Rhino Cam #09 – Tbilisi to Baku
It’s been an odd few weeks, with our progress still slow due visa challenges, but we’ve witnessed huge changes in landscape and also in culture as we get further away from the western world. This video includes our trip up into the Caucasus where we had to beat a hasty retreat due to lightning bolts being fired at us from all angles and our traverse along the mountains down to the desert dust bowl of Baku on the Caspian Sea.
We both feared for our lives several times on this last stretch, when we were actually inside a thunderstorm in Gudauri, when we climbed the steepest hill ever created in Azerbaijan in 35C heat and when we went super mario karting around Baku with our driver Ulhan. Best of all though we met our first cycle touring pal – Tom Smith. Tom’s in a very similar situation to us and taking a similar route just at a more leisurely pace. You can follow his trip here: http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?doc_id=6835
Finally a huge, huge thank you to Anne and Drew Hamilton who have kindly hosted us in Baku. We’ve lived like kings, been fed the most delicious food and learnt a whole lot more about bikes. We couldn’t have got through all the admin we’ve had without you. Thank you both.
Verocious dogs and lightening was not what you apparently bargained for. Scary stuff indeed! Please find a few more Anne and Drew’s along the way. They sound amazing. Keep going guys and stay safe. Annsie Pannsie. XXXOOO
Great video – thanks. I once drove down the same long valley in Azerbaijan and our Russian 4×4 broke down there. I’ll be praying for your safety over the next border.