I learned the cycling word ‘bumpy’ in Finland. A short climb and then a drop followed by another climb. The road to Kızılcahamam was bumpy, following a gorge up into the mountains. When we arrived, we felt like we had done some exercise. Oh, and I clocked up my fastest speed ever on the bike – 67 km/h.
James before the drop to Güdül
Güdül was at our customary 30km lunch stop.
View from near Güdül
Güdül
Some pandas hanging in the window
Kôfte
Kızılcahamam is a tourist town near Ankara with lots of hamams and hot spring water. Rather than take a hamam, James and I decided to… eat.
Kızılcahamam 30
Road to Kızılcahamam
Ayran fountain
James and me at dinner
Unpacked, we have a mountain of clothes.
Tomorrow will be interesting. It is meant to snow tonight, and we have been advised to take the main road rather than the small road we were planning to take. I guess it might be icy and dangerous. It will be our first snow.
Up over the mountain in the sunny but crisp morning, and a spectacular vista opens out before us, breathtaking in its size and scope. A canyon of epic scale with a lake far, far below. Today was a day of rolling down into the canyon, through cherry blossom fields, and across a white, chalky landscape to the town of Beypazarı.
Drahtesel on the way to Beypazarı
Down through an alpine forest from Mihalıççık to open out on a canyon lake-bed vista that went on forever.
Looking out over the vast panorama
Dropping down to the valley, we passed a village of cherry blossom.
Cherry blossom village
The lunar landscape was bright in the dazzling sun. White and creamy brown cliff faces on the side of the lake, with a layer of green. The road rolled over the undulating landscape, with the blue lake on the left and chalky cliffs of the right.
Feeling down and out? Cold and unmotivated? Try cycling across plains through a panoramic vista landscape, bathed in a soft light. Add to that a gale-force tailwind, and you have all you need to break those cycling blues. And try passing 6000km while having tea in a super friendly village. That will do the trick.
A long straight road
Sitting in cold and grey Eskişehir at 750m, the road into the mountains of over 1600m with a forecast of colder and snow was not appealing. Our headwind into Eskisehir had us expecting the same. Well, the universe gave us a gale tailwind, even though in the beginning it was still cold.
It’s cold
A lunch of soup and pide in Alpu gave us the energy to climb up to Mihalıççık at 1300m.
Lunch
Tea
The climb was nothing, being blown uphill, and my, the scenery was stunning. I thought, at last these views are like I have seen on world cyclist blogs. Long roads disappearing towards the distant mountains, puffy white clouds breaking up the clear blue sky. This was an amazing ride. James and I are really happy to be alive!
Vista
Vista
White vista
James approaching the summit
The sun getting low
I passed 5999km from Eindhoven in the village of Kayi. There was an appealing tea shop calling out to us, so I cycled back and forth in the village – much to the amusement of the locals – until I hit 6000km, and then took a selfie with everyone watching.
6000km
We were invited to tea by a lovely man who had lived in Germany for 5 years and spoke good German. He told us of a shorter, new, downhill road to our next destination – Beypazarı and he arranged for a place for us to stay in Mihalıççık. I like him! Go to the town hall and ask. We did, and ended up in a hidden hotel with a lovely big electric bar heater. That hit the spot!
Our 300km detour to Eskişehir was to have the spokes on our new wheels readjusted. That took all of 30 seconds. The mood fluctuated today as we considered the snow-filled and -10C options of getting to the Black Sea, and why we are doing this.
Sepa, James and me
We were woken up today by a cat that jumped up from the balcony, latched onto the door handle, and opened the door.
The clever cat
We then fell asleep again, adjusting to the rhythm of the student house of Sefa – our cool, laid-back warm showers host. Breakfast was at 13.30, and our 30 second spoke examination at 15.00.
Eskişehir – at an altitude of 750m – is cold. Our planned route to the Black Sea climbs to 1600m, and the weather forecast there is for -10C and snow. Plagued with fluctuating blood sugar levels and low motivation, we considered our options over a salad or two (each). We will continue and reassess – cycling to Ankara if it gets too cold where Sefa has offered to help us find a place to stay. Thanks Sefa, for everything!
There are the side roads that are steep, strenuous and peaceful. And there are the main freeway-like roads that are less steep with many lanes and lots of trucks. Today we chose the second option and slowly climbed to Eskeşehir, accompanied part of the way by our Bilecik friends. Oh. And my first flat tyre of the trip.
Cycling to Eskesehir
The fluorescent troop made it down the freeway-like road.
On the road to Eskesehir
And then my first flat tyre on my Koga bike – over 15000km, and nearly 6000km since I left Eindhoven on my world trip. I successfully changed the tyre. Yay!
My first flat tyre of the trip
We are staying with Sefa in Eskişehir – a student at the university, and in a place with lots of cool students popping in and out. Thanks Sefa for the great hospitality!
Balloon carrying clowns, camping out at the ‘carpet area’, professional photo opportunities, being fed to explosion, and a night out at the theatre watching 100 years since the Çanakkale victory. A fantastic roller coaster ride of Turkish hospitality. Love it!
