Bikepacking Turkey: A creepy encounter, mad saddle sores & a hospital visit are driving me crazy!! 

You are powerful woman . Dont let others lose your path . Respect and prayers from Turkey.

This is a great video. The harsh realities of travel, traveling alone, and traveling as a young woman are all important to express. And, you did it well. Thank you.

I am a 57 year old Irish who has tears in his eyes because of your bad experience, big cuddles .keep going

Oh Cheerio. I’m so sorry about your bum and more importantly the creepy incident you encountered. It’s a shame that women cannot travel alone without the risk of being assaulted. This is the world we live in. I pray that you recharge your batteries and find the motivation to keep riding. Thank you for sharing your adventures with us! Much love ❤

Your courage, kindness and candor are a breath of fresh air in this world, Salute !🙏

Good choice to get a Brookes saddle. I cycled 3000km last year on my first bike tour (53 year solo woman) on a Brookes and only experienced minor soreness for the first few days when the saddle was still very stiff and new. After that, I a have found it extremely comfortable and getting better and better as the saddle has moulded to my butt.

I'm older and was having an extraordinary experience solo on the Pacific Crest Trail. A man my age caught up with me (he saw my name in a trail registry... and I now use initials only) and was worrisome ... adamant that we were going to hike together ...so I had a strong gut feeling about him. He wasnt taking 'no' well. Such a bummer when men selfishly impose themselves and completely change the outdoor experience. I had just been an around the clock carer for my elderly parents and was support for my older brothers emotionally acting out from grief. The very last thing I wanted to do was babysit a needy man. I stuck with other hikers around him until I didnt take a rest day and got comfortably ahead. ...but the wilderness experience was colored by this. I love Turkey for the incredible warmth of the culture... There are creeps everywhere but didnt happen to have this experience there. I was coastal Antalya to Istanbul for 3 months last year not on a bike. It turned out to be my favorite place in over a year of traveling in Europe and surrounds. In the US I do always hike with pepper spray or just have it when im out and about. In the US pepper spray is more regulated than guns in some states. Not a gun person but was once on the wrong end of one grocery shopping... and thats not freedom ... i digress. In Europe and NZ the next best thing was to carry a handy little bag of cheyenne powder.... Im a tiny person.

Sorry to hear of your bad encounter, but I'm glad that you include it for the awareness of others. I'm also glad it didn't turn out to be more serious. -- Take care and keep your head up. -- Saddle sores are potentially very dangerous things. It's good you got it taken care of.

So sorry you had that unpleasant experience, Giant Cheerio. Sadly, there are individuals and micro cultures that are a negative force in our world. All of the women in my life, including my daughters, have had incidents, regardless of whether it was in a urban or rural environment. Thank you for sharing the story of your encounter(s) and how it impacted you. We need to hear it, to sympathize with that suffering, and be courageous agents of change. On your infection, sounds like a pressure-point sore that became an abscess, which often requires surgery. I agree with one of the other comments that managing bacteria is important; however, the underlying cause is likely more structural. A professional bike fitting is the first and crucial step, in my view, to achieving pain- and injury-free cycling. Supplement with a properly fitting saddle for the type of cycling, and never skimp on bike shorts-get the highest quality with a robust chamois. I offer these thoughts in hope of being some help. Please forgive if these are considerations you are already well aware of. I admire your courage and sense of adventure and wish you many wonderful experiences on your future bike tours.

Happens everywhere indeed! Solo traveling is a risky undertaking. But it has nothing to do with Turkey, I cycled from Amsterdam to Istanbul this year and I had the best interactions there. And I remember 4 years ago in Berlin I was having breakfast in a giant park nearby Unter Den Linden when an old man set next to me. We had a friendly conversation about my journey and out of the blue, while I was chewing a nutbar, he started touching my naked leg. I had never experienced anything like it but instantly I understood how terrible that intrusion is. Can't imagine how it must feel like to have to deal with those type of situations more often. Sad the journey didn't work out the way you planned it to!

I’d love my daughter to explore the world on her bike , but that is indeed a problem… keep on trucking and doing these videos. Love your channel!

Hi, I saw you on the ferry to La Gomera and stumbled across your vlog. I think you are very brave and inspirational. Look after yourself. I wish you Good times and good people. Cheers, Simon

I'm so sorry this happened to you. I appreciate your honesty and sharing your experiences, both good and bad. I'm glad you were able to get away. Be safe. I hope you have many more adventures in the future.

