Istanbul May 9.1999 - At night, while the bike was screaming pass the sleeping village at Kargasekmez, 1200 meters in the Anatolian high lands and while the reading on the thermometer was plummeting below minus 10 centigrade I only had one question in mind:

"How in hell can one forget the sun screen lotion?"

Inside my Helmet, I had to fight with a layer of thin ice on the visor and painful burns on my cheeks. The One More Mile Riders Club (OMM) postponed the Long Distance Rides 1999 from April to May officially because of the elections in Turkey, but secretly hoping to find a better climatic condition.  For the first 10 hours, I never saw the temperature on the external sensor above 5 degrees (c).

With one member of the Club already retired from the ride, I had to show the Turkish flag; even more important this year being associated for the first time with Iron Butt U.S.A. 

It all started in December last year when we asked Michael Kneebone permission to organize Iron Butts in Turkey together with our traditional Top Gun rides. Very kindly Michael encouraged us to proceed in the project and OMM announced for June 99 three tough rides:

TOP GUN 500: 500 miles in 12 hours

SADDLE SORE 1000  and TOP GUN 1000: 1000 miles in 24 hours

BUN-BURNER 1500  and TOP GUN 1500: 1500 miles in 36 hours 

Being one of the organizers, I decided to try the 1500 ride first hand to be available as supporting unit the day of the official rides. In Turkey, we do not leave to the rides the choice of road: due to the poor condition of the network, we prefer to indicate a fixed route where we can try to avoid major disasters and provide a basic assistance.

These are the rides and if you take up your maps, you will notice that we cover only so-called normal roads.

TOP GUN 500: Depart Istanbul, Saray, Edirne, Eceabat, Kesan, Tekirdag, Kinali, and Arrive Istanbul.

SADDLE SORE 1000 (TOP GUN 1000): Depart Istanbul, Izmit, Kandira, Bursa, Lapseki, Cannakale, Edremit, Ayvalik, Izmir, Odemis, Usak, Kutahya,Bozuyuk, Adapazari, Izmit, Arrive Istanbul.

BUN-BURNER 1500 (TOP GUN 1500): Depart Istanbul, Bolu, Ankara, Sivas, Kayseri, Tarsus, Silifke, Konya , Afyon, Kutahya, Bursa, Izmit, Arrive Istanbul

My preparation covered good portion of the preceding week: full check on the Bike (BMW R1100 GS 1997), new set of tires (Tourance Metzeler), loading the circuit on Garmin III GPS (work done by the good friend Murat), printing road book, printing form to certify passage, sleeping a lot, eating with attention and moderation.

The bike is prepared already for long distance rides: Hepco&Becker back bag, Corbin seat, Wunderlich high screen, Touratech "Yellow hard parts", Touratech GPS holder and exhaust protector, BMW heated grips and Hand Protectors.

Due to the variety of weather condition to be encountered, I gave to clothing serious consideration. At the end I think I went for the right choice: Thermal underwear Dainese, Polar fleece Jacket and Pants from Aerostich, One Piece Roadcrafter from Aerostich, BMW winter gloves, SIDI touring booth.

The starting point was on the north side of Istanbul near the second bridge linking Europe with Asia. I departed at midnight with a large group of friend being there to wish success. The atmosphere is partying and the night is clear and fresh with a slice of moon and bright stars. It all looks propitious. As Turkish tradition wants Friends throw water behind the departing bikes to wish "May your trip be smooth and easy as flowing water".

The first portion of the trip from Istanbul to Bolu is on modern motorway: I count on this section and one the one from Bolu to Ankara to put some kilometers fast on the bag. Nobody anticipated the cold: we (Levent Baki and I) move at 160 km per hour and the temperature drop quickly. Levent is protected by the large screen of the new BMW LT but his clothes are simply inadequate.  250 km. are done in one and half hour Levent taking the risk of running out of petrol: we stop at the (1) petrol station just before the motorway exit and Levent decides to return to Istanbul. "Good people - he says - are at this time sleeping in a hot beds with good company". I tend to agree.

