I travel
Caucasus: bike ride along a steep route
Vacation can be used for health, for cultural development, for entertainment, or communication... But if not choose one of these options, but combine all the “33 pleasures”? Our colleague and his team rode 600 km across the Caucasus by bicycle and is ready to share a recipe for a vacation that combines all options at once.
Maxim Kozhekin,
specialist of the information technology department
How does bicycle tourism work?
What is the cycling tourism? I am a member of the Moscow Cycling Club. We have category hikes (according to the regulations of the Sports Tourism Federation) of different levels of difficulty - from the first, simple, to the sixth, advanced. And for the last 3-4 years, my teammates and I have also been organizing friendly bike rides along interesting routes.
The hike needs to be planned
First, we must determine the purpose of the trip - it can be sports, cultural tour, or just a trip for communication. Dates, route area and list of participants are determined. The team always has a leader and a distribution of roles among the group is as follows: navigator, timekeeper, outfitter, supply manager, mechanic, medic, photographer. Tasks are assigned for each “position”
specialist of the information technology department
How does bicycle tourism work?
What is the cycling tourism? I am a member of the Moscow Cycling Club. We have category hikes (according to the regulations of the Sports Tourism Federation) of different levels of difficulty - from the first, simple, to the sixth, advanced. And for the last 3-4 years, my teammates and I have also been organizing friendly bike rides along interesting routes.
The hike needs to be planned
First, we must determine the purpose of the trip - it can be sports, cultural tour, or just a trip for communication. Dates, route area and list of participants are determined. The team always has a leader and a distribution of roles among the group is as follows: navigator, timekeeper, outfitter, supply manager, mechanic, medic, photographer. Tasks are assigned for each “position”
The middle temple (Alan settlement) - dated to the 9th century, made of sandstone slabs on lime mortar
We also had a cultural vacation organizer in our “staff” - his task was to find attractions along the route: nature reserves, historical and cultural sites. And of course, there was a team photographer as well: he should take pictures for the report and for our memories.
We started to prepare for our trip to the Caucasus back in the winter 2023, and began to make mini cycle trips in the spring. This weekend day's cycling trip requires two boats with night in the tent. Before a big trip, it is necessary to bring the body to sports mode, and this is also useful for team coherence.
We started to prepare for our trip to the Caucasus back in the winter 2023, and began to make mini cycle trips in the spring. This weekend day's cycling trip requires two boats with night in the tent. Before a big trip, it is necessary to bring the body to sports mode, and this is also useful for team coherence.
“
The cycling trip of the 3rd category of difficulty took place from July 30 to August 11, 2023 along the route: Armavir – Labinsk – Kurdzhinovo – Rozhkao – Phiya (2178 m) – Arkhyz – Uzhum (2300 m) – Kardonikskaya – Karachaevsk – Gumbashi (2023 m) – Khasaut – Kislovodsk – Essentuki – Pyatigorsk – Mineralnye Vody.
Road along the Bolshaya Laba River
"The Caucasus is below me..."
Our group included 10 persons. We started from Armavir and finished in Minvody. The route was combined: asphalt roads, gravel, and some forest paths. It passed through historical sites, rivers, forests and mountains. The most impressive landscapes are the stormy mountain river Bolshaya Laba, along which we have rode, and the Phiya pass, where an incredible view on the mountains opens from the height of 2200 m. The most difficult pass was Gumbashi: in a day we climbed 1500 m up and reached an altitude of 2380 m.
In Arkhyz it was interesting to observe the Alanian temples and make excursion to the observatory. In Kislovodsk you should attend the famous Narzan Gallery, in Essentuki - take a walk in the Resort Park. In Pyatigorsk we visited the site of the tragic duel of M. Yu. Lermontov (and remembered his poems, which anyone knew). We stayed a little more than planned in Mineralnye Vody - this was the finishing point of our hike. We rested, walked around the city and returned home happy from the beautiful railway station.
Our group included 10 persons. We started from Armavir and finished in Minvody. The route was combined: asphalt roads, gravel, and some forest paths. It passed through historical sites, rivers, forests and mountains. The most impressive landscapes are the stormy mountain river Bolshaya Laba, along which we have rode, and the Phiya pass, where an incredible view on the mountains opens from the height of 2200 m. The most difficult pass was Gumbashi: in a day we climbed 1500 m up and reached an altitude of 2380 m.
In Arkhyz it was interesting to observe the Alanian temples and make excursion to the observatory. In Kislovodsk you should attend the famous Narzan Gallery, in Essentuki - take a walk in the Resort Park. In Pyatigorsk we visited the site of the tragic duel of M. Yu. Lermontov (and remembered his poems, which anyone knew). We stayed a little more than planned in Mineralnye Vody - this was the finishing point of our hike. We rested, walked around the city and returned home happy from the beautiful railway station.
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In order not to get tired, we kept the moving rhythm as 40/10. This means that we drove for 40 minutes, and spent 10 minutes relaxing and admiring the beauty of the passes.
As a result, we covered 600 km in 10 walking days.
As a result, we covered 600 km in 10 walking days.
Special Astrophysical Observatory of the Russian Academy of Sciences in the village of Nizhny Arkhyz
Finance plan is the key to save money
The Caucasian hike, including all expenses and the price of train tickets, cost us about 15 thousand rubles per person. We spent the night in tents, excepting one half-day at the campsite and the last day, when we rented a house. The expenses were shared by everyone, so thanks to the correct calculation of expenses of our caretaker, the trip turned out to be very economic in terms of money and simply gorgeous in terms of impressions!
The Caucasian hike, including all expenses and the price of train tickets, cost us about 15 thousand rubles per person. We spent the night in tents, excepting one half-day at the campsite and the last day, when we rented a house. The expenses were shared by everyone, so thanks to the correct calculation of expenses of our caretaker, the trip turned out to be very economic in terms of money and simply gorgeous in terms of impressions!
Interesting Facts
1
The Caucasus Mountains are the highest
in Europe. The highest point is Elbrus (5642 m).
in Europe. The highest point is Elbrus (5642 m).
2
And they continue to become higher: the Northwestern part is rising
by 8–10 mm per year.
by 8–10 mm per year.
3
1,600 species of Caucasian plants are found nowhere else in the world.
4
The Caucasus is home to 50 nationalities speaking 20 different languages.
5
The most ancient people outside of Africa borders lived 1.8 million years agoi n these mountains.
6
According to the legend, Prometheus was chained to a rock in the Caucasus Mountains.
7
The ancient Greek Argonauts sailed to the Caucasus, to Colchis, to get the Golden Fleece.
© Beko 2023