Black Sea Tour 2011 - 2up on a Transalp

Now I'm totally confused:huh. Glad you've filled up with gas and are continuing the tale.

Cheers,


Dickyb

What confuses you?

The day before the receptionist at the hotel, who speaks very good English, was kind enough to call for us at the shipping company in Sochi in order to found out when the ferry to Trabzon was schedule to leave. The news was good, the ship was in the port and it did not leave the next day. Maybe Saturday or Sunday. She also told us that is good to be at the ferry to cross in Russia an hour before the starting of the formalities.
We woke up at 4.45 and ride to the ferry. It was a short one 20 min. We arrived there around 6.





The Kassa for tickets is on the left side. You need to have the passports and vehicle documents. The price for 2 tickets plus the bike was 175 Grivna.
Then we wait. After buying tickets you stay in line before the entry in the port. The border guards' then check your ticket and let you in. There you wait for the Wait for the ferry and customs. The ferry left at 7.30 and the crossing took 25 min. On the ferry we received the immigration form which was also in English and not so hard to fill.








You exit the ferry and there are 2 lines: one for all the passengers and one for vehicles. The passengers of the vehicles wait in line with everybody else while only the driver is allowed to stay with the vehicle.
Russian customs: they first check pass, then check registration documents of the bike. Then you must fill in a custom declaration regarding means of transportation, luggage and so on. Only in Russian but with some help from the custom guys I managed to do that.
After that you move to the next line of buildings and there in an office there is a lady who will prepare some documents for you. This is part one of the Temporary Import of Vehicle form. She will makes some papers and prepare some documents on a memory stick. With her and the documents you go to another office where another lady prepares the temporary import document for the bike. This document is given to you with a stamp with a code bar and you are instructed not to lose it. From disembarking the ferry until exiting the customs it took a total of 90 min. Which is a good time I say.
At 9.30 we were riding towards Sochi, destination of the day.



First big city on the route is Novorossiysk. The road is very good 2 then 4 lane road for the first 130 km. Crossing Novorossiysk was a traffic nightmare. We made a stop right after Novorossiysk. It was 40 minutes just to cross the city. After Novorossiysk the road narrows to a 2 lane road with very dense traffic and some road repairs. Nevertheless the road is in good condition. It is the main road to Sochi and the huge construction yard that is there in preparation for the 2014Winter Olympics.




After Tuapse the road get narrower and in the middle there is the white line which everybody advised me not to cross. After yesterday? No way!


The traffic to Sochi was extremely dense. The fact that it was Friday afternoon did not helped either. Loads of cars and trucks. As in endless….


We left Russian customs at 9.30 in the morning and arrived in Sochi at 8 in the evening covering a distance of 430 km. We made only 3 stops on the way. It was a tough ride but somehow fun. I have earned my dinner and beer for that day.
A word about the Russian truck drivers: very, very polite on the 2 lane road, they drive as close to the side of the road in order to let you pass them without crossing the white line splitting the lanes.
Crossing the white line splitting the lanes it is a very serious offense in Russia, and there were endless police teams with state of the art cameras, positioned on the side of the road with the sole intend of catching you crossing that line. They don’t care about speed; you can’t drive very fast in those roads. Surprisingly to me, almost nobody crossed the white line.
Entering Sochi area there is a barrier and a police check point but we weren’t stopped.



We went straight to the port to check the schedule of the ferry to Tranzon. The Kasa was closed, but we learn that it will be a ferry next day, and we can buy tickets next morning.
We went to the Nairi Hotel where we had booked a room in advance. The hotel was very nice, with secure parking behind closed doors, a swimming pool and clean rooms. (2750 Ruble/night – one of the most expensive night of the trip). Also one of the ladies from reception spoke good English.
We had reserved 2 nights in advance not knowing when the ferry will leave. We stayed and paid only one night, nice people. The most expensive dinner of the trip we had there since we were too tired to take a walk and search for another place to eat (1360 Ruble).

Hi Brat,

I have read you Ural adventures . In the future I plan to get a sidecar myself :)

In the morning we went to the port to reserve tickets for the ferry. As luck is, we manage to get the last cabin on board. The tickets are reserved at Kassa 5 from port and there is an English speaking lady there. The price for 2 tickets plus the bike was 16.500 Ruble/650 USD, so actually this will be the most expansive night in the trip.

The hotel


Two cats in the morning


View from our room





Kassa 5



We left the hotel and find ourselves a nice terrace near the port with a small shop and an ATM where we spend the rest of the day between drinking coffee, watching people and taking small walks around the area until 6 pm when boarding begin.

