Day 67

23/10/2011 – Day 67

Tutcoaia to Isaccea – 62km

Breakfast was a surprise, almost a full fried English style. This is the first one on the trip, heaven!

Leaving the mill we took the easy route that the trucks follow not the steep hill we came down last night. Today’s plan was open, there were supposed to be at least 3 places to stop before Tulcea, the official end of the route. If we went all the way it would be 99km.

The weather forecast once again was for sun and clear skies, what we actually had was total cloud threatening rain all day, and cold northerly winds full in the face. This made the hills doubly difficult as the wind slows you down too.

For the whole time we have been in Romania we have missed the traditional restaurant you find at the side of the road in Germany or Austria, today we found one just after we turned on to the main road towards Mǎcin unfortunately we had less than 1lev in the bank! The only way we were going to get a coffee was by going to the bank.

As we cycled towards Mǎcin I could see a high ridge to our right, the road to Tulcea is the other side of that ridge so at some point we have to cross it. When we arrive at Mǎcin and turn right towards this ridge it has dropped a lot and the climb is not as bad as we expected. But it turns out there are actually two ridges to climb!

On the other side we turn right again finally heading directly towards Tulcea. Stopping at the first town to buy food and have a beer in the dirtiest bar we have found so far we check the map for the accommodation. The first guesthouse should be in the next town. The end of the whole route is now only one days ride from here so we can stop at any time. As time is getting on and there are more hills ahead we decide to stop at the first place we find.

Arriving in Luncaviţa we ask where the guesthouse is and are told it is in the hills above the town and is probably closed. OK, one down two to go. Heading east to the end we now have a series of hills, all steep but not bad. At the top of one of them there is a gypsy boy with his hand out as usual waiting for the high 5, but I am going so slowly he actually has time to grip my hand and shake it!

99% of the gypsies we have met have been happy to shout hello and try for the high 5, the same with the people we have stopped to ask for directions. The image that is portrayed of them is totally different to what we have seen. But we are seeing them at their best, I think, not the everyday reality of life here.

Just as we approach the town of Isaccea and another steep hill we check the map and there is a side road going round the hill. Once again we wonder why the route is sticking to roads and not using tracks as it has in other countries. Taking the track it leads us round the foot of the hill next to the river and it brings us into the town through the gypsy section.

As we re-join the main road we see what looks like a guesthouse and stop, it looks totally closed. But wait, there are two bikes parked next to it and we have seen them before. The two Germans are here before us again! Going to the garage next door they guy tells us the place is open, we should just walk in. But the gates are both padlocked closed.

The garage guy calls the owner’s mobile phone and tells us he will be here in 20 minutes or so. As it turns out the owner’s son should be here, but he was working late last night and had locked the gates so he could sleep.

The guesthouse is very much a work in progress, but what they have done is good. It is very modern and the finish is the best we have seen here so far (but the bathroom floods as usual). When it is finished it will be a nice place to stay, having said that, the evening meal was up to the standard expected in Romania.

Day 66

22/10/2011 – Day 66

Hârşova to Tutcoaia – 70km

I slept very little during the night mainly because I was cold. The trucks passing the hotel never stopped. During the early hours of the morning I studied Google maps to see if there was an alternative to riding back down the busy road to the official route.

The whole section through Romania seems to have been planned with little research or thought. Looking at the maps I can see that there is a track on the top of the dyke running most of the route for today. Just 400m from the hotel it a farm track that we can follow and that will cut a huge distance from the official route and keep us off the roads totally.

After breakfast we set off down this track and are making good time all in the right direction. At one point we lose the track and have to turn back but quickly find the dyke path which is as good (or bad) as some of the track we used in Hungary.

For the next 23km we use these tracks without any problems, there has been very little rain here for most of the summer so the tracks are rock hard just a little bumpy in places. This also cuts at least 6km off the route we were supposed to take.

There were only two points where we ran into trouble, one where the dyke has been washed out by a river and the second where the track stops for reasons unknown. At the first point there is a gaping hole in the track. My first instinct is that the gypsies would have found a way round it but no, there were no tracks indicating a way past. The only solution is to unload the bikes and manhandle them across the gap. This is not a problem but takes about 20 minutes to get back on the road.

The second area is where the track just stops through lack of use, the dyke is there but no one uses it for some reason. This time though the gypsies do come to the rescue with a track leading off to the beach where it runs parallel to the river until we come back to the dyke. This does not slow us down at all once you find the track.

After about 35km the dyke and the road meet, at this point we join the road as the there is no alternative. It also gives us the chance to stop for a coffee. It has taken us two and a half hours to get here which by Romanian standards is quite slow, but it is the same speed we were achieving in Slovenia, Hungary and Serbia.

We are on the road for the next 21km until we get the opportunity to return to the dyke, again it is not as smooth as the road but there is no traffic (apart from two cars and a horse and cart).

Using the guide and Google we have a few options for where to stay tonight, the first is Tutcoaia where there is supposed to be a guest house but when we first enter the village and ask no one knows where it is. Stopping for a coffee we ask again and the guy tells us to go to the mill and turn left. This does not make sense but as we cycle through the village we look down every left turn. Stopping again to ask we are directed down a side street and told to turn right.

When we get to the bottom of the hill and turn we find ourselves in a factory complex. Asking the workers they point to the door and tell us to ask there. It turns out this is a flour mill that makes bread and has rooms to let as well.

The room is well furnished and large; we are spoilt after last night and able to have a shower at last. Something we have come to expect here is the bathroom floor flooding, either from the drain overflowing or the shower leaking. For some reason they find it impossible to set a drain at the lowest point of the floor, as a result the water sits on the floor in a puddle. Tonight’s problem is that the bathroom floor is higher than the room’s floor and the water drains towards the step. After seeing the leak it is a case of forming a dam with the towels and trying to sweep the water uphill to the drain.

