the Ride to Read !!

Dear readers,

The 3-part series of articles written for supporters Bicycle Touring Pro comes to a finish with this 3rd piece (and my personal favourite): “5 Life lessons I learned as a Bicycle Traveller”

Check out the full article !

A snippet:

“It’s not that “I was blind, and now I see.” It’s not as if there aren’t other ways to experience moments of understanding. Simply, traveling on bike and being alone for so much of the time during the Ride to Read, I was blessed with ample opportunity to think and to contemplate. And some lessons, more so than others, really hit home.”

full article here

via Bicycle Touring Pro – check out: “Ride to Read – cycling tales from Europe”.

via Bicycle Touring Pro – check out “Ride to Read – the realities of a cycling fundraiser”.

…and why wasn’t that darn fundraising wheel updated after I made my donation??

Firstly -

As you know, the Ride to Read has been as much about cycling as it is about literacy.  Reading and writing is a gift that many of us indulge in everyday, in this very moment for instance, and it is something that I wanted to raise funds and awareness for, representing a great Canadian charity – World Literacy Canada – and their humanitarian and educational efforts in India and Nepal.  I chose to do so by cycling alone across the European continent, enduring moments of joy and moments of difficulty, and choosing to dedicate those difficult moments to a cause that I believe in with all my heart – literacy and education.

The fundraising goal set for this trip was chosen somewhat arbitrarily – 10,000$.  Many months ago, when deciding upon the desired sum, I thought that 10,000$ was both a lofty and an achievable goal, and therefore perfect.  By our western standards it is neither too little or too much money – and I liked that.

Now, it seems that I have raised a dollar amount closer to the amount of kilometers cycled – at the end of the trip my chronometer reads 4,295km.

We have raised, thus far and to my knowledge, an approximate 4,400$ !!!

Have we reached the hoped for goal? No. But is 4,400$ still a whopping cool sum of money for World Literacy Canada – yes!!

Secondly - 

What am I doing to continue the Ride (aka. the fundraising) beyond the actual riding?

This is an issue that has nagged me for some weeks now.  I didn’t like the idea of arriving in Istanbul and having this fundraiser simply blow away in the wind – just because I’m not cycling across Europe anymore (I ran out of Europe, I’d have to go to Asia, lol) doesn’t mean that we can’t start something fun and interesting to generate just a bit more funds for WLC.

Soo… the current idea is for me to play at “freelance journalism” and write a few articles for some Canadian magazines, newspapers – really anyone who would post a story about bicycle travel, Europe or fundraising projects – and have funds generated from these articles dedicated 100% to the Ride to Read.  I’ve learned and experienced a lot on this trip and I am taking plenty of notes – both voice, video and written recordings – that have not fully been published on this blog.  I wish to use this material to write a few articles about specific countries, cultures or experiences I had during this bicycle trip, and channel the payment for these pieces, however symbolic they may be, towards this fundraiser.

Please do note – although the Ride to Read team has already put this plan into action, your help in furthering this fundraising initiative is appreciated.  If you are reading this and know of a magazine, newspaper or other type of media that would be interested in collaborating with us – do let me know! Any contacts, personal and professional, can especially be helpful in this case.

Thirdly -

It’s currently a bit of a waiting game.

Why? Because our guy at World Literacy Canada went on holiday (bless him, I hope he is having a great break!).  But, since all funds donated go through WLC first, and then later get reported to me and my assistant, it’s impossible for us to know if we raised 20$ or 2,000$ in the last 2 days.  And we won’t know any more about it until he gets back from holiday at the start of August!

My sincere apologies for this – if you made a donation and checked our donation tracker wheel to see if it would be automatically updated – sorry, it’s just not how our system works.  From the start I didn’t want any sponsor, known to me or unknown, thinking that they were contributing to “some gal’s crazy bicycle adventure half a world away” instead of to the charity the money is destined to – this is why all the donations have gone, and continue to go through, World Literacy Canada.  This way there is no room for confusion – even if the downside is that information about fundraising progress trickles down slower to me, the cyclist.  Ah well.. patience is one of the many virtues I have trained these past few weeks

If you’ve donated, if you are waiting to give or know anyone who still wishes to donate – don’t hesitate to do so!!

