Semnan province lies on the old Silk Road, along the southern foot of the Alborz range, with the Dasht-e Kavir desert stretching away to the south, and Āhovān sits in this dry, open land, about thirty-seven kilometres from the city of Semnan. The land here is a mix of gravel plain, low hills and farmland that exists only by virtue of qanats, the underground channels that carry water from the mountains for kilometres. The qanats, a system of ancient engineering, have kept villages alive in the desert for a couple of thousand years.
The towns on this road have a great deal of history. Damghan, to the east, has the Tarikhaneh mosque, one of the oldest surviving mosques in Iran, built in the eighth century, and excavations at nearby Tepe Hissar uncovered a Bronze Age settlement. Semnan has a fine old mosque and bazaar, and further east lies Shahroud, the gateway to the northern forests. The road itself, now a modern highway, has seen caravans, armies and pilgrims for ages.
Riding here is easy but exposed. The highway is wide, with long straight sections and heavy lorry traffic, and the wind can be strong and gritty. Side roads are quieter and more interesting, leading to villages with mud-brick walls and orchards of pomegranate, fig and almond. Heat in summer is high, so start early, drink water often and rest at midday. Winter nights can be cold, with frost, and spring is the loveliest season, when the plain is briefly green.
Semnan has about a hundred and twenty-five thousand people, with fuel, hotels and restaurants, and Mahdishahr, with about twenty-one thousand, is a smaller choice. Fill the tank before leaving the main road. The ride from here goes north to Bagh-e Abbasabad, so the day crosses the Alborz mountains from desert to forest, a dramatic change in a few hours. Check Iran's travel advice before setting out.