2017-PROJECT CARPATHIAN BALKAN-Day 04

“ROMANIA”

Due to the little odyssey the day before (closed border, big detour, corrupt police) I was a bit behind my schedule. But day four has been an easy on, less gravel, surprisingly good asphalt and many good views were offered.
The last time before this trip I was in the year 2013 in Romania. Now, 4 years later I have to say the streets overall got better. It also looked for me like the people have more money. Not comparable with the wealthy west but the progress was clearly noticeable. Keep it up!
Now, enough of this blabla! Let’s start into this beauty of a riding day:

This day Чернотa and I rode from the village Marginea in northern Romania along the Carpathian Bow to the village Tohanu Nou, which lies near to the entrance to the high Carpathian mountains. It’s not far from the city Brasov. The blue and the red line on the map above is the intended route. The green and blue line the final ridden one. Total distance this day was 500km or 310mi. ​

After having a “one or two” beers yesterday with my name twin Tom I was a bit “confused” in the morning at the moment when I woke up. I wasn’t really sure where I’m currently located. Do you know that feeling? After a few seconds I remembered. I slept this night in a 100-year old classy Romanian house. Here is …

a photo of it. The day before it was already to dark for making a adequate one. The plan from us both (Tom+Tom) was to have breakfast and ride a few km together. After a strong coffee, some fruits, bread and ham we packed our stuff and …

off we went. We rode side by side …

for about the first two hours of the day and enjoyed the panorama. Romania’s hills covered with trees. There are many little farms …

all over the hills. Short after that pic Tom and I said goodbye. He was going to have a look at a castle or similar and I was pushing on southwards into the hills. We wished us farewells and separated.

The first gravel this day. Riding with constant speed I suddenly came to this poor …

horse. It´s head was bound to a front leg with a short rope/chain. That´s preventing the from running fast or moving far. Due this measure the whole movement of the animal is hampered. Using this method in Austria would be animal abuse. 🙁

Short after this fresh mowed field …

This three kids have been waiting at the edge of the street and tried to sell some lady shoes and sandals??? Sadly they haven’t one of THESE. So I went off after letting them rev up a few times Чернотa.

Short before midday we passed this strange “building” which wasn’t at the schedule. It seemed here was an old factory or equal before the knock down happened. This beauty of a concrete chimney was left over. The cows haven´t shown any interest. They did what they ever do: eating and pooping … . ^^

Here’s a photo of another left over at this areal. I walked a bit around and found a well fitting … ​

accessory for Чернотa. With this gas mask we could do Чорнобиль next! ^_^ ​

Following some valleys we made at midday a short stop at this …

interesting chassis of an old wood working vehicle. As the ongoing journey will show, they are very common in Romania, Bulgaria and also in the ex Yugoslavian regions. ​

I like rusty things. Memo to me: I should more often take some photos of rusty things. The suspension bridge hanging on these stakes is also a nice one! ​

That is my favorite picture of the day. It shows well that Romania is like the Ukraine: a country in which a big amount of the rural citizens were self supporters. Plenty of fields, a few hay barns and fine fences between. That’s a great scenery!

In the early afternoon we followed a lake …

to its …

end where a big …

dam wall was located. After that in the city of …

Bacau, which lies in the east of the Carpathian mountains was this cable car mounted. I made the decision, due to … ​

the boring flattening land there in the east (which I already know from a former trip), to take another route.

Чернотa and I rode back westwards right through the soft …

Carpathian hills and reached finally the plains …

in Romania’s center.

Here at that single hill in the plain some para gliders have been doing their hobby. Cool!

Following the edge of the mountain chain …

southwards we …

reached the region around the city Brasov. There we rode into direction of the central Carpathians.

We arrived at the first slopes into the mountains and there was this traffic jam. I surely rode about 2-3 kilometers aside the jamming cars. This day was a holiday in Romania, and it seemed that many people of Brasov and other cities have been in the mountains for enjoying their spare time. In the late afternoon we found near the village Tohanu Nou a place for shelter at a big hill near a radio antenna.

The tent was placed fast. So I had some time to …

enjoy the grandiose view to the west. While the …

stakes have been sizzling in the pan …

the dusk was coming. Beautiful. The sun was already gone …

when I had my first fine big piece of beef during this journey. With a big can of beer on its side the meal was perfect. Three cheers to that fine day of riding! After that …

great dinner and doing the dishes, I crawled into the sleeping bag and read on in the SCIFI e-book which I brought with me.

Total distance this day: 500km or 310mi.