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Mt Ararat.............maybe!!
Burkhard had conjured up a fiendishly cunning planhttp://s3.amazonaws.com/advrider/eekers.gif. He had two mates in Germany who wanted to do a walking tour of Mt Ararat followed by a bike tour from Van to Kas. In order for that to happen we needed to get three bikes from Kas to Van. Burkhard would be on his BMW, Klaus would take Burkhard's XT660R and I would take my XT660R. Klaus and I would hand over the bikes and fly back from Van to Antalya. We had 6 days to cover 2250kms.
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...ek/overall.JPG Better get going thenhttp://s3.amazonaws.com/advrider/mwink.gif http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1040863.JPG Burkhard's trusty R100GShttp://s3.amazonaws.com/advrider/lol8.gif http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1040864.JPG Wasn't long before Burkhard was re-arranging the luggage that hadn't fallen offhttp://s3.amazonaws.com/advrider/eek7.gif http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1040867.JPG Klaus was concered. Was this a taste of things to come? It washttp://s3.amazonaws.com/advrider/bncry.gif http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1040868.JPG We stopped for a break at the roadside. Break over, we started up the bikes or at least the Jap bikes. Burkhard's Bavarian classic was having none of it. There was no spark at the plugs so............. http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1040870.JPG it was a tow to the nearest garagehttp://s3.amazonaws.com/advrider/eek7.gif. After much telephonic activity a lift to a local mechanic was arranged http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1040872.JPG The mechanic turned out to be fairly clueless. Burkhard legged it back to Kas to pick up his XT600 and promised to meet up the following day. Klaus and I went to Koprullu Canyon and slept on a floating raft. Twas nice http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1040904.JPG Day 1 and 2. http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...ay%201%2C2.JPG Burkhard caught up with us the following nighthttp://s3.amazonaws.com/advrider/friday.gif. http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1040907.JPG We had lost one and a half days so the stroll in the park took a walk as did our schedule. It was now a race to Van with, hopefully, a bit of sightseeing on the way. Better head over the pass to Beysehir thenhttp://s3.amazonaws.com/advrider/mwink.gif Day 3. http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...PliYs/day3.JPG http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1040910.JPG past the goatherders http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1040887.JPG past Derebucak where the grandeur of the town mosque http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1040888.JPG puts to shame the humbler dwellings http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1040890.JPG From Beysehir it was a slog to Konya onwards to Aksaray http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1040914.JPG http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1040917.JPG with only the old caravansary at Sultanhani offering a distraction from the heat and dust of the endless highway http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1040919.JPG Built between 1229 and 1236 the caravansaray offered travelling merchants lodging, stabling and food free of chargehttp://s3.amazonaws.com/advrider/clap.gif. http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1040920.JPG Early evening saw us in Goreme in Cappadocia http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1040927.JPG where the view from our hotel terrace was somewhat sublime http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1040937.JPG |
Early morning offered interesting sights as the hot air balloons lifted off to take passengers over the area.
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1040944.JPG We were woken by the sound of somebody bouncing a heavy suitcase down a long flight of stairs. The crashing got louder and louder until I realised that the racket was being caused by a drummer passing by outside. Because this is the time of Ramadan the locals need a wake up call so that they can breakfast before the sun comes up. Pity they cant just use alarm clocks like everybody else. We didn't need interrupted sleep because today was going to be a long one, to Nemrut Dagi along some dodgy roads Day 4. http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...-i9TA/day4.JPG http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1040959.JPG All roads to the East seemed to be either under construction or being widened from two lanes to four. The thought that maybe Turkey was improving it's road network to launch an invasion on neighboring countries did occur to me. Why such major road construction with so little traffichttp://s3.amazonaws.com/advrider/eek7.gif http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1040958.JPG Even the mountain roads were receiving a makeover http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1040960.JPG When the inevitable happened http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1040961.JPG We had tools a plenty to strip an engine and inner tubes in abundance but in our wisdom had overlooked the need pack something to remove the wheels withhttp://s3.amazonaws.com/advrider/bncry.gif. A chat with a family over a garden fence produced a couple of adjustable spanners and a cup of tea. Lovely folk in these parts. Burkhard set to workhttp://s3.amazonaws.com/advrider/clap.gif Klaus clipped his finger nailshttp://s3.amazonaws.com/advrider/lol8.gif http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1040963.JPG The blowout. followed by my headlight blowing as we negotiated the roadworks in the dark along with Klaus losing his chain resulted in us arriving in the area of Nemrut Dagi later than planned. Better get an early start to see what all the fuss is abouthttp://s3.amazonaws.com/advrider/mwink.gif http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1040969.JPG Nemrut Dagi is a vast funeral monument to King Antiochus, the ruler of a small local dynasty. The kingdom was established in the 1st century BC by Antiochus' father, Mithridates, and remained independent until AD72, when the Roman Emperor Vespasian incorporated it into the Roman province of Syria. Well, that's what the history books say. The setting is stunning http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1040975.JPG As was the walk past the tumulus containing the remains of old Antiochus, well it stunned my lungs anyway http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1040981.JPG Some wag had erected this sign, believe me I wasn't even tempted http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1040979.JPG Up on the Eastern terrace Antiochus and a few of his mates were enjoying the morning sun http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1040987.JPG Antiochus being the bearded bloke, front right. http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1040989.JPG http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1040991.JPG The tumulus itself was covered in rocks that had been split by hand. How many tons only Antiochus knows and he ain't telling http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1040993.JPG A few more of Antiochus' mates can be seen on the western side having a lie in until the moon rises http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1040996.JPG though, if they were awake, I'm sure they would enjoy the view http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1040997.JPG The wind roars around this place, or at least it did when we were there. Burkhard had a novel way of keeping his head in one piece http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1050002.JPG On the way back to the bikes Burkhard spotted a challenge. The expression on his face is one of profound relief that his family jewels were still in one piece. Burkhard's idea of a challenge did not coincide with the mules willingess to having a rufty tufty biker on it's back.One nil to the mulehttp://s3.amazonaws.com/advrider/lol8.gif http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1050012.JPG ................. |
the pension we stayed at was close to the mountain and looked ok but the rooms stunk of p..s and and you would have broken your legs when jumping into the swimming pool as there was a definite lack of water to slow your descent.
