100 km Through Transylvania
On the third week of summer holiday in Romania, I embarked on an overnight bike trip with Silviu and his college friends. The group included Florin, Ionel and Nicolae – “The Boys”. Last year, we did a day trip on Transcindrel and Transalpina national roads. This year, we explored the recently completed Transylvania mountain bike trails – a 100 km network linking 8 Saxon villages. The trails traversed across forests, meadows, and rolling hills. Our itinerary was:
Day 1
Sighișoara – Aurel Vlaicu – Daia – Meșendorf – Viscri – Dacia – Rupea (49 km + 18 km)
Day 2
Rupea – Fișer – Bunesti – Criț – Meșendorf – Grânari – Lovnic – Văleni – Făgăraș (62 km)
Day 1
Train Ride from Sibiu - Sighișoara
From Sibiu, we took the 6am train to Sighișoara, via Copșa Mică. I had heard from Silviu only disparagements about the Romanian train system (endless delays, out-dated and slow trains). As such, I was expecting all sorts of train mishaps.
The first train to Copșa Mică was late for 30 minutes, which was better than I expected. In addition, the train seemed to be relatively new.
The connecting train to Sighișoara was almost on time. However, this time round, our storage space was so cosy that we had to stack the bikes up.
Sighișoara to Viscri to Rupea
Our initial plan was to ride through the Saxon village of Criț and replenish our fluids there before heading to Viscri. That would give us a total of 74 km on the first day. However, by the time we reached the junction down to Criț, most of us were really exhausted. Our progress was slower than expected. All we wanted was to reach Viscri, the last village on the trails, as soon as possible. At Viscri, we’d have a proper meal before the final 17 km, mainly on asphalt, to our hotel in Rupea.
In short, we cut out the 15 km deviation and rode directly to Viscri. A direct route from Sighișoara to Viscri meant no chances to replenish our food and water. No villages or streams along this 49 km of Transylvania mountain bike trails. Fortunately, all of us had enough food to last till Viscri, albeit we ran low on fluids.
Forest Mountain Bike Trails
It was a very nice shady green forest, with trails strewn with little pebbles. In certain sections, the ground was thickly padded by dead leaves and branches. From the perspective of a trail runner, the trails were non-technical and extremely runnable. On the other hand, from the view of a MTB newbie, it was another story. For a novice like me, every turn, bump, pit and obstacle on the trails feels magnified ten times. You can imagine what the whole ride is like for me – a roller coaster that makes my stomach clench, over and over.
Roller Coaster Ride
Some of the trails were narrower and lay on the edge of a slope. If I did not pay extra attention, a stumble on a rock or branch would send me tumbling down the slope. There were also muddy sections and big logs across the trails, so I had to stop the bike in time. If not, I would either be stuck in the mud, or crash into the logs.
The Turns
They were not hairpin turns. Yet, for a newbie like me, I found it hard to make a proper swerve without getting flung off the bike.
Ditch Crossings
What I called “The ditch crossings”. I would drop sharply into the ditch and then leverage the downhill momentum to push the bike out to the other side. Initially I was afraid that I would be stuck in the ditch, but I eventually got the hang of it.
Undulations
I did not terribly mind the ascents, as the quadriceps strength I gained from my running was a great help. It was the descents I hated – my Achilles’ heel in cycling. As previously mentioned, grisly images of me being flung off the bike pass through my mind at each fast descent. I could climb better than an average biker due to my endurance training, yet descents make me sick to my stomach. Descents on uneven roads like that of the forest trails were worse.
Mosquitoes and Flies
Flies and mosquitoes constantly swarmed me. Often, I found myself having to ward off the circling flying creatures with one hand while cycling. These cunning insects managed to slide behind my sunglasses and enter my mouth (protein supplement for me). They also left traces of themselves on my limbs – the red, itchy bites. It amazed me that I did not fall off the bike while fending off these pesky insects.
My Poor Arms
I was tense throughout the ride, holding on to the handlebars as if my life depended on it. As a result, my arms seemed to have a tougher workout than my legs. The unwieldy 14 kg aluminium bicycle didn’t help either – it was the smallest of the group’s bikes, yet the heaviest. At the end of Day 1, my arms were so tired that I could feel the fatigue during my sleep. Even holding my cutlery became a chore.
Day 2
Rupea to Făgăraș + Detour
The original itinerary was to cycle 40 km on asphalt roads, directly from Rupea to Făgăraș, reaching Făgăraș by early afternoon. This would leave us plenty of idle time, as the train to Sibiu left at 7pm. I was hoping for an easy day, lazing around at terraces, after the body-aching ride from the previous day.
Change of Itinerary
Hélas, it wasn’t meant to be. Over breakfast, Silviu and Nicolae suggested a detour to Criț and Meșendorf, extending the route by 20 km. The detour would provide an opportunity to visit fortified churches in these Saxon villages. I could either join Florin and Ionel, who preferred to stick to the initial plan and spend the afternoon in a pool in Făgăraș. Or, I could join Silviu and Nicolae on the detour.
The fear of missing out (the infamous FOMO) on the fortified churches outweighed the appeal of spending the afternoon by the pool, so I chose to join Silviu and Nicolae. Besides, they promised the route would be mainly on asphalt, with perhaps some gravel, but no forest trails. I would break down and cry at just the thought of spending a few more nerve-racking hours on the forest trails. The company of flies and mosquitoes made it worse.
Lowest Point
At the mid-way mark, my energy fell to the lowest point of the 2-day ride. It was also around that time we hit the forest trails in Meșendorf. It was supposedly easier to cycle in the forest with the shade. However, the stress of tackling the trails, and being immediately swarmed by flies and mosquitoes, thoroughly demoralised me. At one point, I was cursing non-stop at the boys for misleading me into taking up the extra 20 km.
