Day 75 - Monday 15th April - MON to Tasucu - 89 km

Campsite in a plum orchard

Mustafa - nice guy but who frustratingly had wi-fi but couldn't remember the password.

Why did I think it would be a flat run to the coast?

Nice scenery though.

She is showing me the muras (blackberries) and sweetly presented me with three black ones

It's been a tough few days in the mountains but the scenery and campsites have more than compensated for the extra effort. A huge black cloud menaces in the afternoon and I catch a few drops of rain as I race down to the coastal plain at Silifke. Later, safely tucked up in my hotel the mother of all thunderstorms breaks out - thunder and lightning all night long; the rain soaking my laundry that I had optimistically draped around the balcony. I reflect on how fortunate I have been weatherwise, these last 75 days. Sure, it's not always been the best but I've not experienced true gales, snowstorms or day after day of heavy rain. The change from winter to spring has been dramatic though..........from black ice to melting tar, from near-hypothermia in Italy to the burning sun in the mountain air of Turkey. Yes, I've been lucky.

Day 74 - Sunday 14th April - Ermenek to a plum orchard in MON (middle of nowhere) - 83 kmDay 74 - Sunday 14th April - Ermenek to a plum orchard in MON (middle of nowhere) - 83 km

I'm still in the high country.....and starting to wear out. 4,000m of climb in the last 4 days; that equates to about 20 hours of pedaling uphill. The weather is good though.

I'm rattling downhill at up to 65 km/hr after the first climb of the day, and I look down to change the GPS mode as I approach a village.....Horror!......there is just an empty space where the GPS could be. In the time it takes to bring the bike to a halt I've already reconciled myself to the fact that it's gone.......skittered into the  long grass in the verge, run over by a truck, picked up by a local..............and consoled myself that the new Edge 800 might be quite nice. I turn around and pedal back uphill (groan!)....what's the point.....what's that bit of black on the road....is it?.....can it be possible?......it is! A bit chewed around the edges but still working! Off I head, happier than ever with a bungee wrapped around the GPS. Full marks to Garmin......their after- sales is rubbish but the hardware is pretty good......apart from the mount, where the catch breaks off.  : /

Packed up and ready to hit the road

This is a nature reserve............

and also a rubbish tip!

There it is!! Lost and found.

It survived!

.......and won't get away again!

...filling the water tanks

another climb over, not too many more today please

cucumbers stored in my boot - well-wrapped!

...........the long-haul truckers........my power to weight ratio is probably about the same.

I think this is the final descent into Silifke.........wrong!

I'm kindly offered green plums.......refreshing but best not eat too many of them!

Nice family - they stuffed my bar-bag full of plums despite my protests

The kids are pleased to receive my offer of a dried apricot each. Sadly, the only word the boy said to me was 'money'. Now were did he learn that?

Day 73 - Saturday 13th April - Taskent to south of Ermenek - 79 km

Soaking up the early morning sun.......Chilly nights at 1000m

A typical Antalyan mountain village high street

Taskent - This rather nice fable explains the statue below.

What flavour water would you like, sir!

This block of beige marble appears to have 'fallen off the back of a lorry'

Playtime for Michael!

The last snow of the winter

I am at the highest point (1890m) of my tour.......apparently a high point for me too!

What a beauty! Possibly the most photographed bike in the world. 

I stop for a picnic at a shepherd's refuge

The rock is full of fossils. Random thought: I wonder what the shepherds thought of them. They had probably never seen the sea so how would they recognise them.

Three 14 km climbs today - it's hot, hot, hot!

I contemplate camping in a cave......as I'm starting to smell like a caveman!

An evening grocery shop attracts a crowd

.........which starts to get a bit out of hand!

This guy stuffs a bottle of cola in my pannier........and then asks if I want to pop into the barbers for a complimentary shave. All I want to do is find somewhere to put my tent up...........out of town.

Nothing for it but to join in!

Bert (the bike) feels like royalty

........finally we get to head out of town.....and some peace and quiet

Day 72 - Friday 12th April - Boskir to Taskent - 76km

I opted for the hilly route and I got it today, I sweated out over 1400m of climb today but it was worth it for the views. The highest point was 1850m, a record for this trip. The weather was perfect for cycling, sunny with a cool breeze. I take 80 photos today.......but my camera does not do the scenery justice.

I'm 3 day's riding away from the ferry port at Tasucu.........the plan is to get on the first available ferry to Cyprus and spent what remaining time I have cycling out to the north-eastern tip of Cyprus (the panhandle) and then back to Larnaca via Famagusta (or whatever the Turks call it now).

Picnic break

The original buildings are very pleasing on the eye compared to the modern concrete boxes, but nearly all are falling into ruin. I wouldn't want to be in one in an earthquake though.

Taskent is above the 'D'

Six hours in the saddle, 5 hours pedaling uphill.........slowly.

 ..

Another convivial group. The woman in the centre is an English teacher in the local primary school.

The evenings pass quickly...if quietly