Day 50
Sleeping location: Elit Orel, Senirkent, Turkey
Distance (km today/total): 118 / 4940
Estimated climb (m today/total): 1000 / 41700
Free grapes received: 2kg
Day in three words: Lumps, bumps, grapes
With no breakfast at the villas, pocket eggs were a distant dream and we had to settle for a breakfast in a coffee shop on the outskirts of Afyon. After this we headed through the town itself, which was quite nice. It has an enormous rock with a fortress atop, right in the middle of town, which makes for some good views every time it pops into view between buildings. There was also a beautiful old mosque on a leafy square, which we stopped and admired through our cameras. The route after this involved crossing three valleys, with a climb after each one to get into the next. The going was pretty good as we a had a tailwind again and the climbs weren’t too taxing, although the surface was wildly variable and would often rattle you to death for several km at a time. Dad’s tyres can’t cope with these Turkish roads and he got his second puncture in four days, which was repaired without too much fuss at a bus stop.
The terrain was initially pretty barren and dry and it was surprisingly cold, possibly the coldest it’s been on the trip. It didn’t get over 20 degrees all day and when the sun was hidden the wind made it quite chilly. This meant that the first couple of valleys felt a bit cold and lifeless and dull. But as we went on the scenery did become gradually more rugged and interesting. Just before the last climb we had lunch at a bakery in Karaadilli, which advertised itself as “potato and cherry town”. So far the day had been pretty uninspiring, but this was about to change dramatically.
As we worked our way up the climb the views became better and better, and the sun came out properly and made everything feel better (as it often does). We set off down the other side, and after the first corner the most incredible view unfolded in front of us. Mountains in every direction, the massive Lake Egirdir off in the distance, fruit trees and golden corn fields lit by the late afternoon sun. The descent itself was also amazing, 10km of beautiful surface with sweeping bends and no traffic. Definitely one of the moments, and descents, of the trip so far.
Down in the valley there was some kind of fruit bonanza going on. It was apple and grape harvesting season and half the traffic on the road was ferrying them back and forth in lorries and these little cart things*. There were massive piles of apple-filled crates and in some places just massive piles of apples (these were probably the cast-offs). Next to a vineyard was a lorry full to the brim with grapes, and about 10 grape pickers. We stopped here and were surrounded by friendly interested faces and offered some grapes to take away. I said yes and was given a big bunch of red ones - great. Then another guy came up with two huge bunches of white ones. I put them all in my pannier, which was now full of grapes, and closed it, but another guy was late to the party and rocked up with yet another bunch. As the pannier was closed he happily laid it across the top. Somehow it managed to stay there for almost 20km and provided some good snacking on the move.
There aren’t many hotels around here and we had to make a bit of a detour just to get to the only available one. Thankfully Senirkent is a pleasant little town in the shadow of a huge mountain, with a fun statue of an enormous bunch of grapes on the way in. The hotel is a little strange, clean enough but with intermittent hot water, slightly lumpy mattresses and for some reason a picture of Venice on the wall. Initially I thought there was also a dead dog in the lobby but happily it was just very, very asleep. Dinner was in a kebab shop that was about the only place open. It was cheap and tasty and the owner and his son and nephew were very friendly. We had a conversation in basic Turkish/English and they asked for some photos of us. In small towns like this we’re celebrities. I hope fame doesn’t change me as a person.
*At one point I got a lift from a cart by hanging onto the back, but dad wasn’t impressed so I stopped
Distance (km today/total): 118 / 4940
Estimated climb (m today/total): 1000 / 41700
Free grapes received: 2kg
Day in three words: Lumps, bumps, grapes
With no breakfast at the villas, pocket eggs were a distant dream and we had to settle for a breakfast in a coffee shop on the outskirts of Afyon. After this we headed through the town itself, which was quite nice. It has an enormous rock with a fortress atop, right in the middle of town, which makes for some good views every time it pops into view between buildings. There was also a beautiful old mosque on a leafy square, which we stopped and admired through our cameras. The route after this involved crossing three valleys, with a climb after each one to get into the next. The going was pretty good as we a had a tailwind again and the climbs weren’t too taxing, although the surface was wildly variable and would often rattle you to death for several km at a time. Dad’s tyres can’t cope with these Turkish roads and he got his second puncture in four days, which was repaired without too much fuss at a bus stop.
The terrain was initially pretty barren and dry and it was surprisingly cold, possibly the coldest it’s been on the trip. It didn’t get over 20 degrees all day and when the sun was hidden the wind made it quite chilly. This meant that the first couple of valleys felt a bit cold and lifeless and dull. But as we went on the scenery did become gradually more rugged and interesting. Just before the last climb we had lunch at a bakery in Karaadilli, which advertised itself as “potato and cherry town”. So far the day had been pretty uninspiring, but this was about to change dramatically.
As we worked our way up the climb the views became better and better, and the sun came out properly and made everything feel better (as it often does). We set off down the other side, and after the first corner the most incredible view unfolded in front of us. Mountains in every direction, the massive Lake Egirdir off in the distance, fruit trees and golden corn fields lit by the late afternoon sun. The descent itself was also amazing, 10km of beautiful surface with sweeping bends and no traffic. Definitely one of the moments, and descents, of the trip so far.
Down in the valley there was some kind of fruit bonanza going on. It was apple and grape harvesting season and half the traffic on the road was ferrying them back and forth in lorries and these little cart things*. There were massive piles of apple-filled crates and in some places just massive piles of apples (these were probably the cast-offs). Next to a vineyard was a lorry full to the brim with grapes, and about 10 grape pickers. We stopped here and were surrounded by friendly interested faces and offered some grapes to take away. I said yes and was given a big bunch of red ones - great. Then another guy came up with two huge bunches of white ones. I put them all in my pannier, which was now full of grapes, and closed it, but another guy was late to the party and rocked up with yet another bunch. As the pannier was closed he happily laid it across the top. Somehow it managed to stay there for almost 20km and provided some good snacking on the move.
There aren’t many hotels around here and we had to make a bit of a detour just to get to the only available one. Thankfully Senirkent is a pleasant little town in the shadow of a huge mountain, with a fun statue of an enormous bunch of grapes on the way in. The hotel is a little strange, clean enough but with intermittent hot water, slightly lumpy mattresses and for some reason a picture of Venice on the wall. Initially I thought there was also a dead dog in the lobby but happily it was just very, very asleep. Dinner was in a kebab shop that was about the only place open. It was cheap and tasty and the owner and his son and nephew were very friendly. We had a conversation in basic Turkish/English and they asked for some photos of us. In small towns like this we’re celebrities. I hope fame doesn’t change me as a person.
*At one point I got a lift from a cart by hanging onto the back, but dad wasn’t impressed so I stopped
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