Day Seventy Three

23/07/25  I don’t think I could have asked for any more from a day off in Cappadocia! I lay in sleeping decently considering the heat and the loud call to prayer. I enjoyed a leisurely morning, cooking a big breakfast of eggs and doing some bike maintenance. I discovered a crack in my front rack - I knew it was a mistake to have bought aluminium. I helped to secure it with cable ties, and hoped that it’d hold till Tbilisi. I’d seen if I could get a steel replacement or failing that a weld. I got out of the house at the crack of noon, checking out uchisar castle (from the outside) and beginning the walk down to Goreme. This is where my micro adventure began! 

I entered Pigeon valley - so named because of the use of pigeon manure to fertilise the wineries. I had the place to myself, I couldn’t believe it! I spied spike that looked climbable and scrambled up it, taking in the views down the valley/canyon, as well as a couple of snaps. It was a bit windy up here, and the down climb proved a tad tricky. The spike was made from incredibly loose sandstone, with decent sized pebbles in it, offering “secure” holds. Taking extra care I made it safely down, and continued my stroll down the valley. There were many paths, some leading to dead ends and others through cave tunnels with windows. I meandered my way along, enjoying the unknown, and feeling of remoteness only a short distance from all the other tourists in cappadocia. Needless to say the rock formations were breathtaking and otherworldly. I felt like Edward Abbey exploring his canyon lands in Desert Solitaire, with a smile on my face. The crux of the walk was a sketchy traverse on steep angled dried mud and loose dirt. I saw a couple a way down the valley, so assumed this was the way. There were two choices: the high line, or the low line. After trying the low one I backed out and tried the high one. I only got halfway before a precarious move round a bulge in the canyon wall, weight falling back, a virtually none existent feet, forced a hasty retreat. I didn’t like that. I resolved I wouldn’t be defeated and tried the low line again. I managed to get past the short down climb, the crux, this time - I felt more secure now on less loose ground. The exposure was greater now and a fall would have been bad news, not fatal outright, but broken bone potential! I methodically and systematically tested foot and hand holds, not taking a gamble on any. Soon I was through to safer ground and grinned ear to ear. That was a bit scary, so I checked my boxers quickly too!

 I started moving on, when I heard a shout. A man appeared across a drop to my left. He mimed that there were steep drops all around me. I hesitated looking back, I didn’t really want to risk the traverse again. I saw a way sneaking round by the canyon wall and fairly easily followed it to where the man was selling some drinks and fruit. I could now see there was another way round to him, where two canyons converged. It would have required a fairly long back and round. I’m not sure I would have risked the loose traverse had I known it wasn’t the proper way, but I’m glad I did it unscathed nonetheless. I sat with the man for a bit tucking into one of his apples, whilst he mimed how my way had been dangerous. - he didn’t need to lecture me, I was all too aware of the danger at the time! 

The rest of the walk was uneventful, but beautiful still, and it wasn’t too long before I arrived in Goreme. I was tired now, and didn’t to overdo it, so hitched a lift back to where I was staying. I spent most the rest of the day horizontal, updating the blog and reading. I cooked an early dinner and got to bed by 2100. I planned to try and watch the balloons tomorrow - a 0430 alarm was set!







Sketchy drop to the right 


Tompey wizard hat

Bitchin’ ride



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Day Seventy-One

Image
22/07/25 - Day Seventy-One I slept like a baby until my alarm at 0700. I picked up my forgotten socks from Yunus’ house before they had risen, leaving the village with a full, but heavy heart. The downhill miles to Kulu eased me into the day, as I then stopped for borek and coffee. I cracked on passing over a salt lake, a landscape I never imagined I’d encounter on this trip. I napped at lunch, then forced myself into action again. Frustration at not finding a cafe, need to buy some coffee. Settling for an iced coffee to tackle the short climbs and descents that followed. I was feeling ok, but tired. There was a final longer climb to see out the day and I set camp at the top slightly down a farm track to hide from the road. I enjoyed longer evening I had afforded myself and the beautiful views as the sun set. Especially so after the podcast I had listened to that afternoon, which followed the monastic wanderings of Thomas Merton. Stillness.   Goodbye Yunus, my dear friend   ...
Read more

Day Sixty-Seven

Image
18/07/25 - Day Sixty-Seven Last night was the first time in a while where I conked out - mid blog writing. I woke shortly after, sweating profusely and had to peel myself off my sleeping mat, then wipe it down. I set up the tent on the terrace instead, as it was a more acceptable temperature outside. I woke to thunder and the pitter patter of rain, so snoozed a while longer. I went into the centre of Eskisehir to do some shopping - on the list was a kitan, some bike bits and to post my roll of film home. It was 12:15 by the time I set off to tackle the real miles of the day. It was flat with a slight tailwind on good roads so I flew along. The definition of crunching miles. I had lunch by a pretty mosque and some inquisitive children came and watched me making my sandwiches. They told me their names and asked me where I was from, but luckily they soon got bored, for I was weary.  Having said that, I felt good and strong after lunch, crunching more flat (ish) miles. An extended str...
Read more

Day Seventy

Image
21/07/25 - Day Seventy Woke at 0530 to the loud call to prayer outside my window. Slept again. I walked back to Yunus’ house and had a big Kurdish breakfast spread! Scrambled eggs with tomatoes, peppers and spices. 3 types of cheeses. Olives, chips, grapes, yogurt, Kurdish layered flatbread, grape molasses sauce, homemade butter, cucumber. We visited Yunus’ uncles next door, a kebab man, and was invited to his son’s engagement party later that day! Next, we visited Yunus’s grandmother along with Isam, she made me some ayran with her organic yogurt.  Indecision set in about whether to crack on or stay. I decided to stay, engagement party sounded like too good an opportunity to miss, afterall it’s not everyday you get the offer to one! Yunus’ sister and her family arrived. More relatives came later. Then we all went to the party, Yunus left so his wife could meet his family and see the village. I met another German Yunus who looked after me well, getting a second portion of the food...
Read more