We made it!!!
And rode straight to Sultanahmet Square….where the famous Blue Mosque (above) faces the much older Hagia Sophia (below).
We had planned to do this trip over two days….so we could take time to find a relatively calm route into this mega-city….but the weather forecast (rain tomorrow!)…& the idea of a three-night stop…gave us the impetus to push for it! And what a huge day it turned out to be.
The distance…and ascent…tells only part of the story, for we took a full ten and a half hours to reach our apartment! Lots of stopping, dead ends, map-studying, traffic snarl ups, general manic chaos…and a few briefly frayed tempers!
The day started well…on our trusted D110 motorway with luxurious shoulder…until – about 20kms in…we had to turn onto the famed D100, which follows the South coast into Istanbul. And when I say “famed”…it must be the most talked-about road in cycling blogs! “Avoid”!
But it was fine…..until about 2kms on…when our hard should abruptly stopped! So we spent a lot of time finding side roads to keep clear of the monster! But seemingly at every little river/stream crossing….one was forced back on to the main road once again! Thankfully the hard shoulder re-appeared too…so it was not too bad!
35kms in….we stopped in Silivri for breakfast. A pretty wee town….
…..and a great breakfast. Twenty different soups to choose from. So we had chicken…and it was just what the doctor ordered!
Another 20kms of dodging the main road…
…..and we were in the city! 50kms+short of our destination!! It is a monster of a city! And extends just as far in the Eastern/Asian section of the city.
Not a bike ride for the feint-hearted. The Turkish drivers have been great in general….but were a lot less accommodating in the city! So…fraught nerves on occasion…lots of swearing….and an unexpected number of very steep hills (most of our climbing today was inside the city limits!)….and then this:
….as all traffic on every road is funnelled across this causeway (the second of two!).
But once across we could stay right on the coast…and it was not a bad ride at all.
Great lunch stop…at the 90km mark….for a delicious Durum (what we might call a kebab!).
The guy was magnificent…and what a jacket!
Not long after we found a bike path. Which ran for well over ten kms….all the way to the centre of town!! Just a lovely way to arrive!
The Blue mosque comes into view…with Asia so very close!!
Felt good.
So we celebrated properly…….
(…my celebration photo did not come out….alas!!!)
…but you can imagine there were plenty of high fives and hugs as we swallowed too many beers….in acknowledgement of what has been a great trip! “..so far”….for me…but alas the end for Iain.
Around 1840kms….and 21,126m of ascent over 18 full days in the saddle. Not a bad effort really!
We have rubbed along so well. It will be a wrench to see him go! Two days here though…so not over yet!
Congratulations! xx
Great Effort you two!! That man (men) deserves a beer! (or several, of which I’m sure was the case)
What an outstanding Father/son bonding session – one whose memories will last a life time for you both! XX
Bravo y’both!! Awesome effort in some testing circumstances. All the best for an enjoyable rest up in Istanbul – I’m picking those Efes sales figures will get a boost over the next few days!
Neil and Iain, congratulations on an awesome ride! I just read your entire journey and now need a cup of tea and a lie-down. We’re in Maastricht after a couple of fun weeks cycling in the Netherlands with Christine and Phil – such a joy to ride on smooth flat cycleways, and in a country where the drivers respect and give way to cyclists. Stay safe, happy riding, xxx
Yeeeeeeha!!!!!!!
That cycle way in to the city looks and sounds glorious.
What an awesome journey. Bloody well done.