Vladikavkaz means rule the Caucasus, which tells you what the Russians thought of it when they built a fortress here in 1784. It stands on the Terek river where the mountains meet the plain, capital of North Ossetia, and from the broad avenues you can see the snow-covered chain of the central Caucasus on a clear day. It is a calm, orderly city with a colonial look, with tree-lined streets, a long riverside promenade and a scattering of old merchant houses.
This is the northern end of the Georgian Military Highway. The road was created to give Russia a safe route through the mountains to its new Georgian possessions, and Vladikavkaz was the gateway, where convoys gathered before heading into the gorges. The Ossetians who live in this region are an Iranian-speaking people with their own proud culture, with traditions of feasting, toasts and stone tower villages. Ossetian pies, with cheese, potato or beef fillings, are a regional speciality, and are usually ordered in threes, with a toast to the Almighty over the first.
The ride south follows the Terek into the Darial gorge, a spectacular narrow defile with vertical cliffs, and then climbs to the border near Upper Lars. The scenery is tremendous, with castle-like ruins on crags, but the road is busy with trucks and often troubled by landslides and avalanches, particularly in spring. Border crossing rules for foreigners have changed several times in recent years, so check the current position before planning to cross. Even without crossing, the valley road is worth a day.
Vladikavkaz and the nearby town of Nogir have fuel and basic services, and the city has hotels, cafes and bike-friendly guesthouses. Before heading into the gorge, fill up, since stations are fewer. Summer is the best season, with warm days and clear mountains, while winter brings snow and closures. Pack warm layers and be ready for sudden weather in the gorge, and carry your documents at all times, since checkpoints are common.