Author: benjackson63

I set off reasonably early and headed straight for the trails but within 2 minutes I was stopped at a Police checkpoint. A quick check of my documents, two officers wanted to sit on the bike before lots of pats on the back and advice to ride carefully before I was on my way.

The ride to Antalya was easy but Antalya itself is a hugely busy town. The traffic was manic, it was hot and I wasn’t happy sat gently roasting in traffic

I’d had two days in Antalya and barely scraped the surface of this diverse city. However it was very touristy and I was ready to move on.

I didn’t know it but it was going to be a great day. The TET wasn’t far off and the first section was narrow rutted roads, giving way to a trail just after this bridge

The gravel path was easy going and took me to Ulubey Canyon, the second biggest canyon in the world.

Salda and its lake are quite unique. The lake is a crater lake and is 200m deep with a stunning white sandy shoreline. I 2021 NASA declared an interest in building a research centre here because its structure and minerals are almost identical to those found on Mars.

After much soaking and a great nights sleep allied with top class food it was difficult to drag myself away from the Harlek Thermal Hotel in Kutahya.

60km of road led me to the TET and gave me time to consider if my knee was going to be OK.

It was another lovely warm day ending with a ride into Usak. The town a mix of wealthy and poor as so many are. Booking a hotel was increasingly difficult as my default website doesn’t work in Turkey. Remember that, when you visit and you really should visit.

Anyway a Ramada Inn was reasonably cheap and the bike was safely locked next to the entrance. That night I patched up the luggage again.

Shortly after that picture there was some more technical stuff and then some trails in the woods. There was a section of sand which the bike has no trouble with. Then a climb, not technical but looked to be sandy. I should have stopped and walked it first but its just a sandy climb right? Wrong! What looked like the sand I’d just ridden through was now quite solid and I didn’t notice until the front wheel got stuck in a rut. I put my left foot down onto the top of the rut and steadied myself but in an instant the pannier bag hit my foot trapping it. The forward momentum of the bike pulled me off the side and the bike fell. All of this was very slow speed and would have been fine if my foot hadn’t twisted round the wrong way and then got trapped under the pannier.

I had to think of a way to sort this. I was yelping quite a bit so maybe someone would hear. I tried to lift the bike even a little in order to release my foot but some of me was still astride it. When I did lift the bars just a few millimetres the lift pushed down on the rear of the bike more. My left knee was killing me. I needed to release some twist or load on it. I started trying to dig down under it with a twig. The ground was sand like texture but had set solid. I checked my phone, no signal. I couldn’t reach far behind me or even twist to see what was going on. I’m my mind I knew I needed a lever to lift the bike. I thought I could remove the handlebars and use them somehow, but the tools are in the bag behind me. There’s nothing for it I need to get the luggage off. I started gently twisting against the pain forcing the twist more but hopefully not enough to rip or worse snap anything. It was crazy painful but I managed to reach the cargo net. There was no getting that off properly so I grabbed what I could and pulled at it until the hooks bent and came undone. Luckily the Rok-Straps were fastened behind me. With them undone I dragged the dry bag and tent to the front. At least the tent could support my body a bit. I got the tools out and linked the two tyre levers together and tried to lever the handlebars up a bit, again it was futile and painful. I pulled out the multitool. I could cut the boot open maybe. There was now way I could reach and cut that far down. I did manage to loosen the top buckle but that did nothing. However I was now twisting further and I could reach the trapped pannier. With one last twist I managed to unfasten the front of the bag. I unrolled it as best I could and reached my fingers in. Luckily everything inside was in small dry bags. My finger tips got a bag and pulled at it. Little by little I teased the bag until I got a grip on it and pulled it out. Suddenly there was less pressure on my ankle. I couldn’t reach the next bag but with the pliers I could, another bag out and another. Each item releasing the pressure on my ankle. Then……

Having sent the drone up to see how close help would have been. All I needed to do now was lift the bike up with 1½ leg power.

Within 30 minutes the trail intersected a road and I headed off towards the next nearest town. I stopped and used Google maps to find me a hotel. What I found was a Thermal Spa Hotel. It was 30km away but that didn’t matter, luxury awaited.

Turkey will need a few posts. I was awake early having not only slept on the ferry but also slept soundly in the hotel. The same could not be said for Michel.

It was 11am before we got going. I had studied the map and saw the TET was a long way off, beyond a town called Bursa. It happened that Michel also intended travelling that way, so once again I followed, happy not to be navigating.

We stayed in a cool little hotel and Michel haggled to get a good price.

The next morning we set off knowing at some point we would go separate ways, however it nearly happened within 500m. We both needed fuel and set off to get some, I got stuck behind a van then at some lights. I got to the petrol station and no Michel. I sent him a text saying I would see him on the road. As it happens we were both in traffic minutes later and reunited.

We stopped at a roadside cafe, they had no coffee. I opted for a tin of cold coffee and a chocolate bar. However Michel had located a Starbucks just down the road. We made a detour.

It was time for me to hit the TET. I had yet to test my new tyres in anger and soon the trail went off to the left of the road. I waved goodbye and headed off trying to keep up with Michel as the trail followed the road for a while but I was still in road mode and hadn’t disabled traction control.

I was making great progress and then……..

Bulgaria was going to be a road section. I had decided that prior to arriving. I had two destinations in mind. Sofia, the Capitol and Plovdiv, the home town of a friend of mine.

Having entered the country at Deve Bair in the North East of N. Macedonia, it was a straight 100km run to Sofia.

On arrival I booked a hotel and made my way to the outskirts of Sofia.

The hotel looked good but it was far from it. The place smelt of cigarettes and damp. There was a child’s birthday party taking place when I got there, not an issue as it would surely end before I went to bed. What actually happened was more and more people turned up and partied loudly into the early hours.

