I continue pedaling through Florida, weaving my way along its routes. Right after North Port, I started coming across repurposed railway lines transformed into bike lanes—something I had first seen in Europe. Later, I learned that North America has some of the longest versions of these lanes. Onur and Gözde, who hosted me in North Port, had specifically recommended I take these routes.
The first was the Legacy Trail, originally built as a railway line in the late 19th century. The tracks were renovated in 1911, but over time, newer rail routes made the old line obsolete. In 2015, work began to convert it into a dedicated bike lane, and by 2022, it was completed. Today, a 30-kilometer stretch between Sarasota and North Port is entirely closed to motor vehicles, and reserved exclusively for cyclists. With Florida’s lush vegetation surrounding it, the route is nothing short of spectacular. Before leaving the state, I rode through four or five more former railway corridors that had been turned into bike lanes.
At this point, their names or exact locations weren’t what mattered. What stood out was the thoughtful design—the starting points, endpoints, the spacing of waystations, the frequency of stops, the signage at intersections, the detailed information about the surrounding areas, and the logistical support in place for cyclists. What I saw in the U.S. reminded me of the EuroVelo routes in Europe—except these were a couple of sizes bigger. Florida, you’ve earned another tip of the hat. Well done!
Sometimes, I ride through areas where I go for kilometers without finding a place to relieve myself. It honestly surprises me—there’s so much open space in the U.S., yet I’ve struggled more than once to find a discreet spot. It’s interesting. Along the way, I came across those portable toilets you usually see at concerts or construction sites and decided to use them. What caught me off guard was how clean they were inside. Normally, I wouldn’t bother writing about something like this, but after using them four or five times and finding them spotless every single time, I figured this moment deserved a spot in my memories. So, here it is—haha.
America provided people with the massive houses, cars, and conveniences they dream of, along with a certain level of security. At its core, this security seems to come with an unspoken message: “Don’t leave your home, don’t leave your country. I will provide everything you need within these borders.” That’s the impression I get. Meanwhile, the government benefits greatly from those who live and work within the U.S., taxes…
I used an old railway route both entering and leaving Tampa. But before I reached the city, another cyclist rode up beside me and started pedaling alongside me.
“You didn’t actually ride here from Türkiye, did you?”
Now, if I say, “Yes, I biked here from Türkiye,” are they going to ask, “Well, how did you cross the ocean?” Ugh, it’s such a ridiculous question, yet people ask it all the time.
Years have passed, and no matter where I go, people’s questions remain the same. I say, “I’m cycling around the world,” and they immediately ask, “So, how did you cross the oceans?”
When someone asks me that, I wish they’d at least think along these lines: “It’s impossible to cycle across the ocean. So, which alternative did you use—plane or ship?”
I assume they must have already figured out that I took one of these two options or at least realized I flew across. But do you know what happens? They seriously think I might have crossed without a plane or a boat. Some genuinely ask if I kept pedaling across the ocean. I’m not joking, some people ask if it’s possible to cycle on water.
In the beginning, I used to freeze, completely at a loss for words. Now, I give a quick “I took a plane” and move on.
As I rode alongside this cyclist, we covered all kinds of topics. It didn’t surprise me that he supported Trump. In Florida, most people who don’t support Trump tend to be either immigrants who became U.S. citizens later in life or Black Americans. It’s pretty clear that if you were born and raised in the South, own land, and work in farming or ranching, it’s almost impossible not to be a Trump supporter. That much is obvious.
(Meanwhile, another cyclist I met on the road was telling me about the distance he covered and the top speed he reached on his electric bike.)
An American citizen says:
– “I want illegal crossings at the Mexican border to stop.”
Fair enough.
– “I don’t want outsiders benefiting from the resources in my country, paid for by my taxes.”
Also fair. There are people, certainly not all, but some who cross from Mexico into the U.S. and gain access to healthcare, bank accounts, and debit cards funded by government assistance.
– “I don’t want people from cultures different from mine to disrespect or try to change my culture, let alone have a say in how things run here. Because whatever they do, however, they start their new life, they’ll be doing it with my tax money—and then they’ll try to impose their traditions and way of life on me.”
That, too, is a valid concern.
Now, let me add a little twist to this story. I once met a fellow Turkish immigrant who had entered the country illegally, later obtained a work permit, bought a home and a car, and eventually started paying taxes. Then, one day, this same person turned to me and said:
– “I don’t want people sneaking into this country. We work hard, and our taxes shouldn’t be spent on them.”
He actually said this to me. Unbelievable. So… remind me again, how did you get here? Isn’t this the very definition of hypocrisy?