Walking in Sochi


Countdown for Olympics


Port building




Where we spend the afternoon


New stickers


Doing nothing


Custom formalities took 2 hours and Tingis (the one mentioned in Colebatch RR ) was there. He was not impressed when I mentioned to him that he is famous in the adventure motorcycling world. He did not asked any money from us for handling the papers.

Waiting to enter the port


The ferry


Tingis


Securing the bike


Bye bye Russia, we will be back


Sochi Port





After securing the bike on the boat, we went to see our cabin: very small with no windows and extremely hot. Still better than nothing, considering that the difference in price between the tickets with a place to sleep and without was very small.
On the ferry we met 2 Russian guys from Moscow going to Antalya for Holiday.
We also had a very long and pleasant conversation with Ildur from Kazan. Top bloke. He was also going in Antalya for holiday. His wife and daughter were waiting for him there since they did not like to long ride by car. We talk a lot about various things while having beers on the deck. He has a night club in Kazan and as a former comedian he had meet President Putin.
The ferry left the harbor around 8 in the evening and arrived in Trabzon around 9 in the morning.

Turkish customs – we spend there almost 4 hours for a 5 minute job. We were the last to leave the port. First went all the passengers, then all the cars, then us. They tried to imply that something was missing from my green card. I disagreed. They let us go.

The 2 guys from Moscow


Ildur from Kazan


Waiting in customs


We had a very tasty breakfast in Trabzon center and then took a short walk around the square.








The initial plan was to visit Sumela Monastery and found some accommodation around there. Since here we had all our bookings in advance, since we did not know the schedule of the ferry we did not planned in advance. We were free to stop whenever we wanted. Or, keep riding :)
The road to Sumela was a twisty but good 2 lane road going in the mountains south of Trabzon. Being Sunday the monastery was very crowded but beautiful. The monastery is close to Macka, about 30 km south of Trabzon. From Macka there are another 17 km to the actual site of monastery. Before that you will pass entrance of Altındere National Park (Milli Park) where one must pay a small fee. With the bike you can get as near as a few meters to Sümela itself, where there is a car-park in front of Hagia Barbara Chapel. Also you have to pay the entrance to the monastery itself.








The position of the monastery is what makes it spectacular; I believed that it would be quite a challenge to enter there without the approval of the defenders.



The story of the monastery is something like this: built in the fourth century, before the Roman Empire split into east and west, by two Athenian priests, Barnabas and Sophronius. The fell into ruin numerous times throughout its history, the best moments of its existence being under Byzantine and Ottoman rule.
The last century was the worst for Sumela. It was abandoned following the chaos and inter-ethnic violence at the end of World War I. In the recent years Turkish government has stepped in to restore and protect the monastery and to turn it into a museum.
















Lots o people and indeed a very humid atmosphere.
When we were about to leave the monastery we met an very nice and helpful tourist guide from Uzungol – Ekrem who give us information about the area. We also met a couple from Greece coming here on a Scooter. Amazing.
Initially we planned to sleep around the Sumela, but being still early and wet, we decided to get back to the coast and find accommodation there. So we ride another 150 km and find a hotel in Giresum for 90 TL. Giresum it’s a very pleasant little town with a fortress up the hill (Kale) and a university. We eat some local fast food (delicious) had a beer on the hill and went to sleep.












A few words on the coastal road from Trabzon to Samsun: It is an excellent 4 lane road with a spectacular view of the sea and of the mountains. It will be part of the Black Sea Costa Road when the ring shall be completed. Not in my life time, but nevertheless.

When we took the ferry from Trabzon to Sochi a couple of years ago the computers were down on the Turkish side. It took us 8 hours to get processed and on board. Plus the ferry was 8 hours late leaving. No rooms left, so we sort of slept on deck.
Getting into Sochi was only a couple of hours.
Both Trabzon and Sochi were great cities.

This means we were lucky

The first 200 km to Samsun were on the good 4 lane coastal road, then it turn into a 2 lane road. In Samsun there are 2 options: one is to take a sort of ring around the city, and the other one is to stay on the coastal road and ride through the city. We took the second option. It was wrong.

Of course the fuel line broke again. Fixit and ride on.
80 km before Sinop the road narrows again for 50 km, and with 20 km left to Sinop it gets good again.
Side stand contact broke so I switched on direct. It is like that ever since.
The road has spectacular views of the Black Sea.

In Sinop we had no reservation and most of the places where full. We find a hotel, a bit expensive (130 lira) with breakfast included.
The legend say that Sinope, daughter of the river god Asopus, outwittedZeus. He wanted to marry her, and promised she could have "anything she wanted." She requested eternal virginity, and Zeus, outwitted, allowed her to enjoy it here on this promontory giving the town its name.

