RR Through the lands of Kalmuks and Circassians

[Ivo]

Daylight is fading as Tolik and I approach the village of Arshan Zelman. Our
water supplies are low so we need to replenish them before camping somewhere on
the steppe. A bright yellow budhist temple is dominating the entrance of the
village. We stop to admire it. Two young Kalmuks on bikes see us and greet us
friendly. WE can fetch water out of the well of one of their houses. But before
we can fill our bottles we are invited for Kalmuk tea, with loads of very fresh
milk.



WE started out from Tolik's hometown of Volgograd, a city very busy in the
final celebrations of the end of WWII, a war whcih nearly completely devastated
the city. Since Tolik lives in the northeren suburbs of Volgograd we passed the
immense memorial of Mamajev Kugan, a small hill being one of the scenes of
massive fighting during the Battle of Stalingrad. Everywhere in town are war
memorials decorated with fresh flowers. Today it's a bustling industrial city
stretching along the shores of the Volga river for 70km.



It takes us all afternoon before we reacht the Volga-Don chanell. Only there we
leave the city and soon enter completly different territory. Only a few dozen
kilometres from the banks of the Volga the scenery drastically changes to
immense steppe with irregular villages living either from the road traffic or
from their pasture lands. Herds of sheep and cows are guarded by mounted
shepherds with dogs.



A strong sidewind slows us down and makes the steppe even longer. It's here
that the Kalmuks settled after migrating west from the Asian lands of the ir
ancestors. They brought their traditions of lifestock breeding and budhism with
them. And their charming friendliness making the inhospitable steppe a lot
warmer.





At irregular intervals truckdriver cafe's form a small oasis of rest from the
wind and especially on our third day from the rain. Only shortly before the
Kalmuk capital Jelista we see more people and signs of farming. WE arrive in
the capital while it rains in a dark night. The next mornign we take our time
to visit the town. It is a strange combinatieon of drab Soviet style appartment
blocks and brightly coloured budhist shrines and temples. Kalmuk is spoken
everywhere but no one has a problem being adressed in Russian.





Tolik wants to cross all of Kalmukia before he has to go back to work so in the
afternoon we continue our ride. In a village south of Jelista we are stopped by
a police controle. As usual they ask our documents and are quite d umbfolded
seing my Dutch passport. A few hours later I have to pull it out again, this
time at the border demarcating the end of the Kalmukian pasture lands and the
start of Russian farming. Tolik takes the nightbus to Volgograd from the first
village in the Stavropol Kraj while I find a bed in the dormitory opposite to
the station.

[Ivo]

The TV in the dormitory is showing the usual sort of film at the start of may
displaying the fearless Soviet soldiers fighting during WWII. The next day is a
day of celebration, victory day. For me it's another cycling day, a cycling day
whit occasional rainshowers. During one of these rainshowers I stop at a
village restaurant to drink some tea. This time a more luxury restaurant, not
the usual truck stop. Shortly after I've ordered my tea two army officers
enter, both of them in varying degrees of drunkenness. When they hear that I'm
a foreigner they immediately take interest in me. First they try to persuade me
to drink with them, then one of them starts the usual heavy handedness applied
by Russian officers to common soldiers. Luckily I manage to stay calm. I
finish my tea and with the assistance of the barmaids manage to retreat to my
bike and the road. I decide to stick to truckstops for the next days.



In Svetlograd I once again experience that many new roads are constructed in
Russia. The one which according to the map is a small and quiet valley road now
in reality is a ringroad around the town of Svetlograd. Just after the town a
new rainshower starts. I decide to cycle on and search for a hotel somewhere
along the road. In a village I ask around. There should be a small hotel in the
next village, Gofitskoje. Through a wet and dark evening I plod on, passing a
few nice camping spots. But in the next village there isn't a hotel. The staff
of a roadside cafe let's me sleep there though, to keep the night watchman
company. I roll out my mat and sleeping bag onto the floor. During the night I
have to retreat to higher grounds, the roof is leaking due to a violent
rainstorm.



