Few cities have been rebuilt as completely as Grozny. The capital of Chechnya was flattened in the wars of the 1990s, and what you ride into now, with a population of well over two hundred thousand, is a city of wide boulevards, glass towers and carefully restored squares, built almost from scratch in the years since. Staraya Sunzha lies just to the northwest, and the Sunzha river, the city's namesake stream, runs through the middle.
It is a city stop, and a good one for supplies. Fuel is on every main road, food comes in generous portions, and the traffic is brisk but orderly. Come in from the north across the flat Terek plain and you notice how quickly the horizon changes: low fields, then the long blue line of the Caucasus to the south, which is where you are heading on the ride toward Kezenoy-Am. The city streets are wide and well surfaced, and the best time to move through is early, before the daytime traffic gets going.
Grozny began in 1818 as a Russian fortress, built under General Yermolov during the long Caucasian war, and the name means terrible or formidable. The city grew into an oil centre in the late nineteenth century, and the petroleum industry shaped it for generations. The most visible landmark now is the Akhmad Kadyrov mosque, a big white building with tall minarets that was among the largest in Europe when it opened, and it is lit at night, which gives the city a very distinct skyline. Next to it, the tall towers of the Grozny City complex rise above the river.
Chechen hospitality is a real thing, and you will notice it in a cafe: tea, flatbread, dumplings called zhizhig-galnash and plenty of conversation. Dress modestly in religious areas, be polite and respect local customs, and you will find people helpful. Check travel advisories for the region before you set out, because conditions and rules can change.
The ride south toward the mountains climbs along river valleys into steep forested country, and the contrast with the plain is striking. Fill the tank here, carry water and warm layers, and expect cooler, wetter conditions as you gain height.