July 9- Combine Escort on the Silk Road

Unfortunately we had to leave our kind host's place when he was still asleep so we did not get to see him again.
THANKS MUSTAFA FOR HOSTING US SO SHE SHORT NOTTICE. IT WAS GREAT TO MEET YOU AND GOOD LUCK WITH THE PLAY.
The route to Sultanhani was relatively flat with a few long drawn hills. The road surface varied from worn out and bumpy to brand new race track smooth. At this early hour there was already a strong and consistent head wind. Grrr.
Just outside of Konya two combines were coming up behind us on the highway. Here in Turkey, combines travel all over the country following their various harvest contracts. James got all excited because when you tuck in right behind the combine, its draft allows you to easily keep up the 25- 30km per hour travel speed. Ready here they come!
It was great. As long as the road surface is good, you can cruise along with little effort, no head wind, just the occasional bit of straw in your face. In the distance we saw a small hill coming up. The only way to keep up with the combine when going uphill is to literally hold on to it and have it drag you up. James who had done this several times advised me to practice holding on before the hill because keeping your balance is a bit tricky in the beginning, especially once your bike's weight is hanging on your arm when going up the hill. This was great advice because I certainly would have lost my balance on the hill otherwise. After a few hundred meters I felt pretty steady though...and here comes the hill with three more after it. Was it ever cool to zoom up them at 30km/hr. We got a few honks and smirks from passing drivers. At one point the road surface got quite rough so we had to slow down but we caught up with the combines a little while later while they were taking a break at a gas station. Thanks to these combines we covered the 100km to Sultanhani in just about three hours.
The big attraction there is one of the best preserved Kervansarays. A Kervansaray is a massive structure resembling a fort and historic times they were where silk road caravans used to shelter. They are basically antique gas stations.
Our host, Ferit, for that night came to meet us infront of the Kervansaray. He showed us his shoe repair and sewing shop and then brought us to his nice, shaded garden where we got to spend the hot afternoon. He was very nice, spoke good English and French and told us about his work as a tour guide for French groups for a few weeks in the summer.
Today was the first day of Ramadan so by the afternoon you could see a lot of hungry and thirsty faces around. In the early evening, the market and the bakery got really busy because everybody was out shopping for the big feast after sundown tonight.

When we returned to Ferit's house after a little exploration ride through town, his wife, daughter and daughter-in-law were busy prepping for dinner. We were invited to join them for the meal. Everybody was served delicious smelling chorba (soup) to start. As soon as the long awaited call rang over from the mosque it was time to eat. It was delicious. Beans, yufka etc.

THANK YOU FERIT, SELVER, AHMET, ADEVIYE AND SÜMEYRA FOR ACCEPTING US INTO YOUR FAMILY FOR AN EVENING. IT WAS GREAT TO MEET YOU ALL.