The dinner is served in the mill canteen but in a separate dining room to the workers. The food is plain but good and filling, finishing off with cakes made at the mill.

Day 65

21/10/2011 – Day 65

Cernavodǎ to Hârşova – 72km

The day started shrouded in mist, you could hardly see across the road. The official route take us back through the town centre and up a steep hill on the main road, but looking at the map there is an alternative route taking us round the outside of the town along the river bank. Admittedly it is not the prettiest part of town but it is staying faithful to following the river, plus it misses that hill!

When we left the Germans bikes had gone so they must be ahead of us on the road. The mist was still thick and although it was not that cold at the moment we were getting wet as we cycled.  By the time we came out of the mist we were soaked.

This time the short cut worked and we came out on the main road exactly where we thought we would. We were planning to get to Hârşova again so any energy saved was a bonus.

Our first stop was Dunǎrea where we stop for the usual coffee. After that it was a long ride with sandy hills to our right and the river to our left. The land has signs of past farming but there is very little work happening now, everything looks deserted.

The river flows through a valley with hills on both sides; the road climbs and descends these hills in an attempt to stay away from the flood zones. This results in a series of climbs that are difficult going up to killer.

These hills take their toll on us and we are ready to stop, according to the guide once again and Google maps, there is a motel/restaurant just past the village of Tichilesti on the junction with the main road from Constanţa to Bucharest. We decide to go for it and at least have lunch there. When we arrive the sign declares it to be a ‘non-stop’ rest area. Well, it stopped quite some time ago, the place looked deserted and derelict. So with a heavy heart and tired legs we head back to Tichilesti.

Coming into the village from the other direction we spot a bar we had missed earlier. These places do not look much and the shop next door has very limited selection but they are run by the same types of people who are willing to help you every time. The guy running the place is only too happy to sell us food in the shop and then let us eat it in his bar. He even complained when we tried to clean up after, telling us to leave it and have a good trip!

We leave and head off towards Hârşova but at a steady pace to conserve energy and make sure we get there before dark. The last section is on the main road we had just been to and we had seen the level of traffic we were going to meet.

When we finally came to the point of no return the traffic was very heavy, the worst we have seen so far on the trip. The road had a very narrow strip outside the white line and a bit of gravelled verge, but not enough to keep you away from the trucks as they pass making no effort to give you and space at all. It is only 5km but it is the hairiest part of the whole trip so far.

Arriving in the town we stop at the first restaurant for a late lunch. It is the first traditional restaurant we have seen for days. While we are eating 5 or 6 guys in their 20’s come in and settle down for an evening of domino’s. Just what you expect young guys to do on a Friday night.

We had looked at the accommodation in Hârşova last night and there were supposed to be two guest houses here, we found the address of the first in the town centre and there was nothing there. Asking a postwoman for directions she sent us to the edge of the town where we found the second one we were looking for plus another one we didn’t know about, they were both full! Who on earth wants to stay here at the weekend?

The only option we are given is to ride a further ‘3km’ to another motel just outside town. This actually turns out to be 5km down the main road with the heavy traffic again.

When we find the hotel it is an old service station that has had the pumps removed. We had arrived just as the sun set and this was our last chance for a bed tonight. The place usually caters to truck drivers so it was very basic with shared showers and toilets, but it was also cheap and they had a room for us. In this situation we had no choice, but at least it was warm and dry.

Day 64

20/10/2011 – Day 64

Ion Corvin to Cernavodǎ– 42km

Today we part company with our faithful old friend ‘Eurovel Route 6’. He has been with us since the start in Donaueschingen (2860km to be exact). At this point he makes a dash for the Black Sea at Constanţa, a mere 85km from here, completing his journey from the Atlantic coast in France.

We on the other hand turn north and have another 300km to go as we follow the river to the delta.

During the night we had the first frost of the season. When we woke everything was white and crisp with ice. The only consolation was that the sky was clear and blue.

Breakfast was the standard Romanian fare but in large quantities and the coffee was good. Bidding farewell to our host we set off through the village and turned left when the main road went on its way to Constanţa. As soon as we turned north the road went uphill for the next 4km, a good way to warm up!

The scenery was much the same as yesterday, if you like barren desolate places (which I do) it is stunning at times. You can imagine the scene from a disaster movie where the ‘bomb’ has just gone off and the land is laid waste with just a few gypsies wandering around. There were more tented settlements today and they all looked as if they had been there a long time.

While we were having breakfast the two Germans left, we caught up with them in Rasova, a village right on the banks of the river. As we rode in to the village I could imagine it in the summer full of tourists, and right in the centre were two bars that would not look out of place at any beach resort. We saw the Germans bikes parked outside on of the bars and assumed they were inside, but in fact they were in the other bar sitting in the sun.

By now, (11am) it was hot in the sun, but when you went into the shade where there was a wind you could tell it was autumn. We both still had our waterproofs on for warmth but sitting in the sun was good.

After drinking our coffee we set of again onto a series of steep up and downs. On two of the hills we had to admit defeat and walk they were that steep. Our plan had been to get to Hârşova, about 95km, but these hills were killing out average time. On the flats we were flying as the wind was from behind us but the steep hills did the damage.

We arrived at Cernavodǎ just after 1pm and stopped for lunch, with at least a minimum of 4 hours still to go and no escape route, we decided to stay here for the night. As we walked up the hill to the hotel, who did we see waving at us from the balcony, the two Germans.

