marți, 11 august 2009
marți, 4 august 2009
The Biketour of Hungary - May 2009
I started this tour on 19th of May at 6 o’clock PM from Ineu. First day I cycled only up to Varsand village at 2 km away from the customs. I pitched my tent behind a Turkish motel, the cook of the restaurant, a very becoming and good-looking Turk was so kind to approve me of spending the night there. All the night I enjoyed in the company of many interesting Turks that were truck drivers. I ate a tripe soup, I drank a couple of Carlsberg beer and I talked to a fat lady very amusing and a lovely girl that was waiting on the clients. Next day I entered Hungary at Gyula. The weather was just great, but a bit hot. I chose secondary roads with very few traffic. I passed through towns like: Oroshaza, Mindszent than I crossed the Tisza river by ferryboat towards Baks village. I enjoyed a lot riding my bike in the neverending Hungarian steppe. The boundless plains, sometimes a forest, sometimes a pond, lots of wild life, always flat road, few cars, dormant villages with plenty of storks’ nests. This is what this huge steppe, the largest of Europe is all about. So it’s so nice to stop sometimes to quench your thirst with a cold draft beer in a cosy village pub endowed with a lovely terrace. And so I did, seizing the moment. In the evening after I enjoyed a beer and some pistachios in a local pub in the Kömpöc, I pitched my tent next to this village in a small forest not far from a pond. All of a sudden before I went to sleep I heard a frightening noise made by a wild beast I assume.
The next day I faced the same monotonous landscape of sun-drenched steppe passing through towns such as: Kiskunmajsa, Kiskunhalas, Janoshalma and then at Baja the relief finally changed after I crossed the bridge over the Danube. The next village named Pörböly was the place where I stopped for a beer at exactly the same pub where I stayed 2 years ago when I came back from my European bike tour. While drinking my beer, a good friend of mine, a great cycletourist in the making, the young and the gifted Victor Perdevara, called me, anxious to find out the latest news from me. One month ago he had a very nice bike trip of 1600km in 5 countries in Europe, cycling a lot next to the Danube River. I was happy to quickly inform him about my trip and my plan. Then I finally had some hills to climb, to my sheer joy and I cycled a bit next to the Danube and I slept in my tent near Bar village where I met a very interesting pub owner with whom I had a long conversation. The next day I passed through Mohacs where the Hungarians lost their worst battle in history in 1541 against the Turks. Then I cycled on a busy road to Pecs, a great town with a gorgeous historical centre. Here I climbed The Misina hill, which is included in the BIG Challenge club’s list. It was my 30th BIG climb for me, so I reached a new level and it was time for me to celebrate this victory, so I stopped at a pub on the top and I enjoyed some beers with pistachio nuts. I also met another Hungarian cyclist who was speaking English so I had good company there. I admit that in the first part of this climb the slope was up to maybe 18%, the toughest slope I saw in all Hungary, so I had to struggle a lot to climb it. Then I had such a nice itinerary to Kaposvar with lots of climbs, some of them up to 12%, exactly to my liking. Near Manfa village I met at a restaurant an extremely beautiful girl, a real goddess: great slender body, long fair hair, blue eyes and fabulous smile. I could have fallen in love with her, but what a pity I had to carry on traveling on 2 wheels. In Gödre village I stopped for a beer at a local pub where I came across a very funny middle-aged gipsy woman who was a bit drunk, her husband was away to work and she was heavily drinking in the pub. She invited me to dance with her and I accepted for I didn’t want to upset a drunk old woman. How funny it was, and when I had to go he kisses me 3 times on my cheeks, hugging me strongly. He spoke a bit of a sort of ancient Romanian language and it was quite an interesting situation for me.
Then I liked very much the Kaposvar town centre. Very nice architecture, great churches, it was a jazz festival right in the main town square, plenty of tourists and a colourfully dressed organ-grinder drew my attention. I stopped for a draft beer on a terrace to listen to some itinerant musicians from Argentina who had such a lovely street band. Such a lovely music. Than I started sipping greedily some great white wine talking to an artist, than I had the pleasure to strike up conversation in English language with Jorge, the singer from the band, I invited him to drink some wine with me, he was interested to hear about my travels and he told me his story how he left his country Argentina, 11 years ago and how he used to sing all over the Europe with his band till he finally met his true love of his life in Hungary and how happy is he now having a snug cottage in Pecs, having a lovely house and carrying on performing his great music in tourist towns. Quite a life!
