Batumi to Tbilisi + Side Adventures in the Mountains

December 13, 2022 to January 18, 2023

Apologies as writing this section was pretty rushed and I have skipped a few parts, was very far behind on posting but it will be edited and added to at some point when I find time. For (slightly) more regular updates follow my Instagram account @oliverspalton.

Wasn't far to Batumi and in this 15km ride I already got a sense of the Georgian's driving (I had been warned about this a while back), it was even worse than the Turks, and that's saying something. People give very little space and overtake other cars with little awareness of the surroundings. I made it in one piece though and onto the much friendlier beach boulevard where I could finally relax. Batumi seemed absurd with grandiose hotels and casinos scattered along the beachfront when just moments ago I was traveling through a fairly deprived area with tin roofs, the first evidence of the concentration of wealth in the country (mainly between Batumi and Tbilisi). Sat to enjoy my first taste of the famous Khachapuri (a super cheesy and buttery flat bread), I had tried this previously in the UK from my friend Giorgi who would always bring some back whenever he came home from Georgia and was so excited to eat it again. Later met up for a beer with Sebastian, a French bike traveller who had been cycling for over a year in Japan and around Europe, It was great to exchange experiences and hear about his travels around the world, also super impressed that he is fluent in 10 languages! The next night we joined Jerome, another French cyclist, to watch France play Morocco in the world cup, they were delighted with the result, I was less so...

Would have loved to spend longer in the city but there was news of a travellers party 2 days ride away so I had to rush off. Pleased with myself after creating a bamboo flag pole, I've really given up on trying to save weight now. Kobuleti was a nice peaceful beach town and I contemplated sleeping here but I pushed on, meeting some locals who told me I had to take a different route but gifting me with a lemon with their tree. Cycling in the dark along a highway felt really stupid but I made it to a closed campsite and slept in one of the huts away from the rain. The rain continued well into the next day and I experienced a Georgian country road for the first time. It was so painful watching my already broken wheels get battered by the endless potholes, which also slowed my speed to walking pace. Joining onto the main road, a local taxi driver pulled me over and shouted furiously at me, I was so confused but found it pretty funny, he then ripped my newly crafted flag pole off and started beating me with it. It was then I realised that he probably didnt like the fact that I got his flag dirty. Putting the flag away for another day, I rode off laughing at the situation to face yet another 5km stretch of potholes.

It was a big climb up to Andreas house and I wish I could have a view to make up for it but I was instead given a veil of thick fog for my efforts, at least it was warm. Andrea was another cyclist who had rented a house for the winter in the countryside with a couple of others. The place was stunning and for a fraction of the price a similar sized house would be in the UK. Later I met Vitor and Cristina, warm hearted Brazilian expats who moved to Kutaisi a few years ago, as well as many other travellers and expats, including Sebastian, Jerome and Wolfgang whom I'd met back near Trabzon. The BBQ and party was so fun, I loved meeting so many other cyclists who were traveling the same direction in the future, I hope to link up with them at some point.

A little hungover but feeling great in the sunshine, I raced down the almost unrideable dirt tracks to meet Leon, A German cyclist, at some hot springs. We enjoyed the peace soaking in the hot baths, until a group of loud Russians showed up and we decided to leave (I was later told that this is Georgian history in a nutshell). Made it back to Kutaisi with Leon and watched the France - Argentina world cup final in an outdoor screening and happily joined the Georgians with the Argentinian win.

Visited Tskaltubo the next day, an abandoned soviet spa town full of bath house ruins and old hotels you can wander through, envisioning how luxurious this place would have been just decades ago. Met with Salta and Nika later to escape the rain in Prometheus caves, grand stalactites hung from the roof of the ginormous cave which stretched out for a few kilometres.

Excited to be back on the road after a rest day, was given a glass of clear liquid by some constriction workers at the side of the road, I soon found out this was chacha, the Georgians national spirit made from distilled grape vines. Not ideal for early afternoon before a big climb, I foolishly made the mistake of finishing the glass too which of course here is an invitation for a refill. Realising this could (and probably would) go in indefinitely I rode on to what I think is probably the worst road I've ever ridden on, evident on my bike when I had noticed another severely cracked rim. This lasted for hours and even though it wasn't raining this time it was so muddy and super slippy, slowing my speed right down.

Close to just pulling over by the side of the track to pitch my tent I asked an old lady for some water, this was immediately followed by an invitation for chacha by the father of the family and soon an invitation for a huge meal and a place to stay. Felt over the moon and full of gratitude for this wonderful gesture. Later I got to meet Giorgi and Liza, the children of the family who could speak English and told me about life here in this small village in the hills. Tsiala taught me how to make churchkhela in the morning over some fresh khachapuri. (I dont have any photos for the family in this post but plenty in the next post from my revisit in April).

I really wanted to stay longer with this lovely family but I planned to get to Tbilisi before Christmas. More terrible roads ahead, had to be extra cautious with my broken rim.

The rest of the route to Tbilisi (aside from the deadly ride into the city) was incredible, I loved cycling through the valleys with the lesser caucuses on my right and the greater caucuses on my left. I fed a dog some khachapuri and he continued to follow me 5km up a hill begging for more, it is that good to be fair. Stopped in Gori and Uplistike along the way.

Re-joined with my university roommate Giorgi and his family to spend an enjoyable time over the Christmas period feasting on delicious homecooked Georgian food by two grandmothers (they told me they wanted to feed me enough that I would have to continue on a motorbike). New year's (Gilotzav) is the biggest event over this period with a huge feast (supra) and lots of homemade wine and dancing, I felt so lucky to be able to spend this time here with my friend and his family and feel incredibly grateful for them to host me for my time there. I got close with Giorgi's friends too over many nights drinking endless toasts of chacha, each with a new and wholesome toast. I met Mari in Tbilisi also, a beautiful Georgian girl working as an artist in the city, she introduced me to the art scene in the city and showed me so many amazing spots which I would never find elsewhere.

Not feeling like cycling in Georgia with the crazy drivers and cold weather I took a few side adventures with public transport and hitchiking (so much easier than cycling anyway!) One trip was with an Austrian cyclist Conny to Kazbegi in the greater caucuses. Hiking up to the monastery in the snow we had a fury canine companion to join us, later two and by the end we had six dogs following us for the adventure. Temperatures dropped to -10 C during the day on a hitchiking trip to Juta valley, freezing our water and making for some super slippy walking over the frozen rivers. The views were very worth the numb feet but we were also stranded in the closed and empty ski resort town. Luckily we found a farmer living there who called for a taxi to bring us back down the off-road track back into Stephantsminda where it would reach-15 C at night. At the guesthouse was Vlad and his girlfriend, musicians from Russia, wanting to bring their band 'Keel the Barber' to Georgia and later the UK.

Took a break from traveling back home over the winter as the border to Azerbaijan was closed and there was nowhere else I could go without flying. Until next time ...

Today's ride: 465 km (289 miles)
Total: 3,410 km (2,118 miles)

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