Adaptation

Locatıon: Kesan, Turkey.

Dıstance Travelled: 3,498 km

This morning we woke up to a cool Turkish breeze, wrapped in our sleeping bags, with ninja style headbands tied tightly around our heads for warmth. Tucked under the crumbling awning of an abandoned school, we had been perfectly prepared for an overnıght rain.

As the highway traffic began to roar, we quickly packed up camp and hıt the road. This morning, while sımılar to many other mornings of the trip, we are left thinking two things.

First, why do we both have a uneasy feelings in our gut? It's some strange combination of relief and disappointment. We are relieved that we're going to make it, seemingly on schedule, on budget, and on target. Although we don't dare whisper the words ''we've made it,'' as we know the power of the potentıal suprıses that the trip can throw our way. The hint of disappointment is a bıt of a mystery... perhaps a fear that the final push into İstanbul will be slightly anti-climatic? Perhaps sadness that this adventure will soon be over? But neither seem to really explain it...

The second thought ıs that we realıze that we have truly adapted to our mission. There are many indications of this:

• We have incrementally downsized our packs to half the size and weight of departure, as we now know exactly what we need and desire nothing of excess.


• We can spot a safe and sheltered place to sleep from 5 miles away and can unanimously agree on the perfect time to set up camp or peddle on.
  
• We can scramble for our rain gear and be completely waterproofed in 1.8 minutes at the onset of a rain.
  
• We can remove, patch and pump a tire in 12 minutes flat.


• Our darkened skin no longer requıres sun-screen.


• We freely cross borders with comfort and quickly embrace new languages, foods, religions and social conventions.


• We have developed a strange set of 'Ramsey\Chad World' rules and conventions such as rotating trash duties, budgeted bonus treats, a refusal to litter, and open and honest communication. Thıs all keep our little travelling side-show healthy and happy.

These however are somewhat topical. At the heart of our adaptation, which has taken a long time, is that we have found peace in uncertainty, and developed the humility to be helped.

Since the now distant memory of Albania we have travelled through Kosovo, Macedonia and Greece.

In Kosovo, we peacefully enjoyed rich coffee under the shadow of a Mosque while German peacekeepers rolled by in armed tanks.

In Macedonia, we were treated like absolute kings by a friend of a friend named Dimitar. İn his generous, fast-paced, and quick-talking way he gave us a place to keep our bikes, drove us around the city for a tour, paid for our 2nd hotel of the trip, and treated us to two incredible Macedonia meals and countless Macedonian beers and coffees. With a mild hangover and many good memories we were on to Greece.

In Greece we found that the seasons have officially changed. İn the period of just a few days the temperature has dropped 20 degrees Celsius. Nevertheless, Greece has been wonderful. With an entire day off at the beach, hundreds of kilometers of coastline to ride, and tasty Gyros to eat, Greece has no doubt lifted our spirits.

Sitting here, writing this, we suddenly understand where the disappointed comes from... we now see that whıle our adaptatıon has taken weeks, in 3 days it will no longer be useful... our adaptatıon wıll expire... somehow wasted. Hmmm... but then agaın, perhaps we will carry some of the deeper types of adaption forward. This thought seems to lift the disappointment.

Three days to Istanbul and the sun ıs shınnıng!

- Chad and Ramsey