The next day I reached the Balaton Lake, this fabulous Mecca for tourists from all over Hungary and not only. Here it was time for me to have fun, I toured this lake in 4 days, enjoying a lot, swimming a lot, drinking beers and talking to the foreign tourists. It was just great. You can find everything you want at Balaton. The infrastructure is as developed as at The Black Sea and the prices are very good. I remember that on a terrace near the lake I had a long and nice discussion with a young german woman who was on holiday with all hers 4 little children. Then on the other side of the lake, at a swimming place, the waitress that gave me good red wine and pizza frutti di mare, she was born in Romania, and so we could speak Romanian. I had 2 days of sun, when I could swim a lot in the lake and 2 days of cold headwind when I could bathe no more.
Then I headed for Budapest and on my way to this capital I had to go through a nasty misfortune. Not finding the right road that was leading to Budapest I tried to cycle a bit in a moat beside a motorway, and after only a few km a police car stopped and I got fined. The fine was of 20 000Ft but I didn’t have to pay it on the spot as I had only 8000FT on me. Then a truck driver carried me to Budapest. I was impressed by this spectacular and magnificent city. The historical center is quite fabulous, I climbed to the Citadella and I had a great view over the city. Then I went to pay a visit to Gabor Gyorgyi, a good friend of mine, he is the best cycloclimber from Hungary with even a more important career in cycloclimbing than me. He lives in Budakalasz, a locality in the northern part of Budapest. I stayed at his place for 2 days. He gave me a nice room, good food and excellent beer. He also joined me to climb Dobogoko which is the highest peak in Pilis Mountains and is on the BIG club list. He raced me on the way to the top and he won by 30seconds. He climbed at a very good rate, he is indeed a very tough cycloclimber but he also had a much better bike than mine. In the evening we watched videos from his tours.
Than on a Sunday I had to return home. Gabor joined me a few km to get me out of the city and to show me the way. Then from Dunakeszi it started to rain. 2 days I had to cycle through the rain, I remained with very few money. I remember I pitched my tent near a village, and because all the night was raining like hell, my tent was flooded and it was a nightmare in the morning to pack up things in the rain. Then a gipsy man came, he was speaking Romanian and he invited me to have breakfast at his place. He gave me some coffee, a small glass of brandy, great sausages and I met his beautiful family. He had 3 pretty girls and a little boy. How nice it was! Then when I had to leave he sponsored me with 1000FT very important for me as I had only 3000FT in my pocket and more than 200km till home. Than I struggled to cross again the huge and endless Hungarian steppe again, I met so nice people and when I entered Romania at Varsand customs office again I was penniless again. Then I received a sour tripe soup for free from the same Turkish restaurant and I drank a good wine with a young prostitute and a couple of Turks. Afterwards I pitched there my tent and next day I cycled the last 55km till home.
It was a fabulous tour of Hungary, over 1000km in 15 interesting and funny days.
Best regards,
Claudiu, Member of the Gratzu Sport Club
Long live our fabulous Banat Region!
duminică, 2 august 2009
Cicloexpeditie in Alpi 2009
In urma cu cateva zile m-am intors din una din cele mai importante, savuroase si aventuroase cicloexpeditii solitare din viata mea. Voi face o scurta descriere a turei:
Pe data de 16 iunie am pornit din Ineu, localitatea unde locuiesc spre Ungaria. La strandul termal de la Dorobanti m-am intalnit cu un prieten din Buzau, un bun cicloturist cu care intentionam sa fac expeditia. Insa lucrurile au evoluat intr-o alta directie. Am pedalat impreuna primele 9 zile, un adevarat tur al Ungariei.
