Persian Odyssey: Part II – Preliminaries

A couple of the stops on my itinerary started at the class picnic. My class completed their course of study in basic English communication and specialized helicopter-related vocabulary in their IIAA cadet training program and were granted leaves if absence before the start of their helicopter flight training. (I was to start as an in-flight language “troubleshooter” after my trip, but that's a story for another time.)

Iranians love picnics which they hold in green belts—oases of a kind in an otherwise desert environment. Such a green belt in Esfahan runs along the Zayandeh Rudh (River) that bisects the city. One of the city's architectural gems, the Si-o-se Pol (33 Arch Bridge) crosses the river connecting the northern and southern parts of the city.

    Si-o-se Pol over the Zayandeh Rudh

In the course of our graduation picnic I told the students about my intended trip and they invited me to visit their homes since they would be visiting their families during their leaves. Two of them lived in towns that were on my itinerary (Hamadan and Kermanshah) and I said I would be delighted to visit their Iranian homes and families.

The day of my departure finally arrived. I had rigged the Yamaha with two enormous bags designed for carrying things on camels. Yes, really! I had to carry everything I would need for survival in the desert—both my survival and the bike's. I intended to camp out when not staying at students' homes, so I needed a tent and cooking paraphernalia. I would pick up provisions at bazaars along the route. I had to carry tools and some spare parts for the bike in case of a breakdown in the middle of nowhere (except the one thing that I eventually needed and had to ride on on a wing and a prayer without).  

  

my silver Yamaha Enduro 250cc. rigged for the journey

The first leg of my journey took me northwest out of Esfahan toward Hamadan. Click on the title to see Google Map.

To be continued....