….of course, not I, nor anyone else will know that you have done so until (approx.) 2 weeks from now – but trust me – when we find out we will sing your praises! we will thank you from the bottom of our hearts!!

you can count on it!

– and that —

 - I think -

.. wraps up this post about fundraising and the Ride to Read.

THANK YOU to each and every single person, whether I know you, whether we have become Internet-friends during this ride, or whether I have yet to meet you and give you a very enthusiastic bear-hug, thank you so much for taking the time, energy and money, to donate to this fundraiser!

Know that you have done a noble and beautiful deed .. and that there is a young woman with cyclist thighs typing this blog post in the city of Istanbul (Asian side) very and I mean very thankful for your contribution!!

the Ride to Read !!

The last few days have been pure chaos. Just as the stories and adventures get really interesting, I have fallen behind with blogging and writing. Please know that the poste are in the works! The stories will get to you! … But right now… I must – rest!

Exhaustion is kicking in – just one last thing before I let my eyes shut – THANK YOU!!! Merci, gracias, dziękuję, grazie… And thank you again in every language on earth!

For all your help, your support, your encouragement, your wonderful presence – to those who wonder how I could have cycled and been on the road “alone” for so long, I can only smile when I realize that I was never alone. Not ever.

Words cannot express my gratitude!

Thank you SO MUCH!!!

- turkish tourist visa

- crossing the border, tired but excited

- seeing signs for Istanbul does wonders for my motivation. Roads are empty, and spirits high

Cant help but feel like I’m in the Middle East with this barren landscape

This is Erwin, a bicycle traveler on a recumbent, and here we are at our hotel where we met. Erwin is from Bavaria (not Germany) and he’s travelling the opposite loop, from Istanbul to the Danube. We had a great dinner and conversation; I was immensely grateful for his company!

“the gas station boys” – more than once during these past few days I found myself chatting with guys at gas stations, being treated to free coffees and waters as they questioned me eagerly about everything from my monthly wage in Canada and whether or not I believe in God. “we work all the time, and Turks don’t travel much”, one of them explained to me in passable English “this is why we are so curious when we meet foreigners in Turkey”.
The Turks are so polite and helpful that the mini-interrogation sessions are actually quite sweet

The minarets of mosques instead of the steeples of churches. Every village has atleast 1!

Was invited to breakfast when I took a break next to two truck drivers. Turkish hospitality and kindness really is as amazing as they say!!

- lots of picnic tables available if you need to have a snack

…like in a pre-arranged relay race, I handed off the bicycle traveling baton to two guys heading away from Istanbul. It was their first day and my last, and as we took a moment to chat on the side of the road I learned that Louis, American, and William, Australian, are headed to Germany with a very interesting game plan – to not spend a dime or euro during the whole trip. “We basically beg for food” explained William, although not in the sitting-on-pavement-palm-out-stretched kind of way, rather they ask at restaurants and stores for any excess food they might get, and, so far, have eaten more in this way than they do usually. Good luck with your ride guys! (their blog: http://www.thefunkyangloboys.wordpress.com )

- approaching the metropolis from the north, can you see it in the hazy distance?

- the day after – enjoying a luggage-free ride along the bike path on the coast, along Asian side of Istanbul. Oh victory is sweet!!

First, tucked away in a busy cafe, I do some quick research about travel in Turkey, typing in phrases like “solo female travel Turkey” and “bicycle travel Turkey” and quickly absorb some quality tips and info. Bicycle travelers recommend gas stations for free camping (weird but true), Turks are found to be formal, polite and very helpful to tourists, and Western women report pleasant and problem free travel granted you too remain formal and not get too smiley (otherwise they tend to think we are all “Samantha’s” living out our lives like in the “Sex and the City” series…) Ok, duly noted. Also, on a whim, I quickly check Visa requirements for both Poles and Canadians and realize that tourist visas are required for Turkey and come at a fee. I experience a mild panic attack as I face the unanswered question: do you get the tourist visa at the border or do you have to ask for it months in advance??