We must have passed the magic date when the heating is turned on as this hotel is hot to the point of stifling, we had to open the windows to let some air in.

As we had eaten quite late and this hotel had no restaurant we did some shopping and had the usual picnic dinner in the room. It is a bit messy but better than going out and trying to find somewhere to eat in a town that seems to have no centre.

Day 63

19/10/2011 – Day 63

Silistra to Ion Corvin – 63km

Breakfast was a surprise, coffee and a cheese and ham toasty, not much more to say really, Bulgarian cuisine at its best!

There was no noise during the night and I slept like a log. The two wild dogs sleeping in the yard where the bikes were kept must be well known locally. As we packed the bikes in the morning two of the hotel staff were there to keep them quiet but they only just managed to do that.

Going back through the border was as easy as coming in, a border guy from each country, a quick look at the passports and that was it, we even got a ‘have a good trip’ from one of them. As we left the crossing point there appeared to be a blockade at the entrance, it looked like a picket line across the crossing and the road, fortunately we were going the other way.

The day started with a long climb but the view at the top was worth it, the river spread out in front of us. This is wine country and the roads are lined with vines still bearing grapes. The harvest is in full swing at the moment and the tractors passing us are full of fat blue grapes. The only difference between here and France is that the vineyards are protected by high, barb wired fences.

Something we did notice today was that the roads are much better, we maintained and smooth, I wonder if that has anything to do with the wine companies.

Accommodation is now getting scares and we are only going to Ion Corvin today as the next place to stop is another 40km further on, this does not seem that far after some of the distances we have done but there are some serious hills now and our average speed is suffering as a result.

We didn’t stop at the first village this morning as we had only done about 7km, deciding to go on to the next instead, that turned out to be another 30km away. At one point we saw the sign for a Byzantine ruin and went to have a look, the road, if you can call it that was 3km of potholes and puddles. And when we finally reach the end you had to take a boat to the island where the ruins were!

Not wanting to return down the same swampy road we took a slightly different route that brought us out in the back of a convent. Money must be good here as there was a huge building site at the back and the place appeared to be newly restored. Coming out onto the main road we encountered another steep hill. We were in first gear all the way up and struggling at times. The good news is that when you reach the top it is all downhill; the bad news is that you then have to go up again!

Finally we reached Baneasa where we found one of those shops with benches outside. As we sat there and ate the people going in and out all said hello and goodbye. By this time we had done 48km without stopping but only had about 15km to go to Ion Corvin.

After lunch we had another of those long climbs and it was not easy. Once at the top it was a steep downhill then undulating road to the end of the day. The scenery has changed too; we are now in steep valleys with terraced side where the land has been farmed at one time. Another thing we have seen is people living in tents, at first I thought it was a shepherd’s temporary camp but as you pass you can see it has been here a long time and there are whole families living there.

Arriving at Ion Corvin we found the guest house just before the official sign for the village. It appeared deserted at first but as well looked inside the owner arrived. He could not do enough for us, offering beer, food or coffee, whatever we wanted. We settled for a beer as he fussed around telling us where we will put the bikes and asking what time we wanted dinner.

The room was great; it is the best place we have stayed in for a long time. The heating was on and it was really warm. There were four rooms in the house and they were all roughly the same. Sitting outside were two German women who were also cycling to the Black Sea, they had arrived earlier having started from Belgrade. We must have been very close to them for the last few days but never seen them.

Dinner was the usual pork and chips, but everything he served was from his own garden. He had a large area of land where he grow almost everything he needed. While we ate he talked about his plans and the past. He was interesting to talk to. For the first time since the weather changed we were actually too hot and had to turn the radiator off and open the window.

Day 62

18/10/2011 – Day 62

Olteniţa to Silistra – 84km

Once again, during the night the wind howled and the rain drummed against the window. But by the morning everything was quiet, the wind was still blowing but not as bad as it had been. More importantly the direction had changed from the North East to the North West.

As we ate breakfast the news was full of the storm from yesterday, showing the waves breaking over the shore line at Constanţa, which were big when you consider the Black Sea is not tidal.

However, as we are so close now to the end, we have to carry on despite the weather. The forecast for today was not brilliant but good enough to go with. The wind would be over our shoulder for most of the day, which was good, and we had some options if it got too bad.

Setting off we actually cheated for the second time on the route, by taking a short cut to the main road instead of riding all the way back into town to come out again. The down side was that the road was flooded in many places and this hid the pot holes, fortunately we were not travelling very fast and those we found we could cope with.

Once we hit the main road we were surprised at the lack of debris in the road. But looking closer there was a lot of broken branches at the side of the road; someone must have been out early cleaning the mess. Hang on, cleaning up in Romania, surely not! But the facts speak for themselves, the roads were clear. I wonder if people actually stop and get out of their cars to move branches and stuff, or is it the gypsies with their horse and wagon that do it.

With the wind behind us we were soon flying again, which is a big contrast to Sunday where I was struggling in the lowest gears, today it was top gear all the way, even up some of the hills. Our objective had been Calǎrasi with the possibility to go over the river to Silistra if we had time, at this speed we will have plenty of time.

The ususal problem of finding somewhere to eat or drink has not changed; there are no roadside cafés or restaurants in this part of the world. The shops are the only places where you can get food and sometimes sit down to eat. The problem with that is leaving the bikes fully loaded outside where they can be seen as unattended.

But in the village of Ciocǎneşti we found a shop with a big window and a table just inside so we could sit and see the bikes. As we entered the shop it instantly reminded me of the shop my parents used to own in Consett. The husband and wife team who ran it were the perfect match. Unfortunately, just as we walked in the power failed! This led to a problem weighing the meat she had just cut so we had to guess at that. We were asked the usual range of question, where we are from, where we are going and they always seem interested in listening to our answers.

