Day 11. Sun. August 16. Carta (Romania) to Balea Lake (Romania)

Distance: 39 km

Time: 3 hrs 24 min.

Speed: 11.4 km/hr

Climbed:  5401 ft

AHR (Average Heart Rate) 124 bts/min

Cum Distance:  1018 km

Cum Climbed: 19,585 ft.

Punctures: 0

Today was always to be a special day...taking on the Transfagarasan Highway. I had looked forward to this part of the adventure since I first researched this route. I had seen some u-tube videos and viewed the TOP GEAR (Series 4, 2009) and their Tour of Romania. But they went in the opposite direction to us; and they weren’t on bikes either! Jeremy Clarkson describes this road as the best in the world, better than his previous selection of the Stelvio in Italy.

This morning was our last al-fresco breakfast as this was our last camping night. Now it’s two weeks of hotels till we arrive in Istanbul two weeks today.

Some riders were apprehensive about this climb especially those who weren’t used to climbing and who had difficulty with climbs over the last few days. I felt confident as I had been using the big ring a lot more over the last year and legs had that extra strength (Didn’t ride up this one on the big ring!!!) 

Nice cool morning as usual as we set out at 7.20. We rode our usual formation for the first 15 km. Kept it at a handy pace, it generally 1% till we got beyond Cartisoara. The mountains were looming ahead but we rather concentrated on those who were camping wild by the river bank and were cooking up the breakfast. Not a lot of moving traffic this morning and no trucks but the road had no hard shoulder right to the top. Surface during the first 25 km was hairy and cracked often. 

Around the 15 km mark when the road began to rise we each approached it at our own pace. The road weaved around always gaining ground at that 7%o or so. But at least it was cool. We passed through wooded slopes up to the 25 km mark, woods of beech yielding to conifers as we gained altitude. 60% of Romania’s black bears live in these mountain forests but we spotted none. Nor wolves either. Advice jokingly offered by one rider - chased by a bear, cycle away as fast as possible. You don’t have to cycle faster than the bear; just cycle faster than your companion.

Avalanche /landslide shelters appeared periodically, even before Cascades Balea, and was at one of them as I was just about to pass Liz (UK).

At 25 km, after 10 km of a stiff climb I pulled into the busy car park of Cascades Balea at the bottom of the waterfall and also the lower station of the cable car. The rest of our group arrived in due course and had a bit of nourishment. This spot was busy with day trippers driving up and they looked a second time at these crazy cyclists but offered us encouragement. Didn’t see any other cyclists on the road today.

Resuming the climb we soon stretched out again. Passed beneath some mighty rock faces of schist as we turned corners. Being cool in among the trees I cycled without glasses. Less chance of the things fogging up and even out in the open I maintained this practice.

At the 30 km point (near the top of the waterfall) the trees began to thin out and the serpentine road appeared up ahead marked by the shining roofs of cars. The best view of the Scalextric road is had from above. It’s only when you’re up near the end and look back that the beauty appears.

I was generally moving at 11 km/ hr and didn’t stop from fatigue are just in need of a rest. Rather I stopped to take a considered photo. At breakfast time I had noticed that my camera was almost out of power. I definitely didn’t want to be powerless near the top so I took very few photos early on. When I did decide to use my little battery power I had to carefully select the occasion. Actually it was just as we were checking in at 2 pm that power failed. The day had been saved.

The winding road seen from the top is just the last 8 km of this 25 km climb. A lot of work to be done to get to the start of the serpent. I really enjoyed looking back at the bends beneath as I twisted and turned on the higher parts.

When I reached the summit car park at Balea Lac at 11.15 there were only 4 or 5 cars in a holdup to get parking space. Since I don't have one of those selfie-sticks I improvised using the rear window of a van. Later as others were coming in there was a full km of a queue of cars. For those it was uncomfortable cycling in a narrow space or up along the left hand lane. This last section took from their sense of arrival at the top. I had been so lucky.

Lunch was at the top and our hotel for tonight is Cabana Balea Lac right on the shore of this corrie lake. We deserved that. (First thing tomorrow morning we cycle through a 1 km tunnel through the rock behind that hotel.)  A most scenic spot. Now we were getting even more attention than earlier further down the mountain.

Near the hotel the large car park was crowded and cars parked in every available space. Food stalls offering typical Romanian dishes all along and souvenir stands. All I had was a cold drink from the fridge.

Rooms wouldn’t be ready for us till 2 pm so I wandered up to the viewing point, sat down in the sunshine looking down at that beautiful sight. I sat on the rocks there and savoured the sight below me. Brilliant. Really felt a high and the elevation of 6739 ft didn’t explain the euphoria. I must have spent almost half an hour there.

Wouldn’t it have been so disappointing if it had been raining or poor visibility for this experience. And there had been thunder, lightning and torrential rain up here on Friday according to 2 German cyclists I met in Carta yesterday.) we were so lucky...no wind, cool, perfect visibility etc.

This evening it’s just about 20 deg, so refreshing and a relief after all the heat. Actually thunder was heard to the west of us but nothing came of it. Unfortunately back to the heat when we descend.

Such a brilliant day of cycling; one of the most memorable of my experience. I had looked forward to it so much and it didn’t disappoint.

Just got the final result of the Tipp/Galway match. Disappointed.

Thank God for the health and thank God for the energy.