The morning shows another picture, within an hour after the start I'm in shorts
and short sleeves again. The main road goes via Stavropol but I take a short
cut via minor roads. Only mountain villages along the road and great spots to
eat. Aleksandrovskoye is the only small town I pass. After Aleksandrovskoye
there are no supplies for the next 50km. The road leads straight as an arrow to
Mineralnij Vody. It's a constant up and down, really wearing me down.
Kilometres away from the mainroad are the villages. Campingspots enough, but
water is the problem. I have to decide between a detour to fetch water or
ploding on to Min. Vody. I decide for the last option. and find  lodging in
Hotel Kavkaz. I'm only 25km north of Pjatigorsk, a short ride before I meet my
old friend Roman. He meets me at the outskirts of town where my luggage is
transferred into the car of one of his friends. After running some errands he
shows me the town by bike. Pjatigorsk is an old spa with many old buildings
dating back to the Tsarist empire. And many springs, one of them being a lake
inside a mountain. But the best Roman saves for the last. He is one of the
pilots at the local paragliding base. So in the early evening we cycle to a
mountain near the town, to the paragliding base. Here amount great scenery I
find the typical atmosphere of Russian outdoorsmen.







The next morning Roman invites me for a tandemflight. Loaded with paragliding
kit we scramble up the mountain. On the top several paragliders are collected,
all with rather pensive expressions. An elderly man is holding up a windspeed
meter. The wind is a bit on the strong side and very unpredictable. Quite
quickly it's clear that only the experienced solo pilots can fly, no chance for
large tandem parasails under these conditions. I go down again and restrict
myself to photographing the flights of the experienced pilots.



After replacing a stuck gearcable I set of for the real mountains of Northern
Caucasia. Allready in Pjatigorsk I noticed an enormous police presence. But on
the Pjatigorsk-Kislovodsk road the police presence was huge. Every few hundred
meters a policeman was standing, in eye-contact with his colleague along the
road. Now and then a police car followed by some 4WD's would speed past. Just
before the outskirts of Kislovodosk all traffic is stopped. An enormous convoy
of police cars, 4WD's and luxury cars races to Pjatigorsk. After this convoy
passed all traffic resumes.

[Ivo]

Just after the border with Karachay-Cherkess Republic I stop to ask some water.
My plan is to find a place to camp just after a set of villages. My request of
water is answered with an invitation for tea, an invitation I gladly accept. BUt
it doesn't end with tea, a whole meal appears ont he table. The neighbour's
daughter, who speaks good English, is invited to. No chance fo leave before the
night. A long evening of food, tea and conversation follows, only interrupted by
a visit to the neighbour's banja. A perfect display of Caucasian hospitality.But
they tell me long tales of the other side of the Caucasus, of assasinitions
and of the risks of the Caucasus after dark





The next day I experience the danger myself.
In the last village before the Gumbashi pass I restocked with supplies. At
2030m Gumbashi pass is one of hte highest road passes in Russia. Most
traffic takes a detour via a lower road so after the village traffic was
scarse. A few km down the road two man sitting on a concrete block addressed
me. They posed the usual friendly questions. They asked me to come behind
the blocks due to the traffic. Immediately behind the blocks I didn't feel
that comfortable. I was right in my feelings, they started to ask for money
when they sensed my changed attitude. 2000 roubles they wished (abt. 40 Pound)
and threatened to beat me. I was not very eager to part with this sum. So I
tried to get out of the situation. Luckily I was only 50m from the road.
When one of the men started to threat slashing my tires with his knife I
start to pull some money out, very slowly, 10 rouble bill by 10 rouble
bill. Just when I ran out of 10 rouble bills the two men started to get a bit
nervous since they heard a car coming. They tried to pull me and my bike
behind the bushes, luckily it's not that easy to drag a loaded touring bike
for the uninitiated. Everyone fell to the ground and I was the first to be
on my feet again, running to the road. The car had already passed so I drew
my mobile, but alas, no signal. But still they could see me with my mobile
phone. A 100m down the road a shepherd was visible. I ran to him and
explained that I needed help. Just as I was talking to him the two men
appeared 300m down the road, running. The shepherd immediately gave chase
while I searched for my bike. The bike was ok, only some mud on the
panniers. Not a single item was missing. When I returned with my bike to the
road I saw the two men running very fast towards the village. THe shepherd
was quietly going up again. I thanked him and he told me that the men were
afraid of his nervous horse. Anyway, two not so experienced robbers don't
have a chance against a mounted shepherd with a dog. I thanked him again and
resumed my ride up the mountain pass. I was glad that all ended in my
advantage. They were the ones who received the biggest shock. And I was
strengthened in my opinion that staying calm and non-violent is mostly the
best option in such a situation.



