Two bikes. Three weeks. Five countries. 5450 miles.

Aidan1150 said:
The closest we were to Mosul would have been Tatvan or Van Johnny which was still over 400km away. We did see lots and lots of what appeared to be refugee camps though near both the Syrian and Iraqi borders.

It will be interesting to see if the same trip would be possible next year bearing in mind that up until January of this year we were still intent on circling the Black Sea. Unfortunately the situation in Ukraine deteriorated to the point that it just became too risky. Even though this was a "second choice" trip it was still very memorable.
Click to expand...


Respect, for your inspiration in this RR
 
Aidan and Jochen

I really enjoyed this ride report. Thank you both. Hundreds of years ago Jochen and I went to primary school together so I have probably met his father then, so sorry to hear of his passing.

I recognised quite a few of the lonely Turkish roads ( and the experience of being stopped for speeding as well) from a trip down that way, and into Syria and Jordan.

advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=348283

As I expect to have some free time in 2015, I am very tempted to visit Georgia on the 1150 so very helpful to read about your experiences there.
 
simondippenhall said:
Aidan and Jochen

I really enjoyed this ride report. Thank you both. Hundreds of years ago Jochen and I went to primary school together so I have probably met his father then, so sorry to hear of his passing.

I recognised quite a few of the lonely Turkish roads ( and the experience of being stopped for speeding as well) from a trip down that way, and into Syria and Jordan.

advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=348283

As I expect to have some free time in 2015, I am very tempted to visit Georgia on the 1150 so very helpful to read about your experiences there.
Click to expand...

Hi Simon, great to hear from you :thumb2
Certainly the roads we travelled in Georgia & Armenia were more interesting than some of the roads to get there. And if we'd had more time we'd have visited Azerbaijan too.
If you've an interest in traveling that part of the world you could worse than read Ureka by Graham Field
And if you're over here sometime give me a shout
 
Aidan, thanks for sharing such a wonderful report ... taking the time to put it together.

Jochen's dad RIP.
 
What great photographs of the Buzludzha Monument there ... it should never be allowed to go in to decline. Thanks for the update .... I still have it in mind to go back to Georgia :thumb

:beerjug:
 
Just read this through in one simply couldn't stop. Thanks to both for taking the time and trouble to write the RR. and for getting out there and just doing it in the first place. Sorry to hear about the loss of yer dad it's never an easy thing.
 
Great report, job well done guys.

Deepest sympathy on the loss of your father Jochen's.
 
Jockser and Aidan

I have just re-read this RR and it really is good.

With a mate I rode from Hampshire to down that way in April/May this year - strikingly similar route, although we only went as far South as Yerevan in Armenia.

What was notable was how cold it was in N E Turkey - we were above the snow line for 2 or 3 days. And getting across the Georgia /Armenia border post was like ice-skating which on a GS1150 has to be seen to be believed! And the Armenian roads were so bad they bent my mate's (non-spoked) wheel.

Amazingly, although we hooned across Turkey at many points (although avoiding motorways) we got no speeding tickets by contrast with when I crossed Turkey to Syria in 2008 and got two!

Thanks again for the RR

Simon

PS Aidan, I recall from my trip to Morocco with Jochen that he is no early riser so well done getting him on the road before 9 am :augie
 
Thank you very much Simon. :eek:

Yer man JR is fond of the leaba alright. :eek:

Must go and re-read this again myself now.
 
One of the GREAT ride reports, excellent!! :beerjug:
 
Wow, this travel blog is an inspiration, thanks so much for posting, I felt like I was there with you both for a while and really interesting to see what some of those places look like as I'd never think to go there

The spirit of adventure is alive and well in you guys, superb !
 
Only just picked this up Aidan, great ride and illustrated write up :aidan
Our belated condolences to Jochen and his family. We don't move around much in Biking Circles any more :comfortor as some more astute Tossers would say :clap<strike></strike>:clap<strike></strike>:clap. Well bollocks to the twats anyway :augie:augie :barf:D.
Sorry we didn't get a chance to look you up last year when we were over :cool: , next time :beerjug:<strike></strike>

 
IMG_8739.jpg


IMG_8741.jpg


This obelisk is in Sultanahmet Square, near the Blue Mosque and the Hagia Sofia where ten people were killed this week. There was also a bomb in the southern Turkish city of Suruc which killed another 33 people.

Talking to Jochen this week we agreed that we were lucky to do this trip when we did (eighteen months ago now) as we might not feel the same about doing it this year or in the near future given the way things are going in Turkey. What a great shame.
 
I spent a week in Jordan in '09 and planned to go back to Syria in '10. Had to postpone due to work, and of course in 2011, Syria was in a civil war. It makes e soo glad of seeing Jordan that time, a bit like yourselves and Turkey.
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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