Great news for all of you* on two wheels in (or soon-to-be-in) Armenia!
Here is an email I have received from one of our rider fellows a couple of minutes ago (in Armenian):
bike-festi start@ sksvum e Akhtalaic septemberi 15-in , cankali e bolor@ havakvats linen min4ev jam@ 15:00 (cerek@ ekexecu taratskum kazmakerpvelu e xorovatsi paraton taraznerov derasannerov ev ayln,isk jam@ 6-in stadionum sksvelu e rock paraton). Septemberi 16-in gnalu en Sevan, entex el pokrik mijocarum e linelu,ev 17-in gnalu en Jermuk` mianalu mec rock-festin. Bike festi shrjanaknerum kazmakerpvelu en khaxarkutyunner,mrcuytner,xaxer(Jermukum). Septemberi 21-in bolorov galis enk Yerevan nshelu ankakhutyan ton@. Menk mer vra enk vercnum Hayastanum mnalu voxj @ntackum vareliki tsaxser@. Artasahmanic bikerner@ petk e mtnen Bagratasheni koxmic, ancaketum klini mer koxmic nerkayacuci4,vor@ jamanac bikerin kpoxanci kartez,vareliki ktronner ev ayln. Amboxj @ntackum bikerner@ klinen GAI-i hskoxutyan tak t4anaparhnerin xndirneric azatelu npatakov.
Translation to English:
Bike-fest will kick off from Akhtala on September 15th. It’s desirable that everyone is there before 3:00PM (there’s gonna be a BBQ party in the church during the afternoon with national dresses, actors and shit. Then there’s gonna be a rock festival at 6PM in the stadium). On September 16th there’s gonna be another small event in Sevan, and on September 17th they [the bikers] are going to ride to Jermuk to join the rock fest. During the motorcycle fest lotteries, games and competitions are going to be organized in Jermuk. On September 21 we’re all gonna ride back to Yerevan to celebrate the Independence Day.
We [I assume the organizers?] will cover all expenses of motorcyclists’ fuel during the entire stay in Armenia. Foreign bikers/motorcyclists should enter Armenia from Bagratashen [a border town near Georgia]. We are going to have a representative at the border who will give the bikers a map, fuel purchase checks and other stuff. At all times the traffic police will be escorting the motorcyclists to avoid any issues on the road.
PanARMENIAN.Net - Travel without Borders project initiated by National Geographic Traveler Armenia through the assistance of RA government kicked off on August 24 with sailing of an international regatta.
The project consisting of 5 stages will finish nearby Tatev monastery on October 16, the day of opening of the longest ropeway in the world.
After Nairi and Ani boats complete their voyage, an equestrian tour will launch towards the Selim pass.
Between September 10 and 20, Armenia will host a bike fest, which is expected to bring together 150 bikers from different countries. The bikers will ride Bagratashen-Akhtala-Dilijan-Sevan-Selim pass-Jermuk route.
Besides, Music without Borders festival will take place in Jermuk.
The final stage will feature an international rally to follow Russia-Kazakhstan-Iran-Turkey-Georgia-Armenia route.
Conclusion: if you’re a motorcyclist and you want to visit Armenia (which happens to be a paradise for motorcycling), now is the perfect time!! Whether you’re riding a sportbike, a grand tourer, a cruiser, a streetfighter, a chopper or an enduro (especially an enduro!), hit the road and head over here! Even if you are a sociopath who does not care about the fantastic people he’s going to meet in Armenia, there’s still guaranteed free rides, free fuel and free police escort, where or when else would you ever have all of that together? I’d also add free drinks and free girls (maybe even guys and camels), but that wouldn’t be guaranteed. Take your shot!
This winter was ridiculously warm and thanks to the forecasts, I am taking my motorcycle out of storage this weekend! That means, I personally am going to start my Season 2010 in less than a week! Yes, my sidebar counter turned out to be too pessimistic for 2010.
I have fabulous plans for the 2010 riding season, enough to say that among the plans is a journey of unprecedented mileage for any motorcyclist from Armenia!
On the subject of positivity, hat tip to Kornelij for the dinner ad!
Season 2009 was truly an amazing motorcycling experience. Yerevan started really getting on two wheels. A lot of riding events took place. New dealerships, motorcycling clubs and pubs opened!
As 2009 goes into history, it leaves only wonderful positive motorcycling memories. This was my most intense riding season, I put about 9000 kilometers on my odometer and I’m planning to do nothing less in 2010! During the rides there were of course wonderful friends and ridemates to share the joy and the most wonderful places and roads to discover and explore! And of course I blogged a lot!
On this I want to wish us all a very happy, a very exciting and a very passionate 2010. Let’s ride through it on two wheels and be safe, healthy and excited in doing so! Vroom!
Some of my memories from 2009 are in these pictures, and they are clickable too! Muah!
My shiny CBF500 right from the dealership!
The Abovyan Petrol Station is where most north-directed rides kick off
First Ride Ever, Tsakhkadzor - Bjni Section
Just arrived at Odzun
Reckless Riding in Stepanakert
Ed & Su Wedding Takeoff
Ed & Su Wedding Run
An abandoned petrol station break at Metsamor
Preparing to take off for Ijevan
Sardarapat
Armenia-Turkey Border, a Watchpost
A Turkish Mosque on the other side of Arpacay Reservoir
Parachute Jump at the Arzni Military Airport
Our Parachute jump Helicopter in the Arzni Military Airport
Somewhere between Goris and the Karabakh border
White Shirt Riders!
