Midday Express - Istanbul on the hoof

On way back to hotel I Ran into 2 x "Spetznatz Elite Park Police" operatives;

kind of like the SAS SBS and SEAL Team 6 combined
OOOOh SBS.... Like SAS, but Boats! ;):D

Oh and I'm on a top secret "Transfugarrassan Tat Hunt" for a UKGSer.

:P Aaaah Cheers Mate! :beerjug:

my fridge door it doth overfloweth :D
 
:P Aaaah Cheers Mate! :beerjug:

my fridge door it doth overfloweth :D[/QUOTE]


You haven't seen the shite I'm getting you yet :blagblah
 
Thanks Boatman, the trip back actually turned out to be more interesting than the way down, particularly as most of it was fresh to me.

There are Bears, bends, vampires, and people fleeing Ukranian ahead........ :thumby:
 
Day 17

Bucharest to Sighisouara

201 miles.

Well my favourite day so far

Quick stop at Politburo HQ Bucharest. Impressive building, not sure I’d want to have been a western sympathiser being grilled by farah clad ints there back in the day …..

Headed to Transfugarrassan, I hate top gear but google it…..

Pulled up for gas and recognised the flag on a Africa twin no plate …..

2 lads, 17 and 15 legging it from Ukraine to, wherever. Had a good chat with them

They left with their their families blessing and decided to get out of dodge sharpish.

V good guys. I paid their fuel and got ice creams all round.

They were doing some off road stuff 2 up on a old AT, big respect to them for getting something done.

Onwards and I had to laugh when after all this dryness, it totally pisses down just at southern lip of the pass, biblical. Hunker down in a cafe for a bit.

It’s still 17 deg so I crack on getting happily soaked.

I can see over the carpathians highest point that it’s blue skies so I know it will clear, and it does.

I emerge on the north side of the ridge to blue skies and 28 deg.

It’s lovely to be refreshed then ride soaked in a drying atmosphere.

The road is sensational.

I meet some wild life too, park and creep as close as I dare, I didn’t feed them honest.

Last 40 miles is on back road…… occasionally passing through villages which appear really quite run down. Reminds me of Morocco with kids running out to say hi and blag sweets.

I thought I’d take a chance with this random road, having decided that Sigishouara looks a quaint place to stay. ….but it’s just been resurfaced and I swear it’s like the best race track ever, Jammy bastard.

Into town and my host says, oh put your bike in our brand new locking garage, back of the net.

I’m buying a lotto ticket tonight.

It’s so good I’ve booked another night, I’ll do the pass again tomorrow as it’s so good.

Anyway, pics have it

Stay safe y”all
 
The famous parliament building Bucharest.

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It’s quite early and hot already, I look up and see cumulus forming to the west.

Trying to recall some basic meteorology, I decide that that is boring , and if I carry on I’ll end up wearing a jacket with leather elbow patches, so I’ll just crack on

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Each small village I’m met by kids.

I end up stopping at a Lidl, I give the middle idle a miss as I already have about 200 screwdriver sets, and buy some el cheap haribos in the biggest bags I can find.
 
Just prior to Curtea de Arges I pull over to get some gas and have a drink.

Spot an odd no plate ….

These 2 lads have a story to tell ……

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I’m full of admiration for them and their spirit.

I get us fuel and ice creams, very interesting to hear their tale.

Basically their parents said, “this is going to be shit, leg it and have an adventure”

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I kept in touch with these lads and helped them a bit with kit etc.

Last contact they were in Germany, hopefully RV again in UK.
 
Having bade farewell to the great escapees it’s time for the Big T

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Route planning …….

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I’ll follow the road, plan complete.
 
So on the approach it lashes it down.

The southern half is soaked but I can see blue ahead.

Rounding a corner I’m greeted by some locals …

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Clearly their natural diet seem to be cheesy wotsits, or their Romanian equivalent.

I park up and do a dynamic “photo opportunity v getting eaten” risk assessment.

The photo op wins, just.

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Approx 2 inches away is my bike, ready to leg it.

I think I look suitably scared.
 
Always a local expert on hand in these areas to offer advice and encouragement….

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I apologise on behalf of the driver who delivered the wotsits and crack on.

Wet bends but the PR5 seem great.

I’ll run out of talent long before they run out of grip for sure.

Hack along to another photo op, it may not show but I’m absolutely soaked.

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At the top of the pass there is a small tunnel you “summit” through.



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The only straight line on the sat nav for some time



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As I approached the tunnel it looked ok weather ahead, I’m hoping to burst out into lovely weather and a tat shop…..
 
Sure enough it’s lovely as I burst out, onto what is probably the most famous bit, the northern side.

Its dry, sunny and quiet, it is sensational.

Just to add to the experience, there is a parade of Tat shops I pull into.

Tat shop complete, it’s onto Sigishouara, still some good roads ahead for sure.

I always like these nest things …..



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On arrival my hosts are amazing.

So good that I do a quick time estimate , and book another night on the spot.

I fancy another go at the Trans.

Lovely walk into town and settle down with a drink on the veranda and Netflix.


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Those hills in the background look inviting eh, that would be daft though; going all the way back, turning and repeating that 80 miles again, that's a fair way just for the sake of it …................

Having said that, the road to here is great, and the Trans is the Trans.......... I’m not in a rush…….
 
I'm enjoying your trip report!
I'm binge reading this as the weather is stormy here.

I was also in Sibiu, Transalpina pass and the ferry across the Danube linking Bulgaria to Romania last year too in early June.

Transfagarasen was still closed when I was there.

Transalpina was great on the northern half and a potholed track to get there from the south (did you buy a fridge magnet at the dam?).

Sibiu, and Sebes too, was lovely.

I didn't get to Greece or Turkey as I only carried V5C copies and getting into Bulgaria was a nightmare itself - nowhere else cared (correction, Montenegro only let me in 100m. so I could turn around and go back to Croatia!)
 
I'm enjoying your trip report!
I'm binge reading this as the weather is stormy here.

I was also in Sibiu, Transalpina pass and the ferry across the Danube linking Bulgaria to Romania last year too in early June.

Transfagarasen was still closed when I was there.

Transalpina was great on the northern half and a potholed track to get there from the south (did you buy a fridge magnet at the dam?).

Sibiu, and Sebes too, was lovely.

I didn't get to Greece or Turkey as I only carried V5C copies and getting into Bulgaria was a nightmare itself - nowhere else cared (correction, Montenegro only let me in 100m. so I could turn around and go back to Croatia!)

Thanks.

I guess I was there about 2 weeks after you, I hit the Trans on 1 July, a little packed snow at the top but about 13 deg I recall.

Yes I totally agree, the Transalpina does have a varying surface, often with little or no notice :)

Fridge magnets now proudly attached at home.

Hope you enjoyed the trip, despite your temporary stateless condition :thumby:
 
Thanks.

I guess I was there about 2 weeks after you, I hit the Trans on 1 July, a little packed snow at the top but about 13 deg I recall.

Yes I totally agree, the Transalpina does have a varying surface, often with little or no notice :)

Fridge magnets now proudly attached at home.

Hope you enjoyed the trip, despite your temporary stateless condition :thumby:

Yes, I had a great time.
Nothing was pre-booked as is usual with me.
I was warned about stray dogs in Bulgaria and Romania but never had any issues with them but, however, I did run over a ginger cat in a Bulgarian town somewhere.

My ride report is here (you will recognise some places): https://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php/583648-Khulu-s-Road-trip-to-Assen-Motogp-via-Romania
 
She's a good ship for sure.

Ill be selling it soon I recon..............
 


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