Cotton Castles and Deep Lakes

[Commuter]

Another Sunday ride report around the local area. Today was set to be a 500km round trip, through the Turkish countryside. I am heading for 2 big tourist attractions, Salda Lake and Pamukkale (the cotton castle)
Read about them here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pamukkale
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salda_Lake

 

[Commuter]

I get on the road by 7.30am and within an hour I am 100kms away from the heat of Antalya having already enjoyed 30kms of sweeping mountain roads and cool mountain air. I stop to input my next point on my newly updated Zumo, it now has all roads in Turkey thanks to 100 dollars an a lady in Istanbul.

The shop owner, wanted me to take is picture

I move on and ensure I am directed onto the road to Tefenni as it is a shorter (and twister) road to my first stop of the day.

The road doesn't disappoint and I find myself on my own for long periods of time.

Nice views

More mountain roads

I drop back down into a valley where I start to notice the road is in very good condition.

I suspect that it has recently been fixed, I am not wrong as around 20kms later I hit this type of unfinished surface.......I slow down.

They grade roads here with these chippings and then spray tar on top, then chipping and then tar......it is not nice to ride on untared or recently tarred roads as it is very slippy and also tar goes all over the place. Luckily tar work seems to stop on Sundays!
Unfortunately, these Turkish drivers do not slow down for such conditions and the results speak for themselves. I fear that there was some severe injuries as cars seem to be overloaded (sometimes as many as 7 or 8 in a car) and no one wears seatbelts and of course the cars are very old. I hope not to many where injured.
The cars.

I move on and find the graders and roadworks ahead.

I stop and catch a few shots of the bike to pass the time.

I pass through the roadworks and push through Teffenni and soon get my first view of the lake. (I have no idea what the chap walking up the road is doing, we are 3 kms outside town)

I soon hit more newly graded roads and have to crawl along but arrive at the lake.......quite nice views.

I play with the setting on the camera and get a few like this.

I am surprised to find little tourist trap cafes and restaurants......I soon decide to move on to my lunchtime destination.... One more shot of lake

I head into the mountains for some more twists

more to come.

 

[BeemerBaz]

Looks great, keep em coming

 

[Commuter]

I cut through the countryside, very much alone.....I enjoy using the entire road and find the road just twists and turns. I pass through all of these "hills" and I am enjoying being elevated at around 900metres above sea level. The sun is shining but the breeze is cooling.

I get into Denazli which is like any other major town in Turkey....hot and super crazy traffic and get out the other side. 17kms later I arrive at the tourist destination of:

I stop to take some first impression shots: It is like a huge iceberg made of calcium I guess......read about it above in first link.

I cut up the back lanes and onto the South Entrance where it seems every tour bus in Turkey has just arrived.
The Roman ruins are attractive and well maintained, however the 20lira entrance and the 35oC heat with full bike kit on has no attraction to me at this time.....

It is 12.30pm and I am in need of food. I go into the small town and pick a back street to park up with a "Turkish fast food joint" opposite. I order Chicken Doner and Gozleme......both freshly prepared in front of me. Excellent

I feel much better and decide that I need to cover some mileage to get myself home by 18.00. I have friends flying into Antalya tonight and need to collect them. I have 200miles to cover across country.
I have a spirited ride out of Denalzi and soon eat up some mile on a valley floor which stretches out in front of me

I take a self portrait and nearly blind myself with the flash......D

I then see something I haven't seen for 6 months whilst living here........BLACK CLOUDS.......I get rained on for 2 minutes.........

I see a few more clouds closing in and as I don't fancy riding on the Turkish roads in the rain(read.....I don't have a death wish) I push for home. 2 hours later I am on the ridge heading into Antalya

You have feel the HEAT!!
Turkey like to fly big flags like living in the USA.

and they and copying some USA ideas. This is Mr Ataturk........his picture and now rock sculpture is overlooking Antalya.

A good day.......thanks for looking.

 

[Jeannot]

Nice report, you can feel the heat somehow. Must be very tiring riding on those freshly graveled roads?
JC

 

[Aidan1150]

Another interesting and informative report Commuter. Thanks.