Author Topic: the leaving of Darlo (Read 105019 times)

jogler · « **Reply #350 on:** 23 November, 2011, 01:41:25 pm »

that snow covered Pass looks like intrepid stuff Dean.

Domestique · « **Reply #351 on:** 23 November, 2011, 01:44:31 pm »

Quote from: jogler on 23 November, 2011, 01:41:25 pm

that snow covered Pass looks like intrepid stuff Dean.

just looking at the same picture and wondering it must take a long time to get down with the weather like that $:-\$
Or does the snow stop once you are below a certain altitude $:-\$

clarion · « **Reply #352 on:** 23 November, 2011, 02:12:59 pm »

Quote from: interzen on 23 November, 2011, 01:26:06 pm

Quote from: Deano on 23 November, 2011, 01:00:53 pm

Nargile Cafe, Sıvas, Eastern Turkey by dean.clementson, on Flickr
"You hum it, my son, I'll play along ..."

There is an air of Eric Clapton about him, there.

Peter · « **Reply #353 on:** 23 November, 2011, 02:18:21 pm »

Quote from: clarion on 23 November, 2011, 02:12:59 pm

Quote from: interzen on 23 November, 2011, 01:26:06 pm
Quote from: Deano on 23 November, 2011, 01:00:53 pm

Nargile Cafe, Sıvas, Eastern Turkey by dean.clementson, on Flickr
"You hum it, my son, I'll play along ..."

There is an air of Eric Clapton about him, there.

More Allan Ginsberg, I think!

interzen · « **Reply #354 on:** 23 November, 2011, 02:54:24 pm »

Quote from: clarion on 23 November, 2011, 02:12:59 pm

Quote from: interzen on 23 November, 2011, 01:26:06 pm
Quote from: Deano on 23 November, 2011, 01:00:53 pm

Nargile Cafe, Sıvas, Eastern Turkey by dean.clementson, on Flickr
"You hum it, my son, I'll play along ..."

There is an air of Eric Clapton about him, there.

That'll be the weed, I reckon

Karla · « **Reply #355 on:** 23 November, 2011, 04:20:32 pm »

Quote from: clarion on 23 November, 2011, 02:12:59 pm

There is an air of Eric Clapton about him, there.

They call him "Slowpedal"

Hot Flatus · « **Reply #356 on:** 23 November, 2011, 05:59:41 pm »

Quote from: interzen on 23 November, 2011, 02:54:24 pm

Quote from: clarion on 23 November, 2011, 02:12:59 pm
Quote from: interzen on 23 November, 2011, 01:26:06 pm
Quote from: Deano on 23 November, 2011, 01:00:53 pm

Nargile Cafe, Sıvas, Eastern Turkey by dean.clementson, on Flickr
"You hum it, my son, I'll play along ..."

I suspect we'll see a similar picture when he gets to Pakistan, but by then he'll be lying down
There is an air of Eric Clapton about him, there.
That'll be the weed, I reckon

Oscar's dad · « **Reply #357 on:** 23 November, 2011, 06:14:42 pm »

Deano, are you using studded tyres to cope with all that snow?

Deano · « **Reply #358 on:** 23 November, 2011, 06:47:16 pm »

Quote from: Oscar's dad on 23 November, 2011, 06:14:42 pm

Deano, are you using studded tyres to cope with all that snow?

No, I'm just slow

They really haven't been necessary so far: even on that pass, the road was clear apart from a border of slush and ice at the edge, which cleared after a bit of descending. Towns and cities are a bit dicey, mind.

Deano · « **Reply #359 on:** 23 November, 2011, 06:56:42 pm »

And I've started a blog, which has been something to do in the dark hours in my tent. There are some gaps, which I will fill as I go along.

http://aroundtheworldbyaccident.blogspot.com/

woollypigs · « **Reply #360 on:** 23 November, 2011, 08:30:01 pm »

THURSDAY, 31 DECEMBER 2099 !!!

Are you Dr. Who ?

Gill · « **Reply #361 on:** 23 November, 2011, 08:36:48 pm »

Quote from: woollypigs on 23 November, 2011, 08:30:01 pm

THURSDAY, 31 DECEMBER 2099 !!!

Are you Dr. Who ?

Not sure if he's Dr Who but he's woollier than you are Woolly!

Deano · « **Reply #362 on:** 23 November, 2011, 08:39:47 pm »

Quote from: woollypigs on 23 November, 2011, 08:30:01 pm

THURSDAY, 31 DECEMBER 2099 !!!

Are you Dr. Who ?

I know, I know. I just wanted that post to stay at the front and I haven't beenable to work out a more elegant way to do it.

I wouldn't complain if I was still on this trip in 2099, either.

eck · « **Reply #363 on:** 23 November, 2011, 08:44:47 pm »

Quote from: Deano on 23 November, 2011, 06:56:42 pm

And I've started a blog, which has been something to do in the dark hours in my tent. There are some gaps, which I will fill as I go along.

http://aroundtheworldbyaccident.blogspot.com/

Deano, this is Great Suff ^TM
Journey of a lifetime - thank you for sharing it.

woollypigs · « **Reply #364 on:** 23 November, 2011, 08:51:25 pm »

Quote from: Gill on 23 November, 2011, 08:36:48 pm

Quote from: woollypigs on 23 November, 2011, 08:30:01 pm
THURSDAY, 31 DECEMBER 2099 !!!

Are you Dr. Who ?

Not sure if he's Dr Who but he's woollier than you are Woolly!

