Black Sea Rally 2009

Hello all. I have been longing for this trip and I said ''Why not?''
I have been getting ready all along the year. I haven't started it yet but excitement is at its zenith. This Sunday at 7 am , I hope to set out from a coastal province named Tekirdag where my summer villa is located in and I will ride to the east along the coast with some discovery ridings on highlands. This will be a two-week ride with some 4000 km. Some Eastern Anatolian visitings will also be included to the route on the way.
As for accomodation, hotels, tents mostly will be of my choice though I have close friends there.
For more info, you can look at here.This exactly shows where I want to go and stay.
http://www.kackar.org/resimler/
Well, that's enough of intro for now, I think. I need to pack up everything that's vital to take.
This is an estimate route just drawn on GE with some waypoints shown.

And these are what I will take with me though many thingies are still missing.

Well, that's it for now. I hope to keep you informed here regularly with my reports and pics.
Looking forward to meeting some ADVriders on the way.

Thank you GB. I am always here, just sneaking sometimes:)
P.S. Check out my most recent reports: http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=473107
And some maintenance:
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=467481

Come on, we're waiting.

Thank you JackL Believe me, it's worth waiting.

Hi Venturer,

Best of luck on your trip mate, I hope you enjoy yours as much as I enjoyed mine.

Cheers

Dave..

Thank you Dave. I hope everything goes well.

I am back. It's been seven days today. And I am still hitting the roads, taking pleasure of each bend and curve. No problem so far, and the rally is due to end in three days. I am currently in a thermal hotel on the way and I need a bit of luxury after spending the whole week in a tent. So, here comes the report.
DAY 1
On 28th June, the journey begins at 7.30, the odometer showing 15812 km.and
Entering İstanbul


The ancient walls around the city centre


Shots on the Bosphorus Bridge. I risked my life on highway.



Fuel Refill

Before leaving İstanbul, I bought myself a tent and a sleeping bag.

At the end of Day 1, I rode about 450 km and stopped at Akçakoca,once a famous Genoan port with fortresses.

Welcome to Genoan Fortress




The villages around the city


Today's dinner,delicious

Then I made my way to a campingsite. I bumped a nice area surrounded with nut and lime trees.

All neat and tidy inside

My neighbours at the camping spot. Two old friends friends in a caravan. And they are German. They invited me and we chatted around a coffee table after dinner.


Camp owner's house

A hazelwood and the lime tree smells so nice

The route taken on DAY 1

DAY 2
The next morning I went out for some sightseeing. This is where a creek meeting the Black Sea. It started raining terribly here. The first rain meets me at this point.






More from the city




A mosque different in shape


I left the city to more panoramic views. The roads were bending up and down. They were narrow but worth going on though there are some main roads.

The road is getting narrower but more scenic



Fully loaded. This is a handicap if you are riding on such a road I adjusted the suspension to the lowest to keep the whole weight closer to the ground.




Here comes the venturer!

A shipyard in a city called Eregli


Entering Eregli. I stopped to have something to drink and eat.



It was too crowded and I was boiling in clothes.



there are so many tunnels


Entering the city of Zonguldak.In this city, I visited a long cave called ''Gokgol Cave'' A must see place!





It was chilling inside and there was some airflow.

Entering the city of Amasra. If you ever make your way to here, don't miss it. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>
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Seeing another Genoan spot<o></o>
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Not an Italian town but it seems so, doesn’t it?<o></o>
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Difficult to believe it's on the coast of the Black Sea. It's very hot.<o></o>
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Riding on these roads was sheer pleasure<o></o>
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It seems like a Mediterranean Town<o></o>
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Me, overlooking and saying ''Goodbye'' to this wonderful city.<o></o>
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On the way, I met two ladies selling these jams made of all kinds such as nuts, figs, apricots.
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Thank you my far away friend.
I wish I could have joined you
Very nice pictures!!

Thank you great man with a kind heart.
We'll ride up to Siberia one day together.
Don't forget it!

Continue...
Well, it's time to look for a camping spot. From now on the roads were getting worse but more scenic.Lots of bends and curves.


Then I bumped into this spot. http://www.giderosbay.com/
Here, a nice family welcomed me with a kettle of tasty tea.



Sunbathing ducks


Taken from a top of a hill,showing the same area


Another coastal town named ''Cide''


I left the town quickly to find a suitable place erect the tent





I found this place to stay overnight. There was heavy rain that night but the tent was durable enough to resist the wind especially.

It was getting dark but I managed to put up the tent.

The route taken on DAY 2

DAY 3
I woke up early that morning to look what's around. I had camped between the beach and a stream.
The nature was so peaceful.

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BMW,waking up.

And ready to serve in anyways.I love this bike!

Yesterday's log. Not a long mileage.

All packed up and I am ready to go.


The better the roads are getting, the more I am enjoying. I was tired of riding for the last two days, especially yesterday.


Another stream, meeting the Black Sea

As I was riding, I braked suddenly because I had seen a beast sunbathing on the beach.


A French couple with their small kids were travelling along the coast.Their destination is Georgia and then to Armenia. We chatted for a while.

About 20 ltr per 100 km.An economical vehicle!

We said ''Goodbye'' to each other and I went on riding


I was approaching to another big city named Sinop.

Diogenes was from Sinop. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diogenes_of_Sinope











Overlooking the city


And more from the citycentre



These are very popular here
An Ottoman Galley

A Frigate named ''Ertugrul''

And look at these

Then, I made my way for another campsite. I found a good one. There four caravans parking (a Brit, two Italians and a German Family)
And a German cyclist couple, touring the world for three years on their beasts. We met, ate and drank together. We talked about bikes and routes taken and to take. I helped them choose and buy their tyres. We ordered them on the phone and the next morning, I packed up everything and left for the next stop.

Very dramatic and impressive way you have captured the geology, the history and the current life there.

Great report, thank you! Is it hot now there?

Thanks for your interest chiko. I'll be back soon with current updates.

Yes,boiling here and I wasn't expecting that much. It's 12 degrees up in the valleys at night though it is about 25 on the coast.