When they realised we planned to eat at the table inside there was a flurry of activity to make it presentable, which is funny if you could see the state of us, two dirty, sweaty cyclist and they are laying a paper table cloth for us! Once again we had met some really good people.

Setting off again we were making really good time and reached the outskirts of Calǎrasi well ahead of schedule. The question was ‘do we stop here or push on?’

The ferry crossing is every three hours according to the timetable on Google and as we had plenty of time we decided to cross now and spend the night in Silistra in Bulgaria. Following the bypass to the ferry port we knew there was at least one hotel there if it all went horribly wrong. But when we arrived there was a ferry waiting, so we bought the tickets (2.50€) and about 20 minutes later the ferry left for the other bank. The crossing now takes about 30 minutes, which as I have said before reminds us how small the river was when we first met it in Donaueschingen all those weeks ago.

Landing on the other side but still in Romania we turned right into the border crossing, at this point there is a thin strip of land a few hundred metres wide that is Romania. At the crossing the Romanian exit post was closed and everything is now done at the Bulgarian side. Not being part of Schengen these two countries still have passport checks, but here the two sides stand together and just check the face on the passport is you and you are through, simple.

There are about 6 hotels listed in the guide and we cycled to the town centre to find any one of them. The first we found was the Danube which is 5 stars, not for us I don’t think. As we stopped to look at the map a cyclist stopped next to us and asked if we were looking for a hotel, when we said yes he told us to follow him.

He took us to a 2 star hotel just outside the town centre and for the price it was almost perfect. It had heating, through the air-conditioning; it was clean although a bit tatty but we did not get towels. Apart from that it was OK.

Bulgaria or rather the bit we saw of it, is a slightly upmarket Romania, but not that far upmarket. The town is rundown and dirty, everything needs to be cleaned and repaired. Having said that, at least every place we have stayed in so far has had free internet, unlike Germany and Austria where you still have to pay in some places.

The only place we found that was modern and smart was the ever present pizza place. They actually had everything the menu said. The service was good and the food too. While we were there the place was full, it seems to be the ‘in place’ to go in downtown Silistra.

As we were only staying the one night in Bulgaria we tried to take the minimum amount of money possible out of the cash machine, but we still ended up with 6 Lev left over. Not wanting to waste it we went to a shop to buy water plus anything else could to spend everything. We had water, crisps, one battery and a bag of the worst tasting corn you have ever had, it was a sort of half cooked popcorn, we will not be buying that again.

Day 61

17/10/2011 – Day 61

Olteniţa

During the night we were woken several times as things were blown past the room and something in the roof was vibrating loudly. The wind was getting stronger by the hour.

As we came down for breakfast I could see part of the roof over the terrace had come off. The weather man on the morning news said if you did not need to go out, don’t. So we didn’t, we decided to stay another day and sit out the storm. As things turned out it was the best thing to do. In the evening news they were talking about it being the worst storm in the region for years.

The hotel staff were not too happy as they were not prepared for guests. Lunch was chicken and chips, and so was dinner. They seemed a little unsure of how to treat us, and when they saw the cam for the YouTube part of the blog they were very nervous.

Having said that, it was the first place we have been to where the heating worked and although it appears to be work in progress, they place was smart and well presented, (the bin had not been emptied from the last guests and there were used condoms in it!).

Given the circumstances it was not a bad place to be stuck in during bad weather.

Day 60

16/10/2011 – Day 60

Giurgiu to Olteniţa – 75km

The wedding party ran until 3am, then all the guests made their way to bed. The hotel has very thin walls and you could hear everything! When we woke up it was already 08:30 but the party guests were still asleep.

Looking out the window the weather was not reassuring; it was already windy and it had rained during the night. We talked about staying another night, but not in this hotel but decided to try and get at least halfway if we could.

The road out of Giurgiu was a dual carriageway with intermittent heavy traffic, fortunately there was a third lane for parking at the side of the road and this acts as a cycle lane as well.

Within seconds of setting off we knew it was going to be bad, the wind was full in the face and gale force. The gusts were strong enough to almost stop you dead in your tracks, most of the time we were in third or fourth gear. It was impossible to get off the small ring at any time during the morning. Second coffee came after just 8km and nearly 40 minutes of cycling.

Turning off the main road was a relief but only just, the wind made the hill climbs even more difficult. As we climbed back on top of the escarpment the wind picked up and made it difficult to stay on the road, it was pushing us to the verge all the time. Even on the down hills if we stopped pedalling the bikes stopped moving. Anywhere else on this trip there would have been plenty of cafés or bars to stop at, but not here in Romania.

As we cycled into the village of Pietrele we spotted a brand new hotel but the gates were chained closed. It had taken us two and a half hours to get here and we were both ready to quit, we found a shop/bar to buy some food and have a coffee and ask for directions to any accommodation in the area. The bad news, the nearest hotels were in Olteniţa.

Setting off again the wind had moved to the north which meant it was no longer full in the face most of the time, but it had taken on a chill that went straight to the bone. Within no time our hands and faces were frozen to the point of being numb. The only option was to push on and try to get to Olteniţa before it got dark.

Stopping again about 90 minutes later we found a dirty bar full of old men drinking, but the heating was on! Although the radiators were barely warm it was an improvement on being outside. A hot coffee was all we had as a beer would probably not be a good idea at this point. The good news was that there was just one stretch of road where the wind would now be in our faces; the bad news was that it was a steep climb!

