ISPARTA-İSTANBUL BİKE TOUR 20. DAY

 20. Day (Canakkale) 

There was a scale at home. I was going to look at my weight at the end of the tour, but I couldn't stand it. When I got on the scale, the weight stabilized at 86. I started at 92 kilos. I cycling around, sang songs loudly and had fun. I also ate my food comfortably without suffering "remorse", "I would gain weight if I eat this" without worry. I lost 6 kilos on top of it. It is almost impossible to achieve this in real life without suffering "pure pain". It would be a lie if I said I did not suffering this tour. But it was a bittersweet pain. It was like a hot pot that my mother made. It makes you cry while eating. But you eat even more while crying. I was sweat, I had pain in my arms and legs, but I didn't want it to end. Because I felt life more deeply at the moments when that difficulty was at its most extreme.

We went out after having breakfast with Rahman. We called some of our friends who might be in Çanakkale. Everyone had gone to other provinces since it was the eve of the Eid al-Adha. But I saw on instagram that a friend of mine was in Çanakkale. Emre. We used to stay in the same dorm in high school. He was angry that I opened the window when he woke up in the morning. -It is getting cold. My brother, 12 (twelve!) People live together. Of course I'll open it- He was at a beach with his friends. We went to there. He was engaged. Since her fiancee Birsen is from Biga, they came to Çanakkale for the feast. When you become a groom you cannot say ; "No, I am not coming, I will travel, I have a holiday, what I am doing in your village in the best times of my life." At least you can't tell your fiancee. Because he told us. On top of these words, he gave the wedding invitation. I got his invitation with a laugh. My brother, I'm out to live, to feel life. Why do you remind me of death? (!)

We spent that day remembering the past with Rahman and Emre. Then we broke up with Emre Uçmak. You know he was engaged. That evening, thanks to Rahman, he also ordered me a cheese halva. I normally ate plain. But on the recommendation of another friend -and probably because Rahman will pay the bill- I ate ice cream. It was much more delicious.

I slept in Rahman's house tonight.

Regarding the technical part of the tour between Balıkesir (Border) - Çanakkale (Departure):

The wind continued to blow across. When I entered the Çanakkale, the wind was even stronger.

I climbed and descended approximately 4500 m for 464 km. I cycling an average of 66.30 km per day.

I cycling from the main road from İzmir Aliağa to the Çanakkale Biga exit - except between Çandarlı and Dikili. The road was covered with hot asphalt. Only the 10 km distance between Çandarlı-Dikili and the foothills of Kazdağları was cold asphalt pavement. Asphalt conditions were good. Vehicle traffic increased compared to other places I passed. The density of large vehicles was high between the Aliağa-Balıkesir border.

*** My journey continued for 2 more days. Since the article in this section is short, I found it appropriate to share it here.