22. Day (Biga-Biga Exit-Biga) (43 km) (Second Part)
After the accident I noticed that he was in front of a place where the sacrifice was made. I dragged the bike to find the owner of the vehicle and went there. After finding the owner of the vehicle and explaining the situation, we returned to the vehicle. There was nothing important in the car. We just put the falling cat eye in place.
I went to the slaughterhouse again to learn how to go to Biga or Bandırma. The sacrifices were slaughtered and meats cooked. Someone invited to me. "Get well soon." said. He heard the incident when I was talking to the owner of the vehicle I had crashed into. Another one came while talking to him. He saw the bike. "Get well soon" said. "Don't worry, there is a cyclist I know in Biga. We can go together in my car. If you're in a hurry, I can take you right away. " he continued. He was waiting for the sacrifice to be slaughtered. I said that I was not in a hurry and thanked him for his attention. While talking about this, a plate of rice and roasting and ayran came on the other. We chatted about my tour. Then the dessert came. I explained what I saw the places I came from. When the conversation got well, they started to joke. "Man, can not be hit by a stationary car!"
That's right, but I crash. That is me.
While the conversation continued, the sacrifice slaughter was completed. We loaded the bike and the sacrifices into the car and went back to Biga. Brother called the motorcycle-bike mechanic and said we would come to the shop. He asked if he had a bicycle tongs. It wasn't there, but when we got there, he seriously straightened the tong by bending it with the iron profile. The front brake shoes were also damaged due to the impact. There was no way to fix it before the tong was straightened. Front braking performance had dropped drastically, but at least the bike was walking.
Mehmet, who was so closely interested in me, was a big motorcycle enthusiast. His age was - estimated - around 60. Made motorcycle tours in the Balkans and Turkey. He has also made a small Balkan tour in the recent past again. His wife was from Van and they toured Eastern Anatolia with his wife. His wife's brother was also a big motorcycle enthusiast. He passed away in an accident. This incident affected them badly, but then they prevented it from turning into a fear. They continued. They were not captured by fear.
That's the important thing! Continue...
Mehmet, who was so closely interested in me, was a big motorcycle enthusiast. His age was - estimated - around 60. Made motorcycle tours in the Balkans and Turkey. He has also made a small Balkan tour in the recent past again. His wife was from Van and they toured Eastern Anatolia with his wife. His wife's brother was also a big motorcycle enthusiast. He passed away in an accident. This incident affected them badly, but then they prevented it from turning into a fear. They continued. They were not captured by fear.
That's the important thing! Continue...
I cannot tell you how much Mehmet insisted on staying at his house that day. I also met his wife. "Fellow countryman, we won't let you go." said. I refuse their proposals because it was a festival of sacrifice. Because their guests would be many. Or they might have to go somewhere. I didn't want to be an obstacle. If it was a normal day, I wouldn't refuse their invitations. I told him that I had a friend here and that it was risky to ride for a long time with this condition of the bicycle and that I would go to Istanbul by night bus.
If this accident had not happened to me, I would not have been able to meet such a beautiful person and traveler. This accident opened a new path and I met beautiful people, without even needing to resist going on.
I thanked him and his wife and left them and called Ilyas. He said he was where we sat yesterday with his friends. I said "wait, I'm coming" and went to them.
When I got to them, I told what happened to me about the accident, Mehmet and his family. We closed this issue first with a sadness and then with small jokes.
I found a bus ticket online. It was 2 o'clock at night. Around 12 o'clock I said goodbye to Ilyas again. They left and went to their village. Actually, Ilyas wanted to stay. But the evening had not come with his bike. If he had stayed with me, it would have been a problem for him to go to his village. I forcefully persuaded him to leave.
Who should I see when I go to the bus station? Emre Uçmak, whom I talk in Çanakkale, was also at the bus station. They will go to Istanbul. But our bus times were different. First I told what happened to me. Then he explained what he had done. He told about his experiences. Wedding preparations, marriage process ...
There's a lot worse. My accident stays like a fly bite alongside marital stress. Even a fly bite brings pleasure and makes people itch sweetly.
I also met with Emre's wife Birsen and Birsen's mother that day.
A year later, we met again with Emre and his wife Birsen in Burdur Salda Lake during the summer. There is a good story in the camp we did together. Maybe, I will write about this later.
The Emre's bus came first. I sent them off. Then my bus arrived. Since the bus was empty, I put the bike in the trunk as a whole with the items on it.
The bus was in Istanbul in the morning. I've come all the way on the bike. I did not get tired as much as the 3-4 hour bus journey did.
At the bus station, my brother met me. The first thing he said is "What are you like, son!" happened. I was black. I was wearing a white cardigan with its wool on. I was look pretty shabby. After my brother overcame this small confusion, "Well done!" he said.
We celebrated my tour in a soup shop. Then we went home.
I did this tour wearing sandals. The pattern formed on my foot at the end of the tour became my "tour medal".
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"My tour medal" A magnificent masterpiece ... |
During my 22-day journey, I cycling 1505 km. In total, I climbed about 19680 m, descended 20715 m.
This is how I took the first big step of a journey that adds meaning to my life and continues to do so.
After this journey, I lay down on the bed, tired, - even more than tired - happy, peaceful and proud. When I closed my eyes, I could still hear the wind blowing across, the waves in the sea. As I climbed the slope in Marmaris, I was seeing the colored dust particles and the rainbow. After that:
I slept.
I slept.
I slept...
-THE END-
A man travels in the colorful world,
Neither rich nor poor, believer nor non-believer...
(OMAR KHAYYAM)