There were only 17km left to do at this point and at our current average speed it would take us about 90 minutes from here. The last climb came as we left the village and was long and slow, but once at the top we turned the corner and the wind was finally coming from behind. Although it was not fully behind us it was enough to make the difference and we were no longer being pushed all over the road.

From here to Olteniţa we finally managed to get onto the second cog and started to make good time. On the two occasions when the wind was directly behind us we could actually stop pedalling and just coast for a while, which was the first time today.

The town stayed hidden behind trees right up until the last second, as we counted down the marker stones, getting closer and closer there was no sign of any buildings. Only after the 1km stone did the first roof top appear.

Following the guide we found a guest house that was listed only to discover that the address was wrong! But they told us where to find a new guest house that had just opened. Following the directions we found this one and booked in. for the first time since the weather turned cold we had heating, woo hoo!

The menu in the restaurant was just what we expected, they told us what they had and we ate it, nothing new here then. But as we ate and as I write the wind is blowing hard outside and we can hear things flying about. The weather forecast for tomorrow is for even stronger winds and rain, with a temperature of about 4. We will make a decision what to do in the morning.

Day 59

15/10/2011 – Day 59

Zimnicea to Giurgiu – 65km

The day started with the sound of street cleaner shovelling rubbish into bins. The windows were there only to keep the rain out I think. The weather has moved into its autumn phase now and it has become much colder at night. It is hard to imagine that just a few days ago it was too hot to sleep at night. But at least the mosquitos have gone.

Taking a hot shower would have been a good way to warm up this morning but that would mean having hot water in the shower, the best I could get was tepid!

When we set off it was warm when we were in the sun but any shade at all and the temperature dropped dramatically. The wind was very light but it was in our faces again all day. I had expected to warm up quickly and be able to cycle in a t-shirt all day but after the first hour I had to stop and put my yellow jacket on, it was that cold.

It was another uneventful morning, cycling through open countryside with derelict farms, and dirty villages with nowhere inviting to stop for a coffee until we reached the village of Pietrosani where there was a small shop where we took the chance and stopped. The owner gave us the coffee for free because M could speak Romanian so well!

The guide said that there was a restaurant in a village a few stops up the road but as usual the guide was wrong. There were two shops and that was it, neither looked very inviting but the first one had somewhere we could put the bikes off the street so having checked them both out we went back to the first.

As we pulled up one of the men drinking there indicated for us to put the bikes inside out of the way.  While M went inside to buy food the man asked where we were going, the usual questions. Having bought the food we sat down at the one table to eat. The other men in the shop came to join in the conversation. The one who spoke to me first brought us and onion to put in our cheese sandwiches, then the owner brought us a red pepper, then another guy gave us some grapes, it went on and on. They asked as about our trip and how we were getting on, then told us about the other cyclist they had seen this year and finally told us about the best places to stay between here and the Black Sea. It was a very friendly hour spent with genuinely nice people who just wanted to help.

The last 20km were as uneventful as the morning, the only highlight was the children shouting hello and holding out their hands for the usual high five as we passed.

Entering Giurgiu was nothing new, the town looks just like all the others here in Romania, they have all seen better days. We stopped for a coffee in the town centre and checked the internet for accommodation. The hotels listed in the guide were all too expensive. We found three possibilities, the first turned out to be a sex club, the second was full due to a birthday party and we managed to get a room in the third although they are hosting a wedding.

Dinner tonight was another pizza and then I bought a fleece jacket to cope with the colder days. Finally we found a real supermarket, fully stocked and full of customers.

Day 58

14/10/2011 – Day 58

Turnu Mǎgurele to Zimnicea – 57km

This morning the weather forecast was for rain showers but mainly dry. After eating the one breakfast between the two of us we headed to the restaurant we stopped at yesterday to finish the job that was due this morning and have some coffee.

By the time M had finished it was lunch time so we stayed at the restaurant for lunch before heading off to Zimnicea where we were supposed to be going yesterday.

When we finally left Turnu Mǎgurele the sun was shining and the wind had dropped. The road out was straight on all the way, we just had to follow the road. Although there was little wind the road did not lend itself to a fast pace as there was a lot of up and down, small steep hills followed by longer shallow descents.

When we paid the bill at the restaurant we had used up the last of our cash so we could not even stop for a beer on the way. Fortunately we had plenty of water and the remains of our shopping last night so we had a picnic on a bench in Viişoara where a man came up to say hello. He had been a long distance TIR driver and had retired here. He just wanted to say hello and good luck. As he left he promised there would be no rain today. Two kilometres later it started to rain!

This section of the route is not really that interesting; we are travelling along the escarpment to the north of the river, either on top of it or at the bottom edge. The villages we are passing through are all the same, poor, dirty and rundown. The road is pot holed and mostly dead straight for kilometres at a time.

We can see the river off to the right every now and then but the days of dedicated cycle paths along the banks are long gone, in a country as poor as this cycle paths are obviously very low on the list of priorities and rightly so.

When we arrived in Zimnicea it was still early afternoon and there was no rush to find a room. The first place we asked at was a four star hotel! Who on earth would build this here? It is owned/run by a company called Interagro and they have a plant on the edge of town. But 50m away was something more in our price range. It is exactly how you imagine a communist era hotel to be run, the rooms were OK but worn out, everything needed replacing and the windows were useless at keeping draughts or noise out. The ‘restaurant’ was more like a factory canteen with no decoration and metal tables. The waitress brought us the menu and said there were some things that were not available. While we sat there and looked through it a group of Chinese people sat behind us eating a huge meal.

Having made our choice the waitress came back and said that all they had was beef or chicken soup and fried chicken or fried pork. That was it out of a 5 page menu! This is not the first time I have come across this though, last time it was in Czechoslovakia just a few weeks after the fall of communism, but today in Romania it is a bit of a surprise.

