Georgia : Route from Mestia to Lentekhi
 

I'm in Batumi, and made a note some time ago about this route (only start and finish), it was in Bike mag or similar as one of THE great rides!

Is it what Google Maps gives me if I ask for walking directions, i.e. 73 miles looping to the east?

Hi again :-)

Two years ago we gave up after about 20 kms ride from Lentekhi to Mestia. It was getting dark so we went back to Lentekhi, slept there in a homestay, and next day went back to Kutaisi and turned west then north and went to Mestia by a nice road.

Someone on a lighter bike might find riding from Lentekhi to Mestia fun, but we went the easier way. Those 100 or so kms on a muddy road did not seem fun for us, and as there is a better road to get to Mestia we decided to go the easier and a bit longer way.

By the way, there is Stalin's museum in Gori, (his birthplace). I found it interesting.

And we loved Tbilisi, but I think that there was a big flood recently, so I don't know how it looks now.

Tbilisi is fine.. The Zoo is a wreck and the round about near it has a few roads closed and cleanups going on, but the rest of the city is unaffected

Hi

I did the route yesterday ( I think it was this route )

About 50km dirtroad with kind of wild sections bod doable with good tires.

I did it with a Transalp. but dont drive there when it is dark!!!!!!!


Tiblisi is fine, you dont see anything from the flooding.

I am in Russia already

I did it yesterday. The pass was most spectacular, a lot of the rest towards Lentekhi (south) was quite similar to UK green lanes.

It was dry - if wet you'd definitely need better than the K60 I had up front.

In reply to my OP, it does appear to be the one Google comes up with if you ask for walking directions.