{"id":57523,"date":"2025-02-20T21:43:02","date_gmt":"2025-02-20T18:43:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gurkangenc.com\/?p=57523"},"modified":"2025-02-20T21:43:02","modified_gmt":"2025-02-20T18:43:02","slug":"turkish-cyclist-crossing-the-worlds-largest-deserts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gurkangenc.com\/en\/2025\/02\/turkish-cyclist-crossing-the-worlds-largest-deserts\/","title":{"rendered":"Turkish Cyclist Crossing the World’s Largest Deserts"},"content":{"rendered":"

Before reaching Grand Junction, as I mentioned in my previous article, I\u2019ll briefly enter one of the most famous cycling routes in the United States, just so my tires can touch this legendary path.<\/p>\n

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Great Divide: This route stretches from north to south in the United States, spanning five states from Canada to Mexico. It passes through Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado (where I currently am), and New Mexico. Covering 2734 miles (4,400 kilometers), it includes a total of 196850 feet (60,000 meters) of climbing and consists of 80% gravel roads.<\/p>\n

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Back in Africa, on my route starting from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia\u2019s capital, and covering Kenya, Tanzania, and Malawi, a relatively small part of the continent, I pedaled 3106 miles (4,500 kilometers) with a total climb of 190288 feet (58,000 meters). People often say that each U.S. state should be considered its own country. Well, in the U.S., crossing five states from north to south equals the distance and elevation gain of crossing four countries in the heart of Africa.<\/p>\n

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In other words, what I\u2019m really saying here is: “To hell with the Great Divide!” Africa itself is the ultimate Great Divide! J The reason this route is so well-known and popular among cyclists isn\u2019t because of its difficulty or uniqueness, it\u2019s because of the advertising and marketing power of American cycling enthusiasts, plus their skill to use social media. This is how \u201cknowing marketing and selling a concept\u201d looks like.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, we, myself included, fail to properly market the cycling routes in our country. But you already know me; I\u2019m not exactly great at marketing myself either. J<\/p>\n

You might wonder: “Why are things this way?” or “Why am I like this?”<\/p>\n

1\u2014 Marketing is not my job. Just like we don\u2019t leave marketing and advertising to experts in our country, we can\u2019t handle it ourselves either.<\/p>\n

2\u2014 Let me give an example from myself; I am a traveler with unchanging or inflexible ethical values. Some people may link things to astrology, saying things like, “Your ascendant sign is Capricorn, your moon is Leo, and your Mars is Capricorn,” while others might say, “You\u2019re from Arhavi, Artvin, so you’re totally a Laz people,” and make connections like that<\/p>\n

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The route I would create from the Black Sea plateaus through Eastern Anatolia and Southeastern Anatolia in T\u00fcrkiye will be more difficult for any foreign traveler than the Great Divide, in terms of its level of difficulty. The climbs are another challenge. But as I said, neither I nor anyone else in our country can handle the marketing of this. (Some may say it’s possible, but no one has done it in the past 15 years when it comes to cycling. The reason for this is that these things are done through advertising investments in people who are trustworthy in their field. For example: KRON bikes would create a promotional video about T\u00fcrkiye\u2019s bike routes with me, G\u00fcrkan Gen\u00e7, or they might work with a much more famous cyclist, as there are many famous ones out there. Also, that won\u2019t be enough\u2014companies, content creators, and advertising companies will repeatedly have to pay for advertisements, getting these routes featured on their websites, in TV commercials, through airlines, and in many other places. It would take a serious advertising budget + working with people who have already gained trust in this field, and so on. KRON won\u2019t do that, and I\u2019m not just talking about KRON, no company has done it for 15 years. This is because, in our country, companies and institutions that should advertise are generally only concerned with seasonal revenue, not sustainability. People only save\/invest for retirement \ud83d\ude42.<\/p>\n

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On the other hand, for touring cyclists who have crossed Africa and Asia from end to end or South America both lengthwise and widthwise, the Great Divide promises an adventure that feels more like a picnic. Why?<\/p>\n