August 9 - Mountain mistakes

There was an excellent breakfast offered at the camping, which I consumed with a German guy and his French-Urugayian partner, while my clothes were in the washing machine. Then I made the steep ride into town to change money, book my flight home and to get something sewn. Mission all accomplished.

On a hot summer day...

It was 1 pm by the time I set off, with the road inclining continuously. There were no mileposts, so after reaching a village, I mistakenly thought to be at the summit. Bullocks! I soon realized my mistake when I saw a huge switchback system awaiting me. An Italian rider coming downhill confirmed there were still some ways to conquer. I was a bit ill prepared, had no sufficient food or water. I stopped a car to beg some liquid, while a Russian Volga carrying peaches broke down in front of me, both issues solved. The view was quite fascinating, a river in the middle, a patch of green around it and then barren mountains everywhere the eye could see. Close to the summit I found the remains of a caravanserais, this is where travelers and their stock rested in the medivial ages upon crossing the silk road.

Amazing views...

This mountain also had a building error, as steep as the uphill ride was, I was disappointed by the lack of a smooth downhill ride. What downhill...it was even going up, or just flat in a strong headwind. It was dusk by the time I had reached Martini, a town on Lake Sevan. Here I found a rather crappy hotel, with a worn-down receptionist of a woman. It was a Soviet-era block of flats, with a dirty carpet in the middle staircase. The only reason I decided to stay was that this creature promised to get me a laptop, which turned out to be a lie. I found a place that offered kebab, to keep up my spirits and not to have to stay at that terrible place.

Somewhere on the pass