Why do you need to cycle in Turkey ?

Wow!
I’ve just turned back from my black sea tour in Turkey and in a few words, It was amazing!
While you are cycling, you will always realise the world like it should be.
Turkey has much beautiful nature if you will pass to the more eastern side. Every tourist or foreigner knows Istanbul, Ankara, İzmir or Antayla .
Yes!
They are exactly the beautiful cities but if you are a nature addict, you need to go to the other cities, like Amasra, Bartın, Kastamonu, Artvin, Rize, Erzurum …
I started my cycling tour from Istanbul and on my route, first, I need to visit my parents on Kocaeli (120 KM far away from Istanbul). From Istanbul to Kocaeli, there is nothing to see but only cars, highways, lights and none of the trees. So if there is a chance, you can skip this road.
To make your way a bit easier to skip Istanbul to Kocaeli road, you can go to Yenikapı in Istanbul and via Ferry, you can pass to the Yalova. From Yalova to Kocaeli is the same Km but the road is a bit beautiful than the other way.

I’m using so simple equipments for a week tour. I’ve a Merida Crossway 20v ( Really cool touring bicycle), 50 Litres backpack, one mat, one husky tent, a few clothes, a few biscuits, chocolates, a few litres water, a center bag, a few lights, a medical pack, my sleeping bag — so light thing because I’m travelling on summer- and that’s all.
After 2 days with my parents, I started my tour from Bolu ( I came to there with car but from Kocaeli to Bolu you may cycle, there are so many good stuff to see)
First Day

Okay, let’s move on!
On my first day in Blacksea tour, I’m planning to reach Bartın from Bolu. It’s about 170 KM.
From Bolu to Bartın, I tasted a bit bad roads ( because of constructions), a much green and blue. I realized that really I missed the smell the air, grass and the silence. After I arrived the mountains, everything has changed and I think only I’m the only one in this world. No one and nothing can change my life.
- Meridaaa! I love you and you are my only!
Yeah! I shouted that to the mountains. I love my bicycle and now we are together on the roads.
On the road and after it got dark, to find my way I stopped and ask some family how can I go to Bartın ? And they invited me to drink some Tea! Yes! I cannot explain you how a feel it is. Only you think, Yes! You are not alone. All the world is helping you and love you without meet with you. Only they are helping, only they want to meet you .
No money, no job, no sex without any profit!
I‘ve missed this feel. End of the day Finaly I’ve reached the Bartın but because it’s about 01.00 AM, I couldn’t find a place to tent and I went to the Bus Terminal and slept on a bank.

Second Day
Morning guys, Morning birds, Morning working staff on the terminal, Morning everyone, don’t have bicycle and Morning my best friend, Merida!

It’s so amazing that cycling with watching the sunrise. You are only dreaming but never about the route only about yourself, your past and future.
On my second day, I’m planning to reach Cide, Kastamonu from Bartın. It’s about 90 KM but full of climbing! Already my finish point is a beach, I would climb so much so I couldn’t cycle so many kilometres.
I’ve first visit the Amasra. Amasra is the beatiful cities of West Blacksea and It has an Island (kind of) to see. You must visit the Amasra!

Climb … Climb … Climb.. I’m always climbing! In total I climbed about 50 Km and most of them is %10 . That makes me exhausted. But this was the best road on my tour. You will always be in green and blue. You can find bluest beaches and villages with hospitable families to invite you for a tea and more :)
! Never refuse any call, always join them and eat whatever they share :)



After I reached the Cide, Kastamonu, I directly dived in to the sea and setup my tent then.

And I sinked into sleep while watching the sunset.
Third Day
— What a fucking beautiful view! I want to swim!
It’s about 5:30 and I was swimming in Cide Beach. All the world was sleeping, sun was trying to wake up but I’s there! I was fully Up and I was ready for a full-cycling day. I love my legs, I love the world, I love the nature, I love .. I love .. I love…
Third day I would go to Kastamonu City Centre. I would leave the sea and I would climb the best mountains ever in western Blacksea. This mountains has a popularity with its Bears . Thats because I excited a bit to maybe see one of them.
On my childhood, on my parents town, I saw much of bears but for a long time I couldn’t. God knows, maybe I could..