Let’s break it down:
– You said, “Turkey’s economy is terrible. I see no future for myself or my children,” and crossed the U.S. border illegally.
– You said, “LGBTQ+ life isn’t accepted in Turkey,” and crossed the border illegally.
– You said, “I belong to a marginalized ethnic group in Turkey and face discrimination,” and crossed the border illegally.
– You said, “The current government is arabicizing us, I don’t agree with, and I see no future for my kids,” and crossed the U.S. border illegally.
Then, when a U.S. presidential candidate, Trump says, “I will close the borders and deport illegal immigrants,” you protest.
But correct me if I’m wrong—didn’t you leave your country for the exact same reason? Didn’t you complain that unregulated migration was hurting your homeland, letting anyone, educated or not, enter freely?
Didn’t President Biden open the borders? Didn’t he even propose granting citizenship to a million undocumented immigrants before the elections? Aren’t the same issues you fled from in your home country happening here too?
Sure, there’s an economic difference, but why?
Because the U.S. has vast land, enormous resources, and plenty of space.
On top of that, it exploits resources from other continents and countries.
And let’s not forget, it prints the US Dollar. Those who lived here during the pandemic know how much money was handed out by the US government. In the short term, it might seem like free cash, but in the long run, the U.S. plans to balance that deficit using global resources.
In this system, people with ambition, those who put in the effort, end up earning more than they could have imagined. And in return, they become part of the machine. I already touched on this earlier.
To be clear, I don’t care how my fellow citizens or people from any other nationality get into the U.S. That’s not my concern. But what does concern me is when a Turkish citizen enters the U.S. and then starts badmouthing Türkiye at every turn. Because that’s exactly the kind of thing that contributes to other Turkish citizens being denied entry into this or other countries.
So, to those who sneak into the U.S. and then slander their homeland, keep that in mind.
Now, you might say, “Who cares about your travels, Gürkan Genç? You don’t matter to me.”
Fine. You say you have your reasons—you might be right, or you might not. (I’ve seen people leave Türkiye despite having plenty of opportunities there.) And I know you don’t care what I think.
Honestly, I wish you the best—I hope you find comfort, success, and a good life in the country you chose. I hope your children grow up with their parents, get a good education, and gain citizenship in the country you reside.
But also, be grateful that the president of Türkiye isn’t someone like me. Because if I were in charge, I would protect every Turkish passport holder, and I would revoke the citizenship of anyone who holds a second passport. That’s what the modern world demands.
Holding two passports? That, to me, is unethical. You’re using the resources of the country where you live and work while also benefiting from a nation where you neither contribute nor reside—just because you hold its passport. That’s not right.
At its core, the real issue is this: The resources of the countries people flee to are not equal to those of the country they left behind. And yet, they know it’s unfair—but they keep doing it anyway.
“Our freedom ends where another person’s freedom begins.” That’s such a powerful say.
In Tampa, I’m staying with Eser Abla and her husband, David. This wouldn’t have happened without my friend Zeynep, and let me tell you, you’re going to hear her name a lot throughout my U.S. journey. A 26-year friendship has brought us to this point.
Good people surround themselves with good people. If she had never left Türkiye, or if I had never set out on this journey, I would have just visited her in the U.S. from time to time. But now I’m here, and she’s right by my side on this adventure. And it’s not just Zeynep, every true friend I have has always been there for me.
Fourteen years have passed, and I’ve always said: that I can’t complete this journey alone. Yes, I travel solo—but I can’t finish this by myself. Every successful athlete has a family, a team, and a support system behind them. And in my case, that also includes all of you, those who’ve been reading and following along with me for years.
I spent three days with Eser and David, exploring Tampa. Eser worked for an American airline for years before retiring. But she didn’t just sit idle—she started designing necklaces and selling them on eBay. At one point, she even made the badge holders worn by an entire airline’s staff. Now, she creates hundreds of necklaces, keychains, and even greeting cards.
She also worked with well-known figures in Türkiye, but as costs rose, people there started making similar products themselves and stopped buying from her.
David and I had long conversations about the world, Türkiye, and the U.S. Then, Eser said something that stuck with me:
“Look, we’ve had so many guests in this house, but this man has never spent this much time at the dinner table with anyone. He really enjoys your conversations.”
David asked, “Are you leaving tomorrow? What’s the rush?”
I replied, “No, but I can’t stay at every stop for days. The visa time is ticking away.”
I explained that unless I manage to get a visa with re-entry privileges (which I’ll be working on in the coming days), my stay will be limited. For the U.S., I’ll need at least 2.5 or 3 years to fully explore. Otherwise, I would love to spend more time chatting with everyone.
