Travelling The Georgian Military Highway (GMH) from Gudauri to Gergeti Trinity Church. September 22

in Outdoors and more9 months ago

The GMH, stretches all the way from Tbilisi to the border with Russia, some 130 miles in length.

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The journey on this leg of my travels is just about 20 miles, passing through the Jvari Pass, the highest point at just under 7,800 ft, to another village, Gergati.

Although only a short distance the travelling time is over three hours due to the nature of the road and the number of Lorries travelling to and from The Russian Federation. It does however offer some of the most dramatic scenery of the entire road trip.

Gudauri, situated 7,200ft above sea level, a sleepy little town outside the skiing season. Was the starting point.

So after a night of imbibing copious amounts of red wine (a new found pleasure of mine), with my eight assorted ladies,It was a dreaded early morning start. My head was really fuzzy, I am content that my snaps weren't!

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The weather was wet and cloudy, "It changes quickly in the mountains, don't worry", we were told

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So off we set. The snow capped Mt. Kazak at 16k ft, was often visible

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The miserable fucker driving the bus would not stop on the road to get some snaps, words to the effect " too busy, we drive". " traffic no we go", was what I got.

The best of the "shot through the window of a moving bus" but, yes hurrrrah, the weather picked up.

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The GMH, in one form or another has been around since 1st century BCE, used by traders and invaders alike, it evolved from a horse trail to the road used today, built by the Russian in 1800 it has now evolved into a tarmacadam highway, except when in the winter when the snow and the frost turn stretches into washed out gravel.

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Arriving without incident at Gergeti, to swap into local taxis to get to the church on the hill.

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and looking back down at the town of Stepantsminda

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I didn't bother with the church, I was more interested in the quickly descending, enveloping clouds.

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The ladies were walking back to the town, fuck all that, back in the taxi to have a mooch around the back streets.

Yes, which I enjoyed immensely.

Sort:  

Someone put that fire out.

its clouds FFS lol

😀😃

Are you climbing through windows in Berlin?

Marathon

look at you all Paula Radcliffe!!!

you never cease to amaze me

Not me, I'm a hopeless runner!, it's @bingbabe.

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For sure it's very cold there. I can't imagine walking in a fuzzy road but that mountain view is such an iconic scenery.

Hi @sydney27 , I don’t feel the cold really, was still out and about in a tee shirt and shorts lol

Oh, I think if I would visit that place I would be feeling a little cold.

LOL, my fellow travellers all put on their fleece tops, they all felt the cold.

Oh I see haha..

I have alien blood!

Yuhh there are so great landscapes in Georgia. They are remind me Greece 🇬🇷 with its highlands roads

Cheers @travoved thanks for dropping in, have never ventured into the mountains of Greece.

Sorry about the inconvenience you had because of the driver but you still got some nice shots. I love misty mountain a lot 😍 We don't get fog or mist here much, so that's why I always love these shots.

Cheers @erikah it was amazing how quickly the weather would change. Still nice and warm ish though

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Awesome… love moody pictures. The mist… low clouds are stunning.
Nice views even through a window of the moving bus.
Thanks for sharing @grindle 😊

Thank you @littlebee4

You are welcome 😊

Mt. Kazak stunning capture of the peak, what lovely weather to enjoy an inversion lifting up the hills.

Scenery stunning vistas wherever you pointed that camera, lucky for you they did turn out without dirty windows or streaking to be seen, pot luck!

@tipu curate

Yes such majestic mountains aided by the changeable weather

We have swings and slides with weather at the moment, intense low cut-off over this weekend again.

ah well enjoy lol!

😀 would be nice to see!

Hiya, @ybanezkim26 here, just swinging by to let you know that this post made it into our Honorable Mentions in Travel Digest #2004.

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Cheers for the mention @ybanezkim26 @pinmapple it is much appreciated

Great photos in the clouds - love it all. Reminds me of my travel in Asia. Love the snowcapped mountain.

Thanks, i enjoyed them too. Have you been up in the Himalayas?

Yes I have - I have seen Annapurna and Mt. Everest on my way from Nepal to Tibet.

Awesome, I have not been to Tibet,