I did not feel like going home after school today so I decided to take a walk up a hill that I have been eying for sometime.
The hill is about a half-klick east of the Chola school. After the leaves fell, I could see a trail leading up to the top and I thought it might provide a good view of the Caucus mountains to the north and the occupied territory of South Ossetia to the east. Today was the day to test out the theory.
I find a road to take me up and immediately my heart is pounding and I am starting to breathe heavily. Not a good sign. I quickly take off the jacket and keep trekking away. I pass some locals which give me the usual look of what the heck are you doing out here. I recognized one local and we shook hands. I have no idea where I have seen him before. Maybe a supra. He asked where I was going and I told him I had no idea. He laughed and I went on my way.
I should point out that since I am doing this after school, I am wearing a white button down shirt and khakis. Basically, I stick out like a soar thumb. At least I am wearing my boots and not my black loafers.
I keep going up and up and get good views of Chola below me in the valley and the hills all around me. At one point I reach a small cemetery on top of a little clearing that gives me a great 360 degree view. Caucus mountains with a dusting of snow to the north and Chola to the west and south.
On I go. Am I there yet? I look up and start to see features that I remember seeing on the ground that were close to the top. This encourages me to keep going.
By this point I am following the trails the locals have created with their ox for carrying wood down the hills. It gets a bit more muddy and not as easy going.
Unfortunately, after reaching a bend and seeing what looks like the top of the hill, I have to call it quits because of a silly little thing called daylight. It was going and I decided that it was time to head down while I can still see. Off to the east, I see a few mountain peeks that I am hoping are in South Ossetia. At least I was able to accomplish one task.
I think I was actually close to the top. Maybe another hundred feet up. Maybe. I looked across the river valley to the church on the hill in Speti and I was at about the same height as the church. That made me feel a little better.
I am definitely going to try again. Since it will be after I come back in January there should be a lot more snow on the Caucus mountains. Just hopefully not that much on the trail that I will be climbing.
Once I get home and am able to upload pictures again, I will share them with you.