In Florida, through my friend Deniz, I got my Bank of America card in Miami, and it was delivered to Eser’s house. Now I have a debit card in my pocket. One of the first things I did was link it to Apple Pay, so I could make payments directly from my phone. Then I activated Garmin Pay, which allows me to make payments with my watch. I also transferred all of my automatic payments from Garanti Bank in Türkiye to this card and account. I reactivated PayPal and linked it to this card. Back when I started my cycling journey, I used to receive a lot of support funds through PayPal. But since PayPal was banned in Türkiye and YouTube became more popular, the readership dropped. However, if any of you are still interested in reading and supporting my journey, you can find more details on my support page.
Here are my details for those who wish to support me:
- PayPal: gurkangencg1@gmail.com
- Zelle (U.S.): gurkangenc@gmail.com
- Bank of America account: 8981 5158 3691 ACH: 063100277
- Garanti TL: TR18 0006 2000 3240 0006 6809 12
- Garanti $: TR46 0006 2000 3240 0009 0807 71
- Garanti €: TR83 0006 2000 3240 0009 0796 20
- Papara: 156498268
Collecting souvenirs on my travels is tough for me. Some people collect magnets or stones or buy souvenirs from the countries they visit. Unfortunately, I don’t do that either. But I’ve collected photos of the “Beware of Animals” signs from all over the world. It’s become quite a collection. I also like capturing various other types of signs. For example, I saw this one most recently in South Africa.
I’ve noticed something in the United States, that I’ve also seen in other countries. Of course, theft happens everywhere, but two countries stood out to me for explicitly marking areas with signs. Maybe other countries do this too, but I only came across it in these two.
I can’t help but admire the houses here. I often stop in front of some houses, watching them for minutes, imagining myself sitting on a rocking chair on the porch, gazing at the horizon as the day fades. I picture myself doing this one day in the U.S. I don’t know where or when, but I’ll do it in a house like this.
As I ride along the Withlacoochee old train track, the rain starts to fall. I pause in front of a sign that informs me about the kinds of wildlife I might encounter in this area. While I catch my breath, a couple on bikes stop next to me and begin talking.
In the southern states, locals tend to be a bit hesitant to talk to me because, in their eyes, I look homeless. My clothes can be a bit dirty at times, and with all the gear I carry on the bike, I give off the impression of being homeless. Some people don’t want to engage with me. A few times, when I asked, “Can I ask you something?”, I was met with a harsh “no.” There were even people who wouldn’t let me set up a tent on their land. However, when they find out I’m a cyclist, especially when they learn I’m sponsored by brands like The North Face or Garmin, their attitude changes. But before they know that, it can be tough. That’s why it’s surprising when people stop to chat with me. When I asked about camping on this road, they told me no one would mind. That evening, I set up camp at a bench with a roof along the path.
As I slowly make my way towards Orlando, I continue passing through beautiful spots. I keep pedaling on bike lanes everywhere. Right at this moment, I remember a conversation I had with Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavaş in November 2023 about putting up “Caution, Bike Lane” signs in the Incek district of Ankara. Did it turn out the way I wanted? No, not exactly, but it’s still something. Seeing those signs along the road brought a smile to my face. There’s only so much I can do. Maybe one day, for the public to take notice and implement things the way I’ve observed, people will need to speak up for me.
It would be great if people across Turkiye who want bike lanes said, “Hey, the government should assign Gürkan Genç as an advisor to all municipalities for the construction of bike lanes.” I could visit every city, ride my bike, and transform cities across my country with bike lanes. Maybe one day, when this topic comes up, those who read this article might say it, and it could spread by word of mouth.
Orlando is a large city, and the priority here will be to address the cycling issues I’ve been facing. The person hosting me here is İsmail Kalkan, whom I met during the pandemic through the Clubhouse app. He works in construction, flipping houses. I remember watching a similar show about this on TV a long time ago. As I made my way to Orlando, I received a message on Instagram from Emre Köseoğlu, who wanted to have me as a guest on his YouTube channel. I told him, “If you catch me on the road, you can do the interview.” He did, and the interview is now on his YouTube channel, Emrreko. Here are video 1 and video 2. Enjoy!
İsmail’s house also had a young friend named Ergün, and I spent about 5 days with them. İsmail is a kind-hearted and helpful person, and we are around the same age. His calmness in the face of the things happening around him secretly made me smile. He has learned great lessons from the difficulties he’s experienced in life and now views each situation as an opportunity for growth. He’s a well-liked figure in Orlando. The adventure of young Ergün, whom he hosted, was a story of its own. İsmail opened his home to him until Ergün found a place of his own. After I left Orlando, Ergün finally moved into his own place.