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1050015.JPG Walking boots exchanged for riding boots it was time to push on and find the ferry over the Attaturk reservoir complex to the South of Nemrut Dagi. Low on fuel we decided that we knew better than our map and proceeded to ride in the completely wrong directionhttp://s3.amazonaws.com/advrider/eek7.gif Day 5. http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...P-jXk/day5.JPG http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1050018.JPG After 40kms of ascent, with the reservoir becoming a puddle in the distance, we pulled over, exchanged a few profanities with each other and attempted to coast back down the mountain as best we could to preserve fuel. We eventually coasted into a garage running on vapourhttp://s3.amazonaws.com/advrider/eekers.gif http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1050020.JPG There was only one problem. The compressor thingy in the pump wouldn't function as it was too hot. After having cold water poured on it by the pump attendant for ten minutes the pump worked. Much to the relief of Klaushttp://s3.amazonaws.com/advrider/lol8.gif http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1050019.JPG After collecting ourselves we headed off in the right direction and found the ferry http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1050025.JPG We had total confidence in the captainhttp://s3.amazonaws.com/advrider/mwink.gif http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1050030.JPG It was a pleasant way to spend twenty minutes http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1050032.JPG and the scenery wasn't bad either http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1050035.JPG Our destination for the day was Hasankeyf. In order to get there we had to cross the badlands to Diyabakir and Batman. Flatlands for as far as the eye could see. The temperature was in the low fourties and the wind was pretty windy http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1050041.JPG http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1050042.JPG At a lunch stop Klaus found a way to relieve his aching backside, a massage chair http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1050039.JPG After Diyabakir the scenery changed into more pleasant rolling wheat lands http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1050044.JPG http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1050046.JPG Still a hard place to live though http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1050050.JPG On the road to Batman we passed through the large town of Silvan. You could smell towns around this area long before you came to them. They smelt of municipal rubbish dumps. Rubbish bins have yet to arrive here. Instead anything it seems will do with plastic bottles, bags and refuse scattered everywhere, in the street, gardens, public places and streams. It would seem that the folk in these parts have little or no pride in their surroundings. The kids were a pain too. Constantly crowding us when we stopped and begging for money in an aggressive manner. The older folk were better bred and generally helpful and friendly. Silvans one redeeming factor was it's ancient bridgehttp://s3.amazonaws.com/advrider/clap.gif http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1050053.JPG which was rather overshadowed by the montrosity on the other side of the roadhttp://s3.amazonaws.com/advrider/bncry.gif http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1050054.JPG As we rode through Batman a storm was developing some distance away and sucking up all available air in the neighbourhood resulting in gale force winds. Batman was a blur of dust, sand and flying bottles, plastic bags and the odd solid object. The ride to Hasankeyf though was extraordinary. A beautiful windy road through a wide valley bought you to the new bridge http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1050058.JPG parallel to which was the old bridge http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1050064.JPG Originally founded by the Romans as a frontier outpost, this ruined capital city of the 12th century Artukid (Kurdish) dynasty stands on a spectacular hilltop overlooking the Tigris http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1050063.JPG http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1050068.JPG http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1050071.JPG http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1050074.JPG http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1050075.JPG |
The modern village of Hasankeyf is unremarkable
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1050067.JPG Offering only one hotel which stunk of piss. We settled for rubbish strewn campsite and pitched our tents under some fig trees http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1050056.JPG Klaus was tentless and camped a la cartehttp://s3.amazonaws.com/advrider/lol8.gif http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1050057.JPG Sadly the whole area is to be flooded shortly as part of a vast plan to dam the area. We were lucky to see it while it is still there. Days 6 and 7. http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...ay%206%2C7.JPG Lunchtime the following day saw us within 150kms of our final destination of Van. First though we had to visit Nemrut volcano whose eruptions aeons ago formed Lake Van by creating a huge dam of lava, thereby blocking the outflow http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1050084.JPG http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1050083.JPG There is a track leading all the way to the heart of the crater. We decided to have a look stopping along the way to admire the views of Lake Vanhttp://s3.amazonaws.com/advrider/clap.gif http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1050086.JPG http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1050087.JPG http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1050088.JPG