With one of our hosts Emir in Bilecik
It was one of those nights. Lying on our mats in the hall at the local football field (‘carpet area’), James and I looked at each other, our mouths open. We didn’t know where it was all going. We knew it would be good, being led by our amazing hosts in the town of Bilecik.
The carpet area bedroom
Zooming down from our first ascent to 600m into the town of Yenisehir, we were greeted by a clown, on the side of the dusty road plied by cement trucks, holding a bunch of colourful balloons.
‘Dur! Dur!’ (Stop! Stop!)
I stopped, and the clown took a selfie with both of us.
Then I did too.
Why was he there, I hear you ask..
I don’t know.
Welcoming clown in Yenisehir
Zooming down from our second ascent, this time from 700m into the town of Bilecik, we were greeted by 2 young men in fluorescent yellow safety vests next to bikes, the Turkish flag fluttering above the bikes in the breeze.
Me and our hosts Emir and Hakan
‘Hello friends. I am Hakan, and this is Emir. Welcome to Bilecik. First we eat, then we show you the town, and then we go to the carpet area.’
We had been in touch with Hakan through warm showers.
The food was delicious and copious – perfect for hungry cyclists.
Dinner in Bilecik
We were shown the gardens of the town hall where we were photographed by a photographer – for the local newspaper perhaps? The Bilecik Facebook page? No idea..
At the town hall in Bilecik
After setting up camp at the carpet area, our other Warm Showers contact Fikret, asked if we want to go to the theatre that night. Why not? Off we went, wearing our best evening wear. We were introduced to everyone at the theatre. ‘Welcome to Bilecik, my friend!’
Theatre in Bilecik
Tonight was a performance on 100 years of Çanakkale – a terrible battle at Gallipoli – equally horrific for our Turkish hosts and the ANZACS as we were called (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps – which James and I were representing). Here 250,000 Turks, Australians, New Zealanders, French and British died in a blood bath for access to the thin straights of water connecting the Mediterranean to the Black Sea. I saw the battle fields first had last year by bike.
Çanakkale theatre production
Perched at the back of the theatre looking down, we saw the play – video combination of fighting at Çanakkale. At the break James was thrust a phone into his hand. It was a journalist.
‘What do you think about the Çanakkale victory?’
A lot of young people were killed in a horrible war. Here is the newspaper article.
What a day – and night. Not speaking Turkish, one can only go with the flow, knowing that whatever happens, with our lovely hosts, it will all be good.
Cycling through the mountains today I suddenly realised – we are cycling across the world. We are on our way across some of the most amazing parts of the planet. Now away from the bustle of Istanbul, we breathed a sigh of relief cycling through little Turkish villages to our very welcoming warm showers host on Lake Iznik.
Small village on the way to Lake Iznik
The mind is willing but the body is weak. Three months of break means those legs are not as strong as they were. We left the main road from Yalova and hit the slopes. Up to 550m, passing some rubbish avalanches
Rubbish avalanche
and through some lovely mountain villages.
Mountain village
Mountain village
A calorific lunch at Lake Iznik before pressing on to Iznik town.
Picnic on Lake Iznik
Our warm shower hosts Soner and Inci are amazing, having cycled all around Europe with their 2 year old boy and written two books. After a delicious meal we pondered our upcoming route to the Black Sea. Our route going forward becomes more hilly. Those legs had better get into shape quickly. The mind wants it that way!
After three months of winter break in Australia and Taiwan, departure from Istanbul has been imminent.. for over a week. Waiting for James’ frame to pass customs, we have been poised for departure every day. Goodbye the new Green Pedals Istanbul schools. Goodbye my wonderful warm showers host Dinçer. Goodbye Istanbul. And… Hello wide world. The second leg of the bike trip begins!
Farewell to Dinçer and Can
James and I descended on Istanbul last week, ready for the continuation of our adventure. Unlike James, his bike was not ready for departure, waiting on an essential new part (a new frame) to be cleared through customs. Today a week of waiting and of imminent departures has come to an end. Straight from the bike shop, we pedalled along the Sea of Marmara coast to Pendik, and caught the ferry out of Istanbul to Yalova.
Farewell at Bisiklet Gezgini bike shop in Istanbul
Thank you Dinçer for your amazing hospitality! It has been great staying with you. All the best with your ultra marathon – 200km in the alps – wow!
I will continue writing daily blog entries, but will delay them before publishing. Stay tuned for updates once every 3-4 days.
‘Ben bir çilginim’ – ‘I am crazy’.
That’s how I started my talk with the school children in Istanbul. I visited the Anakent and Birsoz primary schools in Istanbul as part of a Green Pedals activity, talking about sustainability. What an amazing bunch of kids!
Me at the Anakent school
On my bike trip I am working with Green Pedals – part of the Planet Green foundation, to start and maintain a dialogue on sustainability in schools around the world.
The kids at the Anakent and Sener Birsoz schools knew a lot, and were really engaged talking about the environment and sustainability.
