Day 6 - Kirsehir to Avanos

I guess we had been looking forward to this day ever since we got our hands on our route cards. The shortest day with only 90kms and the opportunity to visit the famed fairy chimney rock formations of which the region is so famous. Stephanie Dalli's excitement was so evident that morning, as today's location was the highlight of her trip!

As what has now become a mantra, Alan stresses the importance of timings. I am about six minutes behind time. Although Alan always tells me he is confident that I will make up the time, it is extra pressure on me, and I must admit it does slightly mar the fun. Briefing over, off we go. Paul decides to join us on the ride and we set off together. Although the road is relatively flat, the tarmac grip is incredible and makes it feel as if we are cycling at a constant incline.

Turkish Tarmac!

Today we only have one checkpoint but as always it is a welcome break, especially when Big Ed is there to welcome us with his beaming smile and big hug, or Carolyn and Steph's cheeky grins, fooling around to cheer us up. I am now bored of the staple food that is being provided but obviously it is the best food to keep us going. I know for a fact that I will not look at Nutella, Peanut Butter and Bananas for a very long time after this adventure.

Yet again we get a police escort. Driving slowly behind us, ensuring our safety, never do they show any hint of boredom. Always ready to give us an encouraging smile, I am sure that they would rather do something more riveting even though the views are generally amazing. I am so touched when one of the policemen offer me an apple. I politely refuse, as I admit I am not to adept at eating and cycling, and keep cycling, focusing at keeping my pace. Shortly after the police car drives close to me, and the policeman offers me the same apple but this time neatly cut into bite size pieces, which he hands over to me bit by bit. I am so touched by this show of friendship that tears well in my eyes. I am not normally one who easily shows emotions but Lifecycle is changing that!.

Finally we are to enjoy a good downhill. The tarmac is perfect. The grip is just right for us to just go down as fast as possible, reaching speeds of 65kms/hour. Tony and Robert are well ahead of me, trying to catchup with them I sense there's something wrong. I stop and realise I have a flat tyre. The policemen promptly stop and motion me to get into the car. I obviously refuse and start changing the tyre. Robert, who has realised that I am not behind him stops and seeing the stationary police car, fears the worst and cycles back up to me at record speed. The relief on his face is so visible when he sees me and quickly moves me away from the bike and in a flash repairs the flat.

Rob flatly states that he will cycle with me, as he does not want to leave me alone. He is still recovering from the fright of seeing my bike on the floor, the policement standing next to it and me nowhere to be seen. Picking up a good pace we almost race off. We are in good time, and should make up for the lost time in the previous days. But our good spirits are soon deflated when I get an other flat tyre. Robert repairs its and we set up but get another one in the span of ten minutes. I am very upset as we are losing precious time. Alan drives up and stops the car. He and Robert are trying to change it as quickly as possible in order to save time. Shirley as always tries to encourage Robert to keep on cycling, advising him that he too is losing time even though it is not his puncture.

Soon we start seeing signs directing us to Avanos, a town set on the banks of f the Kizilirmak, the Red River, which gets its name from the clay that it deposits. This clay has provided Avanos with pottery for centuries and the town is still dominated by this industry despite the inroads that tourism has made in the area.

Rob and I literally fly towards our accomodation, picking up great speeds. I arrive there in a very foul mood. I have lost precious time because of flat tyres, and I know that I only get five minutes a day extra for flats – not exactly enough when you consider I had three in a span of fifteen minutes. I just dump the bike in the first empty space and then go in a corner to lick my wounds. All the effort has made my ankle swell considerably and is extremely painful to walk on. Dr. Steph, giving me anti-inflammatories and Carolyn doing physio, advise me not to go on the sightseeing tour but to rest my leg as much as possible.

Accomodation in Avanos

As has become the norm, we are visited by the Mayor of Avanos, who shows a great deal of interest in our endeavours. Alan explains, with Soner translating, the efforts that the Lifecycle team have put in over the years, efforts which leave a considerable impression on the Mayor and his delegation, who wish us Güle Güle - safe journey, with a smile.

Formalities done, I try to make the most of the sunshine and hang out my washing to dry - a welcome change to our attempts of drying our clothes in musty gyms. As I am out hanging my clothes, Alan tells me that I have gained an hour from my efforts today. I feel much better. It is only day six and a lot can happen in the coming five days. I need to relax and I should grab the opportunity to wind down and relax a bit. Having our accommodation in Avanos we are conveniently located within the triangle that delineates the roads connecting to the best sites in Cappadocia - the fairy chimneys and the rock cut churches in Goreme.