Sinop is known also for the attack of Imperial Russian Navy over the Ottoman fleet in 1853 which was in port there. The "massacre of Sinop" was one of the events precipitat-ing the Crimean War (1853-1854) in which Great Britain and France fought with the Ottoman Empire against the Russian Empire.

Also the Cynic philosopher Diogenes (c. 412-323 BC), who carried around a lantern "looking for a good man" (and not finding one), was born in Sinop.

We visited the Kale and the port and had a less than impressive dinner at Saray restau-rant (supposedly famous for fish dishes). The City is very small and it’s made famous by model wooden boat. You can find then anywhere in the city.

Day 11 – Sinop – Amasra – 330 km

We had an early breakfast on the top floor of our hotel with a nice view of the sea, then we hit the road.



It was a tough ride. The road is theoretically a 2 lane road, but in fact it a one and a half, or just one. It runs close to the sea with endless ups and downs and a very strange surface of the tarmac. Luckily there is no much traffic on the road except some local cars. Still, the ride and the view were spectacular. I took us 8 hours to make the distance of 330 km.

The coastal road mentioned in an earlier post in under construction only until Sinop. There are major road works when one get close to Amasra.

On the way I lost the chain guard as a tribute/souvenir to the Turkish roads. It was shit and expensive and it only confirmed what sambor1965 was saying in an earlier tread here.












We stop for lunch somewhere on the road. Turkish food is delicios.



Nice view





Somebody was tired












We managed in the end to find a room at Amastri Hotel – 300 lira for 3 nights and breakfast. The room was big and clean, but no AC. They have pool and a courtyard for the bikes. We put the bike right in front of our room.

Amasra Sofrasi is the best place to eat in Amasra. We went there every day.



By night

Better late than never

Cheers,

Dickyb

Amasra is indeed as described by various travelers: charming. It has 2 harbors instead of 1, and 2 small islands; one linked to the shore by a bridge (Büyük Ada, Big Island) and and Tavsan Adasi (Rabbit Island) and of course a Kale.




Church Mosque was built as a Byzantine church in the 9th century AD. The church is a small chapel and after Fatih Sultan Mehmet conquered Amasra in 1460, it was converted to a mosque. The church mosque was closed to prayer in 1930.





Amasra Castle was built during the Roman period. The walls of the castle were built by the Byzantines. The front walls and gates were built by the Genoese in the 14th and 15th centuries. Though located on a narrow peninsula, a tunnel under the castle leads to a fresh water pool.

















Went to Amasra Museum which chronicles the city's Roman, Byzantine, Genoese, and Ot-toman history.

In the central square, between the two harbors lies Baris Akarsu Monument dedicated to a Turkish rock musician who died in a car accident at a young age.









The night time is the right time


Next day we went for a trip with a boat around the harbors, and at the end of it took a swim right of the boat. Endless jelly fish, but they do no harm. the captain of the boat was a former military from the navy and had stories to tell. he knew little english but his young nephew did the translation.




A nice place to eat play backgammon, have a tea and smoke




All in all we had two relaxing days on the Black Sea shore and it was great.

The lazy days were over and it was time to continue with our journey. We woke up really early in the morning to get to Istanbul before the afternoon traffic. We will be there in no time.
Do you know how you make God laugh? You tell him your plans…
So, after we took one nice shot of the sunrise we left.




The route we choose will now take us south, away from the sea in order to try and have a good time to Istanbul. Amasra – Bartin – Gokcebey – Devrek – Mangen – Yenicaga and then the O4 highway to Istanbul.
The stretch between Bartin and Yenicaga is a two lane road, and when we ride there were a lot of road works to upgrade it to a four lane road.










Planning to get there fast, I was not careful enough with the gas consumption and 3.6 km from the gas station I run out of it. It was on the highway and most of the traffic passing by were lories on diesel. Not good.
I was not happy.



I had to options, to get by foot to the gas station and get a bottle of gas and come back or push the bike there. Not feeling good to leave Oana and the bike there I decided to push.
Boy, 3.6 km slightly uphill it’s a long way…
No bike passed us in this time. Finally I got there, filled up and drink a lot of water. Of course 5 minutes later a KTM entered the gas station going also to Istanbul.

The closer you get to the big city the traffic gets denser and the driving more aggressive. From the moment you start seeing the outskirt of the city and until the moment when you cross the bridge in Europe and enter the city center is a long way.

