Now, my route wasn’t exactly heading toward Santa Fe, the capital of New Mexico. I was moving horizontally east, towards Arizona. I told myself I’d go to Colorado later.
One day, Murat Horoz called from Ankara. He’s the general manager of Ka Sigorta. My brother, Gürhan Genç, is a deputy manager at the same company, specializing in construction and fire departments. Anyway, Murat called and said, “Gürkan, we have Hilmi’s brother in New Mexico. You definitely need to meet him.”
In this article, I wanted to share my brother’s tattoo on his arm. The Grand National Assembly, Moai Stone, Osaka Castle, Gobi Desert, world map, and 9.9.2012… Depending on the reader, these symbols could mean different things, but they are related to our world trip.
Once my route is set, I’m not easily swayed. I stopped for lunch. I didn’t have any snacks left on the bike. I decided to roughly check out the routes on the map. I would either continue north or head west. There were a few stone pieces next to the shopping center where I could sit. You know what? Whenever I want to rest somewhere like this, I wish there would be a proper place to sit! There’s no place to sit at gas stations and market entrances. Every time, they’ll make me set up a chair.
LOOK, LOOK, luxury mode on: “Come on, after 14 years on a bike, did you have a chair to sit on?” These portable chairs are really legendary, haha! They’ve been on my bike since the very beginning of my trip in the U.S. Sitting back and relaxing was a dream of 13 years. Between 2012 and 2015, I had this luxury thanks to the tent, but it was only possible when I entered the tent at night. When I switched to a one-person tent in 2015, I lost that luxury. Sitting on the ground, stone, or earth over the years wore my pants out faster. Also, the stains on my pants limited my areas of use. That’s why the portable chair is important. When I came to Türkiye for a U.S. visa, I bought it from Decathlon. But in the U.S., there are lighter and smaller models. I plan to switch to a Helinox chair in the future because it takes up less space when folded and is lighter.
Anyway, I sat down; eating a snack while looking at the map. Should I go north? Would it be good or bad? Would I enjoy the road? I need to check. The direction I’m currently heading toward is the Grand Canyon. There should be something worth passing in this area, right?
I’m pedaling in what can only be described as a desert environment. Hmm… Santa Fe, the capital of New Mexico. An interesting name for a capital. “Santa Fe” means “Holy/Divine Faith” in Spanish. If they gave it this name, there must be a reason, but I can’t be sure. I looked at the city planning photos, and it seemed normal to me. Alright, there are nice buildings, but is it worth it? Well, if I go, where will I head next? Before leaving Texas, I was planning to go to the point where four states meet in Odessa, then move a bit further west before turning north. Should I turn back from here or keep going? Should I turn or should I not? Ohhh, eeny, meeny, miny, moe…
Aha, there’s a place near the city where the atomic bomb was created: Los Alamos. I could go there; there must be a museum about the atomic bomb. If I visit that museum, I’ll be placing another piece of the puzzle. What’s that? I went to the place in Japan where the bomb was dropped. I’ve visited the biggest WWII museums in Japan, Russia, Germany, and America. Finally, if I go to the area where the atomic bomb was made and visit the related museum, I’ll have completed an extraordinary route. Wow, wow, wow, wow… If you consider that I’m going to these places by bike… Forget going by bike, it would be hard to find anyone who has done this route even by plane.
As I approached Santa Fe, a car came up beside me. The window rolled down…
– Gürkan Genç! Yihuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu! Gürkaann Genç!
I really didn’t expect such a meeting at the city entrance; it was a surprise for me. Honestly, not many people have surprised me on the roads. Ayşe had been following me for days through my live location on my website and Garmin In-Reach. She was eagerly waiting to see which direction I would head. When I turned towards their city, she lay in wait and waited by the roadside for me. She didn’t come empty-handed either; she brought coconut water, snack bars, and nuts. We chatted for a bit. They had recently moved here as a family. Her husband Cem works at the Oppenheimer Laboratory. The laboratory where the atomic bomb was made. “Gürkan, we’ll also go to Los Alamos, there’s so much to do here,” she said. “Okay,” I replied.
I called Hilmi and told him I was on the way, and that I’d be seeing him soon. He’d already spoken to Ercan, who would be hosting me. As Turks, we quickly get organized again.