The great expanses of eroded, carved and shaped volcanic phallic-like symbols combined with the still dryness and omnipresent dust give an impression of barrenness. However this land is exceedingly fertile thanks to the volcanic tuff that forms the land. The weir formation of soft dusting rock have been shaped over the millennia surviving invading armies and indigenous people who have done their best to exploit the land's potential. What is amazing is that a feeling of time standing still and a sense of continuity is felt simply by looking at the still inhabited rock caves. Tourism has done its bit and a number of stalls selling local ceramics and souvenirs greet the tourists that flock the area.

As my ankle is swollen and is painful with every step I take, I miss out on the walkabout around the chimneys. Instead I sit down in the shade, sipping an ice cold Coca Cola with Space, Robert, Kola and Steph. From there, we move on to Goreme. Is an open air museum and is famous for having the few remaining Cappadocian settlements who rock cut houses and fair chimneys are still in habited. Unfortunately the village has not been spared from tourist development, which does spoil its character, with it's main street given over entirely to providing the tourist with souvenir shops, internet cafes, carpet shops and the always present tourist shops.

Once again, I find a comfortable place to sit on sofas and sip chai. This time I am joined by Willie, Hulya, Robert and Nigel. Sitting down and relaxing feels surreal. It has been such a long time since I had the luxury to stop for a moment and enjoy some relaxed banter. I almost feel guilty.

I said, "almost feel guilty, not guilty!"

This evening, even the Kitchen team take a well deserved rest, and after physiotherapy and Mass we all head towards the town centre where we are to have dinner which includes belly dancing and whirling dervishes. The practice of Sufi whirling is a twirling mediation that originated amongst the Turkish Sufis and which is still practiced by the Dervishes of the Mevlevi order. The ritual's aim is for the dervishes to try to desert their nefs', egos or personal, bad, desires by listening to their master and Sufi music, thinking about God. Although the food was that which is generally expected from a tourist trap and which left most of us trying to find the food on the plate, the whirling dervishes were the highlight of the evening!

Around 1030pm I limp back to the accommodation. I make sure my bike is ready for tomorrow and then set off to find a room, with a bathroom, far away from the madding snoring crowd. We don't' know what to expect tomorrow as the route hasn't been planned but if Lifecycle lives up to its reputation it will definitely not be an easy day!

All photos, unless otherwise stated, courtesy of Maria Vella-Galea

Day 5 - Cubuk to Kirsehir

Tossing and turning on my inflatable mattress, sleep does not come easy. I spend, what seems an eternity trying to shut off the sounds that are surrounding me. I feel jealous of Edward happily snoring away, sprawled on his double mattress, or Robert in deep sleep oblivious of the frustration that myself and other awake cyclists are feeling. Not their fault really but equally frustrating nonetheless.

The wake up call is never welcome. Today we have another long journey of 195 kilometres, on gravelly roads, roads with a grip that makes down hills irrelevant. Mornings have become a routine. Breakfast consisting of coffee, bread with peanut butter and some dry cereal as I don't drink milk. Deflating the mattress, packing our clothes. Searching for a missing sock, getting the clean clothes off the clothes line and queuing for phsyio. Thankfully there are not many of us so Carolyn and Francesca although busy, are not overwhelmed and can see to all our needs.

Prior to departing, Alan reminds me that my timings are still behind but as a parting shot he encourages me telling me that I should be able to catch up if I keep a good rhythm. I fully understand the principle of timings but I cannot really understand how a cyclist, who might be 6 minutes behind the time, will be considered as having participated rather than successfully completed Lifecycle. It's part of the Lifecycle game and I have to accept it.

I am thankful for good company, especially today. The roads are long and never ending making them extremely boring. One is bound to start talking about a multitude of subjects. Today's topic was favourite TV shows, when Rob and I were kids. We both discovered that we were fans of the show CHiPs – California Highway Patrol. Since the story was about two motorcycle policemen, Robert decides to film our bikes in the same way as the opening credits of this programme. He went one step further and started singing in a very loud voice the signature tune. It might seem silly now but one cannot imagine the respite such silliness brings when taking on such a journey.

Simon, who in the past few days had a bit of a hard time, seems to be doing well today. In fact he cycles with us most of the time. Edward teases him a lot, especially when Simon decides he wants an ice cream or plate of pasta in the middle of nowhere. Jokingly Edwards announces that he will be writing a pantomime revolving around Lifecycle and will have a difficult (fonqla) character called Sikal!. Simon is perhaps a bit less amused than us but still manages a smile.

