The Russian writer Leo Tolstoy began cycling at the age of 67. Literary historians note that during that year, Tolstoy fell into a deep depression following the death of his seven-year-old son, and cycling allowed him to distance himself from the inner turmoil that was consuming him.
Tolstoy’s family, relatives, and conservative circles told him: “You are neither a youth, nor ignorant, nor uneducated; you and the bicycle do not belong together. You will fall somewhere, and there will be no one to pick you up.” However, their words did not concern the great writer. Regardless of wind, rain, or cold, whenever his heart desired, Tolstoy would get on his bicycle and ride long distances for his own pleasure. Today, in psychology, there is a metaphor called “Tolstoy’s Bicycle,” which means: “It is never too late for anything.“
Similar to Tolstoy’s story, Thomas Stevens is famous in literary history for a different adventure. In April 1884, Thomas Stevens decided to travel from one end of America to the other, and in 103 days, he traveled from San Francisco to Boston. After this initial journey, a cycling magazine became his sponsor, and Thomas Stevens headed from the West toward Eastern countries to circle the globe.
Thomas Stevens traveled from Liverpool to Istanbul by bicycle in two months. From Istanbul onwards, Eastern peoples watched Thomas Stevens and his bicycle—sometimes with fear and awe, sometimes with admiration—saying his horse was a strange horse: it neither eats nor drinks, yet it never tires or stops. After many extraordinary stories and sights, Thomas Stevens completed his journey across the West and East at the end of 1886, becoming the first person to circle the world by bicycle.
The 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries; across three centuries, despite so many changes, transformations, and advancements involving wheels, the bicycle remains an interesting subject in Eastern countries.
In the summer of 2025, Nusret Mend Tavas, along with a group of friends from URBIT, set out from Urfa toward Diyarbakır to draw attention to environmental protection and water conservation. From Siverek, they turned toward Adıyaman and then rode back to Urfa. Nusret Mend Tavas recorded what he saw and experienced in his phone’s notebook, and later published a book titled Pedaling Mesopotamia based on those notes.
Shopkeepers and children who saw the group of cyclists constantly said “hello” to greet them, and every “good day!” (roj baş!) from Nusret Mend Tavas left them in shock. That “hello” and that “good day” alone demonstrate that cycling is still considered a strange and Western activity, rather than just a hobby, pleasure, or sport.
In the book, Nusret Mend Tavas says that because he was 45 years old and leading the group, everyone looked at him with admiration. This is because, among our people, the bicycle is still seen only as a pursuit for the youth.
On April 25, 1895, Tolstoy wrote in his diary that he did not care what people thought of him on his bicycle. He stated that riding it was neither a shame nor a sin, and said that the joy he felt on a bicycle was like the joy of a child.
Nivîskarê Rûs Lev Tolstoy di 67 salîya xwe da dest bi ajotina bisqilêtê kiriye. Tarîxçîyên edebîyatê dibêjin Tolstoy wê salê ser mirina kurê wî yê 7 salî ketiye depresyoneka giran û bi bisqilêtê ji wê rewşa hindurê wî dişewitandiye hinekî dûr ketiye.
Mal û merîyên Tolstoy, derdorên mihafezekar ji wî ra gotine ‘’Tu ne gêncek î ne cahilek î tu ne nezanek î, tu û bisqilêt ji hevdu ra nabin, tuyê li derekê bikevî, kesekî te rake tune’’ lê ew gotinên wan ne xema nivîskarê mezin bûye. Ne gotiye ba û baran e ne gotiye sar û serma ye Tolstoy, demeka dirêj dilê wî çi wext xwestiye, rabûye li bisqilêta xwe siwar bûye û bi mesafeyên dûr daye dû zewqa xwe.
Îro di psîkolojîyê da metaforeka navê wê ‘’Bisqilêta Tolstoy’’ heye ku mehneya wê ‘’Jibo ti tiştî ti carî ne dereng e’’
Nola vê meseleya Tolstoy, di tarîxa edebîyatê da Thomas Stevens jî bi macerayeka din meşhûr e. Thomas Stevens Nîsana 1884an qirar daye ku ji serekî Amerîka here serê din û di 103 royan da ji San Fransisco çûye Bostonê.
Piştî vê gera gava pêşî kovareka bisqilêtan dibe sponsor û Thomas Steven jibo serekî dinê here serê din ji xerbî berê xwe dide welatên şerqî.
Thomas Stevens bi bisqilêtê di du mehan da ji Liverpoolê derbazî Stenbolê dibe.
Ji Stenbolê pê va miletên şerqî car caran bi tirs û xof, car caran heyranî li Thomas Stevns û bisqilêta wî dinêrin, dibêjin hespê wî hespekî ecêb e, ne dixwe ne vedixwe, lê naweste ranaweste.
Bi gelek mesele û menzereyên eceb Thomas Stevens gera xwe ya li xerb û şerqê dinê talîya sala 1886an ra diqedîne û dibe însanê pêşî ku dinya bi bisqilê tûr kiriye.
Sedsala 19an, sedsala 20an û sedsala 21ê; sê sedsal, tevî ewqas guherîn, veguherîn û pêşveçûnên bi tekeran jî bisqilêt hîn jî li welatên şerqî meseleyeka enteresan e.
Nusret Mend Tavas havîna 2025an bi komek hevalên xwe yên ji URBITê, bo balê bikişîne ser pakhiştina tebîetê û îsrafnekirina avê bi bisqilêtê ji Riha berê xwe daye ser rêya Diyarbekir, ji hêla Siwêrege dagerîyaye Adiyamanê û ji wir jî dîsa ajotiye Riha.
Di rê da çi dîye çi nedîye li deftera telefona xwe nivîsîye Nusret Mend Tavas û dûra bi wê defterê navê wê Pedalla Mezopotamya kitabek derxistiye.
Dikandar û zarokên çav li wê koma bi bisiqlêtan ketine ji wan ra tim gotine ‘’hello’’ bo silavdayînê û her ‘’roj baş!’’eka Nusret Mend Tavas ew xwedîyên silavan xistine şokê. Tenê ew ‘’hello’’ û ew ‘’roj baş’’ raber dikin ku ajotina bisqilêtê hîn jî ji kêf û zewq û sporekê zêdetir, karekî xerîb û xerbî tê hesibandin.
Nusret Mend Tavas di kitabê da bi xwe dibêje jiber ku ez 45 salî bûm û min diajot pêşîya herkesî, herkesî bi heyranî li min dinêrî. Çinku li ba miletê me hîn jî bisqilêt îşê xortan e tenê, îşê gêncan.
Tolstoy 25ê Nîsana 1895an di deftera xwe da dibêje însan ser bisqilêta wî çi bifikirin jî ne xema wî ye, dibêje ajotina wê ne eyb e û ne gune ye û dibêje kêfa wî bi bisqilêtê dibe kêfa zarokan.
