Rustem tops the climb only to see another just ahead.
The incredible view as we prepare for a 15K descent.
We arrive in Demre and stop for a picture with Santa.
On the return trip we complete the 15K climb our of Demre. We found ourselves at the level of the clouds. Only 35K to go and 4 more climbs.
The familiar 11K climb our of Kas.
Special Santa Claus Edition
We rode 50K just to see "The" Saint Nicolas Church. An incredible piece of history and architecture.
Day 9
We were determined to complete this ride to Kale, the city of the "original" Santa Claus. We went to visit St. Nicolas and his church.
It was a picture perfect day. Blazing sun and temps in the high 60's. The nicest weather we have had thus far. The ride started with the same 11K climb out of Kas. It was a lot more pleasant without the driving rain. Rustem and I rode along at a steady pace knowing it would be a 100K day. Considering the many climbs we expected to be in the saddle for 5 hours.
We were definitely excited when we saw the final 15K descent into Demre (Kale). The only thing that ruined the fun we were having while descending was the constant thought of having to climb back up this sucker on the way home. Never mind that, we are going to see Noel Baba (Santa Claus).
This was a busy city. Rustem and I marveled at how cars, motor bikes and pedestrians just seem to go in any direction possible without regard for streets, sidewalks or anything else. The amazing thing is there are rarely any accidents. So much for all our strategic traffic patterns back in the states.
Be sure to view our photos from the tour of Saint Nicolas' Church. If you are into history or architecture, it is a must see.
After we left Noel Baba, we sat down for a light lunch. I couldn't resist another opportunity for Adana Kebap. Nice and spicy the way I like them. We didn't linger long during lunch since it was almost 4PM and we had a 2.5 hour journey and 15K climb waiting for us.
It took us almost 2 hours to top the climb. Everything appeared as mere rollers after that. However, with about 30K to go it was starting to get dark. It was totally dark when we started the 11K descent into Kas. What a trip - descending fast on winding roads in the dark. We were actually very cautious. Oncoming cars would bring us to a crawl because we couldn't see at all with their high-beams on us. I was very happy to see the final switchback into Kas.
Back at the hotel Rustem whipped us up an incredible spicy sausage and egg dish. Complete with a salad, cheese and yogurt. The nice thing after riding 5 hours is you can eat whatever you want. Tomorrow will unfortunately be our last ride before we head back to Antalya. We have again decided on a easy day. If the sun is out again we will most likely head for the beach.
