MosJan Posted August 7, 2009 Report Share Posted August 7, 2009 www.caucasianchallenge.com When the world feels small, it’s probably because you’re not paying attention. Remember world history in school? We bet they missed some stuff. Important places you only notice when something incredible happens. Then before you have a chance to investigate your attention gets turned to the latest sports match, tech gadget or whatever. Sure Kilimanjaro's been discovered and turned into a tourist trap. But look closer. We present: The Caucasian Challenge. What is this all about? This is an expedition style adventure that takes you through mostly unknown yet tumultuous regions you may have only heard about on the world news. You will journey through Hungary, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo, Albania, Macedonia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Georgia and Armenia. The finish line is in Yerevan, the magnificent capital of Armenia. http://www.caucasianchallenge.com/misc/images/Webpics/14.jpg More exciting than going to a museum, the route takes you straight into the heart of the former (and recent!) war or conflict zones of Bosnia, Kosovo, Georgia, South-Ossetia and Karabah. But make no mistake: this is not tourism this is a discovery, a revelation. When we enter these places you won’t be touring monuments in a motorcade, you’ll be talking with locals and contributing to grassroots education and health charities. What is the concept? The Caucasian Challenge is a minimal assistance motor rally. Forget those ideas about specialized racing vehicles. http://www.caucasianchallenge.com/misc/images/Webpics/07.jpgOur idea of a tricked out and dependable race vehicle is an old Soviet Lada with fuzzy dice. And a spare tire. Anything you want to race in from cars to trucks or mopeds is okay with us. Most vehicles will get into a pickle at some point and if you're surrounded by guys riding carts to the market your computerized ride might not be easily serviceable. We like simple cheap cars that are easy and sorta fast to fix so you get all the adventure of making friends in strange places without ending your race. http://www.caucasianchallenge.com/misc/images/Webpics/19.jpg Minimal assistance means that there are no support vehicles or a cadre of professionals waiting for you at checkpoints. We scout the route in advance, prepare a detailed list of emergency and "comfort" resources but once you're on the road you must entirely depend on your own skills, endurance, luck and ingenuity to get you to the finish line in one piece. There's only a small medical team traveling with us but don't expect plastic surgery. Remember: this is not a Sunday joy ride to the neighboring hill station! It's going to be long, tough, heavy and sweaty - but it's worth all the efforts. Base hotels (or rather camps) are established for each night. However there might not be hotels en route big enough to handle everyone. They're more like party and informational centers. Like everything else in the Caucasian Challenge there are a zillion ways to reach each goal along the way and only you and your team decide what's the best or most fun way to do it. Besides if everyone did the same thing what would you talk about at all the nightly parties? Why are we doing this? http://www.caucasianchallenge.com/misc/images/Webpics/21.jpgWe go outside the usual vacation spots and leave the safety of our normal lives behind to do what all great explorers have done: discover. It doesn’t particularly matter what we’re discovering, whether it’s a new culture, cuisine, personal revelation or just what the toilets look like in a new country. But discovering new things, meeting new people and being alive in completely unexpected ways is the thing that drives us to make it through long work weeks (or months) with a sparkle in our eye. We know how liberating and intense a journey like this can be. Perhaps, like us you’ve already Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MosJan Posted August 7, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 7, 2009 START date: August 28. 2009. Location: Budapest, Hungary. http://www.caucasianchallenge.com/misc/images/Webpics/04.jpgBegin heading south and make the first border crossing into Croatia, then Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo, Albania, Macedonia and Bulgaria before leaving the Balkans. Cross the Bosporus channel into Istanbul and navigate the full length of Turkey. We travel through Georgia including lush green Adjaria, drive among 5000-meter high peaks of the Greater Caucasus, see breathtaking canyons in the Lesser Caucasus. The route then leads down into Armenia and all around the politically uncertain area of Karabah before crossing the finish line in Yerevan. FINISH date: September 13. 