So, who is Hilmi Taşer? I didn’t know him either, but when I looked into it, I learned he is one of the most well-known conditioning experts in Türkiye, especially in basketball. After meeting him, everyone in the basketball community who knew him and followed me messaged me. After graduating from Middle East Technical University in Ankara, he did his master’s in the U.S., in the capital of New Mexico. After training hundreds of athletes in Türkiye and coaching the national team, he’s now working as one of the lifeguards at the public swimming pool in Santa Fe. If I’m not mistaken, he’s 50 years old, holds a green card, and moved here. He has a daughter who is studying in Ankara and plays professional basketball.
“When you get to the city, come to the pool and cool off,” he said, and that’s exactly what I did. Afterward, I went to his friend Ercan’s house, where I met his friend Bülent. This group had been friends since high school or university. When Hilmi met someone like me, he was curious and did some research. I guess good things were said.
Ercan has a beautiful carpet and rug shop right in the center of Santa Fe. All his nephews work there with him. They’ve become a great family, and they work together. Ercan’s dream is to hand over the shop and carpet cleaning business to the younger generation and retire. The carpets are massive and incredibly heavy, making them hard to carry. Especially as you get older… Ugh.
Ercan brother and Hilmi re both in great shape; they bike almost every day. Hilmi’s bike is electric, but as I know myself, some things become unavoidable as you age. Especially after turning 40, I began to understand my body better.
In the following days, I met up with Ayşe and Cem. I even introduced the people I met in Santa Fe to each other. My friends sometimes use Nokia’s old slogan for me:
“Gürkan Genç, Connecting People.”
I know they’re still in touch. Together with Cem and Ayşe, we visited the state park in the area and also went to the site where the nuclear bomb was developed and saw its museum. When we spent time together, our conversations were rich and full. I learned some great information about the nuclear bomb facility and the area from Cem, and Ayşe shared her American adventures with me.
One day, when I went to Ercan’s rug shop in the city center, I thought, “Since I’m here, I might as well check out the city museum.” I walked to the city center. Yes, the houses were beautiful, but for the first time since leaving Latin America, I was seeing a city center in a plaza format.
What was this plaza format? There was a large park in the center, surrounded by shops, socializing areas, and a church in one of the corners. The locals had set up stalls in front of the buildings on the right and left of the plaza, selling trinkets and beads. Wow, interesting. This Santa Fe Church is also intriguing.
Let me see, when was this city founded? I was surprised when I looked at its history. Whoa…
This church was the oldest one in the United States. I had a brief shock because I wasn’t expecting to see the oldest church on the continent here. No one had mentioned it either.
It was built by the Spanish in 1610. Ah, now the name “Santa Fe – Holy Faith” makes sense. Let me share some information as I come from the bottom up:
The oldest church in Mexico, the Cortez Chapel, built in 1524, is further away from here (which was quite a distance at that time), and no larger church had been built until this one. The Spaniards had ridden here on horseback, made discoveries, opened roads, but had built the church here. The interesting thing is, the Spaniards landed in Florida in 1513, but they hadn’t built a church anywhere in the southeast direction up to this area.
In my previous article, I mentioned that I traveled on the old Spanish roads from Florida to here. Due to the swampy terrain, dense forests, crocodile dangers, or other reasons I can’t recall now, they didn’t think it was suitable to build a church in these areas. But from my observation, there were areas near here that seemed fertile, and settlements had clearly been established. They could have built a church, but they didn’t. Interesting.
Why didn’t they build one further south of here? After visiting the Valles Caldera area with Ayşe and Cem, I thought it made sense to establish Santa Fe near this point. Later, I entered the museum and learned some more. I enjoy solving these puzzle-like observations.
The land I am currently walking on:
• Navajo (Diné)
• Apache (Indé)
• Comanche (Numunuh)
• Ute
These tribes are the original inhabitants of these lands. To help visualize it: “Roughly” the people of Anatolia, the Aegean, and Eastern Anatolia, haha. What do we collectively call the local people of this region? “Indians.” Le-le-le-le-le!
Alright, let’s get to the point, Gürkan… I’ll be there in a minute…
• The Spaniards entered the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlán in what is now Mexico in 1521.
• They entered the region of the Navajos, which is where Santa Fe is located today, in 1560.
• There’s a 2500-kilometer distance between these two points, measured by today’s road conditions.
• In between, neither the indigenous people nor the Spaniards built anything.
