Thoughts on a potential MTB/gravel tour in Georgia

[Mamil]

5 hours ago, Scott roy said:

The duller photos were taken in winter

Yoh that looks stunning - you see that and all the geopolitical carnage of the world fades into the background

[Scott roy]

15 minutes ago, michaelbiker said:

We paid approximately $1100 each for full board, accommodation and transport but excluding tips, alcohol and flights for both trips. I am not sure how expensive Georgia is but both Laos and Thailand have cheap accommodation, food and labour costs.
 

I don’t think what you are suggesting is too bad but I’d leave out the flights and include meals. Have the guests find their own flights. That way the prices don’t fluctuate too badly and you don’t have to eat the changes. 

Thanks, Georgia is roughly in line with SA pricing in terms of living costs (except accommodation which is crazy) 

The issue I have with that is as you mentioned above, you then have trouble with people who battle with dietary requirements and preferences. The flights I am on the fence about but I can get them cheaper and then I also have everyone arriving on the same flight rather than each doing his own thing which would make logistics more tricky

[Scott roy]

18 minutes ago, Mamil said:

Yoh that looks stunning - you see that and all the geopolitical carnage of the world fades into the background

You should come see it in person

[Rob Mortimer]

I've been to Georgia twice, both trips around 10 days. I love the place, the food, the people ( don't think much of the wine though, to be honest) and would love to go back again

[Scott roy]

So it’s been a while which has given me some time to plan and think about things. I’m planning to do a trial run in June, it will be more rudimentary with the main aim to learn for future additions. 

 

The current proposed rout has some refinements to be made but below is roughly what it should come out to. 

 

I’ve planned it as such:

Group lands in Tbilisi the day before the start of the tour (or more if whomever wishes to get there sooner). They spend the night in a hotel, get collected in the morning and get taken to a storage unit I have where bikes can be assembled and travel cases left safely, from there we ride. 

Day 1 will be around 84km with 2110m of elevation gain and 1 night in a hotel in a small historic little town. 

Day 2 is 95km with 2350m of elevation gain and finishes off in a stunning mountainous town (Stepantsminda), where two nights will be spent. 

Day 3 is a shorter day mainly going around to various sight seeing areas, 42km with 1420m of elevation gain ending with night 2/2 in the town. 

Day 4 rest/transfer day. This day will be a transfer to another mountainous town (Bakurani), about 5 hours drive. It will include a few stops for sightseeing, two nights will be spent here. 

Day 5 consists of 84km and 1870m of elevation gain and the second night in Bakurani. 

Day 6 is shorter but rather tough on small almost nonexistent roads, 66km and 1150m with a night in a small town near an old fort. 

Day 7, the last day is around 76km with 1520m of elevation gain, ending on a steep climb to an ancient monastery. From there a transfer will take us back to the hotel in Tbilisi (about an hours drive through the city). From there it’s 1 night there and then back to the airport unless a decision is made to stay longer and explore. 

 

So 6 days of riding amounting to roughly a total of 446km and 8500m climbing, 1 rest day in the middle

 

Additionally I’m considering making it 9 days of riding if there’s a want for that. 

 

This is a tough rout I realise, so curious to hear some opinions on it. Shortening the days would be tricky unless people are willing to hop into a vehicle to the nights accommodations however that seems to defeat the idea for me. 

[Super Sywurm]

9 hours ago, Scott roy said:

 

So it’s been a while which has given me some time to plan and think about things. I’m planning to do a trial run in June, it will be more rudimentary with the main aim to learn for future additions. 

 

The current proposed rout has some refinements to be made but below is roughly what it should come out to. 

 

I’ve planned it as such:

Group lands in Tbilisi the day before the start of the tour (or more if whomever wishes to get there sooner). They spend the night in a hotel, get collected in the morning and get taken to a storage unit I have where bikes can be assembled and travel cases left safely, from there we ride. 