I’d had my fill of Sofia so headed south towards Plovdiv. I got an amazing hotel at a great price, so I booked two nights.

Michel is a Lebonese guy who was travelling home from Germany on his newly purchased GS which replaced his 650 that was stolen. We chatted for a while and Michel told me he intended to catch a ferry that would bypass the need to travel through Istanbul. I knew I would ride through it twice but I could go with Michel and then visit Istanbul on the way back. Michel was happy for me to join him.

It was nice for me to just follow rather than be navigating as we headed to Tekirdag port. On arrival we boarded the ferry within an hour but then waited another hour to sail

We had just left port when we were told the crossing would be 3 to 3½ hours. In the end it was nearly 5 hours. I slept across a bench seat in the empty cafeteria. I think it was, 3am when we arrived in Bandirma, Turkey. I had found a hotel very close to the port and happily they had two rooms. We would regroup at 9am.

Entering Greece should have been easy and in essence it was however the border guard had some words. Basically as my passport had not been stamped on leaving the Czech Republic I had effectively not left the schengen zone and now only had 20 days left

It’s time to admit I was feeling a bit Meh! I had stopped enjoying it all for a while. I think that was due to a number of things. The bike needed new tyres again, the fork seals weren’t a cheap repair and I spent two precious days getting them done. I’d had to sit down and work out how many days I had used in the last 12 months as an overstay would be a minimum £500 fine and maybe a 12month travel ban to schengen countries.

I hadn’t done any research on Greece, but I had said several times to various Norwegians “I’ll probably head down to Athens”. Life rules say, if you tell 3 people then it has to happen. Plus I thought it would be cool to do furthest North to furthest South. We can skip over the fact parts of Spain are further South.

Anyway the upshot of all this is that I kind of rushed Greece. Using the motorway to head South to Athens.

On arriving I headed straight to a tyre shop. The bike needed a new front and I was less than happy with the rear that had been fine on the trails but had lost traction 3 times on the road with no warning. It just so happened that they had a pair of Anakee Wild tyres. I had heard they were good.

Next was the campsite closest to the Parthanon. It was full and not taking anymore bookings. The lady gave me directions to the next nearest which was 20km away in heavy traffic. On arrival it was like a scrap yard, full of old cars, vans and a big dog on a chain. I didn’t even stop. I searched for a hotel and found one with underground parking. I booked two nights so I could have a day I Athens without luggage

On leaving Athens I headed to the olympic village, built for the 2004 summer Olympics it was a gorgeous setting and was fully equipped for athletes to train and live during the event. Unfortunately the village was subject to the devastating financial crises that hit Greece a few years later and now is just like a very modern ruin.

Heading North again hoping to save a schengen day by using motorways to aim for North Macedonia that evening but not before visiting Mount Olympus

The last 50km to the border where on a pot holed Road and I was glad to see the border post. There was a slight delay as I had to buy insurance for N. Macedonia. By then it was getting dark so I booked into the first hotel I found. £25 and 5 star.

I’m sorry Greece and North Macedonia I’ve not done you justice but I’m back on it, ready for Bulgaria.

In writing my blogs I upload the pictures first to jog my memory and I choose what I think are good. Albania was spectacular and I’ve cut the photos down to just the 60 or so…..

I decided to get to the far river Bank and find somewhere to pitch my tent. As it happens there’s quite a steep climb out of the river and up a hill almost straight after. I told myself as soon as this hill levels I’m pitching my tent, I was exhausted.

I couldn’t believe it. I checked into the hotel and ordered a coffee. Moments later 3 Germans arrived from the other direction and then 2 French guys who I’d met in Croatia arrived as well. It was great. I also slept very well.

I ended the day just a short distance from the Greek border. Albania had delivered beyond all my expectations. It was thrilling, beautiful, friendly, challenging and rewarding. A cultural mix of modern and rural living. I met new friends and bumped into Old friends. I made memories to last a lifetime. Albania was so much better than I thought possible. So Greece, get your ‘A’ game on, because I coming for you tomorrow.

Well border control was slow. Over an hour to get through and the first time I’ve been asked for documents. Passport and bike docs.

I thought I’d film the zig zag road. Took the GoPro session off the chin mount and put it on the top mount. Bleep battery dead. Swapped it for GoPro no2 bleep memory full. OK I’ll get to the top and fly the drone.

At the top unpacked everything, hooked up the phone, switched on the drone. It needed calibrating, did that and it refused to fly as it is too close to an airfield.

It was all roads and I ended up in Podgorica, the Capitol. I had a fantastic carbonara in town before heading to my super cheap apartment. It was cheap and cheerful.

Next morning I would be headed to Albania.

As this would be my first day in a non schengen visa country I could stop counting days. As Brits we can now only spend 90 days in every 180 in schengen registered countries. So at 50 days the counting was put on hold.

I headed for Zagreb to try and locate a new front tyre. Long story short 10 shops 70 miles no tyre.

It was 4pm and the skies were black. Next to the petrol station was a motel. I was in and cozy for the night as heavy storms rattled on.

I had plans to visit two lesser known tourist attractions

Back on the road and still rain dodging i was pleased with my efforts until I felt a few drips. I always go straight for full wet gear but there was nowhere to stop and in the few minuyes it took to find a place, the rain was hammering down. I was drentched. It carried on for quite some time. I decided to get a room.

I had heard from a work colleague, Mark and his wife Julie, that they were in Dubrovnic. We met up and I drank beer. (Not done that in a while).

The weather had been awkward for off road riding but when it cleared up Croatia delivered in so many ways. I was fairly sure Montenegro would struggle to match it, but its the next country just a few short kilometers away.