Stats
Trip total: 723.7 kms
Day total: 29.71 kms
Avg speed: 14.4 kms/hour
Time riding: 2:03 hours
I got up early got ready, went downstairs to load the bike, and then pushed it for 2 miles to the town center. There I started asking "byciclet tsi," which I think it means "where is a bike store." The town is small and it was easy finding one (maybe the only one there is.) I have noticed that bike stores no matter in which country or town they are always busy. Using my superb body language while pointing at the derailleur, it was not difficult to explain to the the bike mechanic that I had a problem and to my relief, using his body language, he made me understand that he could fix it. He changed the derailleur. While doing that, he went through the routine motions and ordered tea. There was a bunch of kids there and all tried to talk to me. Well, you can understand how far this went, but the kids did not quit trying. The kids were really friendly and to make sure I understood it they kept offering me candies. The technician installed the new derailleur successfully. I paid him and also left a generous tip. I was so happy that the tip he got was almost as high as the price he had charged. Then I bought a round of teas for the crowd that had gathered. In the meantime there was another four people flocked into the store. I thanked them and rode on to find a place to buy food for the way. I also bought a big bag of candies and rode back to the store. The owner thought that something was wrong w/ the bike but I calmed him down by showing him the candies, which I gave to the kids.
At 11:00 I was riding out of town. I had decided to make it a short day and ride only to Mugla. It was indeed a short ride and I did not mind the wind or the continuous uphill. The morale turns out to be a very important factor in life. In a couple of hours I was in Mugla.
Below is Spithas at the city entrance
I entered the town and felt that I was riding the crest of the wave. And then it happened again. I hit a ditch in the road, heard a gunshot, and indeed it was my front wheel that was flat. Needles to say that I did not have time to disengage my SPDs and fell flat on my face. I got up started pushing the bike and asking where I could find a bike store. People kept pointing in different directions and finally a very polite man after giving me a complicated explanation in Turkish, realizing that it wouldn't work walked me to a bike store five blocks away. The inner tube was not fixable. The store did not have inner tubes the size of my bike and in addition the mechanic told me that I could not find any in Mugla. I produced two of the spare inner tubes that I had had fixed a few days ago. Soon as they were on the wheel and inflated, both gave and none of them could be fixed. I had to resort to the only unscathed spare tube I had. This means that till I get to the next big town, I will not have a spare. May God be on my side.
It was easy to find a descent hotel in the center of town. I showered, got ready, and went walking around town. It was time to withdraw money. I went to an ATM of Vakif bank but my card did not work. I asked for the guard's help, which he willingly offered, but whether we tried it in English or Turkish, the machine wouldn't cooperate. I was afraid that something is wrong with my card. That would be a real problem. The guard took the card went inside the bank, talked to a person there, came out, and told me something in Turkish which made me think that this card does not work w/ VAkif ATMs. I went to another bank and voila it worked. It flashed the cash. I went on walking around town. Below is a photo of the town center. There is nothing special about this town. It is an airy small provincial town with nice people and that's about it.
See you tomorrow
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