Day 5: Izmit, Turkey

Day 5: A rest day in Izmit. Woke up at 5:30 AM.

The hotel is right in the middle of the bustling downtown area, yet it’s quiet in the morning.

Took a short walk around the city this morning.

I heard there’s a bicycle shop nearby, so if they have 20-inch tires, I plan to buy and replace mine.

I’ll also re-evaluate the route for the days ahead.

Today’s temperature ranges from 11°C to 26°C. It’s chilly in the morning but looks like it will get a bit hot during the day.

On days I run, I focus entirely on running; on days I don’t, I don’t think about running at all.

I don’t even put on my running shoes. This mental switch is crucial.

I suspect that runners who frequently suffer injuries or breakdowns often struggle to make this kind of mental switch.

Well, that excludes people who run all year round, of course (haha).

Regarding my journey across Turkey, the route has changed a few times, but after reconsidering, I’ve decided not to go to Ankara and instead take the coastal route heading west.

The specific route might change slightly, but the general plan follows the map.

If anyone has any advice, I’d appreciate it.

I visited a bicycle shop in Izmit. It was a small shop run by a single middle-aged man.

We managed to communicate using translation software. Luckily, they had the size I needed.

Got a 20-inch tire!

It cost 900 Lira. I’ll replace it this afternoon.

There are various consumables on this trip, but tires and shoes are the two biggest ones.

Today, I’m replacing both the left and right rear tires.

The photo shows the old tires that have served their time.

The last time I replaced them was in Su'ao, Taiwan.

I kept using them through Malaysia too, so I probably covered a little over 1,000 kilometers on them.

Tires wear out faster on paved roads in hot regions.

Since the buggy puts a lot of weight specifically on the rear wheels, the tires wear down faster than they would on a standard bicycle. It’s about 1,300 kilometers to Antalya; if my buggy holds up, I’m sure my legs and body can hang in there too!

In the evening, I headed back into town to pick up some supplies.

The things that comfort a traveler on the road... in Turkey, the presence of cats certainly plays a huge role.

Though they don't speak, the aura they exude—something beyond words—gives us a real boost of energy.

Distance traveled today: 0 km

Total distance from Istanbul: 95.9 km

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