Day 3: Gebze to Körfez (Turkey)

Day 3. Woke up at 4:00 AM. My legs and lower back are sore. If I can just get through this third day, I’ll be okay.

Took a shower and relaxed a bit.

Today’s route covers 35 kilometers to Körfez. There aren't many climbs, and I should be able to run along the seaside promenade again.

The weather has been clear for a while, but it looks like there will be a lot of rain next week.

My body is gradually shifting into "traveler mode." I’ll accept the aches and pains here and there. No complaining.

I’m thinking of taking a rest day in İzmit to recover and make adjustments.

Had a delicious breakfast just after 7:00 AM.

It was a buffet-style meal: boiled eggs, ham, cheese, pickled olives, tomatoes, cucumbers, coffee, and bread.

Packed up my gear and set off at 7:30 AM.

However, I got a flat tire before I’d even gone 100 meters.

A flat tire—the first hurdle of the day.

While I was repairing it in front of a bank that hadn't opened yet, my pump broke—hurdle number two.

Fortunately, I had a spare pump, so I managed to save the situation.

Swapped the inner tube and started moving again just after 8:00 AM.

The third hurdle: the D100 highway is essentially an expressway.

On Route D110, the shoulder is barely as wide as a buggy—or even narrower.

Large vehicles overtake me while passing dangerously close. My flag pole gets hit by passing vehicles a few times; it’s terrifying every time it happens.

Riding along a narrow shoulder, feeling exposed and vulnerable—it’s a familiar experience.

Is there a seaside promenade?

According to Google Maps, I have to follow this D100 highway for a grueling 24 kilometers.

There are no alternative routes. It’s an industrial zone, so the traffic consists mostly of large vehicles—trailers, dump trucks, and semi-trucks.

I push on silently amidst the noise, dust, and exhaust fumes. It’s scary when large vehicles crowd me off the road.

My first break was at a small shop in Hereke, where I bought a cola and an energy drink.

Like a highway, the D100 has ramps where vehicles enter and exit.

You have to be careful when crossing these ramps so as not to get in the way of other traffic.

I spotted a BIM store along the frontage road and decided to stop there.

It’s a shame I missed the entrance to the seaside park and ended up just riding straight along the D110.

Just past 3:00 PM, I was nearing my hotel in Körfez. I picked up some *pide* (Turkish flatbread) to go before arriving.

That 24-kilometer stretch of the D110 felt like an endurance test.

Tomorrow’s ride to İzmit is short, but I wonder if I’ll have to travel this same road again.

Today's distance: 33.4 km

Total distance from Istanbul: 83.6 km

*Click here for photos taken today

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