800 words Ecology FBR philosophy mission petroleum pollution responsibility

Posted by: Andrew

“We are biking for peace, simplicity, and the environment“
-www.fueledbyrice.org/about/

Our actions and decisions affect the world in which we live.

A couple weeks ago in Selcuk, Turkey (where ancient Ephesus is located) we found ourselves riding in a car. Riding in a car is a strange experience after spending so much time on a bike. The tug and resistance that hills offer to a biker’s muscles become little more than a little revving and lugging of the engine in a car. Our speed is barely checked as we whiz up mountain curves! And the speed itself is a bit dizzying, after finding a comfortable 20 km/hr pace (12 mph) to be normal. (Okay, downhill once we did hit 70.4 km/h (43 mph), but that is probably not recommended). So cars are sort of an exotic, new experience all over again. But this was no ordinary car. This was Falco’s car.

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Fethiye homestay Turkey

Posted by: Andrew

After we were towed up the hill by the kind truck driver (see previous post Hitching a Ride), Kallie and I felt confident that it was going to be a good day. And it was. We made it into Fethiye and met up with Adam, who took us back to his place and showed us our room–a large bedroom with a double bed and attached bathroom. Yes, the shower was hot. After some introductions and showers, we made our way into town to find the friendliest kebap store owner and the makings of a home coffee roasting operation.

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India Istanbul Tips Turkey visa

Posted by: Kallie

Our experience at the Indian consulate in Istanbul resulted in a lot of scrambling, anxiety and running to copy centers to print off extra information. We had a hard time finding application requirements for a tourist visa off the consulate website, so thought we would share what we were required to have (Dec 2012). As an American, here’s what you need:

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Fethiye hills trucks Turkey

Posted by: Andrew

On our way to visit our friend Adam in Fethiye, we stopped at a yacht town called Gocek. Our hotel owner told us the rest of the journey would be more or less flat. “It is thirty more kilometers, and mostly flat,” he said. Well, by now we should know not to trust drivers for elevation stats, but nonetheless we set our expectations to FLAT TERRAIN. The first long climb felt twice as hard as usual, and we convinced ourselves that that was it and it would be flat from here on out. As we approached the second large climb Kallie began moaning and I was trying my best to get our heads in the game. Hills are significant on a bicycle–especially a tandem with a loaded trailer, and our legs were tired. “Get your head in the game!” I said to Kallie, unhelpfully. (Biking teaches you some good and bad communication techniques for marriage).

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Bob Yak gear review Trailer

Posted by: Kallie

It is here in Turkey where we will part ways and say goodbye to our Bob Yak Trailer. “Bob” has been a trooper and has gone above and behind the call of duty, carrying twice as much as he’s rated for and going twice as fast too. We are only sending him back to the states because we are shedding some weight and for the next portion of the trip- so we will go “Bob-less” and see how it compares. Here are some of our initial impressions at 3600km of the Bob Yak trailer (about $320 at REI).

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biking Cookies Cycling friendship future travel

Posted by: Tori

Seven months ago I graduated earning a Bachelors degree from Hope College and started to fill out graduate school applications.

Six months ago I became friends with Kallie and Andrew and agreed to bike across Europe with two new friends, and two I had yet to meet.

Five months ago I bought a bike.

Four months ago I got this fortune out of a cookie while eating Chinese food at Kallie’s house while planning a bike trip that seemed vague at best.

Three months ago I realized how difficult cycling across Europe was and questioned my sanity and decision making skills.

Two months ago I fell in love with cycling and the feeling of hard earned sweat meeting fresh mountain air of a new place.

One month ago I started contemplating returning home and what I want in life when I get there.

Next month I will arrive home and get to enjoy family and friends while I figure out the next years of my life- still unknown, but looking a bit brighter and more exciting these days.

Sometimes you need to let go and simply go along with others ideas. It might just turn out that the act of letting go is what you needed all along, and the view along the way is just a bonus for being a good sport.

Greece Video

Posted by: Kallie

food hotel Mugla toilet Turkey

Posted by: Andrew

When I was a kid my brother and I would sometimes talk about inappropriate things at the dinner table. At least, my mom thought they were inappropriate, and she would say, “That’s not table talk, that’s toilet talk; if you want to talk like that you have to excuse yourselves and go to the bathroom.” Which we would, on occasion. All that to say, if you are currently at the table, you may wish to find your way to the bathroom, because Kallie and I were also finding our way to bathroom recently with some urgency, and that’s what I’m planning to talk about.

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Posted by: Tori

Aydin hospitality kindness Selcuk tourism Turkey

Posted by: Andrew

So far, out of all the countries we’ve visited, the people in Greece have been the most friendly. It seems as we move eastward people have responded to us with greater and greater enthusiasm and hospitality. So naturally Kallie and I were curious how Turkey would be…

Yesterday we were humming along on the D550 toward Aydin, getting regular honks and thumbs-up’s from drivers and those seated by the road when a man stepped out from a gas station and waved us down. It was his insistency that first got me to think about stopping, but it was his police uniform that pushed me over the edge.

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