Alone, I continue toward the Bolu pass (725 Mt.) to regain the motorway after the summit (the never-ending construction of a tunnel breaks the Istanbul-Ankara motorway in two pieces): here I meet my first surprise. The motorway is closed all the way to Ankara because a serious accident and I have to use the old road to cover the 200 km. to the Capital. I take it with philosophy and a sense of challenge: the night is young and I can manage it.

In Ankara at 3.50 for a (2) fuel stop and a tea inside the overheated petrol station.

Going back to the saddle and looking east, I can just see the first light at the horizon.

East, east to Sivas on the Road 200 beautifully sweeping trough a splendid landscape.

The sun is the reference and a great disturbance to the visibility: I increase the width of the adhesive band on the top of the visor and I wait for the temperature to rise.

After Yozgat is time for (3) fuel (it Sunday, I need a petrol station with credit card and I do not want to risk).

I stop at one of the typical "Bus stop areas" (Dinlenme) of Turkey. Three buses already parked and many people having breakfast: I take a "fast" tea, answer to the usual questions on the bike (How much it costs? How fast it goes?) and move on.

Just before I leave the local Hoca (the Muslim priest) ask to take a picture of him with my helmet on. I duly oblige and in exchange, I get a valuable prayer (a Koran Suret) for a safe trip.

In Sivas (first 900 km), the temperature is still low (6/7 C) and the mountain around have signs of snow on. After (4) refueling in town (Sivassport Petrol Station…what a name) I turn south on Road 850 to Kayadibi were I leave for the Road 260. It runs at high level (1000/1200 Mt.) between the two mountain chains the Ak Daglar (White Mountains) on the north and Kulmac Daglari on the south.

The landscape is classical Anatolian: herds of animal with big shepherd dogs and open horizon with few trees. In front the Erciyes Mountain dominating the city of Kayseri (Cesarea) from the highs of its 3.900 meters. This splendid mountain stay for the traveler like pyramidal reference point: it guides me in shining light to a hope of higher temperatures.

In Kayseri new stop for (5) fuel and some pictures: the temperature is still on the low side but, when stopping, the sun managed to bring some warmth. From Kayseri I skirt the Cappadocia area on the east continuing on Road 805 to Nigde and Ulukisla.

At the Arapli Gec (the Arabian Pass at 1400 meters), I get a small taste of Cappadocia landscape with fairy chimneys on the side of the road, then Nigde.

Just at the entrance of the City shared by Hittites, Arabs, Mongols, Roman and Ottoman, where the ancient road lead to the unusual rock carved monastery of Eski Gumus (Old Silver) I stop for (6) fuel and snack. It is around noon and I covered in the first 12 hours 1200 kilometers (745 miles).

No bad for a 55 old rider and no bad for being well into the limits of the ride.

I start thinking that I should have registered for a Gold Bun burner but then a sense of limit take control. After Pozanti the Route 750 takes me trough the Cilician gates among the most famous passes in the entire world: Alexander, Cesar, S.Paul and the first Crusaders all went trough this narrow gorge.

Today I am using a badly kept "highway" with a lot of heavy traffic leading to Tarsus and Mersin. The controller of this ride (Sinan Sezer) requested a proof of passage in Tarsus and I have to leave the highway just when it turns in good condition.

Tarsus is the city that gave birth to S.Paul: for me more prosaically is the place for (7) refueling and getting out of polar jacket. The temperature rises dramatically as one approach the Mediterranean shores and on the coast in Tarsus we are now above 25 degrees.

A good change for a while but the coastal road to Silifke (Road 400) is packed with weekenders and holiday makers. Soon I start melting in the sun and the hours between 13 and 15 are definitely the most difficult one.  It is difficult to keep focus, I feel "boiled" and sleepy. Finally Silifke (the ancient Seleucos) is my turning point north: I feel that this one is really the crucial point: from now on every kilometer will bring me near to Istanbul…I am on the way home with 1500 kilometers under my belt.