Well I haven't shaved for two or so month so I do look a bit like Deano, though he lacks the gray hair

Oscar's dad · « **Reply #365 on:** 25 November, 2011, 06:59:32 am »

Quote from: Deano on 23 November, 2011, 06:56:42 pm

And I've started a blog, which has been something to do in the dark hours in my tent. There are some gaps, which I will fill as I go along.

http://aroundtheworldbyaccident.blogspot.com/

Just had a quick read, brilliant. Will have a proper read later. I have joined / following your blog. I come up as Team Feast, Feast being our business, thought I'd mention it in case you wondered who on earth it was.

Oscar's dad · « **Reply #366 on:** 25 November, 2011, 07:32:21 am »

Deano, just been reading your blog. My sister lives in Dubai with her husband and kids, she's been there a few years. If you get really stuck in Dubai let me know and I'll see if she can help you out.

PS: I've dropped her an e-mail and pointed her towards your blog. It'll be interesting to see her reaction

. You could be the topic of conversation at ex-pat wives' coffee mornings for decades to come!

jogler · « **Reply #367 on:** 25 November, 2011, 11:42:15 am »

I've book marked Dean's blog.

Deano · « **Reply #368 on:** 25 November, 2011, 07:11:20 pm »

Quote from: eck on 23 November, 2011, 08:44:47 pm

Quote from: Deano on 23 November, 2011, 06:56:42 pm
And I've started a blog, which has been something to do in the dark hours in my tent. There are some gaps, which I will fill as I go along.

http://aroundtheworldbyaccident.blogspot.com/
Deano, this is Great Suff ^TM
Journey of a lifetime - thank you for sharing it.

Cheers Alex! I've had some snow roads these last few days, but I haven't come close to the speed I hit off the Cairnwell yet

Deano · « **Reply #369 on:** 25 November, 2011, 07:22:16 pm »

Quote from: Oscar's dad on 25 November, 2011, 07:32:21 am

Deano, just been reading your blog. My sister lives in Dubai with her husband and kids, she's been there a few years. If you get really stuck in Dubai let me know and I'll see if she can help you out.

PS: I've dropped her an e-mail and pointed her towards your blog. It'll be interesting to see her reaction . You could be the topic of conversation at ex-pat wives' coffee mornings for decades to come!

Desperate housewives?

Thanks, OD, for the compliment and the offer. My cup runneth over for Dubai: assuming I go there, it'll probably be mid-late January (depending on ferries and extending my Iran visa).

Tonight, I'm in Agri at an even cheaper hotel. Last night and today have been the coldest yet. Everything froze last night, then wouldn't thaw, and then stuff froze again today. I was scraping ice out of my beard and the water I took from a mountain stream (one of the tributaries of the eastern arm of the Euphrates, as it happens) froze on the descent. I was OK while cycling and camping, but striking camp this morning was purgatory.

I might spend another night here as it's cheap, I can rest, and I can enjoy a few beers while I still can. As I was sharing a drink with a few guys at the shop where I bought my beer, we were discussing the penalties for boozing in Iran. They probably don't cut your throat, but I don't fancy getting the lash for getting lashed.

Charlie Boy · « **Reply #370 on:** 25 November, 2011, 08:52:36 pm »

Magic.

I think you're making a lot of people very jealous.

Enjoy the ride.

Pedaldog. · « **Reply #371 on:** 26 November, 2011, 01:22:16 am »

Started the first ages of the Blog and it's great stuff Deano. I'm, following it, I think! Steve Sparrow if you wonder who's name it is

Canardly · « **Reply #372 on:** 26 November, 2011, 01:19:24 pm »

My ex Brother in Law got caught boozing in Saudi ( I think it was) and had the back of his legs whipped and his Boss had to pay a £2k fine (this was years ago). He didn't do it again.

Pedaldog. · « **Reply #373 on:** 27 November, 2011, 12:27:29 pm »

Reading the Good Blog and I think it might be time to get a YACF whip round organised to buy Deano's freedom if he gets stuck in a Pakistani Jail ( No Visa)

Hope you make the right decision Deano!

Deano · « **Reply #374 on:** 28 November, 2011, 05:47:36 pm »

I crossed the Tendürek Pass today, 2644 metres ASL. A new record for me! The weather was warm - first time it's been above freezing for about a week. There were great views of Mt Ararat on the climb and te only sour note was a few brats calling "money money" when I rode past. I do know how to say "fuck off" in Turkish, thanks to Ercan.

A few of the drivers tried to stop me going over the pass; one guy who had come over the other way told me the snow was more than a metre deep, and a pair of brothers saw me, skidded the car to a halt and reversed at full speed so they could tell me to go back down. I had a few offers of lifts, including once at 2500 metres - does anyone expect me to have taken that and missed out on the descent after climbing for four hours? I was pleased, once again, to have my iPhone, as I could use the altitude app to tell me my altitude.

I knew I could bail out and freewheel back to Dogubayezit if conditions were too difficult, and the majority of drivers either smiled and waved or ignored me, so I carried on. Tales of impassable conditions and walls of snow were greatly exaggerated. The road was clear, apart from an inch or two of snow at the edge which made the road a bit narrower, and of course it was cold. The descent was quick but broken up by one or two little climbs where I could get working again and warm up a bit. I've found a cheap hotel about 100km north of Van. There was no chance of camping - it's a white wasteland out there.

I've just been checking out the two possible border crossings into Iran from Van. Serou is a long detour and involves four or five mountain passes. Kapiköy is my preferred crossing since it's a bit shorter and it parallels the railway so it's likely to be a bit lower, which may make camping feasible. I came across this Wikileaks cable which refers to Kapiköy, which made me smile:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/wikileaks-files/nuclear-wikileaks/8297090/TURKEY-IRAN-BORDER-A-TALE-OF-TWO-CUSTOMS-POSTS.html

(Gurbalak is the crossing from Dogubayazit by the way, which I would have crossed today if I hadn't come south over the pass)