Hi there !
From Tokat to Bayburt (Turkey) - 460km
Today's special :
1- Blog's updates
2- Suscribe / Unsuscribe to this newsletter
3- Next issue
4- Today's Newsletter
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1 - Blog's updates
- GPS Log 1 (that's the GPS point list from Munich to Tokat) is no longer active, albeit still visible.
- GPS Log 2 is now the active GPS point list. New entries appear at the top of the table in order to facilitate your reading and my compilation tasks !
- Google Earth becomes more and more the place to visualise my route and the associated pictures... But i shall still post pictures on this blog, don't worry !
- New stats have also been added : 4000 km on the roads, that's a number !
- There are a few new pictures as well to look at in the "Turquie/Sur la route" photo folder and also under Pixvillage !
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2 - Suscribe / Unsuscribe
- New Suscription : simply enter your email or your friends' emails at http://www.top-depart.com/carnet-de-voyage-sv-bartrouer-rq-news_sign
- You hate this newsletter and you want to stop from receiving it : send an email to bartrouer@yahoo.fr with "unsuscribe" in the subject line. Please tell me why in the email body !
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3 - Next issue
The next newsletter is likely to be sent from Georgia in 10 or 15 days from now.
Minor updates may happen before then.
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4 - Today's Newsletter... from A to Z !
A = Allah. 4 very friendly imams in Sebinkarahisar (km 3850) hosted me one night and told me about the reality of Islam and many other things of their daily life.
B = Bayburt. This is the calm city East of Turkey (km 4050), where i shall stay 24 hours before ridding Northwards to Georgia.
C = Chai. The Turkish tea is a black tea served with sugar and no milk in a small glass on a cup at any time of the day.
D = Dangers. Camions and cars are certainly the main hazards i am dealing with everyday. Sun and heat, and physical exhaustion are also something i especially pay attention to. As far as safety is concerned, my bike stays usually unlocked, even unattended... i guess awareness has become a second nature and i am here forgetting how careful and concentrated i am for everything, but really : Traveling looks always more dangerous before departure rather than during the trip itself! (...so far).
E = Efforts. Those 460km were absolutely great, and part of it is due to the energy i spent to cover each kilometer. But i keep saying that anyone could physically make it! i usually stay 5 hours per day on my bike, that's 6-7 hours ridding if you include the various breaks. Biking takes me in places i would never go by bus or train if backpacking. And forget about cars or motocycles : they are noisy and far far too fast !
F = Fire. i have never made fire outdoors. i essentially rely on my multi-fuel stove to cook in the evening. Lunches are cold. Expect no high gastronomy, food is rather frugal... i still need to improve this !
G = Gurgistan. The Turkish name for Georgia, which i repeat 100 times a day at least (see letter Q.)
H = Heat. it realy starts to be hot around noon... But nights are still lovely fresh, possibly thanks to the altitude i am cruising at (approx. 1000-1500m)
I = Internet. A good tool to stay in touch. i allow half a day per week to keep in touch with you and transfer pictures home.
J = Joy. Singing, crying, jumping of joy. it usually happens once or twice a day to me !!
K = Karayahir Pass (1925m). There was a 20km-long ascent on a surfaced road to reach the highest pass i have been up to (km 3750), which dominates a green plateau and is surrounded by even higher summits, still covered with snow.
L = Lakes. Both the Almus lake and Chamlija lake are two artificial reservoirs where i camped near by. The proximity to water is relaxing and rather refreshing and the view around is always a dream. At the altitudes i am ridding at there are only a very few mosquitos and other bothering bugs to deal with.
M = Mountains. Most of Anatolia is high and mountaneous. i thought it would be hell by bike, but having 27 gears and being lightly packed (compared to some other bikers i have met with) i have managed my way through. This is amazing how changing mountains and valleys are and travelling here in Spring (now early Summer) is just a real delight for the eyes and the nose: i see natural sculptures of stones and amazing perspectives all day long and flowers and blosoming trees everywhere!
N = Nature. The landscapes i went through during this journey are among the most scenic and diversified i have seen since i entered Turkey one month and a half ago. i saw many wild animals such as birds of every form, size and colour, fishes, tortles, snakes (many!), etc. Only a few furry pets, including dogs and cats and cows and sheeps and some foxes. Basically, nature here looks like the same as the European Mediterranean regions. Most trees, flowers and animals are the same as in Southern France for example.
O = Outdoors. From Tokat to Bayburt, i slept 6 times outdoors and only one time indoors. it becomes weird to sleep inhouse, really. Being alone in the wild is nothing scary or bothering. Evenings are busy to get everything sorted for the night. Mornings are more relaxed and i take my time then to have a thick breakfast and a cold shower while my tent & sleeping bag are hanging in the sun. Mornings are instants of peace and calm.
P = Plateau. i covered the last 150km before Bayburt on a long and low-populated plateau. The landscape was somehow steppe-like, very smooth but nothing arid, showing green fields then and grassy hills with cattle there and then at 1500m of altitude.
Q = Questions. The now famous "10 holy questions", which i need to answer to everyone i meet, that is a hundreds of times everyday :
1- What's your nationality ?
2- Where are you coming from ?
3- Where are you going to ?
4- What's your job ?
5- Where do you sleep ?
6- How old are you ?
7- Are you married ?
8- is Turkey beautiful ?
9- Are you going alone ?
10- Do you want chai ?
R = Roads. They are whether asphalted or just surfaced. Usually smoother and faster, asphalt is now becoming sticky during the hot hours. I must say i often prefer secondary roads despite their are dusty and randomly covered with stones and holes ! May be 380km of the 460km i have just completed were asphalted, which surface quality was ranging from good and smooth to extremely rough and stony (= that's when you prefer surfaced tracks !)
S = Sultan. i slept near one Sultan's Mausolea at the Almus lake (km 3649). The garden there was beautifully green and no ghost came to bother me. Tombs of people of some importance are often seen along the roads or in scenic places in Turkey. They always look simple and modest.
T = Tires. i have received and installed my new tires outdoors (km 3617) and i feel now free to ride on all type of surface. After those 400km, they are doing great !
U = UV's. Sun is an unfriendly friend. i try to make sure that my skin and eyes do not get hurt and it seems to work so far. But being outdoors all day (and night) long is the ultimate delight i can dream of ! Sun, rain, etc. are no issue at all... but part of the whole.
V = Valley. When ridding a river => flat. When repeatedly crossing rivers => up-&-downs ! Valleys are verdant heavens where small villages are spread over fields, openland and trees. irrigation works start to be more visible now i am higher and deeper East.
W = Water. Water pours everywhere along my way. i get some drinking water from the fountains along the roads and have cold showers in streams or lakes in the evenings.
X = No, no, do not insist, i won't tell you about my sex life here !
Y = Yesil irmak. This is the 150km-long river i followed from Tokat to Seferiye (km 3600 to 3750). it was such a magnificient adventure ! i went through the marvels of a green cultivated valley (near the Almus Lake), the freshness of the dense forests hanging on the slopes, the ascetic purety of mineral mountains and the amazing perspectives of steep canions... Wahoo !
Z = Zest. My stays in cities are the opportunity to have proper meals in the cheap and popular Lokantas. Whatever lunch or supper, i always start with a soup of lentils, which comes with a zest of lemon...
And that' all for today from Turkey !
All the best and i hope i'll read some words of you soon ! The turmoil of your daily lifes does interest me !
Barth
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