6 August, Çaldiran to Doğubayazit, 66km
Öğretmenevi 66TL
A fantastic day filled with drama.
Dramatic scenery, a black thunderous storm and scary dogs. We were on the road by
06:30, on a cool, cloudy morning. We zoomed for around 15km along a flat road
through a broad flat valley, then climbed for almost 20km to the top of the
Tendϋrek pass, gaining 600m in elevation to an altitude of 2644m. To the left
of the pass lies the extinct Tendϋrek volcano, petrified lava flowing down its
slopes into the valleys below. To the right of the pass lies Iran, pillboxes
visible on the ridge that forms the border. Soon after we began our climb, we
heard thunder rumbling ahead of us and as we climbed we watched a black storm
blow across the volcanic scene and on into Iran, only the icy wind moving it
across the stark and lovely terrain catching us. Doğubayazit sits at a height of 1625m so having conquered the pass we
were treated to almost 30km of downhill into an unattractive town just south of
Mount Ararat, at 5137m Turkey’s highest mountain and the legendary resting
place of Noah’s Ark. Both Charl and I had dog “incidents”: Two dogs ran at
Charl, forcing him from his bike and dividing his attention between them. A
truck driver seeing his dilemma, drove at one of the dogs, chasing it off, the
other following suit. Passing through a small, poor village, a dog ran at me,
crouched and intent. I screamed, which brought the owner immediately to the
rescue, the dog cowering in response to his shouts. Overall a stunning day.
Between Çaldiran and Doğubayazit
Between Çaldiran and Doğubayazit
Between Çaldiran and Doğubayazit
Between Çaldiran and Doğubayazit
Between Çaldiran and Doğubayazit
Between Çaldiran and Doğubayazit
Between Çaldiran and Doğubayazit
Between Çaldiran and Doğubayazit
Between Çaldiran and Doğubayazit
Between Çaldiran and Doğubayazit
Between Çaldiran and Doğubayazit