The town itself is a bit strange as well, there are very few women on the streets, the bars and cafés were full of men only. The whole place has an air of despair and decay, not a happy place to stay.

Day 57

13/10/2011 – Day 57

Corabia to Turnu Mǎgurele – 35km

The day started bright and sunny but that was the best we were going to see. Breakfast stayed put today and we set off with the intention of getting to Piatra at least. The idea was to try and find a hotel there, if not we would ride on to Zimnicea where the guide says there is at least one.

As with all best laid plans we did not count on the wind strengthening and being full in the face all the way. The road was almost dead straight as well so there was not even the lure of a bend to give you some relief any time soon.

Generally the road conditions were good but we crossed over three very narrow bridges where the surface was heavily potted and broken. Even the cars and trucks had to slow down on these.

After an hour of this we passed through a village that appeared to be full of gypsies. Normally we would have stopped for coffee here but not wanting to risk having anything stolen we elected to try for the next town and have lunch there.

Although it was cloudier today the temperature had gone up a few degrees so it was not too cold as we battled the wind. The down side is that as soon as we stopped for lunch I am covered in sweat. Finding a restaurant on the edge of the town centre we stopped and sat outside although the waiter is keen for us to come in. But just after we order the food it starts to rain and we end up moving inside anyway!

Sitting there watching the rain set in for the afternoon we decide to stay here for the rest of the day. Fortunately M has just received some work so staying here would not be wasted. The hotel we had seen in the guide book was just around the corner and we dash round to see if they have any room.

The price for a single room includes breakfast but the price for a double room only includes one breakfast! So one of us does not get a breakfast, can you believe that?

 The hotel must have been good at one point in its life; in fact Romania itself must have been quite rich in the past. Looking at some of the old buildings they had money to spend on grand designs. In the country side we have passed several large dairy farms that must have housed hundreds of cows that are now just empty shells. The hotel has definitely seen better days and is in serious need of renovation. Every time the elevator moves up or down the whole building can hear it, the ‘new’ uPVC double glazing is made with recycled PVC and is badly fitted. The bath has been painted in the past but the paint is now worn and flaking. They are living on their glorious past but have not noticed that the world has moved on without them.

One thing I had noticed was that there were no traditional supermarkets in Romania so far. All the shops were ‘minimarkets’ more like the corner shop in the UK. A few hundred metres from the hotel was a brand new Pennywise supermarket (this was the second one I had seen today). Inside it was trying very hard to be the standard western European supermarket but the shelves were bare and the choice very limited. Also there seemed to be a lot of staff, in fact there were more staff than customers. Then the penny dropped, they were there to stop shoplifting! Remembering the shops we have been in over the last few days these must be a paradise for the gypsies, open shelves with everything within easy reach!

Day 56

12/10/2011 – Day 56

Corabia

During the night something I had eaten in the last 24 hours took a serious dislike to me, you can imagine the result.

As day broke I had slept very little and did not feel very well. Another day is going to be lost due to sickness!

I tried breakfast but that did not hang around too long so there was no way I would be able to ride the 70km we had planned for today.

The room had been freezing cold during the night and at breakfast one of the staff commented on it. ‘Well we do have central heating, you just had to ask’.

Once we had decided to stay another day here we went back to ask for some heating and were given an electric heater to plug in (which had a UK plug and adaptor for some reason).

Once again we wonder how this hotel can run with a staff of about 10 people and still make money, plus, we were asked to pay in cash up front on both days and our passport details were not recorded. When we ate in the restaurant we were given bills written out by hand and there were no serial numbers on them. There appears to be plenty of opportunity to fiddle the books here both for the owner and the taxman to lose out.

At least now we had the heater and the room was starting to warm up!

We took the opportunity to cycle into Corabia where I finally found a spare tyre to replace the one with a puncture, and a repair kit just in case.

Day 55

11/10/2011 – Day 55

Calafat to Corabia – 139km

We were woken up by someone trying to open the door to the room. This is not the first time it has happened and it is lucky we always lock the door.

Breakfast was in the same hotel restaurant that had no food last night and was the standard choice of omelettes, cheese, ham, jams, etc. plus sausages or toast. At least the coffee was good this morning.

 The plan for today was to get to Bechet, but the hotel that the guide tells us is there does not appear on Google map which is a bit of a worry. Neither the guide nor Google are infallible but it is still worth having a plan B.

Autumn has definitely arrived as although the sun is out it is still a bit chilly. The sky is bright blue and not a cloud to be seen. Leaving Calafat is not easy as there are no signs for the route at all. There have been no signs since we entered Romania at all so the guide has become vital. The good news for today is that the wind is right behind us all the way. By the time we stopped for second coffee we had done 11km in just 30 minutes.

After the coffee we headed out again and were travelling fast, the traffic was very light and road conditions were good. Then the disaster of the day happened, one of the bolts holding M’s rack to the back of his bike sheared off resulting in the rack dropping to one side and rubbing against his tyre.

This has to be sorted as soon as we can so we stop at the one place where we will always find information, the local bar. And sure enough the woman knew that the man next door was a handy man. He came out and had a look at the damage and said he could not fix it but he could get us back on the road. By the time we had finished our drinks he had put a new bolt onto it but the rack was still leaning to one side.

We had bought food earlier and planned to have a picnic lunch roughly half way to our objective. This meant stopping at Bistrel hopefully at a bar. When we arrived the town seemed to be full of gypsies who have a reputation of stealing everything they can. We had already had a run in with some kids where they tried to grab stuff off the back of the bike as we cycled past so we were very cautious about stopping. But strangely enough the kids and adults as well (even one of the old ladies dressed in black) were waving and trying to ‘high five’ as we passed. A lot of them would shout ‘hello’ or ‘hola’ and some would ask ‘what is your name’.

