Up before dawn and it's snowing!

A busy day started with breaking camp before dawn. Snow flurries greeted us as we hurriedly stowed Sura and readied her for the road. Breakfast would come after we have covered several miles in daylight.

We continued north and over the pass winding once again through beautiful canyons laced with fast running streams. Along the shore of a reservoir we stopped for "brekky" (camp-speak for breakfast). While there we spotted a fish farm and decided to give it a try. We'll be having fresh trout for dinner (still flopping out of there water pens) and we paid $1.75 a pound!!!!!

Down into a lush green valley and the up high again over another range, we stopped in a sweet, neat, and bustling mountain village to shop the producesrket for supplies. The looks a people's faces as Sura passes by are priceless. Dropped jaws and inquisitive stares often precede a hand wave and a smile.

So...our driver saw a side road on the map that might save us some time. He confirmed that the road would get us where we needed to be. The "road" soon became a less than one lane dirt track over a 6,090 ft pass. For those who went to Machu Pichu, think that ascent road, only steeper, narrower, and more interesting. This is Overlanding! Yahoo!

We stopped on grassy knoll overlooking a creek and had lunch-leftover Spaghetti Bolognese from last night. You can't go wrong with pasta two times in a row.!

Mountain roads and a late arrival found us in camp at the base of the Sumela Monastery. Grilled fish and lentil soup. Tom is cooking tonight!

In a northeastern direction

Packed up and on the road by 8:30am we headed north east toward the Black Sea. We're about halfway across Turkey now-it'll take three more days to reach Georgia. Our destination today is to wild camp near the town of Erzincan. For lunch we stopped at a closed cold spring resort and set up a picnic. It was really windy, there was still labor of snow. The sun was warm Zmd the winter park attendants were friendly and accommodating.

Another two hours east and we took a scenic byway to look for a wild campsite. There was a river through canyon we were traveling. We passed many grassy fields that I thought would be perfect. Then we came upon a one Kane dirt road that crossed a stone bridge. Dave turned the truck and we headed up the canyon walk switch backing to the top, barely enough room on each side to pass... And we kept going looking for the perfect spot. All I could think during our ascent was how my regular traveling friends would be reacting at that very moment. The photos don't lie! With no luck at to top, yikes, WE CAME BACK DOWN.

Back on the main road we drove higher up into the valley and closer to the SNOW covered slopes. Another side road proved narrow and with downed power lines crossing the road. Onward.

Eventually we came across a gravel pit and roadwork staging area. Off to the back there was a grassy area and some trees away from the road. Home for the night! We set up camp next to the rushing stream, lit a fire, and got real cosy.