http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1050089.JPG http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1050094.JPG http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1050095.JPG In the crater http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1050091.JPG we came across a group of Czechs who had got there by bus all the way from The Czech Rebublic. Mad as hatters, the lot of 'emhttp://s3.amazonaws.com/advrider/clap.gif http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1050099.JPG On the way back down the volcano Klaus had what would only be the second puncture of the trip http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1050101.JPG Burkhard chucked the wheel in the back of a passing truck and followed it to the local tyre man. We took in the view, the crater is dierctly behind the rim at the top of Klaus' head http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1050102.JPG We hunkered down in a hotel in Tatvan for the night. Burkhard likes to cap a ride off with a cold beer, as indeed do I. He found the local pub, of sortshttp://s3.amazonaws.com/advrider/lol8.gif http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1050108.JPG or at least somebody who was prepared to sell us a beer during Ramadan. The next problem was where to drink the beer while the sun was still in the sky. The shop owner obliged and pulled up three chairshttp://s3.amazonaws.com/advrider/friday.gif http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1050106.JPG Later on that evening Burkhard wanted a drink with his meal. Not during Ramadan my son exclaimed the restaurant owner. Burkhard retired to the shadows, Efes bottle hidden in a black plastic bag, and slaked his thirsthttp://s3.amazonaws.com/advrider/lol8.gif http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1050111.JPG |
After retiring to our room there was a knock on the door. I was prostrate on one of the beds waiting for the effects of a strong painkiller to take hold to rid me of a chronic toothache. Klaus answered the door. "Hi, I'm American and my bike's broken down. I saw your bikes downstairs and thought I'd introduce myself." That's how we met RTW Doug of this parrishhttp://s3.amazonaws.com/advrider/clap.gif
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1050112.JPG Dougs odyssey can be found here, for those not in the know The yer a peein & taliban tour - ADVrider Doug and I went for a bite to eat and what was, for me, a very pleasant and informative chat. The following morning offered a photo op of Doug's steed http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1050113.JPG http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1050114.JPG Dougs adventures knocked the shenanigans of three lardy arsed Europeans into a cocked hat. Much respect to you sir and safe onward travelshttp://s3.amazonaws.com/advrider/friday.gif. (Oh bugger, he doesn't drink!)http://s3.amazonaws.com/advrider/icon10.gif After saying our goodbyes to Doug we headed off on the last stage of our trip to Van http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1050118.JPG http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1050119.JPG At an hotel outsıde the town we met up with Wolf and Michael who were to ride Klaus' and my bike back to Kas after walking up Mt Ararat with Burkhard http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1050122.JPG After handing over the bikes there was time for a beer whilst watching the sun set over Lake Van http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1050138.JPG http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1050141.JPG The following morning we were seen off by Kemel who was organising Burkhard's crews walking adventure. We chatted only briefly but I got the impression he thoroughly knew his onions http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1050158.JPG Our flight was courtesy of Sun Express, a fantastic service http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1050160.JPG As we flew over Lake Van I saw the destination that had eluded us due to Burkhard's breadown at the start of the trip.Mt Ararat http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1050164.JPG The in flight entertainment indicated that what had taken six and a half days on bikes would take one and a half hours in a Boeing 737 cruising at 535mphhttp://s3.amazonaws.com/advrider/eekers.gif http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1050168.JPG http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1050172.JPG The flight gave time to reflect on the trip. Firstly we should have taken twice as long to do the trip to better appreciate the areas we were travelling through. A gentle stroll as opposed to a race against the clock. Secondly the disparity in education and wealth between Western and Eastern Turkey was blindingly obvious. Thirdly the variety of topography on offer in Turkey is incredible. Lastly the hospitality and friendliness of the people we met was humbling. Cheers, Dickyb P.S. As a PS to the Van RR this bike went on to develop serious heart troublehttp://s3.amazonaws.com/advrider/bncry.gif http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xTAvr_R1KUY/TH...0/P1050101.JPG Burkhard noticed it belching black smoke out of the exhaust and no oil in the oil tank. Blown piston rings one suspects but a strip down will reveal the cause. Anyway, Burkhard had to chuck it on a bus at Van and accompany it to Antalya where they both arrived 22 hours later. Slower than a plane but faster than our outgoing leg. Burkhard is still spitting feathers but at least you can get most things to anywhere over here.http://s3.amazonaws.com/advrider/clap.gif Cheers, Dickyb |
great to here it went well mate, sort of :thumbup1:
Pete |
hi,
nice report. just a little question. did you buy or rent the bikes in Turkey? |
Hi ozhanu,
They were our bikes and Turkish registered 'cos we live here. Thanks for your interest. Cheers, Dicky |
Hi Pete,
Yep, best laid plans and all that malarky. Cheers, Dave |
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