Profile
Blog
Photos
Videos
Day 10 - Alasehir, Turkey to Canakkale, Turkey
The 260 mile day began on the hunt for chain lube. The Tiger is the only bike not on shaft drive and I'd forgotten to pack any. The day before, I had spotted a Honda logo on a shop so thought we could start there. I did a quick google translate for motorcycle chain lubricant - "motosiklet zincir yaglama" and showed it to the proprietor whilst pointing at the rear sprocket. A young chap steps forward with a smattering of English and a mobile phone. Before long he has summoned a friend who has just such lubricant. While we wait for his arrival, the very proud owner of the shop gives us a tour and we converse at length on his selection of Hondas and Falcons and also his tractor tyres. We're offered a beverage during all of this and are really welcomed. The lubricant arrives and is put to use immediately. When asked, they won't accept any payment and we take a few photographs with the assembled crowd of 6 or 7 people before heading out of town.
The next coupe of hours is fairly standard apart from a couple of incidents of sheep grazing on the central reservation of the motorway and a couple of dogs frolicking.
It was very hot again today to the point that you didn't want to stand in it for very long. It got to about 29 degrees but very sticky with it.
Slash had another van related incident in a small town. This time his caution prevails but we all took a deep breath.
Arrive in Soma during a big protest march which we later find out is on the anniversary that 301 miners died in a fire under ground. The protest is about the treatment of the families and the cost cutting which led to the disaster. We have to stop at one point due to people on the road and a random marcher (woman) jumps on the back of Slashes bike and points forward. She's apparently decided that we're her ticket to the front of the march. It takes us off our route but seems like a good idea anyway. Hawk shows his support as we leave with his fist in the air but we're not sure if this was positive or an incitement to riot.
A quick stop for a couple of drinks and we're onto the next section of road which is melting tarmac and ruts formed by lorries. It's a bit unsettling when you also throw in a few cows wandering across the road. The road improves and before long we're tanking along taking the various twists and turns at ever increasing speed. It really is a marvel how quiet these roads are compared to back home and how you can use both sides of the road to get the best lines into the curves.
Lunch by the Aegean coast proves trickier than expected so its a little cafe on the side of the main road instead. Its a really friendly place and the woman who owns it completely embarreses her daughter by trying to get her to speak to us in English.
A slightly slower afternoon follows with some of the usual shenanigans with the local drivers but its uneventful and we gain some miles.
Our next stop is the ancient city of Troy. Pictues are taken next to and inside of a big wooden horse. There's an actual Helen there as well but her company will cost 15 lira so we pass. The ruins do give you a sense of how it was but I wonder why they have to restore/rebuild bits when they could just leave it alone? A gaggling infestation of Korean tourists follows us round and a couple of them get very excited at the prospect of a photo on Warriors GS. I'm sure he parks it in an alluring fashion to attract the tourists.
Off to Canakkale for our overnight but we're horrified to find no rooms at the inn or any inn within a 10km radius. We're hurredly consulting Booking.com and trip advisor outside one hotel when a gentlemen approaches Warrior asking him questions about his bike in Turkish. An interpreter is required even with Warriors penchant for the local dialect and it turns out she's a hotel guest who has just checked out - bingo! A quick chat to reception and they give us her room and even stick a couple of extra beds in.
We take a couple of beers while waiting for the room. Then all shower (in the worlds smallest shower cubicle) and grab some food in a meat restaurant next door.
All in all a day jam packed with experiences if not necessarily the best riding.
- comments