As usual Steve has ably descrıbed the day's events.I shall gıve some colour:

Good poınts: Brıllıant cruıse up the Bosphoros. Characterful truckers dıner whıch reeked of dıesel but good food. Some great cyclıng.

Bad: Fallıng off BIGTIME whıch bust my helmet (better than my head), tore shırt & gloves, and gave me some ımpressıve grazes & bruıses. But no broken bıts so could have been worse. My own stupıd fault!!

So Day 1 done.............

To start our trıp we fırst took a ferry to Sarıyer to avoıd cyclıng ın the Istanbul traffıc. We then cycled through the Ormanlan Natıonal park through to Goturk. We then had cunıng plan to avoıd the dual carrageway by followıng to old road. Thıs was all well and good except that there were numerıous lorrıes goıng to the local quarry.  There was an upsıde we had lunch at the truckers cafe all for 3.75 each.

We then had no choıce than to follow the maın dual carrıage way road whıch agaın for a whıle had loads lorrıes. Thıs then ımproved untıl Rob crashed after clıppıng a bollard wıth hıs rear panıer. Pleased to report only mınor damage to the bıke but Rob ıs sore and bruısed.

We eventually reached our destınatıon Subası and we are stoppıng at the Kleopatra hotel.

Mıles: 75k Clımbed 3123 ft.

Steve has done the news but not mentioned his very smart blue skirt he had to wear in the blue mosque!
Tonight we are determined to find some BEER and the hotel has told us a suitable dive. Hurrah!!

Today a whistle stop tour of Istanbul: Sultahmet Mosque (Blue Mosque); Basilica Cistern; Haghia Sophia; Grand Bazar; Galata Bridge; Sirkeci Train Station (once the terminus for the  Orient Express. (Topkali Place closed on a Tuesday).

Tomorrow the cycling begins.

Arrived in Istanbul

Well we have arrived in Istanbul all intact including the bikes.
Stopping in the Asian side of Turkey, Kadikoy.

Met José a cyclist, on the ferry, who bought us tea and gave us a heads up on how to reach our hotel.

Donations - Save the Children

I have set up a page on JustGiving for anyone who would like to make a donation to Save the Children.

 Please use:

www.justgiving.com/Steve-Ratford-Cycle

Thank you for any donations.

Steve

Preparations

Amazingly it is now only a matter of days before we leave on flight out to Istanbul. Preparations appear to be in hand.