However, the Navajo people, just like the Aztecs, built their own structures. In fact, they built them in the 800s AD. For those who say there are no historical structures or ruins in America (or those who think the oldest historical buildings are 200 years old – at least that’s something I’ve heard a lot), these structures should serve as a counterpoint to them! What’s interesting is that most Americans don’t even know about these structures.
The Navajo people, just like villages in Spain, built houses out of adobe and stone. They called these structures Kiva. In my opinion, there were more structures in the area, but rain and erosion seem to have destroyed them. I’ll explain why I think this later in the article.
After the Spaniards saw these structures, they gave the region and its people the name ‘Pueblo.’ In Spanish, it means ‘village.’
One historian wrote: “They named it this because they compared the way of life in the area to that of Spain, and because they felt connected to the place, just like they did with their own homes and villages.”
Today, the indigenous people in the southern United States are almost always known as ‘Pueblos.’
Since there was such a community here, the Spaniards thought, “Let’s immediately set them on the right path!” and built the oldest still-standing church in the United States here.
By the way, the further north you go in the United States, the more white people refer to the indigenous people as ‘Indians’ about 80% of the time. In the south, however, they are called ‘Pueblos.’ What’s funny is that when I speak to the indigenous people, they also refer to themselves as Pueblo!
How is that possible? Brother, you’re not Pueblo! The Spanish explorers gave you that name. You have your own tribal names! Why do you call yourselves Pueblo?
While touring the museum, I saw a quote from Richard Henry Pratt, a missionary who worked on the assimilation of Native Americans, on the wall.
He said: “We will immerse the Native Americans in water until it seeps into their bones, so they can be completely integrated into American civilization.”
Here’s what I know and what I talk about: “The greatest genocide in history was carried out on the land now known as the United States, and it continues to this day.” The United States has made some efforts to present this history through museums. However, from the conversations I had with people during my travels, I realize that many people living in this country, both in my time and before, don’t know this history well. As for the new generation? Don’t even ask. They may be the weakest youth I’ve seen in the field of social sciences in any country.
And let me break it down: sociology, psychology, anthropology, history, geography, communication, philosophy, linguistics… These are lacking in the youth here. Given the current world mindset of “What’s the point of these?” it’s at least understandable from my perspective. But never mind…
The Santa Fe crew was truly amazing. I would have loved to spend more time with Ayşe and Cem and chat more. I’m also glad I introduced Cem to Ercan. Both of them were looking for someone to ride bikes with. Hilmi uses an electric bike, and in his free time, he delivers packages. He even does this with his electric bike. Courier jobs are popular here as well, and of course, they earn a bit more than in Türkiye, which should be mentioned.
After visiting the museum, Ercan and I talked about the region’s indigenous people. When I mentioned the Navajo, he said, “Gürkan, the old settlements are over there, definitely go.” When I looked at the map, I realized it was the strange, demarcated area I had noticed earlier.
Ercan: Gürkan, if you’re going to that area and plan to camp, be careful. During the assimilation process, they made these people addicted to drugs, alcohol, and gambling. There are good people among them, but there are also bad ones. If you go, please be cautious.
Me: I got it, I’ll be careful.
During my 14 years of travel, I’ve mostly avoided creating content about local communities when visiting such areas. I study history, and geography, observe the social structure and workings, and do it all for myself, driven by curiosity. I love exploring this planet. I don’t have to share anything with anyone, and I’ve been writing these posts for 14 years just because I enjoy it. When the life stories of indigenous communities are shared, they can seem different and impactful to societies that live within certain molds. The human species always desires what it does not have; even if it doesn’t want it, it is happy when it possesses it. I have never seen otherwise in my 14 years of travel.
As a result, I mapped out an incredible route to this area. Some parts of the route surprised me; I encountered unexpectedly impressive areas. From a satellite view, it may look like I’m following a straight path, but upon closer inspection, it’s clear that I zigzagged across a wide area, or extended the route in a way that might seem pointless to many.
The area I’m heading to is off the main road, two days’ journey away. The downside is that I’ll have to retrace my steps because the road leads south to a different destination. But where am I going?
I’m heading to Chaco Canyon, a UNESCO World Heritage site in the United States. When I researched online, I couldn’t find any videos from a Turkish citizen who visited this area. In fact, all Turkish content was copied and pasted without any original thought or exploration. Anyway, I’m writing about it here; eventually, one of my YouTuber friends will visit and present it.