As we proceed towards Kirikkale, the roads become really bad. They are in the process of being resurfaced but the gravel is so loose that cars passing by end up hitting us. We decide to risk and drive on the wrong side of the road as there we are sheltered from the loose gravel. I can't wait to get out of this road. To make matters worse it is getting hotter, which makes cycling on these roads even worse. At one point we decide to stop and buy cold water but we meet Carolyn and her backup team who promptly provide us with ice cold Powerade.

We are doing a good time, but as we get close to the accommodation I get a flat tyre. Rob gets into pit stop mode and changes it within seconds. Urging me to keep on cycling, I leave him to pick up the rest of the stuff. As I pick up a good speed, I realise that Rob is not behind me. I try calling him but he is not answering, I slow down and try to figure out what happened. Simon catches us up with me and I ask if he has seen Robert, which he has and tells me that he is on his way. Catching up with me Rob tells me that he lost his mobile and stopped to look for it. He was lucky to have found it since it was lying in a grassy patch at the edge of the road.

I get a strong urge to cycle faster, wanting to reach the accommodation as soon as possible. Picking up an average speed of around 21km/h, we race to improve our timings. We make it to Kirsehir stadium at a good time, well before some of the other cyclists. I am pleased as the gap is narrowing. I definitely don't want to fail on getting the “successfully completed” certificate. Not after all this effort.

Since we arrive at a decent time, we have the luxury of sorting our stuff properly. Washing our clothes, and getting some fresh air to dry them. In my eagerness to remove my knee strapping and getting into the shower, I pull off a piece of skin, which at the time goes unnoticed until the hot water from the shower makes contact. Then I howl! I make up for it by going into a supermarket with Pierre and Jesmond to treat myself to an ice cream. I am not a big fan of ice creams but I feel I deserve one today.

As night falls, I prepare to go to sleep. Night-time has become a source of stress for me as I am not sleeping well. I realise that I am not the only one and Maria and Carolina invite me to join them in sleeping in a room they discovered at the back of the gym, far away from the cacophony of sounds. Moving our stuff into the room we settle for the night. Girl talk is inevitable and as we are discussing shoes, handbags and men, we suddenly leap out of our skins when we hear a peremptory knock on the window. Two police men are obviously on a beat, and checking as to why there is a light in what is supposed to be an empty building. We all consider going back into the gym but quickly change our minds when we hear all the snoring that is taking place. We go back to our room, make sure that all windows and doors are locked and quickly fall into a deep and welcoming slumber.

Photos courtesy of Ray Pace

Day 4 - Safranbolu to Cubuk

Although I had the luxury of sleeping on a bed, in a room with three other girls who barely breathe, I did not sleep well. Today, according to the route card, is going to be one of the longest days. I had stuck religiously to Alan's training programme but the maximum amount of kilometres clocked on my Garmin was only 190kms.

At the height of summer, the temperature is still cold at 4am, making me fish out my arm warmers and wearing them as soon as I leave our accommodation for breakfast. The breakfast area is a hive of activity. Checkpoint signs loaded into the first vehicle. Tyres checked for the appropriate air pressure and supplies loaded in boxes ensuring we have enough food for all the four checkpoints.

As the sun starts to rise over the horizon I wrap my hands around my coffee mug, taking warming sips of the sweet liquid which warms me up in the cold early morning air. The novelty called peanut butter is wearing off and I reluctantly slather the butter on my piece of fresh bread, which I thank Therese and her team for, since they would have been up much earlier than we to prepare such a spread.

Although the run has risen, the early morning chill can be felt as , Rob, Tony, Simon and I leave first. Following the signs, I decide to try an experiment today. I will not refer to the route card and see how it goes. After all I should not be on my own as we are all cycling in a group and I put my faith in Soner and Steph who are usually the ones who put up the signs. Nevertheless I carry it in my back pocket just in case.

Leaving the accommodation and taking a left turn to Ankara, we end up taking a wrong turning and ending up in a coal works factory, of which we were very unceremoniously escorted out. Back on the road we are caught up by Willie and his ladies, who very easily overtake us. I keep in mind Tatyana's words about taking it easy especially in the first kilometres. My knees are giving me a hint of trouble so much so that Carolyn has decided to strap them for me.

Inclines are felt from the very start, although at 5% they are mild, it is still not a cycle in Central Park and I focus on my cadence, posture and breathing. I also focus on giving myself enough fuel. The energy bars are proving to be a good investment but they are not something I like. I am only eating them to ensure that I have the right nutrition.

