Off road maps, routes, gps, bike groups, events: Romania,Croatia, Slovenia, N. Italy?
 

Hi there
I asked a while ago for comments about off road (off pavement) biking in Romania, Croatia, Serbia and Turkey:
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hubb/europe/maps-off-road-planning-romania-32528

and got some good responses on Romania. I’ve entered the www.enduromania.net event on 20 to 26 July 2008. I’ll also be in Romania before the event from about 8th July 2008. This thread seems very good: http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hubb/europe/romania-19360?highlight=romania


So for Romania I have a lot of information. However, in late July and for most of August, I’ll be in Croatia, Slovenia and northern Italy.

1. Does anyone have comments on which maps are good for these countries/areas?

2. What about gps (Garmin compatible) data? I’ve found http://alpenrouten.de/
Do you know of any other sources? For Romania, I have seen http://www.romaniadigitala.ro/en/index.php
already.

Do you have any off road route suggestions/recommendations? For road riding there are Michelin maps (follow the green scenic routes…) and for tourist attractions, there are the usual guide books).

3. Are there any off road bike clubs to hook up with?

4. Are there any bike rallies you are aware of in this time?

Many thanks for your input.

Ride safely,
Chris

For Croatia I can give you a lot of information reffering gravel
roads, but where do you plan to start in Croatia? Most of
visitors usualy stick to Velebit mountain and nearby the see,
and there are a lot of good tracks and nice views.

Hi AnteK
Thanks for your reply. I found the Velebit mountains in my Slovenia/Croatia (150.000 freytag&berndt) atlas. There seem to be lots of dirt roads on the map.

I've deliberate moved my family beach camping holiday from Istria to Rab Island to be closer to the Velebit mountains :cool4:.

I will be on Rab Island from 05 to 12 August. I'm in a van, with a road bike and a dirt bike (DRZ400) in the back. With reference to route planning, if you can give me any start/finish points, I'll work out the bits in between.

Many thanks,
Chris

Look at this picture, this island is RAB, view from aprox. 1400 meters above
see from gravel mountain pass named Veliki Alan. You can see ferry on the
left side.

http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/5113/p1010092fu1.jpg

RAB is very good location for daily gravel trips. I will give you some ruotes in
a day-two.
Regards

Starting from ferry harbour Jablanac ( ferry line to island Rab ), you
continue uphill to mountain pass Veliki Alan, there is a sign on the
main road/crossing to Jablanac. After several km from main road,
start gravel road that continue into mountains. When you reach
top of pass, continue along mountain hut, you can reach old forrest
location named Štirovača. There are a lot of small roads that strech
into mountain. From Štirovača you can continue forward to south,
to location Dabar, mostly known to their tunels:

http://img171.imageshack.us/img171/7403/p1010140cl3.jpg

After Dabar, if you continue further south, you will reach main road nr. 25 that
conect Karlobag and Gospić. If you continue in direction to Gospić, after several
km, turn right to village Rizvanusa - here starts road to location Panos - abadoned
military base with the best view to adriatic see in croatia. It is very hard to
explain how to get to Panos, but you can ask in village. Be carefull, this area is
full of minelands left from last war 1991-95, so do not leave road!

From Štirovača you can go to north to Zavižan, also very nice view to see
from aprox. 1400 meters above see level. There is a mountain hut at the top
of the road, where you can eat or take a drink. From this location, you can
reach village Krasno, road nr. 5126, and than continue to the coast to Sv.Juraj.
Nice round trips, not so far from island Rab.

This area is full of gravel roads, you cannot miss wherever you start. On island
Rab is area named DESERT ( real sand ) close to ferry harbour. Take first small
gravel road right, continue all the way to the rock wall, then turn right again,
and you will find very nice place to upright your riding skills on soft sand.

Regards

Hi AnteK
Many thanks for this information. I'm looking forward to the Velebit mountains.
All the Best
Chris

Chris, last weekend we did Velebit trip, 3 days, 4-8 of us. Look at this links -
it is in our domain language, but pictures can tell you a lot.

Tri dana na Velebitu ...

Gola i Željava

Great pictures. Looking forward to it.
Chris

Hi Chris

we (1 Landcruiser Troopie and 2 x Discovery TD5s) will be in the area from the 11th-17th then travelling through Northen Italy afterwards.

If you see us, wave us down and say hello.

Have a nice trip..

Regards
Lawrence
Landcruiser Blog • Index page

Been there, done it, bought the tshirt:

http://www.thebrightstuff.com/romania2008overview.htm