Just before entering the area, there was a gas station, and I was trying to reach it to spend the night. However, the last 20 kilometers were a downpour; oh my God, visibility was almost zero, and I continued pedaling through that weather. Cars were flashing their lights and honking. On top of that, I was climbing uphill. The bike wasn’t moving well with the water flowing on the road. While climbing, I spotted an abandoned building on the right side of the road.
Do you remember when, during a similar climb, I found a place to hide while scanning the surroundings, and the motorcyclists couldn’t steal from me? When climbing, it’s important to analyze the environment well. I immediately turned around and took shelter in the building I had seen on the side of the road. There were writings on the walls in the local language. I wondered if anyone was inside. Haha, I could have stayed there for the night. However, as dusk approached and the rain calmed down a bit, I continued and reached the gas station. It worked perfectly for me; I resupplied and found a safe place to rest.
I gathered some information about the area from the people at the gas station. I also had a chance to chat with a couple there, which provided me a different perspective on the local people. I should write their story, but I’ll keep it to myself. (I made a note here). Anyway, the next morning, I left the main road early and turned onto a dirt road. Of course, the rain from the day before had turned the roads into mud. In Santa Fe, I had reduced the width of my bike tires from 2.1 inches to 1.75 inches to go faster on the asphalt. I had switched to Continental Contact Plus 2 tires. It was a test process, and I haven’t done a comprehensive review of the tires on my social media yet. My testing process is still ongoing. By the way, the authorized distributor of Continental bike tires in Türkiye is Kron Bisiklet (also my sponsor).
Let me tell you something funny. I ordered these tires from Amazon, and I’m waiting for them. I also messaged Yasin from the company, saying I’m starting to use these tires.
He replied to me:
Yasin: Oh, you’ve started using our tires, huh? – Our tires? What do you mean by that? – Bro, we sell those tires in Türkiye. There was a few seconds of silence…
Me: Yasin, if you were selling these tires in Türkiye, why didn’t we make a sponsorship agreement for all these years? We could’ve talked to Continental, found a middle ground, and worked together. Don’t you think that’s a little strange?
Yasin: Well, bro, since you’ve always used Schwalbe, we never discussed it with you.
Me: Okay, Yasin. Anyway, I’ll write my own standard reviews for the products I tested, on my page, and I’ll get back to my Schwalbe tires later.
It’s a strange situation, but there’s nothing to be done about it. I already wrote to Continental headquarters myself. They probably wouldn’t have responded, and Yasin wrote too, but he didn’t get a response either, he said. Anyway, I’ll document my process, just like I do with every tire. I’ve cycled 5000 kilometers with the tires so far, and no punctures yet. I’ll finish my ride on the mainland of America, and then I’ll write a detailed review on my page.
The road to Chaco Canyon is completely dirt. There are no settlements around. The area I’m heading to is 50 kilometers inside the main road. There are some paths along the way that lead to houses in the middle of nowhere, and I can see them. There are also horses around these areas. Some horses come close to me, and some even walk alongside me. Curiosity…
I see a lot of broken glass and empty beer cans along the road. When I reached the canyon entrance, the asphalt started again, and the whole canyon area was paved. I think, around 40 kilometers of road between here and there wasn’t paved on purpose. The local people might not have wanted it, I’m not sure. While I was taking a photo at the entrance, suddenly I felt a burning sensation on my foot. I looked down at the place where the pain came from, and oh, here we go. Fire ant venom spread across the area over my sock. I tried to remove it from my sock, but it was really difficult to get out. Its pincers had stuck so well, and the bitten spot was throbbing. It was already turning red.
To get the entrance ticket, a two-kilometer walk from the gate. While pedaling toward it, my right leg gave out in the first kilometer. Unbelievable! A small protein-based venom from a single ant paralyzed the muscles in my right leg. I couldn’t even pedal, and the ankle area swelled up like a drum. When I reached the ticket area, the first thing I did was ask for a glass of water and ice. It’s good to apply some pressure with ice here.
The heat today, after yesterday’s rain, really made me feel exhausted. By the way, there are a lot of warning signs for mountain lions in the area. They especially recommend being cautious around the picnic tables. The entrance cost 35 dollars. Plus, if I want to set up a tent and camp inside, I’d have to pay another 35 dollars. Of course, that’s not an option. I’ll sleep outside the camp.