We manage to get there around 2 a cloak, before the big traffic jam and until we entered the small streets of the Old City, we had no problems. There it was a bit of a jam, but after some navigation on small one way streets we got to our hotel. This time we had reservation to a very nice hotel in the Sultanahmet, 5 minutes walking from the Blue Mosque.
Afyter a nap and a shower it was time to eat and discover the city. It was the first time we were there and after that we promise we will return.

We eat on a terrace on the top of a building on the way to the Blue Mosque, then we wonder around the city. Entered Blue Mosque, admired Hagia Sofia in the evening sun, got down to the Bosfor, to the Galata Bridge where we admired the sunset and the local fisherman.

Blue Mosque






Women have to cover themselves


Hagia Sofia







Galata Bridge














We loved the city with the people, the smells of kebab and fish and we simply embraced the cosmopolitan atmosphere of the place.

Incredible pictures. Looking forward to the rest of the report (and then the next one ).

"Planning to get there fast, I was not careful enough with the gas consumption and 3.6 km from the gas station I run out of it."

Reason you ran out of juice or was your clutch slipping?




Great pics of places I've yet to see after being here for 8 years

,

you have good eyes :)

But no, the odometer is at zero because the cable from the front wheel to the dashboard was broken. I think I mentioned that on Day 6 - Sudak - Feodosia - Kerch.

The clutch is another story yet to come. Hope to see you in June at Doug's.

@ALPINEGUERRILLA: thanks, your reports and pics are also stunning. The next RR will start after I finish this one and as is to be expected it will take a long time to be done :)

The next day we spend it sight seeing on the European side of the city. First stop was at Binbirdirek Cistern or The Cistern of Philoxeno which is a man-made subterranean reservoir in Istanbul, Sultanahmet district.

There we had the first coffee of the day




Since we had our appetite open for water storage places we moved to Basilica Cistern:






We continued our walk towards Hagia Sofia:



Hagia Sofia



Bridge over Bosporus


Galata Bridge



Topkapi Palace

In the Harem



The Pool for the Sultan's Harem



a bit of rest in the park



The Bazaar





Market around the Bazaar



Wise cats

The following morning we made for an early start in order to beat the traffic on the way out of Istanbul. The target for the day, the last day of the trip was the same as last year's: Doug's Motocamp in Idilevo, Bulgaria. I like to go there as often as I can, and I especially like to end or start the trips there.
Nice place, lovely people, good beer :)

Getting ready to leave early in the morning:


The way out:




In Bulgaria we crossed Shipka Pass and paid a visit to Buzludzha Monument


Buzludzha is a historical peak in the Central Stara Planinna, Bulgaria and is 1441 metres high. In 1868 it was the place of the final battle between Bulgarians rebels led by Hadji Dimitar and Stefan Karadzha and the Turks.

The Buzludzha Monument on the peak was built by the Bulgarian communist regime to commemorate the events in 1891 when the socialists led by Dimitar Blagoev assembled secretly in the area to form an organised socialist movement. It was opened in 1981. No longer maintained by the Bulgarian government, it has fallen into disuse.
Buzludzha is reached by a 12 km side road from the Shipka Pass.





Shipka Pass Monument




We arrive at Doug's Motocamp were Ivo and Poly took great care of us.


The bike is safe. Time for beer :)



Time to change the front wheel bearings:








So that is the end of this year trip.
Around the Black Sea: 18 days, 4200 km, 6 countries and 2 ferries. A great ride, beautiful places, lovely people.


We will come back to Doug's place for the HU Mini Meeting at the end of summer.

Also the next year trip (2012) across Caucasus, Central Asia, Mongolia, Far East Russia to Magadan and back will start and end here. RR soon to come (I'm slow and lazy).

I'm looking forward to read this ride report

As promised we have return to Doug Motocamp for another HU Mini Meeting. And, as always, it was great.
By the time we get there, Friday evening, Doug was still on the road, coming back from his trip to Magadan on a modified Harley.
The RR of the trip is here: http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=681994
Doug manage to arrive Saturday morning. Our hosts:



A dog named Harley:



There were a lot of people there, many of whom I will see again next year on my trip east.














The next day we went out for a ride, and what better place to go then Shipka Pass and Buzludzha Monument. That place has a magic in it, and the ride there is nice.
















The revelation of the meeting was a French guy, who went around the Black Sea on a monocycle. Beat that! And he gave us a very nice presentation Saturday evening. Presentation which was followed by Doug’s.
The guy



The luggage:


A lot of Shumensko we drink that nigh.


The following morning a few of the guest wanted to try the monocycle, without much succes.









So, this is the end of 2011 RR. Until next :)