Day 137 Aug 24 Fri - Confirmed Ferry Ticket to Trabzon ,Turkey

Our 90 usd room in Hotel Moscow
A balcony where we park our bikes and cooked
Banners and logos seen on the street
one of the favorite spot to take photo

Immigration building at the seaport
Russia post

Mac Donald outlet ,the 1st I seen in Russia
Ticketing office on ferry to Trabzon

Today's spending: 3572 rur
Total Distance to date: 9036 km
Total spending to date: 9691 rur

Yes! our ferry to Trabzon Turkey is confirmed!!!! Leaving tomorrow 25th Aug at 1800hr ,expected to arrive next morning. Ticket cost for non-sleepper seat is 1460 rur or 45 usd ,no charge for the bikes. Back to hotel to extend stay for another nite . My visa card was being used sucessfully for the 1st time. There is an internet inside the Hotel lobby with super fast speed especially fast for uploading photos. Checkout time 12 noon, so that means we will have 3-4 hr of waiting time to continue updating our blog to bring you the latest. See you in Turkey....

Day 136 Aug 23 Thu - High bridge River Camp to Sochi

Lenin statue at a roundabout
Making enquiries on the ferry to Trabzon at the seaport


Hotel Moscow ---2 Star rating but 5 Star pricing...

Today's Distance: 60 km
Today's Temp: 25 - 32c
Average Speed: 11.2 max: 62.5
Time on Bike: 5 hr 18 min
Average climb: 4% max: 12%
Trip Altitude: 1179m max: 324m
Today's spending: 1236 rur
Total Distance to date: 9036 km
Total spending to date: 6119 rur

Sochi - a candidate city for the winter Olympic 2014,a sea port located

north east of Black Sea,is surrounded by mountains.As we rode along the winding M-27 road , the heavy traffic continues as we came closer to Sochi.A few holiday resort towns that we passes were full of tourists whether from inland or abroad ,looks pretty the same to me .Mens mostly with bermuda shorts while ladies proud on their bikinis regardless of age . WE arrived in Sochi by 6 pm and rode straight to the sea port to make enquires on the ferry to Turkey.Good news that the service is still on but the counter was closed. There is no cheap accomodation here being a tourist seaside resort town. We stayed in Hotel Moscow about 100m from the port and that cost is 2220 rur or 90 usd a day, and mind you - No aircon ,not even a table or stand fan!!!!

Day 135 Aug 22 Wed - Hillslope Workshop Camp to High Bridge River Camp 45km to Sochi

A spetacular bridge with tall beam
Russain campers , the camping site is free
Heather is having a cool dip in a man-made "jacuzzi" . She forgot to bring her bikini
Russian rubbles ,missing is 100 note
Very friendly Russian campers

Cafe where we had the roast chicken
Yum,yum...
We took the road on the right leads to campsite, on the left is going to the bridge where you will miss the campsite.

Traffic jammed at the opposite direction

Overlooking from the road to the Black Sea

Today's Distance: 70 km
Today's Temp: 25 - 32c
Average Speed: 12.6 max: 57
Time on Bike: 5hr 35 min
Average climb: 4% max: 13%
Trip Altitude: 1227m max: 312m
Today's spending: 231 rur
Total Distance to date: 8976 km
Total spending to date: 4883 rur

From Tuapse,an industrial town north west of Sochi,in a straight line from GPS map is 84km ,but actual from the road sign is 114km , the excess km must be the winding stretches .We were follwing road M-27,not only the road is winding ,ups and downs but the one that worries us most is the heavy traffic, the opposite direction has a long Q of traffic jammed.Our photos were mainly taken far from the beach on the right with a railway track .In fact we haven't had the chance to get near the beaches yet . Have lunch with macoroni chicken soup hardly can filled my hungry stomach,later at 5 pm ,both of us shared a roasted chicken (160 rur). Ride continues until a junction at 70 km mark with a small downhill road on the right.I waited for Heather and we made the right decision to take the small road that leads us to a beautiful river camping spot full of campers , under a very high bridge. We had a wonderful bathed in a man-made "jacuzzi" in the river

Day 134 Aug 21 Tue - River Camp 58km to Tuapse - Hillslope Workshop Camp in Tuapse

Auto workshop camp at the hill slope


Armenian coffee taste bitter to me
The owner is a policeman in the next morning going for duty in Tuapse

Country road ,take me home , to the place I belong......
The colorful houses stands out better surrounded by the green
Threads and needle work on my torn seat cover due to too many falls
My 1.5 litre bottle cage joint also gave way after the 6 km of gravel.Temporary tied with cable ties.
Two iron clips now holding the bar to support the side panniers

6 km ( 3 km up & 3 km down ) of gravel portion under heavy trafic
Cafe restaurant at the top b4 the 3 km of gravel down Sochi preparing for winter olimpic in 2014
Youngsters from Moscow who invited us for food & drinks at the Cafe

Badly welded and torn portion of the bike stand bracket
I left this problematic bike stand in the river side for good
Heather looking good in her ever trusted MTB
A railway tunnel under construction

Today's Distance: 58 km
Today's Temp: 26 - 35c
Average Speed: 13.1 max: 52
Time on Bike: 4 hr 24 min
Average climb: 3% max: 13%
Trip Altitude: 549 m max: 553m
Today's spending: 105 rur
Total Distance to date: 8906 km
Total spending to date: 4652 rur

Starting from today has to cope with "NO MORE BIKE STAND". I had finally given up hope on this problematic bike stand,the welded bracket broke again this morning even after 2 nd time welding.Had transfered 2 round iron clips originally for my MSR bottle cage to hold my 2 side panniers.This causes a delay start at 11 am. The scenerirs continued to be greeneries and hilly with rolling ups & downs,beautiful country road mostly villages except for a gravel strectch of 3 km up & follow by 3 km down , dusty with heavy traffic.There was a nice cafe restaurant at the top , we met four youngsters from Moscow travelling by car to Tuapse , we were invited again to join them for food and drinks. At 6 pm , we rode up a 10 meter high hill slope gravel path in search for campsite, but was surprised to see a auto workshop there,fortunately the owner was happy to allow us to camp for a nite. Later his daugther I guess served us a special Armenian cofee in a little tiny cups & biscults. Heather was very excited about having a real hot shower while I am happy to have cool bath outside with a running hose.