Day 35: Kumbağ-Silivri (88 km, 720 m ↑)

Our last stage on Friday went from Kumbağ to Silivri, which is a city with 200000 inhabitants right outside Istanbul. We had decided that we wanted to avoid the traffic into Istanbul. So instead of cycling all the way in, we had booked a “maksi taksi” that could transport us and the bicycles into the centre. Therefore, the bicycle ride to Silivri was the last one on this trip.

It was relatively short and flat, and we had tailwind in addition. So it was not a physical challenge. Our route planning app Komoot always tries to avoid the biggest roads, which is fine normally. But in this case, we ended up on bumpy or muddy gravel road several times and decided to turn around and take the main road instead after all. In most sections, this road had a wide shoulder to cycle on. So we had enough space and enough distance between us and the cars. Just for the last few kilometres, there was no shoulder and we had the traffic passing by right next to our ears. This was enough confirmation for us that it was a good idea to take a taxi into Istanbul centre.

The total tour in numbers: We cycled 35 days over the last two months. Countries visited: 9 (Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Hercegovina, Montenegro, Albania, North Macedonia, Greece, Turkey). Total distance covered: 3055 kilometres. Total elevation gain: 28717 metres.

This whole weekend I have a project go-live with our Swedish customer. Therfore, I worked from the hotel in Silivri the whole Saturday until seven o’clock in the evening when the “maksi taksi” driver picked us up and drove us into the centre. He almost got stuck with his big vehicle in the narrow and steep roads in Istanbul right before we arrived at our Airbnb. But we managed to push him back into track and arrived around nine.

Today the go-live continues, and the whole next week I will work full time. Then we will have some more time to explore Istanbul in the weekend.