Day 1 will be around 84km with 2110m of elevation gain and 1 night in a hotel in a small historic little town. 

Day 2 is 95km with 2350m of elevation gain and finishes off in a stunning mountainous town (Stepantsminda), where two nights will be spent. 

Day 3 is a shorter day mainly going around to various sight seeing areas, 42km with 1420m of elevation gain ending with night 2/2 in the town. 

Day 4 rest/transfer day. This day will be a transfer to another mountainous town (Bakurani), about 5 hours drive. It will include a few stops for sightseeing, two nights will be spent here. 

Day 5 consists of 84km and 1870m of elevation gain and the second night in Bakurani. 

Day 6 is shorter but rather tough on small almost nonexistent roads, 66km and 1150m with a night in a small town near an old fort. 

Day 7, the last day is around 76km with 1520m of elevation gain, ending on a steep climb to an ancient monastery. From there a transfer will take us back to the hotel in Tbilisi (about an hours drive through the city). From there it’s 1 night there and then back to the airport unless a decision is made to stay longer and explore. 

 

So 6 days of riding amounting to roughly a total of 446km and 8500m climbing, 1 rest day in the middle

 

Additionally I’m considering making it 9 days of riding if there’s a want for that. 

 

This is a tough rout I realise, so curious to hear some opinions on it. Shortening the days would be tricky unless people are willing to hop into a vehicle to the nights accommodations however that seems to defeat the idea for me. 

Good luck with this, please don't cancel this a day before the start.

[Scott roy]

9 minutes ago, Super Sywurm said:

Good luck with this, please don't cancel this a day before the start.

Haha I was literally thinking this is a time where everyone is going to be very sceptical of a tour

[betaboy]

Epic location, sounds like that spot needs just an amazing one day event! 😍

[Scott roy]

2 minutes ago, betaboy said:

Epic location, sounds like that spot needs just an amazing one day event! 😍

Agreed, I’ve even dreamed of having an xco World Cup here, but that’s wishful thinking. 

[betaboy]

A gravel multi day of 3 days would be next level. You should get in touch with the Gravel Series crowd, they could assist in putting an event together. They open to ideas, I mean they took the plunge to do one In Morocco. Check it out, maybe that’s the direction you should go! Dream Big! 🙏🏻 nothing is impossible brother.

[Scott roy]

12 minutes ago, betaboy said:

A gravel multi day of 3 days would be next level. You should get in touch with the Gravel Series crowd, they could assist in putting an event together. They open to ideas, I mean they took the plunge to do one In Morocco. Check it out, maybe that’s the direction you should go! Dream Big! 🙏🏻 nothing is impossible brother.

Thanks, that’s a good idea. My only issue is that there’s very few cyclists here so it would all have to be foreigners, but I guess that would be the same for Morocco too. I have a couple 120km routes with 3k plus elevation which could work, however the riding here is definitely more suited to mtb than gravel. 

[Scott roy]

17 minutes ago, betaboy said:

A gravel multi day of 3 days would be next level. You should get in touch with the Gravel Series crowd, they could assist in putting an event together. They open to ideas, I mean they took the plunge to do one In Morocco. Check it out, maybe that’s the direction you should go! Dream Big! 🙏🏻 nothing is impossible brother.

Are you referring to the gravel earth series?

[betaboy]

Yip….😍

[betaboy]

With all that terrain, you have a blank canvas to get a gravel thing going. Try see we’re the locals are pedalling. Massive opportunity to do a grounds up project, start small, look at Sea Otto this weekend, the original guys sold it onto the current organisation. It’s now a big player in Northern USA and its expo alone draws around 800 vendors from all over the globe! 

[Scott roy]

Testing out the routes around the one town, the monastery was built in the 11th century. It’s intact with the original murals and is truly stunning. In the video up on the left there are remains of a fort also from around the 11th century. The very green photos were taken at the fort in summer.