I really enjoy your videos, and I am so sorry that you had to deal with that scary situation. I'm a man, and it saddens and angers me when I hear about these things. I wish you safe travels and all the best.

Thank you for continuing to document your travels. Many others have commented already what a crappy situation that is. Videos like yours provide inspiration for my own travel plans for next year, albeit more local to me but still an adventure.

My cousin was in turkey a few weeks ago and she got to see the balloons rise. I gotta say i was kinda jealous. It looked crazy awesome! I hope you and I both get to see them in person one day!

Hope you're feeling better with each passing day. Take all the time you need to rest and recover. Thinking of you and hoping you have a comfortable and quick recovery. Looking forward to seeing you up on the new saddle soon.😊

Videos like this add greatly to the bikepacking world. Serious, enjoyable, enlightening! ..and some awesome climbs.

I'm so sorry that you had some bad encounters! Wishing you the very best on your bike journey!!

Wow! So sorry to hear of your pains! All part of the adventure experience I suppose! Love your vids. You have inspired me to go bike packing and planning a trip to Barcelona next year. I hope to do many adventures in the future after going down the rabbit hole of buying lots of gear! 😁. Its great stuff! I hope I can handle the saddle sores as well as you! Enjoy your rest and hope you heal well and can continue in comfort! Best of luck and hey ho cheerio!! x

Sorry to hear of the unpleasant incident. In the UK we have sticky ice cream sauce, a 1 brown one and a 1 red one. This stuff sticks to glass and smears dreadfully if an attempt is made to wipe it off with a rag or, even better, windscreen wipers. With practice, a squeezy bottle filled with the stuff can be accurate up to 5m.

I have to say… as a LIFELONG cyclist and aficionado of all things cycling… your videos are truly special. I’ve been a cyclist for 40+ years and your videos are really wonderful! Keep it up! I’ll be here for you!

Stay healthy and safe, and i hope you can continue your travels and have many more wonderful adventures soon. Take care of yourself!

I’m so sorry that happened to you. It would be nice to be able to shake that entire negativity off you! Your smart and handled it right. Be wary they are everywhere!

Thank you for your honesty

Hope you are well on the road to recovery. Your videos are so good. Thanks for sharing.

I'm a guy. I follow your channel. I subscribed because I love your adventures. You're traveling the world, doing things that most of us can't do for whatever reason. I get to see the world through your POV on two wheels, which would be something me and my girlfriend would do if we could. I hate that you have to fear men and not know if one will be good or not. Definitely put you and your safety first. I hope you carry something to defend yourself, be it a knife, animal deterrent spray, or something. As a guy, though, I'm sorry you have to go through that and have that fear - I wish I could say something to make you feel less scare, but fear is probably something that can save your life. Love your videos!

Love your videos. Very inspiring to get out there. Best wishes.

I'm so sorry you had to go through all that shit, it makes me very sad, but you have an amazing outlook brilliant attitude. Best of luck on your travels! And congrats on the Brooks!!

GC, the site you selected on your first night of camping was awesome. I had no idea Turkey was this beautiful, and I think maybe I need to add it to the bucket list. Sorry about your saddles sores, they are no fun at all. Heal and feel better.

That is so sad to know, it makes me sick and ashamed on behalf of all good men. Please be careful and safe, my prayers goes to you. Stay blessed and motivated. God bless you and your journey.

I like that you are honest. When i travel with my gf we will take caution of that. Your warnings are important and matter to save lives. Who knows what could happened. Stay safe.

Beautiful edited film Lara Keep up the good work.

I just used the saddle that came with my bike. Sore for a day or two, but perfectly fine after that.

You are a courageous girl. Huge respect and good luck.

I am in awe of your courage!

Real reality tv. Thankyou for sharing the ups and the downs. X

i hope you get better soon! take care, enjoy your staying, have fun.

All the best! You are facing the life so brave!

Hey cheerio it's really good to see you. You are brave & more power to you

Great personal video, take care and stay safe.

Good luck to you as you continue on your journey. May God keep you safe and healthy and protect you.

Just come across your videos, highly enjoyable and very inspiring. Keep on going. You are brave, strong and admirable.

