The second day of climbing... but before I could enjoy what I earned yesterday. I descended from the pass towards Dilijan. But I knew that Sevan, today's destination was also on 2000m, so everything I ride down now I will have to climb up later.
I had lunch in Dilijan, an extended one, since I skipped yesterdays dinner. Then I started climbing again. This time it was not following a river, but it was a serpentine road that cut into the steep hillside. I prefer serpentines since they usually go up steady instead of going up a bit and then down again but just a little less than you just went up. Once the main road to Sevan I was following went into a tunnel, I too a smaller road leading further up to the pass and over the mountain instead of through it. This stretch was the most beautiful of the day. From the pass there was an amazing view over Sevan National park and its huge lake. Arriving in Sevan though was disappointing. There were Hotel complexes and on every inch of that beautiful patch of earth there was a building or there was a fence around or it was full of trash. This go me in a pretty shitty mood on this beautiful day and the thread of thoughts went like: 'no I don't hate humans, I just seem to feel better when they are not around.' (borrowed Bukowski) And probably the rest of the earth must feel the same sometimes. But as thoughts are, they wonder and so they went on... I realized also that one of the disadvantages of cycling (probably the first one I found and that has some weight) is that the roads do not lead you to the few remaining quiet places on this earth. A cyclist is, so I interpret the behaviour of many drivers, is not even a respectable part of the traffic. The paved roads belong to motorized vehicles and whatever lands they tap, those lads become noisy and full of lazy greedy people. Such were the dark thoughts...
Then I found myself a spot between the empty cabins and the trash close to the lake to spend the night. The lake lay there calm in the sun, surrounded by the mountains with their white hats, its surface was calm and looked like a mirror. I cleaned a spot from the trash and pitched my tent, eager to hide myself in it and wait for the sleep turning dark thoughts into random dreams.
I had lunch in Dilijan, an extended one, since I skipped yesterdays dinner. Then I started climbing again. This time it was not following a river, but it was a serpentine road that cut into the steep hillside. I prefer serpentines since they usually go up steady instead of going up a bit and then down again but just a little less than you just went up. Once the main road to Sevan I was following went into a tunnel, I too a smaller road leading further up to the pass and over the mountain instead of through it. This stretch was the most beautiful of the day. From the pass there was an amazing view over Sevan National park and its huge lake. Arriving in Sevan though was disappointing. There were Hotel complexes and on every inch of that beautiful patch of earth there was a building or there was a fence around or it was full of trash. This go me in a pretty shitty mood on this beautiful day and the thread of thoughts went like: 'no I don't hate humans, I just seem to feel better when they are not around.' (borrowed Bukowski) And probably the rest of the earth must feel the same sometimes. But as thoughts are, they wonder and so they went on... I realized also that one of the disadvantages of cycling (probably the first one I found and that has some weight) is that the roads do not lead you to the few remaining quiet places on this earth. A cyclist is, so I interpret the behaviour of many drivers, is not even a respectable part of the traffic. The paved roads belong to motorized vehicles and whatever lands they tap, those lads become noisy and full of lazy greedy people. Such were the dark thoughts...
Then I found myself a spot between the empty cabins and the trash close to the lake to spend the night. The lake lay there calm in the sun, surrounded by the mountains with their white hats, its surface was calm and looked like a mirror. I cleaned a spot from the trash and pitched my tent, eager to hide myself in it and wait for the sleep turning dark thoughts into random dreams.
