3 cycling enthusiasts women embarks on inspiring cycling tour across Southeastern Türkiye

A group of amateur athletes from the Adana Bicycle Team (ABIT) set out from Adana to Mardin's Midyat district by car, and then continued their journey by cycling to Şanlıurfa's Siverek district, passing through Mardin and Diyarbakır. The cyclists, Yasemin Öztürk (48 years old), Sevilay Kaygısız (57 years old), and Fatma Altınsoy (53 years old), stayed at the Youth Foundation guesthouse in Şanlıurfa. They plan to complete their tour in Şanlıurfa after passing through Hilvan, and then return to Adana. Fatma Altınsoy, who started the tour from Midyat district, stated: 'We cycled all the way to Siverek district. It has been a wonderful tour, and the people were very sincere and friendly. It's impossible to describe the people here and their hospitality. It has been a great tour for us; so far, we have covered about 400 kilometers. We have another 100 kilometers to go, and we will head to Şanlıurfa from here. I had such wonderful days and unforgettable moments. We have been on the road for 12 days, and we plan to stay in Şanlıurfa for 3 more days before returning to Adana. If we had more time, we would have continued all the way to Gaziantep. We are planning to do another tour like this next year. Everyone should come and see these places; it's not only about the Western regions, but also about the Southeast. They should come and experience the hospitality of the people here. We left each place we visited with a heavy heart, and I think we will continue to do so.' Altınsoy thanked all the cycling enthusiasts who helped them during their tour. Yasemin Öztürk, one of the participants in the cycling tour, shared that in the past, they had chosen Western cities for their vacations, and they had never thought about coming to the eastern part of the country. However, they wanted to come by cycling. She emphasized that this country belongs to all of us, and we should see both the eastern and western parts. As three women, they aimed to raise awareness that it is safe to travel by bike from one city to another in Southeastern Anatolia. Their goal was not just to visit cultural and historical sites, but also to interact with people, learn about their lifestyles, and experience their culture. They wanted to see weddings and even participated in them. They danced and had fun together with the locals, who were very warm-hearted and hospitable. They never had to sleep on the streets or go hungry during their journey as people always helped them in one way or another. Regarding their cycling experience, they didn't face any difficulties due to being women, but they did wish for drivers to be more considerate towards cyclists on the roads. Sevilay Kaygısız also mentioned that it was her first time visiting the Southeast Anatolia Region. She expressed that making judgments about a city or its people without seeing them in person is incorrect. She confidently stated that one should come to the East, see it, and experience it firsthand. She found the people to be extremely hospitable, and she wholeheartedly thanked them for their help and support during their journey.