One day, Ergün said, “Let’s all go out tonight,” and took us to a place for Line Dancing. I recommend anyone visiting Orlando to go to ‘Cowboys Orlando’ on a Tuesday or Thursday night when women have free entrance, it’s an experience you shouldn’t miss. This is a southern U.S. folk dance. I heard that Orlando has the best Line Dancing, and it’s true. I’ve visited other cities, but Orlando’s scene is something else. If you’re going to Disney or Universal Studios, I’d suggest you visit this venue for a night out.
That night, as we were heading out, Ergün’s high school friend was with us. Before we left the house, he noticed the electronic gear I had on the table and said:
– “You have an In-reach Mini! Not many people use this, and you have a tactical watch on your wrist. What do you do for a living?”
When he found out I was cycling around the world, he was very surprised. On the other hand, I was equally surprised by him. For the first time, a young person immediately recognized that the gear I carry is top-of-the-line, and some of it is military-grade. He started explaining everything in detail. For years, those who followed me must have researched and wondered about the equipment I use. Since 2012, I’ve only used the best gear, never anything that wasn’t useful for my work, and I’ve never purchased products just for the sake of advertisement or sponsorship. The mentality became, “If Gürkan uses it, it’s worth getting,” or, “If Gürkan tested it, it’s done, just buy it without questioning.” However, there are still very few people who know my equipment in such detail.
I asked the guy what he does. He told me he is in the U.S. Army.
– “Did you serve in the military in Turkey?”
– “No. I came here right after high school and enlisted. I’m a nurse, and I’m also a truck driver transporting military vehicles and equipment.”
There’s a trend nowadays where people from Turkey go to the U.S. to become truck drivers. Well, this guy came at 18, enlisted, and became a military truck driver. According to him, you make more than all the other truck drivers. I didn’t look into it, nor do I plan to, but this young man did his research and has reached the goals he envisioned.
This brings me back to my point from earlier. If you truly love your country, then, just like with these situations, it’s the morally right thing to have your Turkish passport revoked. Because your tax obligations are now in the U.S. Yes, your roots and heritage are Turkish, but you neither live in Turkey nor work there. You shouldn’t use the resources of that country just because you say, “I’m Turkish.” Saying, “I’ve paid my taxes and saved for my retirement, so it’s my right” is not the action of a morally upstanding person. This should not be considered a right; society needs to accept this.
Nigar, a long-time online follower, messaged me:
– “I saw you’re in Orlando. If you’re free, I’d love to meet. I especially want my kids to meet you.”
I first met Nigar at a café, and later we also met her husband and children. Nigar especially wanted me to meet her daughter. Selin has a very unique life story that struck me as something special. I think I might be standing next to a future tennis champion. Let me explain why I think so:
- She started playing tennis at the age of 4.
- Her father is her coach.
- From age 4 to 15, her training schedule is from 07:00 to 16:00 every day.
- She has never been to school. All her education is done outside of her training hours.
- Her social media account is managed by her father.
- She is extremely disciplined.
I watched a set of her games. I’m not a tennis fanatic, but I’ve watched a lot of matches. We will hear her name one day. However, there’s an interesting situation: her mother is Turkish, her father is Indian, and she is a Canadian citizen. Currently, she competes internationally under the Canadian flag because Canada provides more resources for athletes. If I were the sports minister, I would have brought Selin to Turkey. Unfortunately, a traveler’s words are rarely taken into consideration.
I asked Selin a few questions:
– “Are you happy with the life you’re living?”
– “Yes, I’m happy, Gürkan.”
– “What’s your dream?”
– “To be a world champion.”
Will she make it? I believe so. This girl’s name will be known. Anyone who trains for hours every day in tennis will achieve success.
I asked her father:
– “I’m glad you support and guide your daughter on this path. But what made you encourage your daughter to pursue sports at a young age?”
He’s a retired computer programmer from India. He sold the software he developed to a country, and today that country uses it in government offices. Then, he retired and moved to North America. He and his wife noticed Selin’s interest in tennis at age 4, bought her a racket, and kept sending her to tennis lessons. When it was time for her to go to school, her father gave her a choice: either go to school or become an athlete. Selin chose to be an athlete.
Her father said something that stuck with me: “In the future, I want my daughter to have a career in something, that artificial intelligence can’t do or even be used in that field. I want this to be her profession.” While I can’t predict that, I can confidently say she will be a world-class athlete one day.
After Orlando, my journey continued toward Gainesville…