DAY 11: Bursa – Gorukle (Turkey)

I woke up at 5:00 AM, only to find the power out. It was restored around 6:30 AM.

The rain is coming down hard.

It seems there was a live music performance at the bar next door last night, running from 9:00 PM until around midnight.

The volume was quite high, but I was able to enjoy the live music even while I slept.

Breakfast at 8:00 AM.

The menu is almost the same as yesterday’s.

Through news on TV and the internet, I learned about the flooding that hit the Istanbul area yesterday.

Here is a summary:

Severe thunderstorms, centered around Istanbul, caused widespread flooding and landslides.

Impact: 1,277 instances of flooding and 15 landslides. A 14-year-old boy suffered an electric shock. Approximately 800 homes, 280 businesses, and 76 vehicles were damaged. 47 people were left stranded, and traffic was nearly paralyzed (at about 90% congestion). Roads collapsed, and a retaining wall at a school gave way.

Rainfall: Up to approximately 194mm (in Beykoz-Ömerli). Some areas saw about 100mm of rain in just 12 hours.

Cause: An atmospheric low-pressure system combined with cold air in the upper atmosphere created instability.

Response: Schools were closed on the 15th, residents were urged to stay indoors, and approximately 8,000 personnel were deployed to manage the situation.

Outlook: Rain is expected to persist until the morning of the 15th, after which it should gradually subside.

*It appears there were cases where people suffered electric shocks after coming into contact with downed power lines.

When pitted against nature, human power is truly insignificant.

While we call these "natural disasters," they are, in essence, simply natural phenomena. It is certainly unfortunate when people happen to be in the path of such events and suffer as a result.

Yet, living in this world means coexisting with nature.

Perhaps the most natural way to live is to simply accept everything as it is—to embrace things exactly as they unfold. Something I felt particularly strongly while in the deserts of America and Australia:

The moment I leave my accommodation and step away from civilization—specifically, the moment I put away my smartphone and PC, transitioning from online to offline—is when I need to be most alert.

Venturing out into a vast, empty void—stretching for 100 or 200 kilometers with absolutely nothing—always requires a great deal of courage.

It’s much the same here in Turkey. It’s easy to forget just how much comfort and security we derive from being within the fold of civilization.

I set off around 10:00 AM. Since I’m riding in the rain, getting soaked is inevitable sooner or later.

In Bursa, it rained all day. I tried to stick to backroads, but the main route was the D200 highway. My shoes were flooded almost immediately after starting.

On rainy days, I have to take my riding even more seriously.

It’s manageable where there’s a sidewalk.

But since the road is essentially a highway, I have to sprint hard whenever I pass an on-ramp or off-ramp—it’s like doing interval training!

With two kilometers left to go, a spoke on my rear-left wheel snapped.

After covering 17.2 kilometers, I checked into a hotel in Golukle at 1:30 PM.

Once I unloaded my gear, my first priority was to fix the broken spoke.

With the repair done, I headed into town to pick up some supplies.

I grabbed a chicken burger meal to-go from a place called "Gang Fried Chicken" (299 Lira).

Maybe the portions of fries and the burger were a bit too big!

I also stopped by Carrefour to stock up on groceries before heading back.

The rain has eased up a bit, but it looks like it will continue tomorrow.

It’s 90 kilometers to Bandırma.

There aren't any suitable hotels in the area for the next couple of days—or rather, the ones that do exist are high-end, luxury hotels that are well beyond my budget.

There’s a campsite about 30 kilometers from here, so I think I’ll check that out.

When I told the hotel owner that I was traveling across Turkey, he was incredibly thoughtful—offering to do my laundry for free, asking if I needed anything, and even inviting me to have some *chai* (tea). It was such a kind gesture, and I really appreciated it.

Today’s distance: 17.2 km

Total distance from Istanbul: 242.7 km

*Click here for photos taken today.

*Click here for the video playlist (please subscribe to the channel and leave a "like"!)