To the coast

Leaving Goreme the (tourist) centre of Cappadocia was no picnic. I had to climb a short very steep road paved with large irregular stones. But with my gear in the lightest position and bending over my steer as much as possible to not fall backward it went in retrospect quite smoothly. Although my bike had behaved properly since my last operation of tightening the “pedal axle” it started to get loose again and now even my spoon did not offer a proper and tight solution. I tried in Ugrup at a bicycle shop, but they did not have the proper tools to solve it. I had a go at the bolt anyway with an adjustable wrench, but just outside the city I had to work on it again. Now every 10 minutes I had to stop, tighten it and cycle again. In Avanos I finally found a proper bicycle repairman and he solved the problem (it now is 25 of July and still no problems). Now my bicycle was behaving it self again after being set straight by a professional I could cycle to Kayseri. In here I got the idea to just have quick flight back to Holland to make a surprise visit at the wedding of good friends.
In Gemerek they did not have a proper hotel but had some accommodation above the local bank I could sleep. In this town obviously they were not accustomed to tourists, as I was treated as a celebrity. Everybody wanted to shake my hand or say hello to me. One moment I was given a telephone to talk to someone, I had no clue who or what they wanted so I just babbled for a while before returning it. The next day I had a food problem again. I had expected to be able to buy bread in a little village that showed on my map. Upon arrival it became clear there was no shop. Fortunately by now I knew the word for bread, “ekmek”, so when I repeatedly said the word to a local guy indicating that I wanted to buy it he ran to his house and gave me two unyeasted breads (like huge folded pancakes but then very thin). A bit more comfortable I cycled on, with the plan to cycle to the next village, Direkli, 25km further down the road to try another time to get bread and than try to find a suitable sleeping place. When cycling into the village I passed 3 locals, greeting them they responded in Dutch are you from Holland? Quickly I turned and I was claimed by the three. They claimed they had been responsible for laying all cables underground in Amsterdam. Now they had returned to the homeland because they had worked illegally. They invited me to drink tea and when I indicated I was still searching for bread, they made sure the only shop was opened. No bread was available so a little kid was sent in to the village to find one for me. Next to the bread I also got two fantas and cookies. I already got the impression they would not allow me to pay so I was careful I did not want too many goods. My suspicion came out and with my gifts I cycled a few km to set up camp near a stream. This time only a few magpies were present, so no fear of a new covering of my sleeping bag.

On my way to Tokat I had to go over a pass, which went rather smooth, the way down was great. On the wide flat road I could increase my personal speed record. Unfortunately I do not have a speedometer. In the shade of a tree I had lunch and made some repairs on my shirt with one of the few last remains of my old underpants. I also adjusted the position and angle of the switches of my gears, so I could lay my hands in the middle of the handlebars.

The road to Akkus proved heavier than expected. A lot going down, but also a lot up as well. After Niksar I twice hang on to slow truck passing me going up. You get tired of hanging on to a truck as well only not in your legs but your arm and hand. When I let go I thought I nearly was at the top but still the road went up for a longtime afterwards. I had dinner in a restaurant just after the top thinking I was done with climbing for the day. Unfortunately to get to Akkus I had to pass a pass. Without any energy I battled against the mountain. The good thing of cycling is that if you work long enough you eventually make it. At the top, in the clouds I was invited for some tea what I gladly accepted. My sweaty shirt and the cold clouds cooled me down fast so I had to put on a coat to not start shivering. Akkus was only 3km down and the only hotel had a blistering hot shower which I used until my whole room was filled with steam.

Only 55km downhill cycling separated me from the coast. The new cycle day should be an easy one. It was apart from the fact that in my enthusiasm in going down fast I missed a corner and after creating a long skid mark in the gravel next to the road, I fell from my bike. Fortunately nothing was broken, nor on me nor on the bike. I only had some scratches on arms legs and hips and sore fingers. A bit more careful and much slower I carried on with the way down to Unye, a small city at the black Sea.