Cycle: 23.92km//2hr 45min//8.65km/hr + crash
Packing up camp to the laughter of others was a treat. Claudia and Simone were very lighthearted and easy to spend time with. We said our goodbyes and they hiked off on the Lycian way, and we headed towards Faralya.. uphill... an uphill that would not end. According to the GPS, we left camp at 479 meters. In the next 6.7km we would climb to 1021 meters, and ulitamtely top out at 1160 meters at 10.42km. For those that have never paid attention to road grades, 10-20% is really freaking steep. Fully loaded bikes made the climb a punishing experience. Not surprising that such hard work also presented incredible beautiful rewards in the form of vistas over land and sea. Many bee boxes lined the terraces in the countryside, and goats with bells around their necks by the dozens could be seen grazing. Passing through tiny villages that have never made it onto a map, with locals doing their traditional thing, was a lovely experience. Today marked the end of their holiday Eid Al-Adha, the feast of the sacrifice.
After about 2 hours of solid climbing, we finally reached our summit. The road had long ago turned to gravel, but there was no preparing for what was to come. The descent was absolutely treacherous, with very loose gravel of both small and large jagged stones scattered all over. In fact, the road was basically made of these rocks. And as far as we could see, hairpin and switchbacks repeated on and on and down. If we'd come up this way, we'd never have made it. Of course, on one side of the road was an imposing cliff edge. Guard rails? Nay! The descent was slow and nerve wracking. About 1 km from the end of the loose gravel I (Jenn) hit a large boulder at a painfully slow speed, handlebars turn, bike pitches up and I land trendelenburg (medically defined as, on your back with feet higher than head by 15-30 degrees) . I laid there assessing the damage, and trying to catch my breath, holding my left hand with my right, not daring to let go and face a possible fracture or what could very well be a major disruption to this tour. Finally, the endorphins settle, I have a little release of tears, and I start to get up when Madalene says "don't roll that way." I realize I am literally on the cliffs edge with inches to spare. A body survey shows a deep abrasion to my knee and a terrible pain in the knuckles of my left hand. We decide to walk the bikes down to a safe place to sit, pull out sandwiches as a rouse to not attract attention, and tend to wounds.
Continuing on, I would realize that not being able to grip my bars without pain is a major challenge the riding. Rest is needed, luckily, Madalene's research and navigating once again pay off -- delivered us to a haven known as George's House, located in Faralya. This is a family run business with cabins, and tenting sites at very low cost, catering to backpackers, trekkers, adventure tourists, and now cycle tourists. The real blessing is that accommodations come with a delicious huge Turkish breakfast spread, and a full real homemade dinner in the evening, with a varying menu that changes depending on the whim of the cook, and of course homemade desserts to follow. Not to mention, a welcoming dining area that doesn't make you feel like you're in a B&B, or a hostel, or a hotel, but in your family living room! Hasam, one of the sons in the family, operates the house with his kind friendly smile, and soft demeanor. Kat, from English speaking parts of the world, works here as well in the summer, helping with people like us (i.e who only know 3 words of Turkish). Finally, our tenting spot was amazing. We pitched our tent on the cliff edge overlooking Butterfly Valley, which boasts one of Turkey's nicest beaches. A warm shower and a spectacular sunset . Can it get any better? Yes, the fabulous company of Kat, Christine and Martin (from France). Hills and travel wounds have been forgotten!
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| It is very difficult to break camp with views this awesome. |
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| A worker bee laden with pollen. Honey harvest is on, and bees are everywhere. The countryside is a giant collective hummmmmmmmmmmmmmm. |
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| Row upon row of bee boxes are a common sight. The cow carcass in the foreground, less common, and within 8 meters of our pitched tent. |
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| Beautiful vistas keep us entertained as we cycle up up up |
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| Beaches and coves straight out of a travel magazine. |
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| Zig zagging roads cling the the cliffs edge and work their way along up and down the countryside. |
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| Site of the crash! Note the unstable cliff edge nearby (which is actually much steeper than it looks). |
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| Evidence of the crash. |
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| A beautiful descent into Faralya. GIANT boulders rolling by, at some point in history. |
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| Crazy rocks with zig zagging formations, like a folding hand fan. |
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| Welcome to George House! |
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| Delicious ripe grapes free for the picking. More importantly, the vines provide shade. |
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| A hungry cyclists dream! |
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| Butterfly valley at sunset: the view from our tent! |
