Romanian high passes

AndyB_11

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I suspect I know the answer but I may as well repeat all the previous questions and ask...

What are the chances of any of the high level routes in Romania being open in early June?

I've got the urge to do a 4k mile wander around Eastern Europe starting in about 12 days time and lasting up to a fortnight and part of the attraction is the Carpathian Mountains but if it's going to be a disappointment because of passes being shut I'll knock it on the head and aim for somewhere else. My vague plan is to cross Germany then head SSE through Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary as a route to Romania. Ideally I'll camp whenever possible but use hotels if it's pissed it down all day and my bike kit is starting to get soggy.

The return will depend on how much I enjoyed the ride down so I'm not really considering anything apart from hedging my bets and getting a green card in case I need one.

If the high passes are going to be closed then my second choice is a mad run up through the Baltic states before catching a ferry to Finland and heading north but that'll be stupidly expensive and probably rain every day.

If there's a website with updates and webcams for Romania that'd be the best way to keep checking but my google skills are lacking today so I've not found one yet :nenau
 
I suspect I know the answer but I may as well repeat all the previous questions and ask...

What are the chances of any of the high level routes in Romania being open in early June?

I've got the urge to do a 4k mile wander around Eastern Europe starting in about 12 days time and lasting up to a fortnight and part of the attraction is the Carpathian Mountains but if it's going to be a disappointment because of passes being shut I'll knock it on the head and aim for somewhere else. My vague plan is to cross Germany then head SSE through Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary as a route to Romania. Ideally I'll camp whenever possible but use hotels if it's pissed it down all day and my bike kit is starting to get soggy.

The return will depend on how much I enjoyed the ride down so I'm not really considering anything apart from hedging my bets and getting a green card in case I need one.

If the high passes are going to be closed then my second choice is a mad run up through the Baltic states before catching a ferry to Finland and heading north but that'll be stupidly expensive and probably rain every day.

If there's a website with updates and webcams for Romania that'd be the best way to keep checking but my google skills are lacking today so I've not found one yet :nenau

Try this:

http://www.webcams.travel/webcam/1229779773-Weather-Zakopane-view-to-the-Tatra-Mountain-Zakopane
 
That's a good starting point for the Polish part of the trip, we stopped in Wisla for 3 days in 2014 but that was in August and the ski slopes were clear by then.

I think I'd better pack my heated jacket.
 
This was the top of the Transfagarasan in late May/early June 2014 Andy. From this ride report.

IMG_7823.jpg


P1010439.jpg


P1010440.jpg
 
Cracking report Aiden. I've always been an optimist and it wouldn't be the first time I've ignored road signs and common sense only to find a pass blocked with snow when the end was in view.

Even allowing for inflation the prices you paid for hotels makes me wonder if the extra clutter involved in taking camping kit is really worth it? I know Poland, CZ Rep. etc are cheap enough if you avoid major cities and the fact that I wouldn't wake up to rain and having to pack soaking wet things away is near enough priceless.

Thanks.
 
Transalpina

From http://www.gds.ro/Local/2016-05-16/inca-doua-saptamani-de-restrictii-pe-transalpina/, (posted yesterday), via Google Translate:

National Company of Motorways and National Roads in Romania (CNADNR) has decided to extend restrictions on Transalpina road for another two weeks. DN 67C was originally closed up yesterday, but due to adverse weather conditions, it was decided to extend the restrictions through May 31, according to the site CNADNR. Road workers have tried several times to enter the highway, but it is covered with snow and pieces of rock. Moreover Saturday between Novaci and Rânca frozen rain was recorded. Freeze-thaw phenomenon makes the slopes continue to roll rocks. Also, the ridge area is still snow.

It seems pretty certain that it will be closed until 31 May. However this doesn't necessarily mean that it will be open on 1 June!

Transfagarașan

I'm told that the gates of the tunnel at the top (linking the Sibiu side with the Argeș side) will open on 1st July. However last year, although these gates were officially closed, the tunnel was certainly passable by bikes on 9 June - see this thread.

Even if you can't do Transalpina and Transfagarașan, there are still plenty of great roads. Let me know if you still intend heading out this way.
 
Dave, thanks for the local update. That's worth more than any amount of time I can spend searching the Internet.

I've got to admit that I've cheated a bit when it comes to finding route suggestions in Romania and will be using some of these as inspiration

http://www.dangerousroads.org/eastern-europe/romania.html

I don't know why they use the word dangerous in the description but some of them will be worth a look. I'm also a bit of a sad bastard in that I used to do a lot of climbing and I can waste hours sitting looking at mountains trying to work out worthwhile routes on them even though I don't go any longer so the Carpathians will be a source of much amusement for me.
 
Glad you enjoyed the report Andy.

Personally I wouldn't bother with the camping gear at all.
 
Personally I wouldn't bother with the camping gear at all.

Nor me; accommodation is so cheap out here. Couple that with the scarcity of campsites, and staying in local hotels/guest houses is the only sensible option.

Oh, and don't forget about the bears....
 
I've told some friends that if I'm in the area at the right time I'll join them at a rally in Slovenia for a weekend but given that I probably won't touch my camping gear at any other point and it'd sit in a hold all on the pillion seat for the rest of the trip I might not bother.

I'll take a jetboil and some 3-1 sachets of coffee for a morning brew if there's nothing in the hotel room but that takes up next to no space in a pannier.

The bike had a good clean and check over yesterday so now it's just a case of picking a departure date and going :D
 
Ferry booked from Harwich next Wednesday night so all being well I should be in Poland Thursday late afternoon and then sitting with a beer in the evening trying to decide where exactly to aim for the next day :D

The only request I've got from my wife is to phone and let her know where I am every evening and try to be home in time to depart for Assen on the 23rd.
 
Where in Poland are you going Andy?

The honest answer is that I don't know :nenau

I'm going to blast across to Berlin on motorways, stop at a service station and find somewhere just over the border using booking.com and take it from there. I'll be looking for somewhere in a smallish town and preferably a few bars and restaurants to choose from rather than sitting in the hotel all through the evening.

If I was traveling with my wife it'd all be planned out until at least the middle of the next week but going on my own means I can leave the decision until I've had breakfast and had a look at the weather forecast each day.
 
Ferry booked from Harwich next Wednesday night so all being well I should be in Poland Thursday late afternoon and then sitting with a beer in the evening trying to decide where exactly to aim for the next day :D

The only request I've got from my wife is to phone and let her know where I am every evening and try to be home in time to depart for Assen on the 23rd.

If you're heading into Romania drop me a line.

Drum bun as they say here.
 
I certainly will do. Any special requests for non-perishable foods you want delivering if I'm in your general direction?
 
That's good because mature cheddar might not be the best thing to carry around in a motorbike pannier for a week or so :blast
 


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