Again we hit the road, the same group of 2 bikes. My friend with his TransAlp and myself with great Varadero. This time the tour was to be longer, we hit the road for Bozca Ada, about 70 km south from Çanakkale. It is one of the rare big islands Turkey had chance to keep from greedy Greeks.

We packed and stuffed all necessary and unnecessary thing into bags of our bikes, put on the riding gears (anyone remembers how hot it was last Friday afternoon) and started sweating! Our plan was to leave the burning city at 4, but due business reasons (believe or not even I got to work sometimes ) we couldn’t leave before 5pm. Exact 5.10 we hit the road from Maslak, through the smelly and hot traffic towards TEM. Then on tem we got first cooling when the speedometer hits 140 kmh! Anyway, it was too crowded; we couldn’t do that too much. Nice maneuver on pay toll of TEM (2 bikes with one OGS!) and we hit the traffic going towards Silivri and Tekirdağ. As said earlier we planned to leave 4pm to avoid the crowds, but so seemed everyone else too. So we were driving with the traffic until Hadımköy exit where the road a bit opens. Then starts road works, stupid drivers and everything else dangerous. I had to stop twice as business was calling (by Gsm, not because of beer!). Finally we got out from TEM, towards Tekirdağ. A short while road was open (we could make it up to 160kmh) but then road works started again. We could slowly pass the queue of cars either from right or left, but always some a....le tried to block our road.

A small break in Tekirdağ to clear the strategy for the end of the road and some tea. Then we hit the road again, but just 50 km later my friends TransAlp got thirsty and we needed refuel (TransAlp consumes more than Varadero!). Then some nice cruising towards sunset in wide Trakiya country roads, really nice, clean and roads pretty good. Sunset was great, we could enjoy it over the hills, turning more and more red until it fallen down completely. At Keşan (very close to border city Ipsala) we turned our noses towards south and Çanakkale. It became dark but we could speed down as we needed to hit the ferry at 10pm to Çanakkale. So some marvelous overtakes later we found us waiting the ferry but we found out that it was not there yet (good thing about bikes is u “never” need to queue to the ferry). Finally ferry came about 25 min late and we started worry. Our next ferry to the Island was at 12 pm and after that nothing before the morning. So my friend checked the fastest road to Ezine (where the ferry takes off to Bozca ada) and we hit the road before the ropes of the ferry were connected. We had about an hour but very narrow and curvy road (and it was dark as in cave!). So even more fabulous overtakes, revs up to the red line (about 9.000 rpm) and the road was ours... but...

Mr. Murphy was with us! About 5 km and 10 min before 12 pm my friends rear tire got flat! We were in middle of nothing, had tools but no spare tube (can u imagine, they still install tube type tires in some bikes) so not much to do. I hit the road, went to closest village, stopped and the main square and looked a round. I saw a kahve full of men, couple of taxis in front of it. There we go...”hey, where is the best tire shop around here?”... yeah, I know its 12 pm...” “really, he went to the wedding?” ... “ when he comes back?”.... etc etc... Finally one guy went to his home, grab him from his bed doing who knows what with his wife... and they took a trailer behind the car, we hit the road, went, took the bike to the trailer and went to his tire shop (then we found he is a biker too, he had 350 JAWA in his “dükkan”!). He said u are lucky, I just bought this tube for my own bike, but I will use it to urs. Then the other guy (whose “dükkan” was next to the tire shop) arrived with plates of fresh tomatoes, green pepper, onions (one word “Çoban salata”) and water melon which he just picked up from his garden, some fresh (burning fresh) bread and home made cheese. U should see how we hit the food as we haven’t eaten anything since lunch due to the tight time table. Guy was complaining that he couldn’t take us to his home for dinner at this our but just bring these to the “dükkan”. Wow it was delicious. And same time discussions with him, how is life around here, how great the vegetables are, etc etc. Then he said we have lots of boar around here, why don’t u come with ur Jeep for hunting, u can have all the meat as they don’t like it etc... (I think I gotta go there at autumn, I can make a boar party with all of u!) Meanwhile the tire was repaired, the earlier usta’s bad workmanship shown to us and a huge 45 lira invoice was waiting! We wanted to give more, but they didn’t accept (the guy who fed us didn't accept any money as he said it was all his own products!!!).

Later (about 2.30 am) we lurked in the only local hotel and hit the beds. But we found out it was impossible to sleep. Local lads were in the park, eating and drinking; cars and bikes were passing by (with very loud exhausts) and at the end the first praying time came... I jumped up at least a meter when the imam started. I guess the loud speaker was about 3 meters from our windows! Anyway, early wake up and hit to the first ferry without a min of sleep.

