It’s been an interesting few days since I left Marmaris on Wednesday morning…
I have covered over 1200 km (which should please Tibor, Vince and Kim, who seem to think I have been slacking off…!!), ridden through the mountains leading to central Turkey and Cappadocia, and then back south towards Silifke, which I will reach later today…
The rides have been superb, and the roads have been good to us… The weather has been “bracing” at times, especially up at the higher elevations of close to 2000 metres above sea level, but it’s been all good…!!
This sums up the feeling of being back on the road...!! Little town up on the plateau in the mountains, on the road to Antalya...
Despite the oil leak getting worse, the Big Fella has performed brilliantly… Although he isn’t too happy to be carrying the Ohlins rear shock again… The one that let us down so badly in Namibia and Tanzania… He keeps telling me that we must be the only riders on the planet that are carrying a full set of shocks as spares…!! Reminding him that we might still be sitting in Tanzania if I hadn’t had spares with me, has quietened him down a bit…!!
We overnighted in Konya, east of Lake Baysehir, before going on to Goreme, Urgup and Avanos, riding the Capodocchia Triangle to see the fairy-like dwellings in the area… The hordes of tourists that were being shuttled around by the busload, put a damper on things for me, and instead of spending the day there, I headed south in the mid afternoon…
Fairy tale homes in Goreme, Cappadocia...
I planned to ride as far as Karaman, but an aching elbow and waning sunlight found me in Eregli, where I was fortunate enough to meet the owner of the best hotel in town, and receive a personal escort to it’s front door, as well as a guided tour through this brand new establishment…
The days are getting shorter all the time, and by 5.30pm, its already as dark as a Zulu in a coal bunker at night…!! And that’s dark, Dudes…!!
I will be leaving here in an hour or so to ride down to the coast, over a mountain range which I am told will be closed to traffic in a few weeks time, due to the heavy snowfall that usually covers the area…
“It’s high, and it’s dangerous…!” the manager has told me…
“Well, I’m high on adrenaline and danger is my middle name,” was my reply…!!
To which he replied, “Then that is the road you must take, my friend…!!”
Yeah, Dudes…!! I’m back in the groove…!!
Tea break on the road to Konya...
Tonight I take the midnight ferry to Girne, in Northern Cyprus, arriving there at 6.00am tomorrow… Then its a short ride into Larnaca, where I will meet up again with Willi, and get the Big Fella serviced…!!
Internet connections have been too slow to download a detailed post, so they will have to wait for Cyprus…
Until then…!!
Welcome back Boet!! Nice to have you focused once again. Regards to Willi from RSA.
Glad to see you had a good break, but also happy to read about your adventures again!
Travel safely.
Hey, hey, hey – the GB is on the road again!!!! It’s only fair that the Big Fella has a service, it’s his turn now…..
I don’t think you’ve been slacking, all I said was that your holiday is over now and it’s about time you get back to work (OK, so I’ve been bored without your blogs – completely selfish).
Have a wonderful ride and I can’t wait to hear what you have to say about Cyprus…
BIG kisses
K
Great – … looking forward !