The Dark Canyon

On the way we wanted to stop and see the Great Mosque and Hospital of Divrigi. The Divrigi Ulu Camii ve Darüssifasi is a huge mosque in hospital complex built into 13th century. Unfortunately it was closed the day we got there. We were looking for a little road that would go to the north and come around on back roads to the Dark Canyon. Stopping at a motorcycle shop to ask for directions The guys came out, offered us coffee and sent a runner down the street to get some. They pointed us in the correct direction which turned out to be fantastic.

We followed curvy dirt and tar roads through no less than 9 passes to about 6,000 feet. We finally connected with a main road that followed the Euphrates River. Think about it. We are following the longest and one of the most historically important rivers in western Asia. This is the area where it starts and flows south to join the Tigris River. It is one of the two defining rivers of Mesopotamia.

We finally passed through a tunnel that turns on to a steel bridge that crosses the Euphrates River. Turning to the right a dirt track crosses through a tunnel following the Dark Canyon. This canyon is very steep and deep with the base at a almost 90% rocky slope gradient, giving it its name. The dirt track follows the river going through canyons around carved into the side of the steep cliff.

We continue headed south towards the Syrian Iraqi borders. Headed towards the city of Van, known for their breakfasts, on Lake Van Gölü, we stop first in the city of Tatvan to have lunch with good friend and traveler Frank, from Germany. The first time we met him was during travels through Vietnam. Parking our motorcycle in front of the hotel where he is staying we cross the street to a small café for tea. Our visit is far too brief but we have to carry on as we are camping with another traveler for a couple days on the south side of the lake.

Riding over the mountain on the south side of the lake, we descend to have great views of Lake Van, the largest lake in Turkey. This lake is one of the largest endorheic (closed basin) lakes in the world, meaning it has no outlet to the ocean. It is a saline soda lake as it mainly receives water from the surrounding streams that descend the from the mountains, giving it a pH of 10 with highest salinity values.

There is a small campground, Bienya Camping and Beach, where we will be camping with traveler Henriette Thiim, aka “ForTheLoveofWheels”. We first met Henriette in Zambia than a week later camped with her at elephant sands campground in Botswana. She is now at the end of her 3-year African ride and on her way back home to Denmark. We spent a couple days catching up, swimming in the lake and fixing flat tires. The next day we were joined by a young Spanish rider. In the evening we were invited for tea by young Kurdish couple who teach English. They fixed the tea in a traditional two stacked teapot system, called a “çaydanlik”, a fire underneath. It was a fascinating evening talking with this couple.

We spent the next day exploring the beautiful city of Van. We found very central hotel that insisted that I parked my motorcycle in their lobby. Following morning was cold and rainy as we rode north past the turnoff to Iran, some 2,000 ft away, and towards the Georgia border. The Armenian and Turkish borders remain closed due to conflicts.