Day 1,467

Bad back

Due to gale force headwinds we decided to spend Day 1,464 catching up with the blog and updating our Top 10s, The Line etc. We were also thinking about the future. If there's land we ride it, after Georgia our route would take us to Azerbaijan but land borders are still closed and the only way in is to fly, Covid 19 regulations apparently, I'm sure only a cynic would mention that the Prime Minister and his daughter own the airline! Then when we finally got going again we'd have to get a train due to another border closure. It just seemed wrong. And we don’t like the idea of lying to get our Chinese visa. Then America bombed Iran and family and friends at home started to question our plans. But the great thing about cycle touring is we can go with the flow and change plans. We’ve already done that quite a bit through Europe and Türkiye as you can see from the map below.

Plans are made for changing - the blue was the plan and the red is what we’ve ridden so far. Have a look at the map on ‘The Line’ page for more detail.

We knew the best thing for us was to ride on. The road would help us decide. To avoid that pesky headwind we decided on an early start and just after Strawberry O'clock, 5.30am, we were on our way. It was just perfect. No wind, little traffic and actually a little cool. Our plan was to reach the town of Sivas, 50 miles away, and maybe meet up with some fellow tourers, @glorypeddling. Great plan, but we were simply flying along. We were on a main road, which meant a smooth tarmac surface on a wide hard shoulder. By just after 10am we had reached the outskirts of Sivas. We were not for stopping! After a struggle we managed to get some fuel, sorry food, and carried on. The wind picked up, but it was in a playful mood, dancing all around us, infront, from the left, right, even at times that mythical thing, from behind, a tailwind! 

Though on a main road, the traffic was light and considerate. The views all around were awesome, rainbow coloured hills, mountain peaks in the distance, and the ever present display of wild flowers. Some days just flow and today was one of them. Finally we both started to tire, just outside Zara we stopped to eat at a chain restaurant, Köfteci Yusuf, and the food was awesome and plentiful. We consumed our body weight and decided to find a wild camp. Opposite the restaurant was a track which we hoped would lead us somewhere nice, then we could return for breakfast, but it ended at a house, so on we went, and on and on. By now we had ridden 97 miles, should we push on for a 100? It was tempting but then Tom spotted what looked like a great option and that was it, ride over. We set up camp on a piece of land that was covered with native flowers, overlooking farmland and a river. We took as much care as possible to choose a barren piece of land to pitch the tent so not to crush any flowers and just sat and absorbed the beauty of it all. Well Tom did take a gazillion photos so you can share the beauty of all those flowers. These are my favourite times, just us and nature. 

Another stunning wildflower wild camp

In the morning I felt great, Tom not so. He does occasionally suffer from a bad back and it had been niggling away for days. Today the niggle progressed into full on agony. The stunning scenery was no longer working its magic. After just 30 miles we entered a canyon and the start of a 7 mile climb. By now Tom was shaking with the pain, we needed to stop, however canyons are not the best places to find great wild camp spots. Deep rocky walls with a river running besides us. Any flat areas were either under cultivation or had cows roaming on them. The wild camping Gods were with us though and a small side track appeared with a fairly large flat area, no crops and no cows, home for the night. Somehow Tom found the strength to put up the tent and even cook a meal, then he was done. In the wee small hours of the night, we got up to well, wee, and were greeted by quite possibly the best night sky of the trip. The stars, oh my, so many of them, so clear, even the Milky Way, clearer than I ever thought I'd see it with my naked eye just floating above us. It was simply breath-taking, but you'll have to take my word for it as I'm just useless with a camera and Tom was in so much pain I refused to let him try to capture what we were seeing. 

Big hills = big views

Day 1,467 dawned and Tom was no better. We got going, no option really, but we both knew he needed to take some time off to recover. He managed the climb and though in pain continued downhill. Our plan was after around 30 miles to leave the main road and take a route suggested by Matt P, through a stunning canyon. This would mean nearly another 40 miles to reach a hotel, with another 3,500ft of climbing. Stupid idea, we wouldn't be able to enjoy it. Our other option was to cycle 6 miles out of our way to a small town with a hotel. After several cups of tea common sense prevailed and we headed to Refahiye and booked into a Teacher's Hotel, a sort of upmarket hostel but great value. I'd love to say Tom's back immediately recovered, it hasn't, so we are here for two nights, maybe three, we'll use the time to plan our upcoming few months, rest, eat cake and hopefully get him fighting fit again. We want to enjoy Matt’s canyon but need Tom pain free first.