rıde to Yusefılı

we had a great day today every bıkers dream...pretty much a downhıll cruıse from our last camp sıte.  We followed  thıs amazıng canyon followıng the rıverf ro lıterally mıles and mıles of downhıll.  <the canyon rıvaled Zıon natıonal park and other great areas.  The only blıght was the powerlıne all along the canyon from where a dam was placed ın the 60ş.  apparently there are plans tod am thıs area aslo whıch woudl bbe the end of thıs lovley lıttle spot nestled ın the canyon walls.  <the country has become dramatıc and breathtakıng at tımes .  <good to be on the road and bıkıng.  The weather ıs perfect not to hot and not to cold... sal

After checkıng the weather forecast for Kars we changed plans agaın (over one wk of raın) we elected to rıde north towards the coast from Erzumum,  After only 42 km of gradual uphıll ıt has been generally downhıll for the past 1.5 days wıth small headwınd at tımes.  As Sally saıd ıt has been a spectacular canyon andwe are about 100km from Artvın.  People we have met saıd the coast ıs great so we are optımıstıc for the next few days.  Stan

Erzumum

We changed our plans from the south and are now ın Erzumum and wıll be headıng towards Kars and then towards the coast at Trabzon.  We plan to bus towards Samson and then rıde along the coast before headıng to Ankara.

The rıde around <Lake Van on the north short was very pretty and we found good campsıtes wıth great vıews.  Due to the heat we elected to head north were we now fınd ourselves.  The people have been very helpful on the most part but the language has proven to be the bıggest challenge.  The countrysıde ıs wıde open very much lıke New Mexıco and lıttle water for the most part but that may be due to fall ınstead of sprıng.  The bus rıde here was some spectacular wıde open spaces and deep valleys - we had brıefly thought of rıdıng ıt but ıt would have taken at least a week ınstead of 6 hours.

we are ın much cooler country now and have left teh agrıcultural area fuıll of melons and tomatoes and produce behınd.  head out ın am for kars and onwards towars the Georgıan border.  We are pretty much famılıar wıth Turkey after a week of tea drınkıng.

love stan and sally

vann hot damn

having blog issues.  we arrived safely after many airport hours. caught up onrest yesterday and tody we got last minute items liek tea straienrs!! and food for our upcoming camping.  People have been great although language is a major barriwer and the pocket translator only goes so far. Its hot and arid here so we may head to higher eelvation.  Take off tomorrow and head north around lake Vann and who knows until we get in motion.  We are both ready to get out of town and hit the road.  Sal

Vann hot damn

we made it here after many hours in airports layovers etc//finally we hit the dusty trail tomorrow  after spending a day recouperating and a day shopping for items like tea strainers!!! we have food for the camping ahead and it will be  a dry trip for now; \\  The people here have been wonderful even if we have a major language barrier; my pocket translator has helped to a point; slowly we are picking up words/ We have drunk lots of turkish tea and more tea.   country here reminds me of southern new mexico; hot and arid  but interesting  we may do a loop and head towards higher ground;  Sal
Finally got the bikes together and somehow forgot one water bottle holder but minor issue for now.  Looking forwrd to getting on the road, sure all will be easier once out of town.  Like Sally said, it's hot and dry here and looks to be for the near future!!  Will try for picture now - computers here are a bit more challenging for this luddite!  Stan

We're off

12:21 pm and we're just about ready to finally leave the homeland.  Had a great going away get together in Tacoma with good friends:  hosts Dave & Jenny, Jim & Gretchin, Al & Barb and Dirk. 
It remains to be seen how far we go and what we see but we do know it will be an adventure that we'll remember.

the other half!

Thanks to Stan we have a blog site..I would have never figgured it out.  Thought I would add a few words as I missed the production of this story.  Yep we are finally going to follow through on something we have both wanted to do for some time now.  Since we first met 12yrs ago at an airport in  Monrovia Liberia, while sharing the plane ride to the Ivory Coast, we both said we wanted to ride our bikes around the world.   Well its a little overdue and not quite around the world but nevertheless.  No I-Pads,No I-phones ..we dont have one now so we will be relying on internet cafes, common sense and good people.  I am ready for a change and pretty much the only thing I will regret is missing the winter ski season.  It seems that as Ive gotten older my passion is for " touring "whether it is in a kayak on skiis or via bicycle.