When we did stop for lunch we thought it was a bar where we could at least get a coffee, but it turned out to be a shop. The inside of the shop was totally enclosed, there was an area for the customers, a wooden framed wall with windows and a hatch separating you from the shop itself. To buy something you had to ask for it and pay for it before it was passed through the hatch to you. The only other place I had seen this was in Liverpool.

After lunch we carried on towards Bechet, out average speed at this point was 24.6km/h which is outstanding. As we were leaving the shop M stopped to throw his rubbish in a bin and a cart load of gypsies applauded and cheered, ‘that is how it should be done’ they called. When you look around at the piles of rubbish in the street and the bags dumped at the side of the road you wonder if they are the only people in the whole country who want the place to be clean!

 Just before the village of Gighera we hit a large hill and the speed and distance started to tell, at this time we had done about 70km. Our first standby stop was just outside the next village, Zǎval, where there is a campsite. We stopped here for a coffee only to find it closed for the winter. The only things living there now are the feral dogs we see everywhere.

Back on the road we finally reach Bechet after 91km. It is only 3pm when we stop for a coffee and ask for directions to the hotel and a bike shop to get the repair on M’s bike checked. Coincidently, just before we stopped the damage to the back wheel on M’s bike from a few days ago and the rack now leaning to one side meant that the tyre has started to rub on the rack.

The bike shop we were directed to was in fact a builder’s merchant which happened to sell some bikes. But, once the problem was shown to them they took the bike away and drilled out the broken section, replacing it with a new nut and bolt. Now the rack was in the correct position again the rubbing wheel stopped.

We cycled on to the hotel that is supposed to be here and missed it as we thought it was a derelict. The paint was peeling, there were broken windows and the front door was locked. Looking round we found a side door open and asked if they had a room. The room we were shown had no bathroom, in fact the only bathroom in the hotel was downstairs and we had to share it with the family. The whole place was dirty and you could imagine the rats running around inside. It took us seconds to decide we could make it to Corabia before it got dark and declined the offer.

Our plan B was another 41km away or 2 hours at our current speed. We were both feeling OK at this point but soon the distance covered so far started to tell.

Our average speed now dropped to less than 20km/h, but we had at least 3 hours before it gets dark and stopped after 10km for a rest. The wind had dropped now and we had lost the benefit of it pushing it. Stopping again after 20km we got our second wind and did the last 20km in one go.

The hotel we were looking for was just before the town and we found the sign for it on the main road, it pointed us down one of the dirty tracks that most villages are made up of. Dodging the pothole we found the hotel without problems. The place looks brand new and we feared it might be closed but we were welcomed and show a room. It has not had many people in here recently as the room was freezing cold, so cold you could keep meat in it!

After 139km, average speed of 23.1km/h we had a well-deserved dinner and fell asleep early.

Day 54

10/10/2011 – Day 54

Cetate to Calafat – 25km

We were woken y the sound of a cock crowing and dogs barking. Going down to breakfast at 8am we were not surprised to find that we were the only ones there.

The rain had stopped and the roads were mostly dry as we set out. Although it was not as warm as it has been over the last few weeks it was warmer than yesterday. The problem we now have is that there is no accommodation after Calafat for the next 140km so we decided to stop here, try to find a replacement tube for my bike and prepare for a long day tomorrow.

The 25km to Calafat were done in just over an hour, arriving here just before midday. There are several hotels to choose from and we pick the one in the middle of the town.

After lunch we asked if there was a bike shop and were given directions to it. They did not have any tubes for my bike and no repair kits! But one thing I have noticed is that there are no bikes on the streets, I saw one as we came in but that is all.

We went to the hotel restaurant for dinner but they said they only have soup as they did not know we were staying! When we came back from the restaurant in the town the one here was full of people eating, very strange.

Day 53

9/10/2011 – Day 53

Gruia to Cetate – 39km

As there was no breakfast this morning we were packed and ready to leave just before 9am. During the night the rain we had been dodging all day yesterday had moved in. It was still raining as we packed the bikes. To get back to the route meant that climb back up the hill and with the bikes loaded there was no other option other than push them. Once at the top we stopped for a well-deserved coffee and a snack.

We had been warned that the next village or two were mostly gypsies and that we should not stop in them, so the plan was to push hard until the main road and try to get to Calafat by mid-afternoon.  It was drizzling but nothing too bad as we left. Within the first 3km we had the first of today’s knocks; I had a flat front tyre! Stopping at a derelict house for shelter I changed the flat and we carried on.

Due to the overnight rain the roads were covered in wet mud where traffic comes off the side roads onto the main road, as a result we were soon covered in it. Pushing hard we were soon through the suspect villages and well on the way to our destination when the rain came in. About 5 minutes before the main road it started to rain harder. At the junction there was deserted house and we stopped for shelter. Looking at the clouds it appeared the rain was moving on so as it eased we set off again.

Just before the town of Cetate we hit another long steep climb and about half way up the heavens opened! By the time I reached the top I was soaked, M was sheltering under a tin roof covering one of the many wells we have seen. There was just enough room for the two of us with our bikes.

As the rain eased we thought it would be a good idea to stop and have lunch here if we could. About 500m later we found a bar with a lean-to on the side where we could sit with the bikes. Asking if they did food we were told there was a restaurant just down the road, and sure enough, there was.

