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| The map of our 2nd day's ride. |
Anil:
As per planned one night earlier, we leave Motolab with oiled chains, checked air pressure, engine oil and brake fluids. My gf Inci is with us and is seeing us off. After a short stop at Motomax shop to gather up a couple of last minute details we are off at last. It's a sunny day and the wind is welcomed with joyous yells in our helmets. Using the 2nd bridge route we head out to Europe with our many technological gadgets (GPS, intercom, head cams, external chargers, etc..). It takes around 1.5 hours to leave the city traffic. First stop; meatrolls in Tekirdag. We arrive as hungry as one can be, gulping down the food in minutes. It takes us at least 30mins. to gather up our equipment each time we stop. Later, we would figure out quicker ways pack and safer ways to keep things on the bike.
We gulp down the meatrolls we've been dreaming of all morning:
 Kemal seconds before jumping in.  The infamous cheese halva with ice cream. Only this much survived before I could take out the camera. |
After we free ourselves from Istanbul's traffic, we squeeze the throttle and enjoy the beautiful weather. We want to make our way through Ucmakdere since I've heard only good things about the course. When we arrive something very unexpected from my side greets me; offroad... This is the first time I'm riding on something different from tarmac. I feel fairly relaxed, having dropped the Yamaha even before the dirt started, several hundred meters before the entrance of the park. After receiving some crucial tips from Anil I learn to let the bike find its way through the dirt. (Watch the video below as he gives some pointers through our intercom) Oh what joy! I just wished we had enduros under us to really enjoy this place!
Anil:
The road is dirt and difficult. Two tarmac bikes and riders are being tested. In the end we somehow make it through without dropping our bikes even once.
After the tough offroad course we give a rest-stop at a local Mocamp for a tea where we meet Colonel Alper. He has a black Transalp. He has a German wife and tells us about his plans to move there after he's retired. Unfortunately he slips his front wheel on gravel right as we were leaving. The bike drops on his leg, injuring him. We escort him to his destination, 15km away.
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| At Mocamp with Colonel Alper. The boys are on the right resting across the beautiful view. |
IMO one of the best courses of the entire trip, summaries in the best edit possible:
Kemal:
We continue to Sarkoy as 3 bikes. Managing to catch the ferry to Lapseki from Gallipoli at the last minute, we arrive to Canakkale at 21:30. We're tired but happy, content. We celebrate our first day out on the open roads with a beer.
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| Taking the ferry from Gelibolu to Lapseki. |
We sail across the strait as the last vehicles to be loaded on the ferry. Our guest, Ozgun who we know now will host us like kings for the next 2 days, greets us to Canakkale. We drink a couple of beers in his bar and fall into a deep yet uncomfortable sleep in his house.
