Refahiye

October 7, 2023

It wasn't half as chilly last night as I was expecting but it dropped down to just above zero around sunrise. Thankfully there were blue skies this morning and it was windless so the bright sunshine kept us warm while we packed up.

The tesisleri's restaurant serves balik ve et, or fish and meat. The fish is grown onsite.

We returned to the tesisleri for a simple breakfast of çorba ve ekmek (soup and bread). The restaurant was manned by two young Kurdish guys this morning and they were keen to chat to us, their limited English and our non existent Turkish being supplemented by Google Translate.

Unfortunately I can't remember their names.

At about nine thirty we started the slog up the hill, a net gain of four hundred meters in six kilometers. Thankfully a pretty even gradient and lovely blue skies under which to enjoy the view.

Leigh made sure to walk her bike whenever the gradient was over five percent.

Looking back down the valley about halfway up the climb.

This abandoned restaurant, about two thirds of the way up, was our other option for a place to have spent last night. It might have been colder up here.

I think this is our highest point on this trip, by two meters.

Heading downhill at last but not for long. Another eighty meter climb was just around the corner.

After the second, shorter climb it was an easy run to Refahiye which we reached at about two o'clock. We checked into a hotel at a large and modern tesisleri (very different from last night's which was just a simple restaurant and grubby toilets) on the main road that bypasses the town. After a shower and doing our laundry it was time to watch some sport on rubu.tv.

The Cricket World Cup started this weekend, based in India. With my two favourite sports holding World Cuos at the same time our travels on this tour will be sven more affected. South Africa's first game was today against Sri Lanka with South Africa posting a record score for Cricket World Cup matches and winning pretty easily in the end. The rugby match between Ireland and Scotland is up next but I'm not sure Leigh will manage to stay awake for that.

Today's ride: 40 km (25 miles)
Total: 1,999 km (1,241 miles)

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