Cycling on the highway was not as bad as I thought it would be. Heavy traffic did not bother me, as all drivers kept a safe and respectful distance from us. However it seemed that we would be dogged with tyre problems, with Nicky (Kola) being the first victim to stop with a flat tire. Robert urges me, Tony and Lenny to keep on cycling while he stops to help Kola. We keep on going up the 8% incline, getting some respite when the roads starts to undulate.

At 46km, we stop for our first checkpoint and Robert is nowhere to be seen. I want to wait for him as we had agreed we would cycle together. I am in a quandary really, as I know Robert is good enough to catchup with me but at the same time I feel I would be letting him down if i keep on going. My dilemma is soon solved as I see Robert checking in!. Kola and Simon are on the way but he cycled fast to catch up with us. I admire his stamina and the positive approach he as to all of this adventure. Quite an inspiration I must say.

Tackling each day from checkpoint to checkpoint I find the second stretch as quite tough. My knees are seriously hurting me now, and I am very much aware that they could be my downfall although I try not to think about them. Most of the roads are straight main roads, quite boring really but as we head towards the village of Cerkes we know that we are getting closer to nicer countryside and more importantly the second checkpoint. As is normally the case the checkpoint is found at a Petrol station, which is usually welcome as there are clean toilet facilities. As Carolyn is doing physio on my knees, Steph gives me an anti-inflammatory pill as my left knee has started to become inflamed. To try to keep my mood light, I joke with the backup that the route card is incorrect as it states “CHECKPOINT 2 – Petrol station with horse and cart” - I look around and the cart is there but where is the horse? Since we started Lifecycle I have seen countless dogs and cows but no horses and that makes me miss my horse, Daffyd, even more. We did see village women working on freshly shorn raw wool, a sight we city people do not have the luxury to experience in our every day lives.

After a quick bite to eat and the standard blue Powerade, Robert, Lenny and I set off. The road is a constant 6 – 7 % incline. Tough. But not as tough as what is in store for us. A never ending hill with a 10% incline. Honestly I do not count the kilometres, they are stored somewhere on my GPS and eventually one day I will go and check it out, but at this point in time it seems interminable. Up, up and more up hill we go. Lenny lets off steam by shouting some words that I don't' think should be published on this blog, Robert jokingly follows suit and I, in my heart of hearts, ask myself why am I putting myself through this torture.

Mario, Ray, Carolyn and Hulya pass by in the back up van, giving us encouragement and promising us that a good downhill will soon follow. They were right! Robert and Lenny speed off. I can try to imagine their speed as I am clocking 68kms per hour and they are nowhere to be seen. Speeding down the winding road, my smile is soon swept off my face when a van decides to overtake a truck in a treacherous bend, nearly hitting me. To avoid the van, I nearly end up in a ditch. Luckily I don't and keep on cycling but I am in shock and burst into tears when I meet the rest of the guys at the junction leading towards Ankara.

A checkpoint is always welcome and this was no exception. Still shaken after my close encounter with the van, Stephanie gives me a cup of Chai (Tea) which was supposed to be enjoyed by Fr. Pierre. At the time she felt my need was greater than his!. Suddenly as she was checking my knees, we hear a cry of despair! Nick Valenzia in tears, looking at his damaged bike. Inadvertently left in front of a backup van, Alan did not notice it and drove off, damaging the shaft in the process.

Fatigue and stress, and Space's over zealous nature, did not really help the situation. Nick saw his Lifecycle dreams almost vanish as the bike was seriously damaged. With Alan, Rob, Space and Nick consulting over what could be done, it was decided that Nick takes Kola's bike for the day and in the meantime Space and Alan would see how the damage could be repaired. Robert as always calmly gives some valid suggestions which see Nick looking more positively at the situation.

Soon after we all ride out of the petrol station, Nick, Lenny and Luke feel a surge of energy and just push ahead, leaving Robert, Tony and myself to cycle together. Our synergy is good and we all encourage each other, pacing to ensure that we optimise our energy. Yet again we are faced with up hills and an off-road piece which I do not enjoy especially since it has a lot of gravel which makes controlling the bike even harder work. Avoiding a car, whose driver decided to drive closely to me, saw me twisting my left ankle slightly. Nothing serious but it is annoying me.

Reaching the fourth checkpoint in the middle of nowhere, we find Nick, Lenny and Luke leaving the checkpoint while Ray greets us with a smile. He tells us that there is a mistake on the route card and we only have 220kms rather than the estimated 240. We are elated. It has been a long day and some respite is always welcome. Biofreeze and physio on my knees have become the order of the day but now we have to include my ankle which is slightly swollen, but nothing can dampen my spirits now that I know 'home' is closer than expected.