2009. Location: Yerevan, Armenia. What to (generally) expect With the exception of the Balkan or Caucasian wars you might never have heard of these countries or the rich histories and cultures still available for anyone with enough courage to check it out. We're totally amped to go adventuring with advanced geo-caching challenges in areas that lack any reliable modern maps. http://www.caucasianchallenge.com/misc/images/tank3.jpg Wonderful local people, atrocious borders, ancient architecture, bad roads and dirt tracks, endless scenic vistas, mine fields, burn-out tanks, pointless country-specific administration obstacles, high-altitude terrain, a subtropical zone, lovely beaches, intense heat and cold. As with foreign travel of all types, a smile and a sense of humor is your greatest resource. And of course, a party held regularly for you to meet locals, talk about the day with fellow racers and enjoy life. 7,000 kilometers (4,350 miles) in length, the Caucasian Challenge takes you through every possible road variation. http://www.caucasianchallenge.com/misc/images/Webpics/Utepit.jpgModern highways, dirt and gravel roads, mud tracks, snow covered mountain passes, vast bone-dry desert roads and even floods and landslides are all possible. There is a recommended route traced along the provided maps, designed to take you to the most spectacular parts of each country. In several cases larger roads are available nearby but not recommended, since who just wants to hang out on boring highways? The rough route plan of the Caucasian Challenge. Start getting familiar with the country names! We created a more correct route plan in Google Maps. Though the Caucasian states are not much more than white spots on the map, at least you can see the satellite view of the regions we travel through. View Larger Map Partners Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MosJan Posted August 7, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 7, 2009 kazmakerpichner@ ardyoq gaghapar unen vor adrbejan HAyastan sahman@ pak e? kam Artsax adrbejan sahman antsnel chi lini ?? 2 angam mtnum en HAyastan durs galsi azeri heto Artsax en mtnum durs galis azeri heto notits het HAyastan ?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MosJan Posted August 7, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 7, 2009 Armenia Now You Can’t Get There From Here: 11 country car rally to end in Armenia capital Collect a group of adventure travelers. Put them in vehicles that are built for neither comfort nor speed (i.e., Lada). Turn them loose in Budapest, Hungary and aim them toward Yerevan, Armenia. What do you get? Perhaps disaster. Certainly some good yarns. This is the formula behind the “Caucasian Challenge” overland car rally which will start in the Hungarian capital on August 28 and is scheduled to end in the Armenian capital on September 13. A so-called “minimal assistance event” (which is to say, travelers must provide their own means for the inevitable repairs along the way), the Challenge will go through 11 “mostly unknown yet tumultuous regions”, according to its website www.caucasianchallenge.com. “When we enter these places you won’t be touring monuments in a motorcade, you’ll be talking with locals and contributing to grassroots education and health charities,” organizers say. Participants will pay up to 2,200 Euros to enter and some will have sponsors donating to charities along the way. Included in the charity recipients is a home for orphans in Stepanakert, Nagorno Karabakh. The website lists 30 teams entered from 11 countries, including Pakistan and Afghanistan. To see full route click here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nané Posted August 7, 2009 Report Share Posted August 7, 2009 kazmakerpichner@ ardyoq gaghapar unen vor adrbejan HAyastan sahman@ pak e? kam Artsax adrbejan sahman antsnel chi lini ?? 2 angam mtnum en HAyastan durs galsi azeri heto Artsax en mtnum durs galis azeri heto notits het HAyastan ?? i'm sure they will find a way it sounds like so much fuuuuuuuuun. i wanna go Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AK-47 Posted August 8, 2009 Report Share Posted August 8, 2009 kazmakerpichner@ ardyoq gaghapar unen vor adrbejan HAyastan sahman@ pak e? kam Artsax adrbejan sahman antsnel chi lini ?? 2 angam mtnum en HAyastan durs galsi azeri heto Artsax en mtnum durs galis azeri heto notits het HAyastan ?? Check this map closely MosJan. You will notice that they enter Armenia from Georgia and then drive down to the edge of Geghargunik marz and from there they enter Artsakh through the province of Nor Shahumyan (Karvachar, Kelbajar). They never step into Azerbaboon territory Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ED Posted August 8, 2009 Report Share Posted August 8, 2009 I'm almost sure they will stop at Kectut Jrammbar, wile one can not resist to drink Jermuk I will say it again, Jermuk is the water of "eternety" I wish I was there as well Anet jan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Em Posted August 10, 2009 Report Share Posted August 10, 2009 Me too. I am game. Where does one sign up? Maybe I can suspend time and my life and go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MosJan Posted August 10, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 10, 2009 yerani te karroghanayi g@nal yerku or e mtatsum / xorh@rdaktsum enq voch mi bani ch@hasanq.. PS. EM et nor n@kart shat siretsy, dra mets@ unes ?? yete djvar chi post ara xndrem Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Em Posted August 11, 2009 Report Share Posted August 11, 2009 Gna Movses. Ameninch vaghvan enq toghnum, bayc morranum enq qani "vagh@" ekan u ancan. I found it in flickr. Ararat over Yerevan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MosJan Posted August 29, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 29, 2009 tesnes sksvets arden?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MosJan Posted September 9, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 9, 2009 vochmitegh norutyun ch@ka Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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