Anakent school
Sener Birsoz school
Sener Birsoz school
The kids are making drawings showing how they and their families are sustainable, and about my cycle trip. A new weekly sustainability workshop will be starting on sustainability at the Sener Birsoz school. A really cool initiative. Thanks to the whole Istanbul Green Pedals team!
James and I will be leaving Istanbul very soon. James’ new bike frame is currently still held up in Turkish customs. We’re keeping our fingers crossed that it will be released today so we can leave catch the boat on Friday evening to Yalova, and then continue our journey. Yay!
When I was a teenager, everything was ‘Made in Taiwan’. I could find Taiwan on the map, and that was all. My winter break from cycling is drawing to a close, and I leave Taiwan with fond memories of a friendly, staunchly patriotic people, of visionary city planning and public policy, and an extremely obedient, orderly society. Where else in the world do you throw out your rubbish at 9:10 pm into a rubbish truck to a backdrop of ice-cream van music?
The view down the street near my apartment in Taipei
Public infrastructure
I am absolutely amazed at the speed a modern public transport system has been created out of nothing in Taipei. Twenty years ago there was traffic gridlock. Rather than building more new roads, like the new policy of the Australian government, the Taiwanese government has implemented an amazing public transportation network that reduces traffic, increases accessibility, and improves health.
Twenty years ago, there was no metro. Now there is a brand spanking new one, spanning the metropolitan area. In the last year they have rolled out a massive public bicycle system – YouBike – similar to that in Paris, London and other European cities. The result is a huge reduction in traffic, a better, less polluted environment, and a healthier, more active population.
Metro etiquette
‘You can’t eat that!’ said the little boy, scolding the grandma.
‘There are video cameras watching you,’ I have been warned by multiple people. ‘If you’re chewing gum, just stop chewing. They may not see you, and you should be ok.’
The metro trains run every two minutes or so, and while waiting for a train, you can watch a video of metro etiquette.
No eating, drinking, chewing gum. People religiously wait in lines marked out on the platform. No-one sits in the seats for the elderly and handicapped (except the elderly and handicapped). Everyone – but absolutely everyone – leaves the left side of the escalators free for people walking up. Each station has a spotless, free toilet. I could go on and on. Part of the overarching public transport strategy, the metro has been coupled to societal education to make it a big success.
Rubbish and recycling
‘A dearth of rubbish bins,’ I have heard it described as. Indeed, there is hardly a rubbish bin to be seen. You just have to keep your rubbish until you shout with joy – ‘there is one!’ and you can unload your stuff.
Household rubbish? Well, everyone knows that has to be thrown out personally at 9.10pm. At that fateful hour the rubbish truck passes my house playing a simple tune that will stay in my mind forever. People congregate, throwing out the rest waste in expensive rubbish bags from the council in the first truck, the recyclables in the second truck, and the biodegradables in the third truck. Paper is only collected on Mondays and Fridays. It was the government’s goal to raise awareness on the amount of rubbish we produce. As a result, a lot less rubbish is produced.
The big place
China is called 大陸 (Dalu – or ‘big place’). Taiwan lies in China’s shadow across the sea. In Taiwan (different to the mainland) they use the traditional Chinese script. In Taiwan there are many words that are different to mainland Chinese. I have decided to no-longer use the mainland China words – I have caused enough irritation already. I know how they feel. Coming from the antipodes, I spell colour with a u, I drink from a tap, I used to wear nappies when I was a baby, and my parents took me for walks in a pram.
Chinese New Year in front of the television
I was lucky enough to be invited to a traditional family Chinese New Year celebration. I was warmly welcomed by my hosts, but I then realised how foreign I am in Taiwan. The celebrations involved a spread of traditional Chinese food.
‘Its chicken,’ he said.
I looked at the alien soup – black flesh floating in a clear broth next to a tangle of ginseng.
‘Really! Its chicken.’
It was black chicken. A new-year’s tradition.
Then there was a bright orange soup with floaty white bits. And another soup with some unrecognizable things. I pride myself on my adventurous appetite. Here, I just ate some fried chicken and rice. In Holland I have welcomed Korean cyclist guests. All they wanted was a Korean supermarket where they could buy noodles. At the New Year’s Eve dinner, all I craved was a piece of chocolate.
After the dinner, the new year’s eve continued on the sofa in front of the television. The odd fire-cracker was let off outside at random intervals. As the evening continued, I didn’t hear any crescendo in the fire-cracker activity, and was asleep by midnight.
Studying Chinese
People ask me, aren’t I missing cycling? Don’t I have itchy feet to jump on the bike and continue. While in Taiwan, I was studying Chinese. I love learning languages – another one of my passions, and didn’t notice the time fly by. I was proud and happy as I felt my Chinese improve every day. In the last few days I have been having regular long conversations in Mandarin, proudly using the latest grammatical structures I have learnt.
My time in Taiwan is now coming to an end, and my feet are becoming itchy. The next leg of the cycle trip can begin!!
arctic-cycler.com 