A few Skype phone calls later, to the embasies in Istanbul of both my countries, and I calm down. Everything is OK to cross the border in Malko Ternovo; visas are attained on site and I’m even told how much they will cost: 15€ on a Polish passport and 45€ on a Canadian one. Kind of a no-brainer as to which passport I’ll be using

The no. 9 secondary road to Malko Tarnovo is fairly peaceful, running mostly through farmland and forest, and very up and down. I like it though – the ups give you time to think and the downs time to leave all thought behind…

I arrive in Malko Tarnovo around 18:00 and so with (theoretical) plenty of time to cross the border and seek lodging on the other side. However, my other Internet searches have revealed nothing as far as camping or cheaper hotels in the Turkish villages nearby (or petrol stations for that matter, if camping there is indeed as wonderful as others make it out to be). I would rather not put myself in an awkward situation my first night in Turkey, so I decide to wait until morning to cross the border.

I stop instead at the only hotel in town, where I’m warmly greeted by one of the employees – an perfectly beautiful woman, about 35 years old with dark hair and almond-shaped eyes. She gives my shoulder a big squeeze when I explain what I am doing and how I come to be here, tonight, at this hotel, on my way to Istanbul. I’m promised a good coffee and an omelette in the morning to give me strength to continue on my way!

Back in my room I relisten to some of my favourite Vinyl Cafe podcasts, this CBC radio show is a treasure and makes me laugh out loud, a lot. It’s a great Canadian connection when I’m far from Canada not to mention chock full of fantastic stories, both true and invented.

It’s been a good day, all in all, full of two of my favourite things: biking and stories

Kasia – your story-telling cyclist

Photos:
- dog at a gas station
- horses living in an abandoned building!

Ride to Read – a woman’s ride for literacy, on a bicycle across Europe from Guba Gergo on Vimeo.

Enjoy our new inspirational Ride to Read video and get ready for the “10 days of $10″ campaign. Donate just 10$ to our cause during our 10 day campaign to help us reach our goal over the last few weeks of Ride to Read. Starting on July 10th!

With about 1 week left before I reach the Turkish capital, I’ve decided to update the European map. Here, from Ljubljana, Slovenia the black dashes track my progress through Hungary, Serbia and, currently, through Bulgaria.

The end is in sight!

After leaving Sliven, the no. 6 highway which had so far been a perfectly quiet and wonderful road turns into a nightmare as all the traffic from the unfinished autobahn below goes through it… I endure a very unpleasant 60km of fast cars, transport trucks and wind before turning off to quiet, peaceful and gorgeous country roads. I arrive at the Black Sea at a tiny village south of Burgas.

Am chased by big, nasty dogs (strays) – first time this trip. No harm done, but it gets me thinking. Am wondering what I’m going to do for the infamous Turkish sheepdogs which have a truly bad reputation…I’ve heard that they are agressive, huge and can and do bite. I start getting used to carrying rocks, I look around for a good branch to transport and hit with, if necessary. Anyone know where I can buy pepper spray? Best get used to it now, I’m only a days ride away from Turkey…

A bit tough finding a place to sleep. People that I ask to freecamp nod their heads consistently “no”, they look at me with fear and confusion. I hear one woman mutter under her breath “but what the hell is she doing alone??”… It’s like the isolation from lepracy, from back in the day when..

Finally some friendly English-speakers point me to the “only” hotel. They have no free rooms, but to avoid the tears of desperation that are risking spilling out the owner gives me her own little bed and bedroom for the night, however reluctantly. She threatens me “you will pay 20 Lev for this!”, as if it’s some kind of punishment. She too is afraid and weary of me…why must they continue to treat me like some freak??

She will actually smile to me in the morning – realizing that perhaps in fact I am not crazy. She’ll want to charge me 10 Lev, but I will give her 15.

A few hours of rest was won, and it’s time to venture into Turkey.

At this point the only thing keeping me going is the relative proximity of the final destination – just a few more day of this, I continuously tell myself.

Apologies for bullet-point format writing, have no strength or time left to write properly – just bear with it until I get to the Turkish capital…

Kasia – your drained cyclist