Norayr & Vahe discussing CBF500 in Urtsadzor
Gyumri Downtown
Gyumri Main Square
Arzni Racing
Two more motorcycles arrive at the racing event in Arzni
Lamb barbeque in Haghartsin
Vardaghbyur-Stepanavan Offroad Section
Fellows posing on a truck in Berd
Top of Selim, the highest motoring road in Armenia
So you take your motorcycle on a ride every day, and on the weekends you trip the countryside. You quickly accelerate on the intersections and smile at the girls who look at you from the cars. You enjoy the sun glaring on your chrome while you’re chilling at a cafe and you bet with every 5-series BMW in the town that you will beat them to the next intersection. You do it for a year. Two years. Three years. But with every kilometer rolling on the odometer, the motorcycle whispers to those who listen: motorcycling is not about speed or looks… well, not primarily.
Being a fresh rider, I used to hate rides with no destinations. I remember the old riders looking at me with indulgence when I rushed to get there, and how I thought they were old cripples to not push their motorcycles to the limits. But when you hold on to the grips for too long, the motorcycle does whisper to you.
It is not about where you go. Not at all about where you go. It is not about how fast you get there.
It is about the road you take to get there. It is about how you ride that road. Not about how fast. Just about how. And then this realization strikes you and you stop for a moment. You breathe, you look around. You realize you don’t want more destinations. You want more roads. And what you once hated very sincerely becomes the most beautiful vehicle to your eyes that could ever be designed.
I used to hate offroad motorcycles. I knew, I was certain that an offroad motorcycle was going to be the last one I ever own. Turned out so, but absolutely not in the negative way I meant it to be!
So after my current CBF500 I know exactly what am I going to own next. I cannot wait. And who could? I am finally going to ride a vehicle that is really essentially designed to be a ground vehicle, from its core. I am going to experience freedom of movement unimaginable with any other vehicle. It is going to be fast. Not too fast. It is going to be sexy. Not too sexy to the ones non-transcended. It is going to be a Honda.
Remember, kids. If you think Enduros are not cool, you are wrong. If you think motorcycling is about speed, it might be — but only for the select few like Valentino Rossi and on very specially designed tracks and events. If you think motorcycling is about style, and you’re ready to spend that much on style, way to go — give me a call to have some beer together! And especially, if you are just starting to get into riding and you’re wondering about what you want to stick to, give the offroad a second thought after you initially disregard it. Keep in mind, it is very probably that offroad is where you will get anyway, with time. Just in case, watch the Long Way Round starring Obi Wan Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman.
The Enduros opened my eyes in a way no other motorcycle ever could. They opened whole millions of roads to ride in my small beloved country. They turned Armenia into a paradise for motorcycling.
Motorcycling stopped being about the speed, so I stopped noticing the next-year ultra-cool Sportbike JAP-09900XXX year 2050 riding along Baghramyan. It stopped being about the style, so I stopped noticing the 10o-years-old style shiny and loud Darley Havidson sinking in its own chrome.
The First leg of the trip follows Armenia’s western border very closely, rides along the Arpacay Reservoir (a wonderful scenery, I’ve heard) and comes all the way to Gyumri.
The Second leg is not your regular Dilijan – Yerevan trip, it goes from Gyumri to Vardaghbyur and to Tashir (!!!), then rides down to Fioletovo through Stepanavan and Vanadzor, then through secondary roads to Hrazdan, Bjni, Yeghvard and finally Yerevan!
Yes, unless you’re a hardcore Armenia traveller, this might be the best journey across Armenia you ever had, so BE SURE TO NOT MISS IT!!
Are you riding a motorcycle? A car? A truck? A bus? A minivan? A ropeway?? Whatever your shot, we take it~!
And I am going to kick it with a new helmet — I desperately need to change my current Lazer helmet.
Lazer Tempo
Most importantly, it is already around 5 years old (and helms do need to be replaced every 3 years as they lose their protective capabilities); it’s a cruiser helmet (I want something more streetfigher-fitting with my CBF500) and it’s a Lazer (I want a better brand).
I contacted my dear local dealer and here are the options they offered:
$290
$290
$320
$320
My heart currently goes with the first option, as it looks very stylish to me (besides having a great pilot look!).. However I am not sure how would it actually look on my wonderful head, so at times the more conservative options number 3 and 4 look ‘safer’ to order.
Dedicated to lovely Garbage, the First Annual Garbage Ride (FAGR) is an amazing riding experience through central and northern Armenia that takes place during the first weekend after September 5.
The trip is not limited to motorbikes only and everyone is free to join with cars, trucks, bicycles, rollerblades or even helicopters! Oh yeah, bringing your own sweet things to the trip is encouraged!
I will post more as the day approaches. Note that the route is subject to change at this point, so this is just a general idea.
In the meantime, mail me if you think you’d want to ride/drive/fly/swim/teleport through the journey!!
After a whole night’s preparation and a lot of excitement, the morning was grave: 1° C, frost-covered trees, freezing wind and, well, the promised precipitation.. snow!
The trip is postponed till the next weekend: although there is the damn 60% precipitation chance on both upcoming Saturday and Sunday, the expected temperature is much higher, which allows one to expect a safer type of stuff that falls from the sky (for those of us on two wheels): rain.
On the other hand, it might even be that I change my trip to a fully-blown ride with an overnight stay. Let’s see how the things roll.
One Hell of a Ride is a blog about Motorcycling and motorcycle travelling, spiced up with travel reports from Armenia as well as motorcycling tips and philosophy, media and news.
One Hell of a Ride is aimed at just about anyone, riders and non-riders alike. It is also proud to be the first (and so far the only) Armenian blog about motorcycles and motorcycling, providing insight into travelling in Armenia.
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PanARMENIAN.Net - Travel without Borders project initiated by National Geographic Traveler Armenia through the assistance of RA government kicked off on August 24 with sailing of an international regatta.
