Author: bengarbutt

Turkish Delight

Rain lashed against the window at dawn again. But somehow every time we’ve waited for half an hour or so, it’s stopped. Same again this time.

So as a three for the first time – now with Phil The Machine Rundell pulling us up the slopes – we set off under gloomy skies and in wet roads.

The first couple of hours were full of traffic, but soon we were on rolling country roads again.

We had the usual tea stop in a cafe full of old men, surrounded by depictions of Attaturk on the walls.

Lunch, 40km later was in a bakery, where we sampled simit, the Turkish ring shaped bread, covered in toasted sesame seeds.

Soon after lunch, the route took us down a shortcut, off-road. Within seconds, thick claggy clay covered every part of anything in contact with the ground. Shoes quadrupled in weight. The bikes could not be ridden or even pushed, as the cloying mud clogged everything.

We carried our bikes back out and set to trying to clear the adhesive dirt. It was then I noticed my chain had become jammed between the chainring and the frame.

This had happened to me a couple of years ago. On that occasion the problem was nearly terminal. I’d had to take it to a bike shop, where the mechanics had to mostly disassemble it with specialist tools.

We spent a nervous few minutes trying to lever or wrench the chain out with whatever tools were at our disposal, but eventually it came loose, thankfully. I did wonder for a minute whether my ride would have to end there. It was the closest I’ve been to failure, probably.

In the end we arrived in Arnavutkoy at almost exactly the same time that my family’s flight arrived into Istanbul airport, 10km away. What planning!

And all of a sudden we were reunited! We were all so happy that nobody took any photos.

Tomorrow is the valedictory ride into Istanbul, not more than 30km from here – a quick roll in through the notorious traffic.

I’ve already been asked many times whether I have a mix of emotions. I don’t really. I’m very pleased to have done it. If I make it this far I always knew it would end here, so I’m not sad it’s over. I’ve savoured it all and I have this record of it. That’s all I wanted.