I don't know what time it was when I woke up with a back and legs frozen stiff but it was dark and it was very cold. The sleeping bag had to do another job in keeping me breathing but even the sleeping bag couldn't keep me comfortable and yet again, a terrible night sleep resulted in a late start to try and recoup what was lost.
The tent was in the shade from the morning sun so with farmers busying themselves in the sun, I had to fight against the cold still to get ready and pack away. My tyre was not flat but a little flatter, I pumped it up and decided to see how it would go throughout the day.
I left the little patch of long grass with just the imprint of the tent and headed for the mountains with my climbing legs back on and ready for a big day.
I decided to take a little short cut and head a little more as the crow flies instead of staying on the highway. I knew this would mean a tougher, possibly steeper ride but I was hoping for a quieter ride and maybe a few quality pictures. I won't know whether it was steeper but I can almost guarantee it was tougher and the quality of road was a lot poorer.
The road was the type that had good tarmac underneath but for some reason been covered with chipped stones that had been glued with copydex. There were loose stones everywhere and the drivers don't help but flying across them at full speed. I found myself rumbling along the road and having to dodge flying missiles as cars and lorries sped past. I failed once, a stone pinged up and caught me square on the nose. Lucky not to lose an eye and annoyed with my thought that the small roads might be a better option I found myself having to cycle 30 miles to get off the horrible thing. Thankfully the road got better and quieter but throughout the whole day I was given loose stones to contend with which are very dangerous when you have a heavy bike and narrow tyres.
The first 3 hours of the day saw me climbing and climbing and climbing! I stopped for lunch in a town called Altinyayla. I should've worked out Altitude had something to do with the town but I didn't really mind, I liked the rare hard work. I found the cheapest shop to date and got a loaf, box of dairylea triangles and a family packet of crisps for £2. As I sat on the wall in the small village taking in the surroundings, a man approached me and gave me 5 apples. That was it, gave me 5 apples then walked back to his house! Generosity seems to come looking for you in Turkey, you don't even have to ask!
A good lunch down and I was ready to hit another climb. I knew I had to go back up a little more from the first 1300m to get out of Altinyayla but luckily it was only and extra 200m. I stupidly took a picture of Nigel next to the smaller of the values as I didn't know the 1500 sign was coming up and I didn't stop for another as it was covered in graffiti. He wasn't happy about that.
After flying down the other side I thought that would be it and that the coast was beckoning. How wrong I was, another 1300m climb waited for me in the evening and my day was fast turning into one of the hardest and longest to date. Compared to yesterday, it was almost the opposite and I had the added inconvenience of having to pump my rear tyre up every hour or so.
The second climb didn't take as long as I wasn't going from sea level again but still pretty tough on aching, end of the day legs. The descent was long and very dusty and the sun didn't help matters by being at the annoying height where you couldn't see a thing. I did briefly catch the sight of the sea though, a sight that spurred me on to the bottom where I was desperate to find a good camping spot in the trees after a hard day cycling.
I found the perfect spot about 5 minutes into cycling on flat land again. Around 50m away from a minor road that will take me to my next stop tomorrow was a perfect wooded area. I pitched up and had food and sat feeling exhausted but on top of the world. When you work hard on a bike to get over lots of little hills or two big ones in my case and you find a good place to camp, you can sit back and take a massive breath of achievement. I did this knowing I only had 50kms to do tomorrow so a lay in is on the cards in the morning as well!
After this I then realised I was starring in my own version of "The Grey" as I turned to find a dog sat staring right at me. I will call my version obviously, "The Stray" but unlike in the film I won't leave you on a terrible cliffhanger as to how this one ended. I saw the dog approaching me as I was finishing off my pasta, and knew he could either smell my biscuits (pudding) or socks (vital foot warmers albeit smell like pure ammonia) so I stood up and chucked......
a fur cone square at his head. I've worked hard and I don't want my glory time spoilt by being pestered by a dog that should be sat outside Bob's kebab's instead of waiting on a poor cyclist to chuck him a heavenly white chocolate and macadamia nut biscuit, on your way pooch!
Hard day, but well worth it! I love feeling the burn sometimes!
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