Turkey Shirtfronted

2.30 pm 18 October. Team RANDY (R and Y-get it?), boarded the Vesta 1 Sevil, as directed, in preparation for the assault on Turkey. On board we were directed to our suite and shortly afterwards we met the other members of our assault team; one English born, one time Austrian, now Canadian middle aged woman, one very fit senior German man whose wife is a member of the European parliament, two middle aged American women from New York, a married couple from Canada (both very fit), and a couple of younger Germans, a software engineer and an accountant who were clearly assigned to keep us all in working order. We could all easily communicate in either English or German.

The workup dinner was duly held that evening and the mission planners Ali and Peter conducted the first of many briefings. Shortly before dinner we were introduced to our bicycles and final adjustments were made.

 

Unlike the often mythologised, always exaggerated and now politically unashamably exploited assault on Turkey in 1915, this trip was expertly planned and proven to work. We left Marmaris after a leasurely breakfast and sat out on deck preparing for our initial venture to Sarsala beach. We were landed at the small inlet of Asi Koyu and headed off over hill and dale and came into the beach from the rear, via Dalaman, a total ride distance of about 50 kms. The beach was duly conquered and we enjoyed a quiet rendezvous with our boat. The weather had been fine all day and we mixed it with the unsuspecting locals at cafes along the way. All riders had a good first day, with the last down hill sweep to Sarsala being a highlight.

 

 

 Day 2 saw us start from Gemiler Bay and mount a very stiff climb to Kayakoy before laying a feint to make for famous Oludeniz beach where we enjoyed a great swim. At Oludeniz, the place was abuzz with hang gliders who operate here without any obvious OH&S rules. One woman happily sitting with her partner on the beach and quite close to us, was almost landed on and had to be untangled from the parachute lines but our team emerged unscathed to call the day a victory. We rode about 48 kms that day.

 

At this point our mission notes are still classified as too sensistive for internet use. So I will describe the remaining mission days in more general terms rather than give a blow by blow daily description.

But to give our overall impressions. Weather wise, the week started off quite warm and dry. Clouds built up about Wednesday and rain was ranging through this hilly, coastal area from Thursday, never to quite leave us. Friday was re-planned several times with the last plan being to ride at the start of the day being the correct one as the rain came down in buckets that afternoon as we bussed back to Marmaris.

The daily riding expeditions were really enjoyable. The typical distance being about 45 kms per day and the terrain was often hilly and challenging. We stopped every couple of hours for a break and lunch was in local establishments.

The group of 10 mixed in well and we have made some good new friends. Quite a few of us are repeat 'Island Hopping' customers and we enjoyed great exchanges of past trips. Most of us are already planning our next adventure trips.

The people here are very friendly, interested in what we were doing and experts at extracting money from our wallets. Our guides have excellent historical understandings of the Lycian Coast and Turkish events and we have come away with a much improved appreciation of Turkay's place in the world.

The itinerary from Wednesday onwards had to be made on the fly as the rain commenced and the seas roughed up. The boat did suffer some damage one day and the engine had problems another day straining to take us to a scheduled start point that was never to be reached.

Marmaris was conquered as we enjoyed our Hamam Turkish bath. We are now ready to head inland to Kapadokya.