Beautiful video..stay safe and keep exploring 👍🏼

Thank you for sharing your biking experience. Keep going😊

Wish you quick recovery!😮

Hey ho cheerio 🥰 A female ultra distance rider here in Oz inspired me to push my cycling beyond what I ever dreamed I could do. I’m grateful to her for that. With so few female cyclists to admire I especially appreciate your videos sharing your journeys. It infuriates and frustrates me that women are subjected to this treatment and how brave you are to continue, but you shouldn’t have to be. Thankyou for this unfiltered content. Cycling experiences are often documented with a ‘Pollyanna’ lense. It’s helpful to see that others experience this and that we are not alone. Keep safe 💕

Sorry that things were not going well. I hope that the enforced rest has improved your spirits and you are able to continue as strongly as before.

I'm so sorry for you that you had such a horrible encounter. I travelled turkey from Istanbul to Van with the bicycle back in 2011. It was an amazing ride but even we as two boys had some "strange" situations besides the huge amount of incredibly friendly and supporting people. I wish you all the best for your remaining tour!

You are awesome!☀️

I`m so inspired by your destination and spirit . You are your own rider . How ever if you go to a flat raised bar you sit up right and gain comfort and its a little less stress on sit bones. I ride drops all year but when I tour I go to flat bar. Sad to hear of those travel tribulations . Keep on keeping on

Great video, enjoy your road trip, stay safe, and I know disgusting incidents too.

I like your style of editing and presentation 👌

You are brave! Never forget that you can do anything! Forget these idiots, and go for your life. God will take care of you.

Nice!!! Cool video!!! Looking forward to more of these!!!

So happy for you now you're travelling with Timo, stay safe Lara

You are an inspiration, I consider you a Giant Cheerio Hero . So sorry you have to deal with stuff like that .

Your awesome, brave and inspiration al ❤❤❤

Sorry to hear of your testing times stay safe take care👌👍

Hallo und Guten Morgen. Ich ziehe den Hut, ich verneige mich, ich zolle Dir Respekt, pass auf Dich auf!!!

I'm sorry you had such a rough time. I certainly wish that basic human kindness and respect were more universal. I really admire the way that you've chosen to deal with and then present the bad things that have happened to you along the way. No sugar coating, no ignoring, but also not letting them limit your experiences and choices any more than they have to.

il migliore vlog di viaggio, in bicicletta o in qualsiasi altro modo...brava

Thank you. You make me proud to be human. Get well. Be safe. It is indeed a sad and beautiful world.

Well! Quite an ordeal my dear. I am so sad when men can't control their urges and start acting like brutes. Hope your forced pause did not throw you off too much. You have all my admiration and respect for the courage you have shown so far. Take care.

I heard about your channel from a cyclist friend, such an interesting experience. I hope your get a more comfortable saddle for your bike, maybe something wider rather than that thin shaped seat wedged in sensitive area. I felt so sorry for you in a strange country having to deal with such a thing. May you keep on with these exciting experiences and in good health!

You are very brave to cycle alone . I’ve watched itchy boots since her start & if you like to tour on two wheels get a motorcycle . Best of luck with your travels . 👍

You are amazing! Well done taking all this in stride.

You need a Brooks saddle, preferably broken in before a long trip. Also, something I learned watching the Tour De France (way more than 4-5 hours on the bike per day), saddle sores come from bacterial infections and one of the teams went as far as having a custom built trailer, as big a tour bus filled with washing machines so that the team's clothes can be properly washed every day after races. They found that a lot of small towns did not have the capacity to wash all the cyclist's clothes properly and cyclists would have to wash their stuff by putting it all in a net bag that really didn't do the job. Saddle sores fell to zero or close to it. Something to consider when traveling like you do. Stay healthy.

Prends soin de toi Je veux voir pleins d'autres vidéos de tes aventures 💪😉

Wounderful brave heart

I'm sorry for these events w guys. You don't deserve it, fullstop. Best wishes going forward for you and zee bum!

I appreciate your honesty. I especially like that you you shared your anger. We shouldn't have to consider harassment in anything we do.

