The first thing I noticed was that the road surface wasn’t great. Potholes everywhere, running streams and washes of gravel on every blind bend. The second thing I noticed was that I simply didn’t give a shit. Screw Ceausescu wanting to move his heavy armour quickly across Transylvania, this road was made for bikes. Enthusiasm takes over, the Transylvania Live guide disappears in the BMW's mirrors and the fun begins.
Thanks to Top Gear, this road has apparently become notoriously busy at the weekends. Today’s Sunday and it’s relatively quiet, so I guess they must mean ’busy’ in Romanian terms. What traffic there is seems very European. Cars see you coming from behind and pull to the side to let you pass unhindered. It‘s a beautiful thing but it certainly hasn‘t caught on in Blighty.
Just below the snowline, I stopped for a giggle and photographs. I’ve no idea how high the road had climbed, but it didn’t really matter, it’s just never ending. Around every corner there’s another mountain to conquer and more smiles to enjoy.
Just when you think that things can’t get any better, they do. It’s like riding into a photograph that you recognise. Hairpin bend after hairpin bend, climbing into the snow and clouds. The sight lines are perfect and all of the road is there to use. You don’t need to ride fast and it doesn’t really matter what your riding, it’s all just spectacularly good.
Just when you think that things can’t get any better, they do. It’s like riding into a photograph that you instantly recognise. Hairpin bend after hairpin bend, climbing up beyond the clouds and into the snow. The sight lines are perfect and all of the road is there to be used. You don’t need to ride quickly and it doesn’t really matter what bike your riding, it’s all just spectacularly good.
You reach the top and stop for lunch and coffee. It is the top but it isn’t. It’s just one of many tops along 90 Km of motorcycling utopia and the best thing about reaching the end of the Tranfragasan Highway, is turning around and doing it all again in reverse. Top Gear consider this to he the best driving road in the world and when it comes to supercars, they might well be right. Is it the best biking road in the world? I've no idea, but if I made a list of the greatest roads that I've ever ridden then the Transfragasan Highway would certainly be on it .... and quite close to the top.
Fantastic..... add that to the 'to do' list then, (this list is getting longer and longer thanks to you.) :)
ReplyDeleteNice photo's to Geoff.
Mike (LB)