Shortly before the top of the pass I entered the clouds, a pity since from
the top, on a clear day, mount Elbrus is visible. On the descent I suffered
the only puncture of this trip. Apart from that, the descent was great,
without major difficulties. Still occasional cows on the road called for
attention. At the entrance Karachajevsk there was the usual police control.
I told the officers that I had an incident with two bandits down the road. I
couldn't give a proper discription of the man so no use of filing an
official report. Jonkingly one of them offered me to sell his gun.
I didn't feel that safe in Karachajevsk. Too many men standing around
looking for a cheap and fast rouble. At the busstation there were only small
Gazelle buses. Since it's a dead-end road to Dombay I'd decided to take a
bus up. Prices quoted were insane, 500 rouble for the 40km trip n a
marshrutka. So I set out by bike. Not long after I left Karachajevsk the
same marshrutka overtook me and stopped. Now the price dropped to a more
acceptable 100 ruble. I agreed. The driver dropped me of in Teberda. From
Teberda on cars and buses have to pay a special tariff to enter the national
park. Cyclists are only registered and don't have to pay, except with their
sweat. So the final bit to Dombay I cycled again. The rain had stopped and
between the clouds wonderful panoramas were visible. Dombay has a wide
range of accomodations. I settled for the dorm room of the mountain rescue
team. Sadly no other guests so I had to spend the night on my own.

[Ivo]

The evening in Dombay was quite leisurely. Hardly any tourists in town, after
all it was too late for the skiing season and too early for the hiking season.
So a perfect time for the mountain guides to throw a party. I retreated to a
local café to find an excellent dinner. In the morning, when the guides slowly
started to appear I discussed with them which hikes were possible for me with
my skiddie sports shoes. Only through the valley of the Alibek river was their
conclusion, most valleys were off-limits now due to avalanche risks. So I spent
a nice morning strolling through a rainy valley. When the rain ceased I went
back to the village and the cablecar station. Going up to 2400m was a lot
easier by cablecar and skilift as by bike Lot's of snow still at 2400m, and
still many skieers. With my skiddie shoes it was not a pleasure up there, my
MTB-shoes would have been better.





While waiting for the return cablecar I talk a bit with some locals. Down in
the village I meet them again. They ask me to join them in a small excursion
to a little swamp somewhat down the road. Despite the bad weather it's a well
spent rest day.
The next day was half a rest day. I had about 1500m altitude to loose. So
enough time to concentrate on safety issues. While passing Karachajevsk I got
the same bad vibes as a two days earlier, something told me that it was not
that safe there. So I decided to evade further trouble and move more down, to
the main road. Originally I planned to go via some back roads through the
villages. Not this time, that's something I'll do another time when I'm not
travelling alone. Only a few kilometre after I decided to change my plans a
car stopped. It was one of the mountain guides on his road to Cherkessk. I
told him that I changed my plans. He completely agreed with me, the mountain
road through the villages is only safe when you're in a group. Completely
against my habits I arrived in Cherkessk in broad daylight. Luckily I my
region map also had a map of downtown Cherkessk, including hotels. First try
was the hotel near the stadium, but that was under reconstruction. But as
usual in Russia, sportsmen help sportsmen. A local footballtrainer gave me
excellent directions to another hotel, hotel Cherkessk. A typical hotel of the
old intourist type. A bit decayed, but friendly priced. The receptionist was
quite astonished when I presented her my Dutch passport. Apparently foreigners
hardly reside here.

[Ivo]

While spending the evening in Cherkessk I start to think about the Caucasus.
It strikes me again that all the youngsters on the street in Cherkessk walk
together, boys with boys, girls with girls. They are eyeing eachother, but
hardly talking. The only mixed groups are the Russians. Clearly the male and
female worlds are very seperated. On the other hand I hardly see any signs of
heavy Islam, less than in an average western European town. So it must be the
old patriarchal Caucasus culture which defines the specificity of the Caucasus.
The next day I race out of the Karachay-Cherkess republic. Not that I'm afraid
any more, but for the first time during this trip I have a good tailwind. I
easily arrive at the Baku-Rostov main road. Finally some fine tarmac with
excellent services. I profit from that with a nice lunch in a roadside café.
Three policemen enter when I'm having lunch. Behind their heavy arms
(Kalashnikov assault rifles) they are very friendly.



