Day 22 of 22. Sun. Aug 30. Durusu (Turkey) to Istanbul (Turkey)

Distance: 52 km

Time: 2 hrs 24 min.

Speed: 20.7 km/hr

Climbed:  1653 ft

AHR (Average Heart Rate) 113 bts/min

Cum Distance:  2062 km.

Cum Climbed: 45,866 ft.

Punctures: 0

Today completed this trip and I enjoyed the moment of completion.

The sun dawned on the last day and at 6.30 a mist was creeping in from the Black Sea, a scene we haven’t seen for a long time. It was to be a short day and all keen to get going.

Each of us wore the official tour jersey for this day although most of us added a hi-viz top for safety sake.

We continued today on the ’motorway’. Traffic was light enough but the road kept dropping and rising ahead of us. After 10 km we were into road-works and the space available to us was tight. Construction crews and machinery still waved to us on our way to our greetings of ’Meridah’. Turkish is a strange language differing completely from Indo-European languages. Thus an English expression like “I am an Irishman” is rendered in Turkish by one word “Irelande-li-y-im” (Ireland person I am). Sounds like Yoda from Star Wars. Am I correct, Oisin? And now can you get Eimear to find Turkey and Istanbul on the globe.

In time the high rise of Istanbul appeared in the distance. Encouraging. On today we passed under two aqueducts carrying water to this vast city of 25 million people.

At 36 km we turned off the new construction into the town of Kemperburgaz and on to the only long climb of the day. This was through a wooded picnic area; at least we were in the shade as the day was hotting up. Families were scattered through the trees and enjoying the shade s much as we enjoy the sun.

 With the crest of that climb reached we knew it was all downhill now to destination.

And the first glimpse of the Bosphorous came as we halted at traffic lights. This 32 km stretch of water (with width of 3 km to 600 m) separates Europe from Asia and links the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara. We cycled to the centre of Sariyer and all gathered there to celebrate the end of the trip.

Cameras were in overdrive recording various cycling groups of the ride, our core group of four, the three Irishmen.

From here we took a boat to our hotel further down the Bosphorous (on the European side). Lunch served on the water today and no rush to get back on the road.

As we pulled out, to the north of us appeared the new bridge under construction (to be the third bridge linking Europe and Asia and due to open within a year). The ’motorway’ we cycled on for the last two days will feed onto this bridge.

All along the shore as we progressed south was lined with prime real estate. Opulent residences at water level and high up on the hill.

On the Asian side cranes indicated construction and development and the continuous traffic on both bridges confirmed this.

As we approached the Bosphorous Bridge (the most southerly one) the minarets of Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque appeared in the distance. We docked just under the Bosphorous bridge and walked 500 m through the busy market to our hotel.

Bike boxes were produced and within twenty minutes I had the bike and some luggage all complete. And then I caught the end of the Tipp v Kildare match and thrilled to have them in another All-Ireland.

What a great trip. Enjoyed every single km of it, hills and all. So, that's Europe crossed. What next? One thing for certain, I’lol not be hanging up the bike.

Hope the blog gave some insight into Eastern Europe and into cycle touring.

Thank God for the health and thank God for the energy.

Day 21 of 22. Sat. Aug 29. Vize (Turkey) to Durusu (Turkey )

Distance: 100 km

Time: 5 hrs 06 min.

Speed: 19.5 km/hr

Climbed:  32700 ft

AHR (Average Heart Rate) 108 bts/min

Cum Distance:  2010 km.

Cum Climbed: 44,213 ft.

Punctures: 0

Our penultimate day. The last long day; tomorrow will be like the ceremonial cycle to the Champs Élysées! And we spy the Black Sea ahead.

As expected, the morning was clear and just waiting to warm up. No surprises when pulling back the curtains in the morning. Not for us anyhow; our room looked onto a 12ft X 6ft courtyard up through the four floors. Gymnastics would be required to see the sky.

Route details given at 6.50, breakfast at 7 (the Turkish white bread is delicious) and all ready to set off east along Highway 020 at 7.30 am, the same one we cycled into Vize on last Thursday.

On the way out of town, I again noted the amount of new family apartment buildings in the centre; the same up the Main Street. As Diesel Spy I see it (Motorin) sells at 3.74 lira per litre i.e €1.15. Much the same as in previous countries.

For the first 50 km road surface was perfect (perfect all day) and it just rippled along. Nothing very strenuous and we maintained a lively pace taking turns at the front every 5 km.

By the roadside the fields were busy already, picking potatoes or moving flocks. But they still waved us on to our salutation of “Meribah”. Many of the fields had stalls by the roadside selling water melon, tomatoes (tomatoes here are so tasty - served at breakfast, lunch and dinner), potatoes and peppers. Most of them weren’t manned yet.

Our first major town was Saray, a sizeable town with a military garrison and a prison. Much construction work was in progress and water had just been sprayed on the dusty street. It threw a lot of puddle on the bikes and our backs.

As the kilometres passed the road began to heave more and more with successive crests appearing ahead. Other rises appeared in the distance first. Only answer for it was to plough on.

In all today we had six climbs of 2 km or more and averaging at 6%. The first one came at the 46 km mark, 1.4 km at 5%. The last one after 90 km lasted for 4 km at 7% and into a headwind. On this first stretch we first came across these 4 French cyclists biking from France to Istanbul. I didn’t envy the loaded panniers they had but they created the hills shortly after us.

It amazes me that all 4 of them had their helmets slung on the back of their gear and wearing caps of different styles. Surely this busy road with no shoulder was calling out for head protection. When do they wear them? Or do they ever use them? Two other German loaded touring cyclists came along at lunch time and we invited them in for a bite. They are cycling from the source of the Danube (Donaueschingen) to Istanbul coming through Belgrade and Sophia. Haven’t met as many other cyclists for a while

Signs are showing how close we are to journey's end...now under 100km. 

After lunch, 15 of us moved off at the same time with lots of passing, sub-groups settling into their own pace routine.

Looking into the distance, the landscape looked so flat but only to deceive. Shortly after lunch a long descent by the town of Ifsaniye, with its impressive mosque, just meant that we’d have to regain all that ground again. Most of today’s climbs came after this.

At 82 km just after Subasi we dropped down onto a motorway for all intents and purposes. It isn’t a motorway, at least it hasn’t been officially classified as such yet. At least now we had a good hard shoulder and traffic was light. The last 18 km of the day towards the BlackSea was along here; it wasn’t flat, it dipped and lifted.

On one lift it looked like sand up ahead; like the sand dunes when approaching Curracloe. Gave me just a tingle of excitement.

But there was the biggest climb of the day beyond that crest - 4 km of a 7% gradient. We waited at the top for a few minutes for Judy to arrive and calmed down watching himself looking after his herd.

Another bit of up and down and there it was before us! The blue of the Black Sea. Really coming near the end now for certain.

Our hotel tonight is in Durusu Park Resort on the left but we just pulled off into the petrol station for a deserved cold drink. And they also had perfectly formed breakfast rolls all wrapped up in cling-film......haven’t seen them for a while now.

Just into the resort, checked in and noted an enticing pool attached. Might take a dip later on. But a special riders meeting at 7.15 before dinner at 8.

A great way to spend a Saturday.

Thank God for the health and thank God for the energy.