Pe ruta Turnu - Battonya - Mako - Szeged, de aici ne-am luptat cu pusta Panoniei pe o canicula mare, apoi Budapesta a fost orasul care ne-a placut cel mai mult si unde am stat 2 zile. De aici a inceput o vreme ploioasa care ne-a tinut 4 zile. La Balaton a incetat ploaia si la strandul din localitatea Szigliget a trebuit sa ne despartim caci eu avem planuri marete in Alpi si mai trebuia sa ajung pe 5 iulie si la intalnirea anuala a membrilor clubului international de ciclocatarare BIG Challenge unde am cele mai bune rezultate din Romania. Totusi a fost superba tura cu Andrei Ozizu, cicloturistul roman cu care am pedalat cu cea mai puternica medie, uneori cu 30km/h. A inceput lungul meu periplu solitar. Am intrat putin in Slovenia, apoi o panta de 17% m-a anuntat ca-n Austria o sa ma lupt cu cele mai dificile pante din Europa si poate chiar din lume. Langa localitatea Bad Gleichenberg m-am intalnit cu un corpolent ciclist austriac dar bine antrenat cu care am avut cateva pante de 15% la care s-a descurcat foarte bine tipul. L-am impresionat cu tura mea. Apoi au urmat nenumarate pante de pana la 20% pe drumuri secundare, am evitat orasul Graz sa scap de trafic si iata-ma in sfarsit la poalele Alpilor Austriei pentru a doua oara in viata mea. In 2007 am mai avut o astfel de expeditie de traversare a Alpilor in care am reusit 42 pasuri alpine in 4500km.
A inceput ploaia si dupa orasul Koflack am fost invitat la un chef la ziua unui motociclist unde am petrecut de minune. Ziua urmatoare am facut pe ploaie primul pas omologat de clubul BIG in tur, pasul Gaberl(1551m) . Apoi cobor si ma opresc la o sarbatoare campeneasca intr-un sat de la poalele muntilor unde am parte de o petrecere de exceptie, dansez cu superbe fete, sunt racolat de o baba bogata dar alcoolica care ma duce la ea acasa si-mi da o vila intreaga in primire. Sa traiasca pissy! Iata-ma asadar traind ca un pasha si relaxandu-ma la greu. Ziua urmatoare ma despart cu lacrimi in ochi de baba si-i promit ca voi reveni. In orasul Judenburg unde sunt impresionat de un turn medieval ce avea peste 80m, aici imi pune mama prin Western Union 100euro sa pot continua tura. Continui printr-o zona montana superba, mai fac inca un pas de cam 1200m pana ajung din nou la poalele unui pas omologat BIG, Solk Pass(1790m) cu o panta de pana la 12% dar destul de lunga catararea, in varf vad zapada, incepe sa picure, vad jnepeni si rododendron si intr-o capela inchinata sfantului Nicolae, rostesc un fervent Pater Noster, multumind divinitatii pentru noua expeditie in Alpi la care visam de mult. Apoi am coborat si am luat-o spre orasul Radstadt unde am mancat un kebab exceptional. In continuare mai fac inca 2 catarari BIG cu panta de pana la 15% pana ajung in orasul Kizbuhel de unde incepea cea mai dificicla catarare a Austrie cu panta de pana la 23%, si ea pe lista clubului BIG.
A doua zi ma lupt cu teribilul Kitzbuhel Horn si reusesc sa-l inving spre uimirea tuturor, desi aveam un bagaj de 25kg. Peisajul este fantastic, panta incredibila si cativa km pedalez in compania unui ciclocatarator austriac, care se tot mira de performantele mele. In varf sunt fotografiat si filmat ca o vedeta de turistii curiosi. In continuare in orasul Schwaz ma intalnesc cu 2 superbe cicloturiste austriece cu care fac o poza si cu care discut la un restaurant. Apoi in Innsbruck un oras care ma surprinde si vrajeste definitiv, un fel de Venetie stramutata la poale de Alpi. Aici ma intalnesc cu 2 cicloturiste scotiene si ele la un lung tur european pe 2 roti. In drum spre Oberstdorf mai fac inca un pas BIG important apoi langa Elmen ma intalnesc cu un cuplu de cicloturisti din Noua Zeelanda cu care fac o noua poza. La Elmen particip la un barbecue party unde intalnesc o fata superba de care ma indragostesc si un bulgar gras, sponsor al bauturilor spirtoase. Sa traiasca! Ziua urmatoare intru in Germania, tot realizand o catarare BIG si ajung in sfarsit la Oberstdorf unde sunt asteptat si primit foarte bine de colegii de la club. O noua petrecere. Ziua urmatoare colectionez inca 3 catarari BIG, de data asta in stilul occidental adica. Mergem cu masina pana la poalele pasului si de acolo sari in sa, competitie, cine ajunge primul sus. Intr-o astfel de confruntare am ocupat un meritoriu loc 5, luptandu-ma cu unii dintre cei mai mari ciclocataratori amatori ai Europei. Presedintele clubului Daniel Gobert, uimit de isprava mea mi-a spus: "Romania should be proud of yourself. You are a great cycloclimber! " Nu stia insa grelele mele probleme financiare, din lipsa sponsorilor sau lipsa posibilitatilor de a castiga din pasiunea pentru care mi-am sacrificat cei mai frumosi 10 ani din viata.