It is around three when I take Road 715 to Karaman and Konya: this is without doubts the most spectacular piece of route in the entire trip. The road winds on the Southeast side of a deep canyon (Goksu): on the river down in 1190, the emperor Frederic Barbarossa leading the Crusaders drowned while taking a bath. The road offers ample views of the canyon and good opportunities for exciting biking: just what I need to refresh the spirit and refocus the mind: I go into pilot mode and I try to make the 150 kilometers to Karaman at the best of my skills: no traffic and good temperature.

In Karaman, I stay on the outskirts of this famous city the founding place of the Swirling dervishes' order. (8) Fuel, a quick snack and the route 715 to Konya. The spirit is good and I feel in great shape: the road goes "straight as an arrow" on the Konya plain and you can see this long and straight band stretching for miles and miles in front of you.

Time to try the new "flip-a-lever" received from Bob Schneider (www.schneidersinc.com): it provides trottle control, simple to install and simple to use. I found it very effective for brief rest to the sore wrist.

Originally I planned to stop in Konya for a three-hour sleep but… the sun is still high, it is only five and I feel good. I give a call to my controller Sinan and I announce my intention to continue.

Pictures, (9) fuel and the road 300 to Afyon known in the old times as The Black Castle of the opium (Afyonkarahisar). In these 200 kilometers, the problem is the setting sun limiting the visibility. The asphalt is a shining path, the traffic raises cloud of dust turning gold in the sunrays and visibility is poor.

With the eyes in flame, I reach Afyon at around seven-o clock. The sun is now behind the horizon, the temperature turn to fresh and, after (10) fuelling, I enter a familiar road.

This is the Road 650 that I normally use from Istanbul to South Turkey: I know the road and I feel comfortable in the advancing darkness.

It is dark in Kutahya capital of the ceramic. I made barely 100 kilometers from the last petrol stop but my book requires a proof of passage. So, I stop for 6 liters of (11) petrol paid in cash and I beg for an official stamp from the station manager.

At the same time, I wear again the polar jacket: the night will be cold. Bozuyuk is only 90 kilometers away but here I need another proof of passage: to avoid discussions I stop at the entrance of the city and at a BP (12) petrol station a buy 2 liters of oil (I can use it later) and a snack. I leave in hurry … I can smell the air of home.

The road (200) linking Buzuyuk to Bursa is a good gym for the good biker: lot of corners in good surface condition. Unfortunately the Sunday traffic of people returning home takes away part of the fun: still I manage to have a small race with a red Mercedes that bring smile into my helmet permanently covered by dead bugs.

In Inegol, I call controller to fix the procedure for registering the arrival. I plan to be in Istanbul by 02:00; not a Gold but a decent time for a Bun Burner.

It is 22:45 when I reach Bursa, as usual congested by passing traffic. I move slowly in search of a (13) petrol station accepting credit cards (again I need proof of passage): when I find it I also discover that my back bag opened up sometime during the ride and I lost several pieces of my notes and some of the proofs of passage. I spend time trying to understand what to do, I also retrace my steps for a while.  Then I relax and take stock of the losses: not too great because I used Credit Cards at all fuel stops and the bank can provide report…then I have my pictures.

On the road to Yalova and Izmit (575 and 130), it is traffic and traffic again. All the trucks of Turkey seem collected here and the air is full of diesel fumes.

After Degirmendere a road accident generates long cues: I filter but to pass the zone of the accident I have to use maximum caution and strong legs: 200 meters of road are covered by diesel.

I stop for an additional proof of passage at the Izmit petrol station on the motorway. Now all I want is some rest on automatic pilot.  Unfortunately the remaining two zillions of trucks that missed the appointment in Bursa are now packed on this portion of Motorway: 90 kilometers avoiding close contacts with these elephants and I am home.

The (14) last petrol stop to register my arrival (controller is sleeping deeply in the comfort of his home). It says that I arrived in Istanbul at 02:13 after 26 hours from my departure. The total kilometers are 2.646 equal to 1.643 miles with an average speed of just above 100 km per hour (63 miles).