After almost 24 hours of good rest, we left the hotel early in the morning with the hope of reaching Bingöl this evening. However, as soon as we had left town our dear head wind was back full force. Despite the good rest at the hotel, our energy levels were still quite low so we did not get very far. 50 km before Bingöl we decided to stop for our midday heat break. We craved to just check into another hotel but the nearest town was several kilometers down another road so we just hoped to find a nicely shaded spot among a cluster of buildings at a junction up ahead. Unlike in western Turkey, the gas stations and rest stops were less frequent here so hopefully there will be one not too far ahead because we were getting really hot and tired. At the bottom of the big hill separating us from Bingöl we found a large unfinished building next to a Petrol Ofisi gas station. The attendant said it is no problem if we want to hang out in the building. Perfect! We selected one of the back rooms with small windows for maximum shade but still some breeze. We were so grateful for this cool and quiet spot situated right where we needed it and we did not have to entertain anybody either. Visually not quite as luxurious as a real hotel but the fact that it was free made up for that. So happy!
Every morning we set out not sure where we will end up that day or whether there will be a suitable spot for us to sit out the heat. We try to plan our route as best as we can but weather, road condition and physical well being (or the lack thereof) often scew our itinerary but we have always been beautifully provided for. It amazes me everytime to see how God looks after us in such creative ways. Often we are in awe of how true the following verses are and are at a loss for words to thank our Great Tour Guide:
(Ps. 121:5-7)
The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.
The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.
We invented a delicious lunch dish consisting of a 3 kg tub of plain yogurt, roasted chick peas and coriander seeds. Quite tasty. After a few hours of snoozing on the floor of our "hotel room" three flies had located us and started their usual annoying skin tickling game. I managed to trap two of them in our yogurt tub (in the picture look for two black dots along the edge of tub).
Supposedly the next rest area is 25 km up that big hill towards Bingöl. We set off a few hours before sunset thinking that 2.5 hours of daylight should be enough to get us there. Welcome to wishful thinking.
The sun set when we reached the 15 km mark after an exhausting climb. At this point the friendly honking of almost every car that passed was really getting on our nerves especially because Turkish drivers like to sound their horn right when the car is in line with your ears. Some cars will start honking from a distance and keep honking if you dont lift your hand to wave. We would like to thank the Turkish people for this well meant gesture but after two months in this country it looses its welcoming charm and instead gets REALLY annoying, almost mocking, especially when crawling up a steep hill at the end of an exhausting day's riding with irritating head wind. Honk honk...honkhonkhonk.....HONK (in moments like these it would be so wonderful to transform into the Hulk.....Aaaaah so angry!).
As it started getting dark we were nowhere near a good camping spot. The hilly pasture land was rock strewn, probably ridden with ticks as we had been warned earlier, the few small trees offered no shelter and the wind just seemed to get more forceful and agressive with every minute. Besides, a somewhat ominous tension hung in the air which we could not make sense of but it was frightening. We really did not want to ride back down the hill to our noon hour "hotel" and riding in the dark on this narrow, windy highway would be suicidal so we had no choice but to look for a place for the tent. The road we were on was in the process of having two additional lanes added to it so at one point the two new lanes briefly split off the existing road to evade a large rock mass. We noticed a large machine parked on that new stretch of road fairly hidden from traffic by the rock mass so we somewhat reluctantly decided to camp next to that machine. We were still completely exposed to view on three sides and the bulldozer provided minimal protection against the wind but at least we were out of sight from the road. We did not set up the tent until it was almost dark to reduce any unwanted attention from nosy characters who may be roaming these rural hills. We did not exactly feel threatened but that knot on the stomach would not go away and kept us a bit on edge. After reading Psalm 91 we felt much calmer and knew that the Lord would watch over us that night.
(Ps. 91: 2-7)
I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.
Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.
He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.
Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;
Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.
A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.
As we lay in the tent, loose metal parts on the beat up bulldozer were rattling in the wind, strong gusts blew dust through the tent mesh onto our pillows but other than that the night was uneventful.
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