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Today we rode 55 miles (88km), 4,800 ft (1466m) elevation
Nobody said Odysseus had it easy, so why should we??
A beautiful start through the forest surrounding our hotel as we headed out of Ayvalik, after our group stretching session, into the hinterland away from the coast. The roads were strewn with pot holes and overall rough pavement.
No traffic to speak of but lots of steep climbing. The villages we passed through all were cobblestoned, including cobblestone speed bumps…not fun.
But that having said, the ride was beautiful. We stopped for coffee and snacks at km 42 at a high point of land overlooking the famous pine forest of the region.
The terrain today was surprising! After rolling through a couple of villages we rode into terrain identifiable by massive boulders and pine trees.
There are a few quarries here but they are not a problem. In fact, the sight of ginormous hunks of stone on the back of creeping trucks laden under their weight was quite a sight!
After a relaxed lunch ,
we descend to Bergama / Pergamon. Another UNESCO listed site end of riding for the day. The descent was approximately 20km with lots of curves and steep, I got up to and 65-70 km/hr in spots…what a rush!
Riding into Bergama again on the cobbles and up a steep lane way to our hotel.
We were separated into 2 hotels because the hotels here are small. We had an old and cute little place and by the looks of it, Odysseus may have stayed here!????
Then off we went to ride the cable car to Pergamon, what a treat is was to wander through this massive ancient site, high above the town!
Destination Pergamon
This site rises high above the Bakirçay Plain. The acropolis of Pergamon was the capital of the Hellenistic Attalid dynasty, a major centre of learning in the ancient world. Monumental temples, theatres, stoa or porticoes, gymnasium, altar and library were set into the sloping terrain surrounded by an extensive city wall. The rock-cut Kybele Sanctuary lies to the north-west on another hill visually linked to the acropolis. Later the city became capital of the Roman province of Asia known for its Asclepieion healing centre. The acropolis crowns a landscape containing burial mounds and remains of the Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman empires in and around the modern town of Bergama on the lower slopes.
One way to enter the Theatre, which held 10,000 people, was down these narrow steps. The theatre was quite steep built on the side of the hill
