Day 16 - Ranca to Cartisoara

Thursday 12th July 2018

 We leave our lodgings at 08:30 eager to ride the length of the Transalpina from south to north. Four years ago it was glorious asphalt most of the way but with stretches of gravel and lots of horrible deep trenches dug right across the blacktop. Now it has been completed.

The road goes ever on. Climbing up to the high point from the south


Beautiful surface and very few crash barriers


It is reminiscent of some of the high roads in France, in the Grey Alps near the Italian border. The road surface is perfect with very few Armco barriers. Make a mistake here and you will bounce down for a thousand metres to the valley floor.

I completely lose count of the number of hairpins up and over this summit. Finally after 20km we twist and turn down to the tree line and follow the River Lotru as it winds down the valley until we reach the crossroads at Obarsia Lotrului where we joined the Transalpina yesterday.

Parked for a breather by the River Lotrui


Coffee stop in Obarsia Lotrului


Local bear guarding our bikes


The next section of the Transalpina takes us over another pass and down into the next valley to the huge Oaşa Lake and dam. The road goes across the top of the dam and follows the Sebeş River all the way down to the foot of the mountains.

The clouds are gathering and suddenly there is a brief spell of heavy rain. We spot a rest area before the rain gets heavy and take shelter at a table under the canopy of a big fir tree. Before long the sun is back out and the temperature soars again.

Shelter from the storm under a fir tree


Mick does love his Nobbies, a souvenir from Serbia


Now it’s downhill all the way. We will soon leave the Transalpina road and strike west for the Transfagarasan.

We ride over the Oaşa dam and stop for the obligatory photo.

On the Oaşa dam


The new A1 motorway takes us rapidly east bypassing Sibiu and onto the approach road for the Transfagarasan. Just after the village of Cartisoara as the road starts it’s long climb into the mountains we spot a likely Pension over a small iron bridge on the banks of the fast flowing Cartisoara River.

Pension Rece over an iron bridge


The Pensiunea Rece is ideal for our purposes. It costs 120 Lei for a twin room (€25) and serves good local wine for me and a 7% Romanian dark lager for Mick. We go to bed slightly tipsy and really rather happy.

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