Third Time to the Cabana, First Time by Bike
This is the ride where I finally faced my fear of descents. It’s my third trip to the cabana in the Șureanu Mountains, part of the Southern Carpathian. This is the first time we would cycle all the way from Sebeș to the cabana. The biggest accomplishment is how I temporarily overcame my fear of descents on bike to get to the destination.
Cycling Snapshot
- Location: Șureanu Mountains, Transylvania, Romania (Sebeș to the cabana)
- Distance: 51 km each way (102 km round trip)
- Elevation Gain: 994 m one way
- Terrain: 45 km asphalt, then 7 km gravel/dirt averaging 6.5% gradient, peaking near 10%
- Bike: BTWIN 340 mountain bike
In 2013, we ran from Tau-Bistra, the village at the base to the cabana. My in-laws had dropped off at the village. In 2016, we hurriedly bought two “unbranded” mountain bikes from some local shops to jumpstart cycling in Sebeș. With my kid-size bike, I managed to do my first long ride of 45 km on TransAlpina road (DN67C) from Sebeș to Tau-Bistra. It was not a fun ride as I was suffering from a lower backache due to the wrong bike fitting.
This year, we bought new mountain bikes (third bike, second mountain bike in 12 months!) from Decathlon. With my new BTWIN 340, I completed the round trip to the cabana, 51 km each way, 994 m elevation gain.
7 km of Gravel, 6.5% Gradients, and a Merciless Sun
The first 45 km was on asphalt, and was easier than last year’s ride because of the new bigger bike. The last 7 km to the cabana came with a gradient averaging 6.5% on dirt road. It was my first time cycling on this type of terrain. Rocks of different sizes littered the way, with sections of steepness as high as close to 10%. The weather was not helpful either; we were totally exposed to the merciless sun, glaring down at us at 30°C. This was the gravel section where my fear of descents first kicked in, thinking about the ride back down.
I have to confess that I had to push my bike two times – each time was less than 50 m. I remembered each time vividly. Each time, I lifted my head and saw an electric pillar standing slightly elevated, less than 50 m away. Honestly, it was only a few metres uphill, but my exhaustion just gave way. Or that the lazy-me defeated the determined-me. The electric pillar seemed impossible to reach, and I just pushed and walked my bike. Despite the two moments of weakness, I was very satisfied with my accomplishment.
Numb Fingers and a 5 km Practice Descent
To prepare for my MTB downhill ride on the return trip, we practised descent two days after. The training started with a continuous descent of 5 km on uneven terrain. My fingers got so numb from holding onto the brakes (albeit lightly). Meanwhile, I was super tensed throughout most of the ride. Despite my overworked imagination, I suffered no accidents.
However, I decided to cut short the downhill training (my first MTB descent training; having done 8 km / 13 km down/up). That was after being informed that I would still have to travel 30 km+ of downhill first. Only then could I make the ascent from the base up to the cabana. The stress of downhill, coupled with the looming dark clouds, helped me make up my mind. Still, it did not put me in the best of mood. I hate giving up!
30 Minutes Down, and Still in One Piece
Three days later, Silviu and I cycled back to Sebeș. It was the revisit of the route, in reverse — the never-ending 30-minute downhill ride on the rocky path. That was what made me realise how long the route really is. I was proud of myself for not giving up and jumped into the car of my in-laws, who waited patiently at different points along the route to rescue me, if needed! I live with a genuine fear of descents. So riding the return trip in one piece felt like the real victory.
Facing My Fear of Descents
Have I mentioned that I don’t like bike descents? It may be accurate to state that I prefer ascents to descents. Ascending skill depends principally on one’s physical and mental fitness. I have an average physical fitness, but my mental fitness is definitely above average. As such, I am more adept at absorbing pain and refusing to give up my objectives. This is proven by the ultra-distance trail races I used to do. Even so, I push through crazily pounding heartbeats, bursting lungs, and pleas from my blatantly exploited quadriceps.
On descents, motor skills, experience and fear-deficit play bigger roles. Being a newbie in cycling, and in this case, mountain biking, it would of course take time to accumulate experience. It would also take time to fine tune my motor skills (e.g. navigating corners, sailing over bumps). Unfortunately, for me, I think fear-deficit is something I can never possess. I have always been unreasonably afraid of speed. Unease would set in even while travelling in sturdily-built cars driven by experienced drivers over 100 km/h. You can thus imagine: a mode of transport made of a few metal rods and two rubber wheels, moving with the aid of gravity, offers little comfort. How could it possibly assuage my fear of speed?
The Horror Movie Playing in My Head
My usual placid imagination would switch to the highest gear. Horrid, vivid images of me being flung out of my bike cross my mind. The most common image I have is of my bike tripping over a rock and me rocketing out of my saddle. From there, I flip over the handlebars and land face-up in front of the bike, with a thud sound! The horror is compounded by a vehicle driving up at that exact moment, and running over me – sparing me no chances of survival.
The worst thing is that this scenario is highly possible, since my brakes are usually on for steep descents (steep is of course, relative) and thus reduces the momentum for the bike to ride successfully over bumps. Another frequent image of me is my unsuccessful attempt in cornering my bike, resulting in me crashing into a guardrail and getting flung over it. Worse still, I imagine rolling down a steep slope covered with jagged rocks, and finally into a river.
The cycling weekend ended with me safe in one piece (other than some bruises on my legs due to frequent banging of my legs against the bike during the bumping rides). Next weekend will be another cycling one, triple the distance and elevation gain…that is, if I decide and am able to catch up with the crazy guys. Until my next post!