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After our day in the hotel outside Sochi it was time to make tracks for the mountains. The Black Sea coast is expensive and we don’t have the funds to waste. After packing up we took all our gear out to the bikes. The lady at the hotel reception thought we are trying to do a runner without paying so came out to get us back there quickly. It was only when we asked for a receipt that she understood that we had paid when we checked in I guess this was not the usual though we must have looked like dodgy tourists :-P…….

Camping with a view over the Caucaus Mountains - Russia

The road from Sochi to Tuapse was a traffic nightmare despite leaving relatively early in the morning. The traffic was made worse now that it was August which is the peak season for Russians taking time off at one of the many black sea resorts. The road itself was relatively good quality considering what we had been told to expect although it didn’t stop the Russian drivers from really showing off how great they are at driving. We saw 5 accidents of which several were head on collisions. At one point a truck had lost all its engine oil all over the road.. These things never happen in nice safe places.. On a hair pin bend going down a steep hill.. could never have guessed.. As James came around the corner he lost control on the oil, managed to just hold the bike up while sliding down and almost nailing it into the car in front… such a close call, not so lucky for a car which lost control and had a head on with a car on the other side, no one appeared to be hurt which was good. I got a massive bruise on my leg above my boot from trying to hold the bike up and getting hit with the break lever as the bike slid all over the shop… a true heart starting moment. The road itself winds through mountains with dense forest with huge views over the black sea.

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