The structures in Chaco Canyon were generally built between the years 600-700. The largest of these structures was the Boruto settlement. I’m examining the front, back, right, and left sides of the building. As I walk towards this place from where I left my bike, I notice a few other large structures.
I’m inspecting the stone craftsmanship and looking at the architecture. Is there internet here? Hmm, no signal… I return to my bike, sit in the shade, and take out my iPad. I also grab my external hard drive from the other bag. In my Africa memories, I have notes from Morocco. Kasbahs. I’ve written down the construction years of 600-700… Could it be?
I know that one person completed their world tour on foot in 4 years, another in 8 years, and another in 20 years. I met one of them in Japan.
In 2019, I wrote a thesis on the people who sailed from Peru to Easter Island in rafts, and it was used by students from Heidelberg University in Germany. Oh, I may have forgotten to mention this detail to you.
Also, the symbols of the Amazigh people I photographed in Morocco were the same as the ones I saw 40 kilometers south of Caral in Peru. (For those who think Machu Picchu is the main story of Peru, believe me, you’re missing the true heritage. I’ve written about this before, but it’s worth reminding: Anyone who goes to Peru and doesn’t visit Caral and all the surrounding settlements is missing out.) I had shared the photos I took in Africa with archaeologists there, and they were quite surprised. In fact, I even emailed them the photos.
While looking at the structures, a thought occurred to me: Could these people have crossed the Atlantic Ocean from Africa to South America in rafts during that time?
In 2010, my friend Erden Eruç crossed the Atlantic Ocean from the Canary Islands to the U.S. mainland in 93 days, rowing 5,600 kilometers. Of course, in the conditions of the ancient era, this would have taken much longer. While it might seem impossible, Norwegian scientist Thor Heyerdahl succeeded in crossing the Atlantic Ocean from Peru to Polynesia in 1943 on a Kon-Tiki raft, covering 6,900 kilometers in 101 days with the means available in the 1200s. So, it’s possible. In fact, I went to Norway to visit a replica of this raft at a museum in Oslo. I recommend watching the movie too; I think you’ll like it.
So, African people could have crossed to South America in the 600s.
It may or may not have happened.
But it could have.
Or it might not have.
If they did cross, they would have had to build something when they reached the shores of Florida. There are no structures in that area. Why would they build something after walking 5,000 kilometers? Could they have arrived with a nomadic culture up until this point, in the pre-Christian era?
It may or may not have happened.
What led me to think about these things, as I mentioned earlier, is that the structures resemble each other, but there’s something different about them. In Africa, the structures built during that period were multi-room and fortress-like. Here, the structures are made from the same material, under the same weather conditions, and are also multi-room with a connected system, but they don’t have a fortress-like formation. There are no high walls outside.
They appear more like places of worship and market areas. In the following days, I learned that the native people in North America did not build structures for defense purposes.
When I look at the structures in South America, there is a fortress formation and defensive structure; similarly, many structures in Africa also have such features. Europe and Asia are the same; they are built for defense and to protect the family or their power.
Hmmmm… When I look at the societies in Africa, South America, Europe, and Asia, there’s a common feature: Racial diversity, religious diversity, and differences in power. In the history of the native people of North America, there was no such diversity. Within their own societies, there were tribal wars. But fundamentally, race, belief, and culture were nearly the same, and there were ethical values. In war, women and children were not harmed, and concepts like honor, dignity, and integrity were present.
Yes, honor; The code “Honor is my life” exists. You may know that certain families in East Asia still live by this code today. These codes are often overlooked today because they push the boundaries of freedom. When you examine the social lives of the Göktürks, you can observe honor, integrity, morality, and gender equality more clearly, and you can see how similar these societies are to the ones here. (Göktürks: 552-744). It’s possible that many years ago, a “human community” from the Göktürk region moved to these lands from Asia and built a similar social structure. On the other hand, the local people also have features of North African societies.
Gürkan leaves a note: January 2025
Let me add my hypothesis here that the people of North Africa, using the currents of the Canary Islands, crossed the Mediterranean, which was an inland sea in ancient times, in rafts to the North American continent during the years before Christ.
Yes, we don’t have archaeological evidence yet. But I can say that I’ve pedaled in a place that suggests this might have been possible. It’s been great to come here by bike and see it for myself.
Now, I’ve arrived in the king of the states, Colorado…
