Safe Return Doubtful

40 miles (64 km) – Total so far: 532 miles (856 km)

7:00 am train out of the city, so it was an early start, but Sunday morning so the streets were pretty quiet, although the train was busy. This was an IR train going to Budapest with few stops, and to take the bike cost more than my ticket, a bit like RyanAir.
Also, almost a metre above the platform does give your lifting skills a test.

I was off at Miercurea Ciuc on a fine cool Sunday morning.

Staying off the E road where possible I was in Siculeni in quick time, now 700 metres above sea level, and today’s climb about to start. It was very gradual at first, 10 kilometres into Balan in a quiet road. This area of Romania has a very large Hungarian population.

After Balan the sealed road finishes and it’s a type of broken cobble for a few kilometres along the river where there were a few people preparing to barbecue. This road / track actually has a number, the D…

Then the day became interesting. Clearly no one, other than on foot, has taken this track for a very long time. It was washed out in many places, and had plenty of trees down. Big loose stones may help a quad bike for traction, but not me, steep as 25% in places also. A lot of it was a push.

But.. emerging at the first of several passes today at just over 1400 metres it was all worth it. It became rideable and the views were incredible.