Tbilisi spreads along the Mtkvari river in a bowl of dry hills, and its first impression is of balconies. Old houses lean over narrow streets with carved wooden verandas, sulphur bathhouses sit under domes of brick in the Abanotubani district, and on the ridge above, the ruined Narikala fortress watches the city. The name Tbilisi comes from a Georgian word for warm, and the story says that a hunting king found hot springs here and decided to found a city.
This is where the Georgian Military Highway begins, the old road north to Russia across the central Caucasus. Russia built it in the nineteenth century after taking over Georgia, to move troops and supplies, and it follows an even older caravan route through the Darial gorge. Writers and travellers, from Pushkin to Lermontov to Dumas, have described the journey, and the road still has a romantic reputation. Soon after leaving the city you pass Mtskheta, Georgia's ancient capital, where the sixth-century Jvari monastery stands on a hilltop above the junction of two rivers.
From Tbilisi the road goes north along the Aragvi, past the Zhinvali reservoir and up through Gudauri, a ski resort, to the Jvari Pass at about 2,400 metres, before dropping to Stepantsminda beneath Mount Kazbek. Surfaces are mostly good, though lorry traffic is heavy, and tunnels and avalanche galleries add to the adventure. Snow can close the high section from late autumn to spring. Summer is the best season, with clear air, wildflowers and blue skies.
Tbilisi has everything a rider needs. Fuel stations are everywhere, and there are bike mechanics, shops and plenty of lodging. The city traffic is lively and drivers are creative, so be alert, especially on roundabouts. Food is a delight: khachapuri, the cheese-filled bread, and khinkali, spiced dumplings you eat with your hands, are on every menu, along with the local amber wine made in clay vessels. A day to wander the old town is a good investment before heading north.