant day's cycling.

After Spitak we entered a valley, narrow at first but eventually widening, until we reached Lusakhpyur.

Looking back down the valley after Lusakhpyur.

The climb from Lusakhpyur had a net gain of a hundred and ninety meters over about five kilometers so it was easy riding.

A memorial to the Armenian Genocide during the First World War when over a million Armenian died at the hands of the Ottoman Empire.

Autumn in full swing and Leigh in full flight on the downhill to Gyumri.

We have a small apartment in Gyumri for two nights to allow us to do a bit of planning. We also hope to visit the Black Fort while we are here and stock up on some groceries. Gyumri is the second biggest city in Armenia although with a population of only barely a hundred and ten thousand it is really only a large town. None the less it has a better chance of having a decent supermarket than the towns through which we have so far past.

Today's ride: 70 km (43 miles)
Total: 1,650 km (1,025 miles)

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