Bugger about the arse... i really hope the brooks saddle does it for you and molds in for better comfort and less issues. good you have someone to ride with now hope less weirdos stopping you on road and more good hospitality.. loving your bike adventure i admit i have not been checking much since i been back from my bike tour so bit of catching up to do :D

Wow very nice this video Ride safe❤❤❤

Saddles are a personal thing. Cycle shorts are personal too. I'm a bloke and I used to carry a telescopic baton when I rode abroad. I used to velcro strap it to my top tube, so I could whip it out in case of an emergency. I find bum-bags put too much pressure on my lower back. Hence, I only carried my passport and wallet in my back pockets. Stay safe. 🙏

Looks like you got a Brooks saddle in the end shots, good choice. Another great video 👍

I feel so bad that you feel something like this situation. In our world, unfortunately a bad people are still alive. However, dont forget that you re such a strong person! Be safe and good cycling

I hope that your butt gets better soon. Ive had lots of problems with saddles, ive done lots of touring and cycle a few hours a each day for work. I know saddles a a personal thing, what works for one doesn't work for another, but the most comfortable saddle i found is a specialized power comp. You measure the size of your sit bone and pick the saddle that is too the correct width. Your accommodation looks nice, i hope you enjoy your time there.

Ride safe and get well soon😊

Thanks!

U seem such a lovely rounded person posting a great vlog so dont let this get u down.😊

Sorry to hear of your poor experience. I’ve tried at least 9 or 10 saddles over the years and I’m still searching for the ultimate, including a Brooks 😮. I’m currently using a Selle Royal Float which is probably the best yet. 😢. It served me well this summer when I cycled to the Baltic from the uk, 40- 50 miles a day with my camping gear but still got a sore backside 😮.

I can really sympathise with you about the saddle sore. In 2007 I did RAGBRAI on a Brooks B17 that I thought I had well broken in. I was mistaken about that. By the end of the second day I had developed a beauty of a saddle sore that nearly ended my trip. On the third morning I stopped at a Wallyworld and bought one of those thick gel pad covers that you put over your regular saddle. It didn't eliminate the pain but did make it bearable and I was able to finish. My riding buddy nicknamed it the "ass-saver",lol.

you are an inspiration

You rock! ❤❤❤🚲💪

Hi lovely lady you are quite amazing yes amazing l hope your travel continues and you continue following your curiosities

Hello, Lara!)) I always like it first and then watch the video)) Yes, the topic of security is not very simple, but I can give you a recommendation, which you probably thought about, about purchasing pepper spray or even a traumatic pistol. In most cases, just the sight of such things in the hands scares away! I only wish you a good road and pleasant adventures!))) Thanks!

Hello Laura It sometimes difficult to know what to say when you hear such incidents happening to young women. I have commented to you before when you had some man come onto you in a cafe. It happens again and this time your upset and anger is all too apparent. Quite rightly so. This terrible behaviour will never change completely. One just hopes it gets less and less but sadly it will always be there with the ignorance of some men. The other thing you describe pertaining to saddle soreness I wholeheartedly empathise with you. I have as a youngster many many years ago suffered a similar experience. I couldn’t believe the excruciating discomfort so I do understand to a certain extent what you have had to endure. However these amazing videos are top of my viewing list. Take care wherever you are now Fondest regards to you Anthony

omg i am so sorry for your experience in Turkey. Before watching your video I taught myself "I would never go to Turkey alone if i were a girl" and it's so sad you prove me right. I hope you're alright since then and that you have a wonderful journey

Привет 👋 Мне очень нравятся твои видео, я сама путешествую на велосипеде в одиночку, понимаю тебя как никто другой, верю, что когда-нибудь у женщин появится возможность путешествовать безопасно 🌍

That new saddle will do the job,i’ve ridden 1000’s kms using mostly Flite also the gel Flite which were ok combined with various padded bib shorts,but recently been using brooks b17 with regular clothing zero issues past couple years. Leave that saddle to wear in and don’t apply any tension until the bolt goes super slack it’ll be most comfortable 🙂👍🏻

Get well soon.. 🇵🇭

So very well done - across both these critical issues. You’ll be even stronger from here…

Thanks

finding a saddle is the hardest part about bike touring. i done my own now. best so far but not perfekt.

Sorry to hear this.

All I can do is send you my love and respect, don't let these things drag you down.

Hola Cheerio. Please be careful and keep your eyes wide open. I mean wiiiide open . Good luck and I love following you on RU-vid.

:( sorry for that awful situation cheerio.

I wish you had to remember only hospitality, sorry for the rough time you had in our country. Have nice trips.