40°N 31°E Gökçekaya - Eskişehir

[penguen]

2.3 km (1.4 miles) SE of Gökçekaya, ESKİŞEHİR

Point 40N 31E

North

East

Souht

West

Visitor Harald Waldvogel

 

[penguen]

Ynt: 40°N 31°E Gökçekaya - Eskişehir

29 October is the National Holiday in Turkey, and on 1 November I had to attend a conference of departmental heads in Ankara. So I decided to use this voyage to Ankara on this holiday for some more confluencing. On Thursday, 28 October, a “Tören” was announced at short notice at our school in Istanbul. “Tören” means ceremony. In Turkey, every week on Monday before school and on Friday after school a Tören is held, where all pupils have to line up in the yard, important news are announced, and at the end the flag is hoisted and the national anthem is sung. Before and after holidays and on special occasions, this Tören is celebrated even more festive: songs are sung, poems are recited, and small acts are performed.

This Tören announced at short notice didn’t fit at all into my confluencing plans, as I intended to leave on Thursday directly after the end of the lessons. But eventually, the director gave me leave from the Tören, and so I could start already on Thursday. After school, I set off immediately in suit and tie, which are prescribed for teachers in Turkey. I drove from Istanbul via Adapazarı and Bilecik to Eskişehir. There I stayed overnight in the Teachers’ House, a hotel for teachers, for an amount of 5 €. First I intended to visit the sepiolite mines in the vicinity the next morning. This sepiolite, which is found only here, is used to make the famous white meerschaum pipe bowls. But when I awoke the next day, the confluencing fever seized me right away, and I decided to drive directly towards the next Confluence, and to visit the sepiolite mines on another occasion.

The city was flagged all over for the National Holiday, and people surged from every direction to join the big celebration in the centre. Some years ago, a reservoir was constructed, like in many places in Turkey, close to the Confluence. Therefore, the road to the reservoir is well constructed, and I could make good progress. The road was an advantage, but on the other hand, reservoirs often lie in deep valleys. So it became ever more mountainous the more I approached the point. I could approach the confluence on the road to 5 km, then the distance grew bigger again. I already feared that the point wouldn't be feasible at all, because the landscape here resembles Cappadocia with numerous mountain peaks.

But after having turned around, I found a small road relatively far away from the Confluence. I took this road, came to a small village, and after this village I was as close as 300 m to the point by car. I had only to walk for 300 m uphill and was at the Confluence. So I was on 29 October 2004, the Turkish National Holiday, at the point 40N 31E, though the GPS receiver showed 30 October. Maybe nobody had told the receiver that we had a leap year. Herewith, I want to thank Roman Winkler a lot, who again borrowed me his GPS receiver. I want to dedicate the point to him.

If one knows where to turnoff, the point will be easy to make. After a short confluence snack, I continued on the road towards the reservoir. The road leads down to the lake after the turnoff to the small village Gökçekaya. There is a barrier and I already feared that I would not be able to continue and have to drive all the way back. But a very friendly guardian stepped out, we chatted a while and then he opened the barrier for me. The road becomes very bad and only over bumpy paths I reached the barrage. From there on, it is no longer far to the main road in direction Nallıhan. This road is very much recommended, because it runs through gorgeous landscapes. In the evening, I arrived to Ankara. (GK)

Continued at 40N 35E.

Harald Waldvogel
29-Oct-2004