2014 Biking Turkey Daily Snippet

16 June, Şarkikaarağaç to Beyşehir, 55km
Candan Otel 80TL (negotiated down from 100TL)

Cool cloudy morning – like. Undulating but manageable terrain – like. Shortish distance – like. Getting stronger – like. Lovely scenery – like. Showered and settled in a hotel near Lake Beyşehir by 14:00 – like, like, like. The çay evi (tea house) across from our hotel was open when we descended to street level this morning so we were able to begin our day with a “Nescafe” – a rare treat – and some biscuits bought at the supermarket last night. Our road was devoid of a shoulder unfortunately, but the traffic not too heavy, so we climbed and dipped through peaceful farmland – potatoes, wheat, spinach and poppies amid pine and poplar. The final 20km or so were particularly pretty with the lake visible to the west of us, a breeze cooled by its waters blowing across our path. On a couple of occasions we saw a shaduf-like bucket system used to water the fields; and we revelled as always in the spring flowers that beautify the roadside.