AROUND ARARAT
2010.07.24 - 2010.09.08
Tbilisi 07.24 – Alaverdi 07.26 – Ijevan 07.29 – Sevan 07.31 – Yerevan 08.01-03 – Sisian 08.08 – Meghri 08.10-11 – Jolfa 08.12 – Dogubayazit 08.15-21 (climbing Ararat or alternative cycling to Van Lake) – Ani 08.24 – Kars 08.25 – Cildir Lake 08.26-27– Akhaltsikhe 08.29 – Vardzia 08.30-31 – Borzomi 09.02-03 – Gori 09.04 – Mtskheta 09.05 – Tbilisi 09.06-08
"But God remembered Noah and all the beasts and all the cattle that were with him in the ark. And God made a wind blow over the earth, and the waters subsided; the fountains of the deep and the windows of the heavens were closed, the rain from the heavens was restrained, and the waters receded from the earth continually. At the end of a hundred and fifty days the waters had abated; and in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, the ark came to rest upon the mountains of Ararat."
Genesis 8:1-4 RSV
Noah was the first person who stepped on the Mount Ararat. We want to be the next ones. Another event that gave us an idea to organize BaltiCCycle 2010 in Armenia was the signing of historic Protocols last October between Armenia and Turkey on establishing diplomatic relations and re-opening of the border. We were going to cross the new-opened border to Turkey and finish the ride climbing the symbol of Armenia – legendary Mount Ararat
Unfortunately, it seems that diplomatic process is frozen, and we have to wait for long until the borders are open; nevertheless the intention to travel in Armenia has developed into the high-flying plan – to make a big 3000 km circle around Ararat cycling 46 days through Georgia, Armenia, Iran, Turkey and visiting most impressive natural and cultural sights of historical lands. We will start the ride on July 25 from Tbilisi, and finish it on September 8, returning to Tbilisi from another side. In the middle of the route in Turkey we will climb up the Mount Ararat.
You are welcome to join the ride for any distance in any place of the route - for one day, one month or the whole tour! BaltiCCycle participants gather for the ride from different countries and continents. You are welcome to bring on your bike a national flag or other symbol that local people could see us as international friendly cycling community.
Click here for the list of UNESCO World Heritage sights on our route.
For more details look the Program and Conditions sections.