Between the peaks of Anatolia and Cappadocia: an adventure through nature and tradition

June 21, 2024. At Istanbul airport I send a message to Mehmet, our contact in Turkey, informing him that the flight to Kayseri would arrive on time and asking if we could leave the bikes packed in the large boxes.

His response was exactly what we hoped to receive: “Leave everything packed, load them up and get on the minibus. Once you arrive in Cukurbag you can relax with tea and fruit in the shade of the cherry trees.”

During the journey from Kayseri to Cukurbag, in central Anatolia, the hilly landscape in light brown tones flows rapidly past the minibus windows under our curious gazes.

From time to time the gentle, undulating horizon rises abruptly, outlined by the steep slopes of the first heights of the Aladaglar mountains, which we would soon explore, climb and descend with our mountain bikes.

Arriving in Cukurbag we are welcomed in a beautiful facility. When Mehmet receives us it feels like we’ve known each other forever, despite it being the first time we’ve met in person. Meanwhile an elderly lady, busy knitting, watches us curiously as we carefully assemble the MTBs taken out of the boxes, making sure to tighten the steering and pedal bolts properly.

Finally the well-deserved rest! The following morning, a rich breakfast of local products immediately puts us in a good mood, ready to tackle the climb on the slopes of Mount Eznevit. Bucolic landscapes, deep canyons, authentic villages, forests and arid plateaus follow one another before us, offering boundless views as we travel dirt roads until we reach our destination: a welcoming structure built on stilts along the Korkun Kay river.

While we carefully clean the chain, derailleur, pulleys and shock absorber stems, a girl with lively, curious eyes, framed by a blue silk scarf, watches us in silence and then asks us, with Mehmet’s help: “But where does all this passion for cycling come from?” A beautiful question to which we had no answer.

A rich dinner of rice, vegetables, soup and lamb, enjoyed on a terrace overlooking the watercourse, gave us a pleasant feeling of satiety before going to bed.

The following morning we set off to tackle the second stage. With each pedal stroke we are accompanied by vast panoramas on one side and imposing rock walls on the other.

The dirt roads climb the steep slopes taking us over several passes. Arriving near a pass Mehmet stops and heads toward a plateau where the huts and terraces of nomadic shepherds are located.

Due to the heat they are not producing their typical yogurt today, but their spontaneous hospitality invites us to stop and enjoy delicious tea. The occasion is perfect to capture some unrepeatable shots of this warm family of shepherds.

The dirt road continues, demanding in terms of training and physical effort, up to a small wooden house ideal for enjoying the lunch that Mehmet and driver Damazan prepared for us, always attentive and professional. From here a long descent leads us to the paved road where we load the bikes onto the trailer to cover the last kilometers before arriving at the village of Adalag, where dinner and overnight stay await us.

The following day we take a dirt road along a spectacular canyon that crosses forests and several passes. The rocks take on reddish hues creating a unique contrast with the intense green of the conifers. After some challenging climbs, the road cuts across a steep slope overlooking a turquoise lake, until it reaches a village nestled at the foot of majestic limestone walls from which spectacular waterfalls gush. We arrive here on a hot afternoon, immersed in a breathtaking natural setting.

After changing out of our cycling clothes we go to admire the Kapuz Basi waterfalls, until we get completely soaked. On the way back, passing through the village center, we notice a gathering in the shade of majestic centuries-old plane trees. We are witnessing a traditional Turkish wedding where people dance and sing. The women show off bright, colorful dresses, while those present, in turn, throw petals and coins that the children rush to pick up from the ground with enthusiasm. Happiness and tears, elegant girls and boys dancing, children who, with clothes the same color as the earth they play with, shout with joy as they witness the creation of a bonfire fueled by branches and cardboard boxes.

The first kilometers of the fourth stage wind in the presence of the impressive limestone walls and waterfalls of Kapuz Basi, after which you climb relentlessly on asphalt then on dirt.

Curious holes carved in the rock once used as shelter frame the route, until the road from wide becomes a dirt road similar to our alpine military roads: first they cut across slopes then climb until opening the view onto boundless panoramas and karst plateaus at 2,000 meters.

After a few kilometers we meet a family of nomadic shepherds who in exchange for candies offer us exquisite flatbreads of freshly baked bread. A truly unforgettable moment.

At the pass we glimpse five hundred meters below the already set up camping area, with the field kitchen in the tent ready and steaming.

After an ice-cold shower we sit in the yurt to dine enjoying a magnificent spicy soup and an exquisite stew. In the evening, immersed in the silence broken only by the roar of the waterfall, we lie down on the grass with our noses turned upward to observe the infinite expanse of stars that only these wild lands, free from light pollution, can still offer.

The next day, leaving the tents, we tackle a long dirt climb that progressively narrows until it becomes a narrow mule track.

At 2,900 m altitude the road blocks passage to our support vehicle forcing it to meet us in Pinarbasi at a fishing farm.

Having said goodbye to Damazan we set off with the mountain bikes continuing the climb together with Mehmet, who for the occasion transforms into a high-altitude biker. The air becomes increasingly thin and the pedaling becomes laborious as we cross the karst plateaus, from which the view ranges from canyons shaped by water to the plain extending toward Cappadocia. At the highest point the altimeter reads 3,157 meters. From here we tackle a challenging descent on a dirt road that leads us to Pinarbasi, where a delicious trout-based meal concludes the day’s efforts.

On the journey to Uchisar, in the heart of Cappadocia, we make a stop to visit the extraordinary underground city of Derinkuyu. The guide tells us the incredible story of this population that to take refuge in periods of invasion had designed a real eight-story underground city that included social divisions, accommodations, pantries, and secret passages to exit outside.

We arrive in the evening in the beautiful city of Uchisar which overlooks Cappadocia and its incredible geological formations in which man has carved and still carves dwellings, dovecotes, places of worship, pantries and rooms. Our facility, with its panoramic terraces and rooms carved into the rock, delighted us with beautiful outdoor common spaces and views of the famous hot air balloons.

The sixth stage, a beautiful single track that requires good riding skills, takes us onto the typical flat mountains and then descends surrounded by the typical stone spires of the “fairy chimneys.”

In the evening, to recover from the efforts, we treat ourselves to a relaxing Hammam, sauna and Turkish bath.

The seventh stage, still based in Uchisar, is technically the most challenging of the trip, but the effort is amply rewarded by the breathtaking views typical of Cappadocia, as well as offering wild and pleasant corners in the exploration of the Pigeon Valley and the typical monument towns carved and built as one, in and with the stone.

On the eighth day of cycling we dedicate the morning to a ride almost entirely on asphalt to explore the most important cities in the area. As we return toward Uchisar on dirt roads we stop to pick and taste the apricots that overflowed from the trees.

In the afternoon we dedicate ourselves to enjoying ice cream prepared by Turkish ‘jugglers’ and shopping for souvenirs. A trip that actually doesn’t need souvenirs to be remembered. The first part in the heart of Anatolia, with peaks and glimpses of high and very high mountains, shepherds, running water and water gushing from the walls, peaks, karst plateaus and forests, domestic and wild animals, shepherds, folklore, dirt roads and endless expanses. The second part in Cappadocia pedaling and riding in the fairy chimneys, on single tracks, under carved rocks, enjoying the panoramas immersed in the tradition and culture of these magnificent places.

Memories, pedal strokes, faces, gestures, smiles, people, effort and emotions that will remain forever in our hearts.