Again I arrive at my destination with lot's of time in hand. At the side road
to Armvirsk I see a small hotel. But this time the receptionist quotes a
completly different price as mentioned on her desk. I don't like the policy of
foreigner prices so they loose a customer. On the map a turbaza is mentioned
in Armvirsk. I have to ask a few times before I fiend the right trail to the
turbaza. But it's ot a real turbaza, it's a otdechat baza, a leisure centre of
a factory. The reception is completely different from the reception at the
small hotel. After a friendly chat with the guard I'm assigned a cabin. When
he hears that I'm a humble postman he doesn't even charge me for the night.
The huge network of turbaza's and other holiday camps is an asset for Russian
tourism which could be used in a far better way. There are not many customers
in the off-season. Only four, all relatives. The two guys are allready quite
drunk. Both of them served a few contracts in Chechenya. That's clearly
visible. hey are quite rude and heavy handed, also towards each other. The
girls keep them in check though, in contrast with the Caucasus mores. So it's
still a pleasant evening.



The next autonomous republic, the Adyegya Republic is allready different. It's
a muslim republic but next to the mosques the old Soviet influences are very
well visible. Again I see villages with names like '20 year octobre'. Also
streetnames are of the common kind. And no classic Caucasus habits anymore.
When I have my evening stroll through the streets of the capital Majkop I see
young couples everywhere. But the old taxidriver who drives me to back after
the evening stroll greets me in the Arab fashion. A friendly reply of the
right kind, Aleikum Asalam breaks the ice. Even the fare is of the regular
kind. Before sleeping I have a chat with some sportsmen which stay in the
Turkompleks where I stay too. It's specially geared for sportsmen so plenty of
likeminded guests.
The final day is a day with two different sides. The first part is
relentlessly rolling. The map is correct here, an enormous amount of altitude
lines, all around 500m. This wears me down a lot more as the final part of the
day, the small road to the coastal town of Tuapse. Here I have to scale a few
passes. But these passes, even the unpaved one, are a lot easier as the
relentlessly rolling highlands. On top of the highest one, the Shaumansky
Pereval, I talk a while with a family running a small restaurant. Their small
daughter, nicknamed hooligan, is racing around on her tricycle. Sadly I don't
have the time to eat hear, evening is nearing as does a light rainshower. I
race down the mountain, despite the unpaved road. Heavy Kamaz trucks are no
match to me.



For the first time during the trip I have some serious problems finding
affordable lodging. All the mentioned hotels only have expensive rooms left
over. The only budget option, Hotel Tuapse is another problem. This hotel is
owned by the MVD. And the receptionist doesn't accept foreigners. So I have to
settle for a way too luxury room. Not a fitting end for this trip. Before
boarding a bus to Krasnodar in the morning I walk around town and catch a
glimpse of the Black Sea.

[scott]

That's an incredible trip, Ivo--I enjoyed reading about that. Quite a range of places to cross--that's the kind of thing I'd like to try someday.

Do you have a picture of a map showing your route?

[Ian H]

Nice to see it with pictures. Have you got a publisher yet?

[Ivo]

Do you have a picture of a map showing your route?

Sadly not. But I can give you a basic routesheet so you can check it on googlemaps and similar places:

start Volgograd, leave town via the Krasnoarmeysk suburb
M6 to Jelista
continue on the A-154 untill Svetlograd
P-266 to Gofitskoye
unnumbered road to Aleksandrovskoye
P-262 to Mineralniye Vody
M-29 to Pyatigorsk
A-157 skirting past Kislovodsk
a few km after after the Tereze village left, continue on the A-157
Mountain pass of slightly over 2000m altitude
descend over the A-157 to Karachajevsk
left along A-155 to Teberda (possible by bus), continue to Dombay
return along A-155 to Karachajevsk
In Sary-Tyuz continue along the A-155 to Cherkessk
after Cherkessk left along the M-29
Shortly after Armavir the M-29 branches, take the left branch via Labinsk
Continue on M-29 to Majkop
From Majkop the P-254 to Kadhyzhensk
In Kadhyzhensk stay on the P-254 following the railroad
Follow the P-254 over 2 mountainpasses (one unpaved) to Tuapse.

[Ivo]

Nice to see it with pictures. Have you got a publisher yet?

Parts of it were in Arrivee, but without pictures. The Dutch vesion is still on shelf, will be published some time in one of the bike mags.