986KM weekend trip

Yep, this was a great weekend (except the damn rain). I was waiting for some time to have a longer ride, and just needed an excuse to leave for the weekend, you know how this works. So last Friday I decided to leave for the Gheorghieni bikers meeting, a smaller regional meeting – but of course, that was just because I needed a reason.

First, let’s see the map. Not a very good one, but this is what I could find.

So let’s see. Day one.

1. I woke up at 6 AM, but got a bit lazy… I left to the gas station around 8 AM – it was already crazy hot, especially in my leather jacked… Anyway, after filling up, I started the first part of the journey – 200km very boring, up to the town of Brasov. Boring because I did this road at least 1000 times, and it’s the most traveled path by people going in Holidays. Shit loads of cars! Which actually made me feel better I’m on 2 wheels!! ) .

2. In Brasov, I filled up again, only 10 l, but I usually forget to fill up, so sooner is better sometimes (you will see why later). Point 2 on the journey was Sfatu Gheorghe, a small town which you just cross in the middle. Didn’t take any pictures so far, because I knew the nice scenery will start after that.

3. Point 3 on the Journey was getting to Miercurea Ciuc – this place is famous because is very cool (like in the lowest temperatures) and they have -40 in the winter or even lower. Now, it was crazy hot! But things were starting to look nicer:

I’ve also met with some other bikers – these 2 were going very slow, I’m not sure why. Funny thing, as I stopped from time to time to take pictures, other bikers stopped to see if I’m ok Probably they were heading to the party as well, and for sure I was looking like coming a long way.

4. Well, my next destination was Gheorghieni, where the party was. Ah, forgot to tell you that this region is very famous for it’s mineral water (sparkling) – there are some fountains where you can come and fill your bottle – as fresh and natural as it can get:

5. I found out the location of the party and paid the entry ticked for 2 days and stayed a while. Then I found a very nice small hotel about 10 km from the party – excellent room for about $20, and took a half an hour nap. As I woke up, I fired up the engine and started my way to the Bicaz canion (which was one of the places I always wanted to go on the bike. Actually I first got to the Red Lake (guess what, is called like this because it looks red). The road there was fantastic – you have to pass over a mountain:

And here is the Red Lake:

And here is a sample of the roads:

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And finally got to the Bicaz canion:

Then, I got a double treat! I had to take back the road to get to the party, just before the sun went down. I could smell how the forest was getting cooler, smell the trees, the grass while it was light enough to go peaceful over the road bends and twists. Freedom, fresh air and a road over the mountain. This made me a biker to start with 5 years ago, this made me feel heavenly once more.

With this feelings I’ve got to the party again, here are the pictures. I crashed in bed around 11 PM, I was toasted. Total km: 457.

Day 2.

6. As I woke up next morning I noticed it was a rainy weather. It looked impossible the day before, but… I dressed up (disguised as cow, as I say when I’m full in leather), grab a quick coffee, and took the road to Sovata. To get there, you have to go over another mountain, again, a wonderful road. But this time, disaster stroke. I forgot to fill up. And it started to rain. And as my gas light went on (the reserve lasts for around 60 km when going on a flat road) I had a look at the road signs and saw the nearest village is around 40 km – a village called Praid (they have a salt mine there and it’s a very nice place for Holidays). And I still needed to go over the mountain. Did I tell you it started to rain? Because it did. Some pictures before the rain

Impressive forrest and wonderfull road (well, if it doesn’t rain and you have enough gas that it). Anyway, I finally got on top of the mountain and started to go down – I went at idle most of the time to save on the gas. Still raining. I started to make plans, whay would happen if I don’t have enough gas to make it. How would a biker standing in the rain make sign to the few cars asking for gas? And if some driver would get me to the nearest gas station, how would I get back?

Anyway, little by little I managed to get to Praid, where… no gas stations!! And the next bigger town as Sovata, 10 more km… OK, I started slowly, and went for about 9 KM. Then a small right turn came and I felt the engine wanted to stall (my gas hose is on the left side). I was just saying to myself: crap, it’s not the first time I forget to fill up, but this time is going to be shitty. Then, I noticed a sign (looked like a sign from God), a gas station flag on the sky, just in front of me. Huh. I made it.

Did I tell you it was raining? Because it was! And that why I didn’t stop in Sovata, although I have nice memories from there – it was where I had my first school camp when I was little.

7. Now, feeling secured with the gas part, I took the road to Sighisoara. Central Sighişoara has preserved in an exemplary way the features of a small medieval fortified city, it has been listed by the UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Each year, a Medieval Festival takes place in the old citadel in July. (WIkipedia)

By the way, In the town of Sighisoara, was not raining, but guess what, on the way there… it was raining.

8. I decided to fill it up again, although I only made 80 km till there. Because I decided to leave the big road and take a secondary road that goes through some very small and forgotten villages like Agnita. This road was supposed to get me to another road near Sibiu. Of course, I took the wrong road at some point, and went for 16km over the fields, off road. It was raining by the way, but I managed to take pictures each time the rain stopped.

By the way, there is something very interesting about the churches here (beside being very, very old, like the entire place). They are fortified:

Then I got to the 16 something km of off-road (should have went up and not turn left like I did at that cross road!) which really killed my back. My biggest wish was to see tarmac again. Wet, raining and slippery tarmac! Tarmac is good!

9. Well, I did it finally to the main road, and I went towards Sibiu – there is a restaurant at a cross road before Sibiu where they make excellent soup (in fact in Romania is called “ciorba” and it’s very different from a regular soup). Of course I stopped there and took a beans ciorba – while trying to get a little dry…

10. Ok, at this point I started to feel at home. Just 200 something km to home, thorugh the beautiful Olt valley (didn’t take any pictures past this point as I was just trying to get home. When over the “Black Hill” – there is a place there where you could eat excellent “mici” – which is the Romanian traditional dish when going on the road. I’ll get some next time.

Around 9 PM and 150 Km later I was finally home. 986 KM, but plenty of stories to tell!