Photo: Susan, Igor, Lena & Lonya before departure
Sep 15, 1985 Most of the morning was spent, on preparation for the trip. The trip members met with Lonya to discuss rations. I went down to the hotels food supply rooms with Lonya to get the food. Although the area was not as bad as other Americans had described it, it was damp and populated by many flies. Lonya and I distributed the food among the other participants.
I bought a pair of wool mittens at the outdoor market near the hotel. Every day the Russian women would come to sell their handmade woolen goods in the market.
We left on the Svanetia trip at 2:30 PM and retraced our steps of a few days before when we first attempted the trip. Boris walked with us to the campsite, picking mushrooms along the way. Boris then returned to the hotel, but left us the mushrooms for our evening soup. The night was clear, calm, and very peaceful.
Photo: Lonya siphoning gas for stoves at the trailhead
Photo: Departure at trailhead
Photo: WW II monument on trail to Becho Pass
Photo: Yvonne, Susan, Lonya & Sasha
Photo: Cattle on trail
Photo: Ralph and dead cow from lightening
Photo: Yvonne, Susan & Lonya
Photo: Helga headed up trail
Map of USSR
