Turkey Bimble 2014

Thursday 11th September 2014  It's misty and just starting to get light at 6:30am. The year is wearing on; soon be time to put the clocks back. But not before I go to Turkey and find Noah's Ark! All packed and ready to go The mist clears slowly and I pile on the miles down a quiet A1. I'm trying a different set of tyres for this trip, recommended by Andy at A18 Motorcycle Tyres. I've been on Dunlops for years, on all my bikes, but these are Comtinental Roadattack GTs, and hopefully better wearing for this heavy bike. Triangular tyre When I returned from the last trip the Dunlop front tyre was strangely triangular in shape, I guess from all that time running at 45 degrees on the tournanti of the Alps. The initial feel of the Contis is good. We'll see how they manage the miles. I stop for tea and a sandwich at a layby on the A1 just before Peterborough. Thickest sausage sarny I ever had. Thick sausage sarny Then it's an easy run d

Fri 12th September 2014 Not much to report today. Fog, gloom, brief sunshine then heavy rain for the 400 miles across France, Belgium, Luxembourg and into Germany. No photos. I arrive at Charly's at 6pm, well drenched. Charly, his wife Christina and I have dinner at a local restaurant. I was last here to celebrate Charly's 70th birthday with family and the MFU gang. I have Kurbissuppe (pumpkin) and ox thigh in a cream sauce. It melts in the mouth like good Aberdeen Angus. And so to bed, exhausted. Sat 13th Sept Early morning meet After 7 hours of deep, unbroken sleep I'm up at 5am to start my preparations for the day. Charly's coffee machine works overtime. With Germanic precision we are a all set at 6:30 as planned. We are meeting Karl-Heinz at the services on the A6 at 7am. When we arrive he is already there accompanied by Manni, the president of the MFU (Motorradfreunde Unterheimbach), who has come to see us off.  Manni gives each of us an old

Sunday 14th September 2014    Waiting to board the ferry We are on the road by 9am. I am leading as I have the port at Ancona in my satnav. K-H has said that the last check-in for the ferry is at 10:30. We arrive at 10:26. They both scold me for driving too fast over the limit on the way here. Sometimes you cannot please everyone!   The Superfast ferry Piraius In the event we don't board until 1pm. The ship sails on to Patras after Igoumenitsa so we are loaded last. It's a boring wait, but we have shade and a coffee van. We also have the chaotic boarding procedures to amuse us as we wait. There are vehicles from all over Europe. Lots of big trucks and around 20 bikers.   Lashing the bikes down The boat is more impressive than I had expected. There are plenty of cafe bars, two restaurants and even a swimming pool though no one is brave enough to venture in in the evening. The Italian coast slides away as the sun s

Monday 15th September 2014  The sun rises into a cloudless sky as the ship slips between Corfu and the coast. A Vodaphone message chimes in on my phone -  "Welcome to Albania". Just before 8am we dock at the Port of Igoumenitsa and disembark with a refreshing lack of fuss and formality. There is no passport check and at 8:10 we are cruising along the brand new A2 motorway, another gift from the EU. Sailing into Igoumenitsa The A2 is an amazing road. Apart from a short section around Thessalonika it is all new and crosses Northern Greece in its entirety from coast to coast. We are soon riding up into the mountains. It is misty at first but when this clears we have a big bright sun directly in our eyes. I didn't keep a count but there must be 50 tunnels as the road sweeps and drills through the spiky mountains.  My navi says it is 658 kilometres to the border with Turkey and this one road takes us there. No roundabouts, no towns, no traffic lights. It'

Tuesday 16th September 2014  The sun rises with the promise of a hot day in Turkey. We have left the gloomy northern autumn far behind, it is still summer here. Our route takes us due south. We are headed for Kusadasi and the holiday home of my good friends, Bob and Margaret. It's a good road, mostly dual carriageway and we progress swiftly, slowing only for the numerous small towns along the way.   On the Dardannelles ferry We track down past Gallipoli to Eceabat, where a small ferry takes us the short way across the Dardanelles to Cannakale. We stop for lunch at a roadside cafe. It's a lovely day and the traffic is light except in the few small towns on the route.   Lunch in the sunshine We are in Menemen, a big town 30 kilometres north of Izmir when disaster strikes me. My first inkling of a problem is a strong smell of petrol when we stop at a traffic light. I assume it is coming from the old car in the adjacent lane.

Wednesday 17th September 2014 In the morning I call BMW at 7:30am but get nowhere. It turns out I am trying to talk to the overnight security guy. Finally at 8am, in desperation, I call Alper Selvi to see if he can help. From here on in Alper takes over. He calls BMW Motorrad, explains the problem to the services manager, gets the number of a breakdown service, arranges a pick up for me and the bike including a hefty discount from the initial asking price, all the time keeping me up to speed via SMS and a few calls.   A sad sight So at 10:30am the bike is loaded onto the back of the breakdown truck and an hour later is in the BMW service garage. A replacement part has been ordered and is on it's way. The Services Manager takes us all for a free lunch in the staff canteen.   Arriving at Izmir Motorrad By 2pm the bike is fixed, washed and checked over and we are on our way. Total cost including transport is £140. We are back on the road and the s

Thursday 18th September 2014  A decision has been made. Charly and Karl-Heinz want to set off immediately for Cappadocia but I want to stay another day relaxing with my friends.   Charly and Karl-Heinz get underway We arrange to meet up in Goreme, Cappadocia on Saturday night, so for a couple of days the blog stays with me. I'll fill in the story for the other two when we meet again. I take the opportunity to check over the bike and take a photo of the replaced fuel line valve that caused me so much hassle yesterday.   The little valve that caused all the trouble For me it's a very leisurely day. Khavalti (Turkish breakfast) down on the seafront then back for siesta and a swim in the gorgeous pool. I am the only person in there. In the evening we drive down the hill to the brand spanking new Hilton Hotel where we sit high up on the rooftop terrace sipping gin and tonic (me), vodka and coke (Bob) and white wine (the Boss) and playing the