Day 63 Izmit to Osmaneli 99km

It's raining mud!

It's raining when I wake up. I look up at the flysheet of the tent which is covered with splodges which I assume to be tree blossom petals. But no, it's reddish brown and the clouds are reddish brown.....it's raining mud! I later learn that it is from a Libyan dust storm that has taken 10 days to get here. Whatever....it makes a right mess of everything.

Brown clouds........

.............means it's raining mud!

 I feel weak during the morning's cycling not helped by a diabolical headwind when I head south at Arifiye. It's warm and muggy and I stay in my Tshirt but the wind is whipping up dust and I put my googles on. In the afternoon the wind drops off and I perk up a bit. The road is like a motorway but I have the hard shoulder to myself, the tarmac is good with easy gradients........it's just a bit boring.

A miserable, energy-draining headwind

Let's here it for Continental tyres.....hooray!! Nearly 5,000km......no punctures, no air loss, minimal wear.

"No! Put it back wear you got it from"

Another (2 glasses of) tea and chat on the way...........

with the gang. They think I'm crazy and I think they smoke too much.

I am very pleased when, for a change, I get the tent up just before the heaven's open. Most of the mornings mud is washed off.
Tomorrow is all climbing and I hope to stop about 20km short of Eskisehir, so I can find a hotel by mid- day on the following day.