dismounted

With Sonya, their daughter, we went to the garden nearby, where plums, apples and pears grow.

As soon as it started getting dark, Sonya went home. I decided to stay in the garden and think about how to make this little dog finally leave us alone. I did it simply – threw the dog a bit of bread I'd taken from home specifically for this purpose, and while the dog was busy eating the thrown food, I slipped out of its field of view unnoticed. But the dog turned out not to be so simple. But that's another story… )))

I DISMOUNTED = Day 13 =

The day started actively, Andrey and I rode to work together again. And once again a lawnmower ended up in my hands. Half an hour later Andrey left me, heading off to another site, and I was left alone. It was preferable to finish the work before the heat set in, at least by lunchtime. I didn't manage to do it – I didn't make it in time. I had to work by the sweat of my brow, literally. It was so sweltering that it felt like any moment I'd lose consciousness.

At the end of the workday another surprise awaited me, one I should already be used to – the rear tire was flat. Unexpected, unclear, strange. How did that happen? I'd deliberately ridden very carefully this morning, picked a clean road and never hit anything. In the end I had to walk home. And when I got home, I discovered that the front tire had gone flat too. Maybe plant thorns? They say there are a lot of acacias here. According to Andrey, his wife's bike is sitting in the yard right now with flat tires for that very reason. And how do people manage to ride bikes around here? Unclear. And yet even grandmothers in long skirts tear around on Ural bikes like youngsters. These constant surprises with the bike led me to the decision to continue on without it. Tomorrow I'm heading to Adygea, towards Maykop. And the first place I'll visit will be the Rufabgo waterfalls. And the main place of the upcoming mini-trip – Mount Fisht. I reckon this will be the wildest time I've spent during my entire journey. Because most of the time I'll be spending in the mountains…

THE ROAD IS MY HOME = Day 14 =

By morning I was already in the settlement of Kamennomostsky, whose second name, more popular among tourists, is Khadzhokh. Near the bus station there was a market; I decided to go in to buy some supplies for creating a souvenir talisman, in case I suddenly felt like making one.