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| Tue, April 28, 2015
Start Location: Sibiu, Romania (Town closest to north end of Transfăgărășan or DN7C) End Location: Giurgiu, Romania (Bulgarian Border) Distance: 391 km (243 mi) Hotel/Pension: Motel Prietenia, Sos. Prieteniei, nr.3 Money Conversion: Romanian RON: $1 USD = lei 4.00 or lei 1 = $0.25 USD Vignette: No vignette for motorcycles in Romania The Ride from Germany to Istanbul is another “Repositioning” rides. I have to be in Istanbul May 1. The goal this week is to get to Turkey. There is not much opportunity to get to know each country when I’m just passing through. There are 2 basic options getting there. Option 1 is Germany, Austria, Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania, Fyrom/Greece to Turkey. Option 2 is eastern via Germany, Austria, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Greece to Turkey. I took Option 2 just because I’ve already been down Option 1 to Montenegro. Sibiu, Romania – Woke up at 6AM and it was sprinkling. Most European hotels include breakfast with the rate. Now a European breakfast is nothing to shout about. It’s a couple slices of bread, a croissant, cold cuts, cheese, yogurt, dry cereal, boiled egg, coffee, juice & bottled water. Most hotels serve breakfast at tourist hours – 8AM. With departure wrapped around breakfast, you’re lucky to be moving at 8:30AM right into morning rush hour. If you need to make kilometers and leave at sunrise, the only solution is to skip breakfast. |
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| Crossing the Transfăgărășan Pass is one of my top ten riding goals. The hotel manager checks the Transfăgărășan Pass weather. Upper levels still blocked with snow. She verifies this with a local guide who takes groups up to the pass for hiking. I knew it was a long shot. The pass is typically open June through October. I’ll have to come back another year to ride the Transfăgărășan Highway. | ||
 This is the Transfăgărășan Pass northern entrance. See the snow level behind me? |
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 Close up showing peaks and valleys coverted with snow. |
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| Most of the roads in Romania are basically 2-lane roads through hundreds of villages. Autobahn style divided four-lane express ways are being build but not understood by the village Romania’s. The 100 km autobahn between Deva and Sibiu was so new, I was the only vehicle for long stretches. Off ramps exited to pastures, overpasses did not connect to the autobahn, and when they did, no entry lane! I saw at least a dozen horse & carts on the short autobahn! On the westbound side was an ol’ guy riding a bicycle the wrong way!
I decide to bypass Bucharest. It too will be another time with Sue. Getting in and out of the city takes more time. Two Autobahns are being built into Bucharest. The problem is at this time they all exit to traffic circles and rush hour back up can be 3-4 kms. Whenever I get to a long line, I slowly/carefully ride up the right side to the front of the line and always a driver will let me in. |
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| In Giurgiu, I ride into the center of the little town to find a hotel. My luck, there is a 2-day Fireman’s Convention and all the hotels are full. I end up 2km from the border at the Motel Prieteniei, a Trucker’s Motel. Outside is the truck’s queuing line. Again trucks are lined up for miles, waiting to cross the border. | ||
| Wed, April 28, 2015
Start Location: Giurgiu, Romania (Bulgarian Border) End Location: Alexandroupoli, Greece Distance: 482 km (243 mi) Hotel/Pension: Dias Palas, Troados 13, Alexandroupoli, Evros, 681 00, GRC, 255 1081934 Money Conversion: Greece is Euros Euro: €1 = $1.0979 USD or $1 USD = €0.91083 Romanian RON: $1 USD = lei 4.00 or lei 1 = $0.25 USD Bulgarian Lev: $1 USD = Lev 1.785 or Lev 1 = $0.56 USD |
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| Late start! My Strompasours and 2 bikes are locked out back in the beer shack. | ||
| It’s 300 km (186 miles) to Alexandroupoli, Greece. 80% 2-lane roads. E85 was mostly 2-lane, and for 4 km … cobblestone! 300 km doesn’t sound like much of a ride. But as a foreign rider, you are very busy all the time! You are constantly scanning in front, sides, and behind. Several times I found a vehicle 2 meters of my left saddlebag waiting for me to move to my right. If you’re not passing you’d better be in the right lane. | ||
| Through every towns/villages: 50km = 31 mph
Out in the open countryside: 90km = 56 mph Autobahn: 130km = 81 mph+ |
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| I found the Hotel Aias on the Garmin Europe Mapset. The Garmin 665 routed me through town right to the front door. What great luck! It’s one block off a main artery street. Within 2 blocks from the hotel are 2 gelato shops, a bank with ATM, 2 gas stations, a Piaggio motorcycle/scooter shop with 4-stroke engine oil, dozens of coffee & pastries shops, a drugstore, and a place where a bunch of ol’ guys were playing backgammon. Grocery stores (4 blocks) and the main drag with food, bars, clubs are 7-10 blocks away. | ||
 The Hotel Aias – It was raining when I arrived and a gentleman waived me under the hotel’s awning. Did not have to unpack in the rain! The room was €27 + €5 for breakfast. |
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| Thu, April 30, 2015 | ||
| Original plan was to go into Istanbul today BUT I made a beginners error. Turkey does an 90-day eVISA. You apply on-line, pay with credit card, when approved; they send you a PDF file, which you print out and submit at the border. My desired arrival date is May 1 and that’s what I put on the eVISA. I should have given myself a fudge factor of a week earlier.
I can’t cross into Turkey until tomorrow. The Turkey border is 50 km, Istanbul is 300 km (188 mi). I’ve been in communications with 3 of the fellow riders. Joe Hutt, who I met at KnopfTours April 16 rode up via Croatia coast and is in Thessaloniki, Greece this morning. Bob Dittmeier and Ken Southam are in Istanbul. |
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| Tomorrow, May 1 is Turkey’s Labor Day. It could be interesting day with Labor Parades & demonstrations. | ||
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Romania, Bulgaria & Greece …5 comments to Romania, Bulgaria & Greece … |
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Hey so where are the gelato pictures!!! Sounds like situation normal there, with visa snags, etc. Makes a great story though! Hope you get through the border quickly tomorrow but enjoy the seaside town today.
Hi Dean
what a wonderful life your having…..have a great ride and be safe. would love to have that gelato with you and all that morning pastries and caffe.
reminds me of Italy and my childhood.
It’s a different life than in U.S.A……
take care,
Josephine Giampaoli
Good report and progress, Dean! Keep on sending. It’s the best email I get in my inbox all day.
It’s always such a pleasure to pass mile-long lines of cars on a bike.
Spring has sprung here and insects are waking from winter. Do you experience lots of bugs on your helmet “window”? Do you use those tear strips like race car drivers have so that you can keep your view clean?
Dig the passion of M/C riding. I have BMW 1200LT for the wife and KLR 650 for exploring. Just purchased a soaring ultralight. Time to fly in the air and on the road. Enjoying your adventure.