After I’d finished my climbings in Kure Mountains, Kastamonu, I’d almost exhausted and cold. One day ago I was swimming in the 35+ C sea but today I was almost cold!
- What a fucking cold it is!
I’d stopped and change my clothes. I wore my long cycling jerseys and a waterproof jacket. I changed my glasses to white ones ( because there was so much fog) … And I was ready. Now I was at 1.500 Meters from sea and I would go down bunch of kilometers :) That made me so Happy!
About 70 kilometers I climbed and I deserved it.
After I’d reached Kastamonu, I continued to cycling and passed the city centre a bit then I found a mountain and set my tent up and sinked into sleep!
- Is there anyone ?
What a fuck! I almosted shocked, there were so much lights on my tent walls.
- Is there anyone ?
I opened my tents zip and trying to see something between the lights
- Hi young! It’s not allowed to set tent here.
- Hi Captain ( They are soldiers ) I’m a traveller and will leave about .. 2 hours later . Kindly please allow me to stay here 2 more hours.
- Unfortunately young man. Here are so much bear attacks nowadays, so we couldn’t allow it.
- Ahh .. Really it’s no problem for me ( yeah it’s really and really I wanted to see one of them)
- Sorry. Let us help you and follow us. There is a village about 5 km. We will take you there. Please follow us . Don’t solve your tents connections. You can put it on our car.
Yeah! Soldiers are always putting the rules on way! Ah, I want to sleep and I would die because of cold. You cannot imagine how to was a feel to wake up at 3:00 am and cycling on the dark.
We put my tent to the car without solving anything and they let me cycle front of their car. With this way I could show my around better.
After a few kilometers, we have reached the village and soldiers helped me to set my tent again and after getting their “thanks” they left me on my dark world.
Fourth Day

After I woke up, only things I can saw is a endless green field and a bunch of trees on my back. I couldn’t see this beautiful view on night but It fascinated me.
I couldn’t catch the alarm and it was about 7 :) I’ve almost 170 Km and I’need to be at Samsun this night.
The good news; my road was full of flat and kind of highway. The bad news; on the road there was nothing to see only some cars and some villages near the road . So boring 170 KM was waiting for me.
That was like I imagined. I couldn’t see anything but only a few trees and green mountains.
I’ve reached Samsun before so darkness and I met with one my colleagues. He and his family ( his wife and parents) were very kind person I’ve ever met. We swam first and then his father cooked a really delicious fish ( It was really good !) . After we finished our dinner, he showed me around in Samsun. Already I’m living in Turkey ( for about 25 years) I never imagined Samsun like that. Everyone should see the Samsun once a time at least.

I couldn’t think I was tired only I’m happy so much!
Fifth Day
Today I need to finish my tour and I will reach Giresun on the Night to see my childhood friend. I’ve almost 250 Km today. And because it’s a seaside road it was a bit boring for me.
After I completed the Samsun Road, I reached the Ordu. On Ordu, I leaved seaside road and climbed a bit, almost I was started to be happy to go mountains, again road route turned to seaside. And there were some constructions on the road so that it was a bit difficult to cycle. ( paths were broken, because of single lines cars were always pressing their hors)
I could reach the my friends village on the midnight and finally I was happy to succeed one task of my childhood bucket list!
Now I’m ready to World Tour with my Cycle.


And my notes from my tour!
With Cycled 823 km, Drinking 74 bottles of water, set 2 tent, improved 2 friendship, learned 15 Village, Met 30 person, Run from 4 dogs and 50x bees, ate 18 chocalate, 30 fruitjuice and 3 bag of bologna.. Blacksea tour was over!
Hope to like my tour!
Best,
