The plan today takes us from Huedin, Romania to Turda, Romania. A distance of around 60 miles. Obviously our destination was chosen primarily due to the comedic value of its name (tee hee).
Decent breakfast in our hotel, again waited on by the Romanian equivalent of Basil Faulty (don't mention the war...).
Hit the road shortly after 09:00 and we were pleased to see a lot less traffic, particularly HGV's.
Weather much cooler and overcast today. Almost had to button up as temps were down to a 'chilly' 24 degrees Celsius. During the day, the skies made a couple of rather pitiful attempts at unloading the contents of the clouds on us but in both cases gave up after a few minutes.
Followed the main E60-1 due east for 20 miles. Along the way we had the delights of two (yes two) killer 1:10 hills, the second followed by a fantastic long descent. In both cases, the lower temps. helped us reach the tops slightly less saturated than usual.
Just outside the town of Gilau (probably twinned with our local Council rubbish dump), we made a beeline for our newest preferred confectionery supplier; OMV.
Unusually, it seemed 10,000 people also had the same idea as the place was heaving.
We soon discovered there was a very well attended car auction going on in the field next door and we were witnessing a Romanian car buying frenzy.
This was good news for us, as OMV still had sufficient supplies for Miles & Tracey to gorge themselves on warm Pain au Chocolate CAKES.
After refuelling, we jumped back into the throng and made our way back to the E60-1.
Within a couple of miles, we turned due south at the nonentity village of Luna de Sus to pick up 'B' and 'C' roads to our destination.
Due to the high levels of traffic yesterday, we decided to give the less popular roads a go instead. This could backfire however as we've seen the lesser roads degenerate into cart tracks elsewhere. We shall see....
Initially the going was good and we revelled in our traffic free environment and enjoyed Count Dracula's back garden.
Unfortunately, the roads quickly started to disintegrate and after a few miles became little more than a rubble chute.
Along our route we had another of those nasty ascents, this one probably 1:8 and very broken indeed. More 3rd world than Euro zone. The broken surface conspired to get us walking as traction was a bit hard to come by even though we had the lungs for the effort.
We were keen to see a bit of 'real Romania', well we certainly got it today Just a few miles from the main drag had us transported to an almost medieval scene. Many horses and carts, rutted cart tracks and little villages cut off from each other.
We did smile however when we witnessed a chap chatting idly on his mobile phone whilst steering his horse and cart.
The 'road' occasionally improved for short sections but soon degenerated into rubble fields again. All this had us travelling at a super slow pace and bobbing up and down out of the saddle to try and avoid damage to both Disharmony II and our nether regions.
We quickly abandoned our plan to explore any 'C' roads on the basis that if 'B's were this bad, 'C's' would be impossible on a laden road bike.
After too long, we joined Route 75 (an improving 'B' road) at Buru. There followed a lovely ride along a deep gorge into the outskirts of Turda (apparently twinned with Baghdad).
The town improved as we cycled through the outskirts and we made our way to 'Centru'. Eagle eyed Miles spotted the Tourist Info. Bureau where we booked our bed for the night in a nice clean Pension.
An hour or so later had us chomping through our lovely dinner and talking Romanian recent history with the well informed and fluent in English owner. Just as well her English was good otherwise it would have been a very short conversation.
Today, total of 61 very rough though lovely traffic fee, cool miles and 575m of ascent. Total trip 2711 miles.
More Southerly ramblings to follow.
Back soon. Miles & Tracey.
