AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 71SERIOUS ADVENTURE
“Why not cross at the Georgian/Russia
border?” he asked, perplexed, and went
on to say the border had reopened that
day! Another U-turn and rewriting of
the itinerary ensued as we scurried back
towards the east.
We rode the legendary Georgian
Military Highway, a pass of staggering
beauty and amazing history. Poets,
writers and armies all travelled thisroad. The highway travels deep into
the Caucasus, passing turquoise lakes
and numerous monasteries in stunning
locations. Switchback a er switchback
greeted us as we rode beyond the green
fertile valleys into a stark beautiful
landscape high above the snowline.
At last we reached Russia, but the
Russians were far from happy to see us
and it took eight hours for us to crossthe border, with patient representatives
from the local Rotary Club waiting a
staggering 12 hours to greet us! The
Rotary Club organised a sombre visit to
Beslan, scene of the horrifi c massacre
in 2004 of over 300 people, nearly 200 of
them children, before we rode east into
Russia proper.
It wasn’t long before we were leaving
Russia to cross the mighty Kazakh Steppe■ Sunset over the Black Sea■ Another day coming to an
end over the Kazakh Steppe■ Riding Mongolia■ People mover, Mongolia►ARR112_068-078_Road of Bones.indd 71ARR112_068-078_Road of Bones.indd 71 2/3/2015 9:51:12 AM2/3/2015 9:51:12 AM