Romania, Sibiu - Curtea de Arges via lake Vidram??
 

dear all,

planning some scenic routes for my trip in august - september that takes me through Romania,

I am trying to find out the conditions of the road between Sibiu to Curtea de Arges

that takes you through the mountain pass and the lake Vidraru (Lacul Vidraru according to my map)

here is the all the name places the proposed route.

Sibiou - Talmaciu - Avrig - Scoreiu - Cirtisoara - lacul Vidraru - Albesti - Curtea de Arges


is the route tarmac / asphalt?

is it safe to pitch a tent overnight?

any fuel stops

also noticed on the map that the pass is closed during the winter, I assume it will be open throughout the summer..

I have tried typing the waypoints into google maps but don't get detailed enough map to see road / track

cheers !

Being "on the road" I'm not 100% sure whether we are thinking of the same road, but I believe you're meaning the scenic Transfagarash mountain route. This road is fairly well maintained, tarmac, with a short tunnel up top (pitch black & bad road surface). Yep, it is closed usually until end of May due to snow.

There are two mountain refuges just north of the tunnel. Check out "Franz & Maria" or "Franz & Erika" (if I remember correctly). About a km. away from the road on the eastern side. Beautiful hut, dorm type rooms, excellent kitchen :thumbup1: If camping in the wild, I'd try to find some small bush track to take you some distance from the main road.

On the Transfagarash route itself there is no fuel station. But you could free-wheel down most of the second half :laugh:

Hans

The route is very well asphalt. You have aprox. 800 m long tunel
at the top of Transfagarsan road. This picture I took two years
ago, end of July:
Tunel, entrance from south:

http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/5816/p1010212ny9.jpg

Nord rampe:

http://img183.imageshack.us/img183/3660/p1010243ea3.jpg

Its open in the summer. Even in August, the last patches of snow/ice on the mountain were still melting but the road was clear. Photos on my travellers blog - Kevin Payne. Don't ride in to those tunnels fast or with sunglasses on - pitch black, no lights, and your eyes take time to adjust. And I was riding through clouds at times - dense, and with no guard rail between you and a sheer drop :) Great trip though - take a camera !

Hi George,
You talk about E81 road, rather easy and not compliacted. Tarmac on the north side is perfect, After the tunnel it was worse when I was there. There is another lake on this road. Not Vidra... No petrol station, you can camp anywhere. It is safe (but remember about bears, there is a lot of them in Romania). I am serious.
More interesting is paralell road 67C, Sebes -Novaci. Is not so crowded, gravel... Very scenic, with the Vidra lake in the middle. Have a look:
Picasa Web Albums - Sambor1965 - Rumunia

And Urdele is the highest motorable pass in Carpathian mountains... It is not so easy, especially after the rain on heavy bike... There is possibility to find cheap accomodation near Vidra lake...

guys

thank you all for your input,

looks like a great place to ride through,

also thank you for photos - very helpful,

Hi George, not sure your exact timing. I am planning to do the same road very early august as part of a longer trip through the balkans and looping around back home to the UK.

Let me know when you are doing it. If I get there first i'll try to post you a note on how much fun it is and anything I see along the way.

I've heard good stories regarding the Bezez? (sp) gorge which is not too far from that area too..

Rom.
 

well my plan is not exactly fixxed yet..
---
but we (two bikes) will be in Brno for the MotoGP (16/17 aug.) and then head off via Slovakia / Hungary (taking the motorway) then crossing to Rom. via Arad - Sibiou etc. finally in Contanta then south following the black sea road through bulgaria to turkey - istanbul then heading back via northern greece to London.

I attempted to find shipping for the bike(s) from northern Greece back to London but haven't got anything yet..

got to be back to the office by sept. 8th.
---

I assume you will be there first... so let us know what you find and I will follow to tyre tracks..

BTW I have been told the roads around Brasov down the valeys etc are very busy with tourists and local weekenders, busy = manic traffic plus hot and crowded, the locals told me I will not enjoy it so will not take the chance..

Hi George, not sure your exact timing. I am planning to do the same road very early august as part of a longer trip through the balkans and looping around back home to the UK.

Let me know when you are doing it. If I get there first i'll try to post you a note on how much fun it is and anything I see along the way.

I've heard good stories regarding the Bezez? (sp) gorge which is not too far from that area too..