Yeah, 8.30 am on Saturday morning we got on the ferry we were supposed to catch 8 and half hour earlier. Nice half an hour trip to the island and then biking towards the hotel. It was easy to find as the village is so small, but hen the island attitude hit us. They gave our rooms to someone else and now they have to clean the rooms before they can give them to us. So, we sat on breakfast table, had small breakfast as we had the great one just few hour ago. After 45 min weather started heating up, we had our gears on and waited to get changed and hit to the beach. The guys said calm down, 5 more min… again, 5 more min… and again. Finally, in 1 and half hours they could give the rooms and we had chance to get changed. It took only a short while and back on bikes, this time only in shorts and t-shirts.

Couple km out from the village Jandarma stopped us, checked the paperwork and thanked us to put on our helmets! Anyway, few more minutes later we found the beach, parked bikes and jumped to the Aegean sea! Nice, really refreshing after harsh travel! Anyway, immediately you got to hide u under umbrellas from the burning sun! There were we, relaxing, sleeping and swimming. Beach is good, sand excellent and about 150 m from beach there is some kind of shallow water where u can walk again! Afternoon hunger hit us and we climbed up to the seaside restaurant, had some nice food and good view, also some good local wine. Food was good, wine and beer cold and prices reasonable. A lunch for 4 people was about 60 Ytl.

Anyway, back to the sea, sun and rest! After 6 pm the weather started to come bearable and we decided to hit the road again. We had some island to explore. So, back on bikes we hit the road. There is a huge wind mills to produce electricity, it was said they provide the electricity to the whole island and also some of it is send to the mainland! I counted 17 huge propellers turning slowly in mild wind. At the end of this power plant are the famous lighthouse and the best view for the sunset in the island. We got there in time and looked around. People started gathering after 7.30 am and the big red sun started to sink in to the sea. But here in south (comparing to my homeland) the sunset is so fast… u hardly have chance to enjoy it. But it was pretty amazing.

Then back to the hotel, cleaning up and looking for the dinner restaurant. There was plenty all looked more or less the same and fish assortment was good. We walked around and selected one. The food was great and prices pretty much ok, all together with drinks 120 Ytl for 4 persons. It was much cheaper than I was expecting. Then back to the streets, looking for the nightlife. There seemed to be one popular bar, all kids (teenagers) where there and music was ok. But we were bit down from last night’s happenings so we decided to hit the bed as early as 12 pm.

Next morning we had an early wake up but we noticed it does not mean much on islands. At 8.30 am we hit the breakfast but none was there. A short walk on the streets showed the whole island was still sleeping and the earliest ferry arrives at 9 am and brings the new guests. So we decide to hit the road and go back to the beach as we don’t have to care about queuing to the ferry (again good to have a bike!). At the beach it was the same, the restaurants were not ready to serve anything yet so we just hanged around and noticed nothing happens before 10 am. So for the rest of u, don’t set ur alarm too early!

Another lazy day on the beach… more swimming, tanning and relaxing. But we needed to plan our trip back as the road we used seemed too uncomfortable for late evening return with all these people returning from their weekend holidays. A quick call to backup team at home we found out that Bandirma - Yenikapı ferry was sold out. But our friend said they always take bikes in even it shows full. So we decided to take our chances and go by there. There was also backup plan to return by Bursa if ferry was really full.

Another great lunch at seaside, this time return to hotel early as ferry was leaving at 4.30 pm and we needed to catch the next one in Bandirma at 9.15 pm. After gearing up in hotel we hit the port, passed the long queue of cars and went to the ferry before anyone else! Nice half an hours drive and we were back on mainland. The road back to Istanbul was about to start. This time the travel was less colorful, we were in Bandirma just about 8 pm after nice cruising on Marmara seaside and couple of crazy drivers who tried to kill us… And there were a place for us so we didn’t need to do the miserable Bursa road! We returned to Istanbul about midnight, a short sprint to home, couple of cold beers to cool down and we were ready to hit the pillows of our sweet own bed!

Over all it was a nice trip, about 740 km and very many great views.

I doupt the trip wouldn't be that nice with car, all the waiting in ferry queues and so on.

If any advices needed, Im all urs!

And next weekend the Big Varadero will hit road again, this time towards Assos!

click the thumbnail



Sunset at Bozca ada (Aegean sea)



The island is famous about sunset view (not as great as Santorini though )



Breakfast at local tire shop 2 am (we got the guy to fix the tire from his bed )



This was the group!

jyrays

just read your post - excellent...after 2 years ın turkey without my bıke ( ı,ve reached breaking point and need to get back on 2 wheels... )

thinking of buying an enduro...possıbly a 4 stroke yam or a beemer..any suggestions???

Id love to hook up with similar minded bikers and hit the road ... I love the bıg road trıps - If you,ve any ıdeas or inspiration - pls let me know...

happy days brother FBT