Setting off, singing songs ranging from Fields of Gold to Bicycle race, we meet up with Nick and company who have stopped to repair yet another flat tyre. Seeing that they do not need our assistance we keep on going. There are no signs and we do feel a bit uneasy as the last thing we want is to take a wrong road and cover unnecessary mileage, however when we hear the backup van driving behind us we all breath a silent sigh of relief!

Night is falling quickly, and our motivation is to get to the accommodation as soon as possible It has been a long day. I am so tired that I fail to look where I am going when crossing a junction. Luckily for me no cars were passing at that time when I look back I see a very pale looking Ray staring at my kamikaze crossing.

It is completely dark when we get to the accommodation Therese and Jennifer welcome us with open arms, someone takes my bike, I am so tired that I don't' recall who it was. Suddenly I start feeling very cold. My sugar levels have gone down and I am famished. Jennifer quickly hands me a Powerade and a plate of rice with bolognaise sauce. I just wolf the food down and ask for seconds almost immediately. The cooking team are excellent. Warm, hearty and tasty meals always await us and it a motivating factor for us.

Exhausted, I drag myself, limping all the way, to a building across the road from our accommodation to have a shower. It is the last thing I feel like doing but after accumulating so much dust and grease it is a necessity and in reality I always feel better after.

Sleep does not come easily. I am too tired to close my eyes. The snoring and variety of other noises, that echo in the gym, do not help.

I don't know what time it is but once it arrives sleep is very welcome.

Photos courtesy of Ray Pace

Day 3 - Zonguldak to Safranbolu

The high levels of air pollution produced by the coal works in Zonguldak do not make it the most appealing of places to stop but who cares at this stage? Waking up to a hearty breakfast, after a good night's rest and a warm shower is what we really want.

A police escort leads us out of Zonguldak. A coal works factory gives the area a miserable feel, where hardships were and are still possibly felt. The feeling soon passes as soon as we start climbing a steep tree covered hill, giving the route a picturesque view. The route card promises us around 20kms of downhill roads, something we are all looking forward to especially after the previous two days. But the downhill never seemed to materialise. The tarmac, which is excellent for cars, has an incredible grip forcing us to pedal even though we should be going down a hill. Some respite is felt when we reach relatively flat roads, enabling us to draft each other. Although the route is tougher than expected we are all in good spirits.

Today is a short day. Only 109kms. Our destination is Karabuk University residence, situated in the centre of the non-descript town of Karabuk. Accomodation is segregated and males are not allowed to enter the females' dormitory and vice versa. They are very strict with their rules and our medical team, all being female, had problems giving assistance to injured male cyclists. At Hulya and Soner's assistance, the security guard relents and allows the medical team to enter the building.

As always us females have to suffer more - our dormitory is further back from that of the males and from where our truck and kitchen are situated. Carrying our luggage into our designated rooms is not something we really felt like doing but the promise of a shower makes us walk faster. The shower is a bit of a disappointment as they are not clean. Nevertheless, the strong flow of water is welcoming and I feel reborn once I put on a change of clean clothes. As has become routine I wash my cycling clothes. The splashes of mud from the previous days' routes are fading away but irrespective of how many washes I give them I get a feeling they will be my best souvenir. All cyclists clock in by 3pm. By 6pm we are treated to a hearty supper followed by Fr. Pierre's mass.

Being in Karabuk means that we are close to a UNESCO World Heritage Site, so we are given the opportunity to enjoy some sight seeing. Safranbolu is a stunning tow of half timbered houses. Ancient houses line the slopes of the ravine presenting a smudge of dirty pastel coloured timber and red tiled roofs. Although very tourist oriented, it has managed to keep the old way of life remarkably intact. Apart from a bazaar of souvenir shops few concessions have been made to the twenty first century. Centre of attraction is the Izzet Mehmet Pasa Camii, an elaborate late eighteenth centure mosque. Our stopping to take a group photo generates a lot of interest from the children playing in the square, their laughter stopping briefly to look at what we are doing.

On our way back to our accomodation, Julian asks Hulya what the word “mudurgulu “ (or something of the sort, I can't spell it let alone pronounce it!) means as he has seen it in quite a few places. Hulya explains that it roughly translated it means “director”. Willie and I try to pronounce it but we fail miserably, jokingly I tell him “muglu guglu” and that was it. From that day on it was a very commonly used word. We did check with Hulya as to whether our interpretation was safe to use – the last thing we wanted was to say some rude or blasphemous word.

Another day comes to a close. From here, according to Gilbert's words during briefing things should start to get easier.

He was wrong.

Photos, unless otherwise stated, by Maria Vella-Galea