It was a very modern looking building with a hotel and a restaurant, but it looked very closed. Trying the door it was actually open and we stepped in. The place looked brand new, it was well decorated and very different to the sort of restaurants we had been in over the last few weeks. They did not mind the fact that we were soaked and welcomed us in. While we were eating we decided that if it was still raining when we had finished we would stay here and head to Calafat tomorrow. As it turned out it rained hard for the rest of the day.

At the end of the meal we went through to ask if there was a room available and the receptionist said the hotel was full! A second receptionist came out and said room 10 was free so we were staying here tonight. We brought the bikes into the hotel and they let us put them in the conference room. Once we had checked in we were given the keys to room 5. Carrying our bags up to the room we did not see any sign of other guests.

The whole place looked very new and shiny with very little sign of usage. When we went down to dinner we were the only people there and we did not hear anyone else at all and there were no cars in the car park.

It all felt very strange that they told us it was full, they gave us a different room to the one they said was free and that there was this modern, stylish hotel in a small non-descript town with nothing to attract visitors.

Day 52

8/10/2011 – Day 52

Hinova to Gruia – 71km

During the night I thought I heard rain and when we woke in the morning our helmets (which we had left hanging on the bikes) were drying on top of the washing machine. The sky was filled with dark grey clouds and the wind had strengthened a lot.

The children were already up and running around outside, feeding the rabbits, the chickens and the dog. When they came in I could hear them all practicing saying ‘good morning’ for when I came out.

Breakfast was a family thing again with everyone crammed round the table. The milk was fresh from the neighbour’s cow, the eggs fresh from the hens, the tomatoes straight out of the garden, the bread freshly made and the honey from their own hives.

All the time we had one eye on the weather and eventually made the move to leave. As we packed to go there was one more photo and ‘goodbye’ and ‘have a good trip’ from the children and a pot of homemade honey and some towels as a parting gift.

This is where it became embarrassing, we tried to give them some money to cover the cost of putting us up, they refused, we said, OK we will donate it to the church, they refused, whatever we said they refused. We left with new friends in a new country who just wanted to help.

Back down on the main road we set off with the wind full in our faces. We had to stop at the first café we came across as we were cold and tired already, we had done just 6km.

The café was closed but the owner who was there working said it would be no problem to make us some coffee; people here are just so nice. As we drank it he told us about his trip to Egypt.

With no choice we headed back out into the wind, after the last few days of temperatures in the high 20’s sometimes low 30’s today feels cold. The wind is gusting so hard you nearly stop dead at times. We just hack on knowing that eventually we have to go round the bend in the river and the wind will then be behind us.

Turning off the main road at last we have some shelter from the trees but that just makes it worse when there is a break and we get the wind full force again. Finally we reach the river bend we have been waiting for and the wind is now coming from the side, this makes it easier to some extent but we still have to battle to get any momentum for the hills. The road has also changed from tarmac to gravel. It is hard packed now, not as bad as the soft tracks we have been on in the last few weeks.

We had planned to have lunch in Crivina but the ‘restaurant’ that the guide was talking about turns out to be a small shop with benches outside where you can sit and drink your beer. After a quick drink and a chat with the locals again we set off along the gravel track. As we leave the village the track climbs up a steep slope on to the top of a plateau that runs alongside the river for the next 40 or 50km. this slope is so steep we both end up off the bikes pushing them.

Most of the villages we have passed so far do not have any paved roads, they are all gravel. This must be OK when it is warm and dry but a nightmare when the rain and snow come.

Finally the track suddenly becomes tarmac again, this is not always good news as they are usually full of potholes and very bad repairs. The good news though is that we have turned our backs to the wind and it is pushing us along, it feels strange to go up hill in top gear.

The land now has lost the familiar arable look and is now more like the bleak moorlands of the north of England, it is all brown and low lying scrub. There is very little farming going on here and the only animals we see are sheep or goats. Occasionally there is a solitary cow or a few gypsy horses.

The route takes us over another weir into an island where we come across pigs running around freely. There is another village here where most of the houses appear to be derelict and you have to wonder what these people do for a living.  There are trees on this island, mostly pine, and running around in the undergrowth are piglets.

Once off the island we are supposed to be back on a track but this time it is soft sand which is impossible to cycle on and we are walking again. As we approach the village of Balta Verde we come across a road being built over the track. The idea of building roads here is a little different to the rest of Europe, they were using a grader to smooth the sand, then rolled it flat, then were laying tarmac directly on top of it. Now we know why the roads are so badly rutted and full of pot holes.

At Balta Verde we were on a newly made road so the ride was quite smooth, (for now at least). With the wind behind us the run into Gruia was easy and fast. As we entered the town we were looking for the signs for the hotel that is here, according to the guide.

Having seen nothing we stopped at a shop to ask for directions and she told us the hotel was on the riverbank. The shop was different to all the others we had been to so far in that there was no self-service, you had to ask for everything you wanted and she would give them to you. This is a sign that there may be a problem with shop lifting. Not a good omen.

Following her directions we found the hotel by the river, down a steep hill form the town. It was perfectly situated with panoramic views over the river. As we arrived we were ‘greeted’ by a pack of feral dogs, mostly very young puppies, all barking at us. The owner of the hotel came out to see what the noise was about and told us she was closed. The hotel was only open in the spring apparently.

After some discussion she offered to make a room up for us as the alternative was to cycle another 40km to the next hotel. The place was in the style of a hunting lodge and was well maintained. The room was slightly small but the bathroom was huge compared to some of the places we have stayed in. She also offered to cook dinner for us, which was very welcome. Apparently she lives there on her own at the moment and makes you wonder how she makes enough money to keep the place going if she is closed for most of the year.