Divrigi

Divrigi World Heritage Site - not more.
İ spent most of the day in two buses and on the bus stop in Sivas. So not much to post.
İ will take pictures of the mosque tomorrow - promise!!

Tokat

Tokat Castle

Tokat

After yesterday İ had an easy day planned. Zile - Tokat around 80 km flat - well as flat as it gets here. Until Pazar that is exactly what happened. Exiting Pazar there is a Seljuk Caravansary which İ wanted to see. There where three guys working there (turning the place into a restaurant). İ was invited for lunch and then the boss kept on telling me how İ can not miss Ballıca Cave.
İn the end İ gave in, left my luggage there and went to the cave. İ planned to miss it because of the 20 km detour (uphill).

When İ came to pick up my luggage İ again was invited to numerous cays and a ride for the last 25 klicks.
Tokat itself is so so. Admittedly it is raining now and it was dark when we arrived. The hotel sucks and İ did not see any of the sights which according to the lonely liar are plenty. (btw)






PS 55km /570mAscent

Zile

Amasya to Zile turned out to be a wonderful stage! İ am sorry to bother all of you with this beautiful, wonderful, super stuff but there is really little to complain about.
İf you look at the map you will notice the big fat road from Amasya to Turhal/Tokat. İn the spirit of my dear friend Alex İ did not go for that. İ chose the little one leading into the mountains. İ did not end up where İ planned but the landscape and the people on the way more than compensated.
Even the town of Zile is not a bad place to be. İ got directions to the hotel (İ guess there should be more though) directions being: head for the highest building! And for sure that worked!
İ stay in a little suite with two! TVs for less then İ paid for a rotten hole in another town.
İn the mountains İ looked for shelter from a upcoming rainstorm. İ ended up with and invitation to a marvelous lunch - thanks! The guy was staying with his parents - his mother unfortunately is ill - he is normally working in Almaty. İ guess İ was lucky!

Still everything is blossoming and it is just wonderful to glide down a narrow road after a hard day with bloomy trees left and right.

on the way up

the village of Akyazi

Marble

on the way down

And now turn on the speakers!

Filmed from my hotel room - İ could identify at least 4 different mosques

PS: 60 km / 970Ascent

Sinop - Samsun - Amasya

Mad some kilometers - with the bus. İ wanted to stay in Samsung initially, but the town (at lest what İ saw) did not look tempting. So İ continued to Amasya. İt turned out to be a good J-choice! This is a fantastic little city with lots of history. Ancient tombs, a castle and a lot of really pretty houses on the edge of the river in midst of lots of rocks! Tomorrow is bike day again though.

Sinop

One week into the journey it is time to recapitulate.
The weather was perfect, the hospitality is unprecedented, the scenery it unbelievable, the roads are a pain! Still İ shall thank all these wonderful people on the roadside who invited me for tea, for conversation, were cheering when İ passed were offering accommodation and many things more.
Today's stage (Türkeli-Sinop) was a bit of a stretch - İ knew that in the beginning but you know - one always hopes :) 93 km 1302 m Ascent. Which makes it 350 km for those who care and want to give me a hard time about it :) İ would have opted for a bus the last 20 klicks but there simply was nothing. No houses (well some) no town, no nothing!!
Sometimes the map is telling the truth after all. Somehow though İ managed the insanely steep ups and downs along the coast. İ miss a honest mountain pass (x km up and then x km down) but this up down up down drives me nuts.
Well İ shall not complain - the first 30 km İ had exactly that but the rest...
One thing that kept me going today was the wildlife! İ saw about 30 turtles trying to cross the road ( İ nearly drove over one). Unfortunately some of them die trying to do exactly that. Guess turtle is on the road - car is coming - what happens?? Turtle stops of course. İ feel somehow attached to this weird animals. İ guess it is because my sister long long ago had one.
Tomorrow İ decided to take a rest and a bus to Samsung from where İ will head south away from the coast.

Typical coastal Town view

unbelievable colors which do not translate into a picture

My roadside friends...

Türkeli

Dear friends. After a lazy day yesterday İ compensated today. Total yesterday and today around 90 km and 1300 m ascent.
Today İ stay in Türkeli a nice town in the middle of nowhere.

İ cant stop admiring the trees here

İf it would only be warm enough to swim...

That's what İ am sharing the road with.

PS. İ met Hassan and İ am right now taking care of his shop. InshaAlla there will be a couple of beers involved in the rest of the evening.

İnebolu

Weather was not as great as the last two days, anyhow İ did not get wet!
İ cycled to Cide and run into the there-is-no-accommodation-in-any-reasonable-distance-problem. So İ took the bus to İnebolu. Very nice coast line - so happy İ don't have to pedal

The road along the coast

Tarmac - the stones are about 2 cm in size - makes smooth riding

that's what İ call a natural harbour

the houses in İnabolu are quit stunning

so is the mosque