Tumanyan

September 24, 2023

With last night's game of rugby between South Africa and Ireland only ending at one o'clock this morning getting enough sleep was always going to be a challenge. It was one helluva match, the best of the World Cup so far according to most pundits. With both teams only scoring one try it could have gone either way but Ireland hung in for a hard fought victory as a result of a better kicking performance. With all the excitement it took an hour or so to come down enough to fall asleep. That didn't stop us from waking up an hour before sunrise so we were a few hours short of a proper night's sleep.

Breakfast at the hotel only started at nine o'clock and was further delayed by someone needing a bit of medical attdntion so it was after ten by the time we got going. Once on the road the lack of sleep soon made itself felt with Leigh feeling particularly bad. After an hour or so, with a hostel just a few kilometers away and lots of climbing ahead of us if we wanted to make our original destination for the day, I bullied her into accepting that it was better tothrow in the towel.

The Bath House Hostel in the village of Tumanyan turnout to be a great place to stop. It used to be the village bath house during the Soviet years and has been converted into a few dormitories with a kitchen in the old boiler room. Given the posters on the walls describing the various hiking trails that start from here it seems to be focused on hikers and is all rather Spartan but that didn't stop Leigh from collapsing on her bed and sleeping the afternoon away.

Today's short ride continued up the Debed River, climbing and dipping as we went along.

There were some slightly chaotic roadworks as well.

It is a very attractive valley. Such a pity about the grey skies because photos don't do it justice.

We caught a glimpse of some rafters just before Tumanyan.

The dormitories remind me of the albergues on the Camino de Santiago.

Hopefully we will get to Vanadzor, the destination intended for today, tomorrow.

Today's ride: 15 km (9 miles)
Total: 1,541 km (957 miles)

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