Ziua urmatoare ne-am despartit si am urcat teribilul Nebelhorn pe ploaie. Doar 3 ciclocataratori in afara de mine au indraznit sa se lupte cu monstrul Europei care are o panta uneori de peste 30%. Campionii Ungariei: Gabor Gyorgyi si Gabor Kreicsi, presedintele clubului si eu. Eu am fost singurul care am abordat catararea cu bicicleta incarcata cu 25kg de bagaje de si-au facut cruce strainii cand m-au vazut. Din pacate in aceste conditii mi-a fost imposibil sa urc ultimi 2,5km, caci panta atingea 35% iar drumul se deteriorase semnificativ. Oricum performanta mea a facut furori in randurile ciclocataratorilor europeni unde voi scrie din nou articole in revistele cluburilor unde sunt membru, reprezentandu- mi scumpa tara.Intoarcerea acasa a fost cam dramatica din lipsa banilor si pe un traseu mult mai lung si dificil tot prin Alpi. In total am pedalat 3600km, dintre care 2000km doar in Alpi
Dar o mult mai ampla si mai buna descrie a expeditiei mele o voi face in revista MBike.
Tin sa le multumesc pt aceasta reusita romaneasca in care eu sunt protagonistul celor care m-au ajutat si anume:
lui Mircea Florescu pt superba si fiabila bicicleta Kona Sutra 2008 + echipamentul excelent cu care mi-am indeplinit un vis maret si cu care am rupt Alpii
lui George Culda pt activitatea sa prodigioasa pt a dezvolta ciclismul si cicloturismul in Bucuresti, salutari micutului Iancu si sotiei Elena!
lui Gratian Dinu Bolog, presedintele clubului sportiv Gratzu, care face o treaba excelenta la Timisoara adunand sute de oameni la ture. Mersi pt cadoul facut, 2 coburi Bike for Fun excelent+ un echipament de ciclism de exceptie+ sfaturi si consiliere. M-am inscris la clubul sau caci iubesc Banatul si trebuie sa readucem bicicleta la rolul pe care il merita pt viitorul copiilor nostri si al nostru in scumpul nostru Banat. Sa traiesti prietene!
lui Dan Lupsa pt echipament si masa copioasa si care asa o superba familie pe 2 roti, sper sa-l creasca pe Alex tot in spiritul acesta si sa ma intreaca micutul, Salut scumpule!
lui Radu Mititean, care are un rol esential in dezvoltarea cicloturismului si ciclismului daca nu la nivel national, macar la nivelul scumpului oras unde pe vremuri traia marele meu mentor Lucian Blaga si unde acum 1 deceniu cand eram student m-am intalnit la un chef de zile mari cu un nepot al lui Emil Cioran.
pustilor cicloturisti care continua traditia si se vor lupta sa ma intreaca: Victor Perdevara si Mihai Udvar si echipei de exceptie de la CCN
cu prietenie,
Claudiu,membru al Clubului Sportiv Gratzu
Tura din Apuseni mai 2009
Eu si Razvan am pornit in aceasta tura pe data de 29 aprilie la ora 13 din Ineu. De precizat ca Razvan pedalase in ultimele 11 zile impreuna cu mine aproape 900km, fara nici o zi pauza (cea mai lunga tura din viata lui dupa spusele lui, Bravo lui: Bun Baiat!)Eu personal, aveam deja la activ 1500km pana in capitala +900= 2400km la activ fara nici o zi pauza, plecat fiind la drum din data de 27 martie.
In prima zi am pedalat pe ruta: Ineu - Bocsig -Beliu - Craiva - Belfir - Petid - Uileacu de Beius ( am pedalat intr-o zona pitoreasca pe valea Crisului Negru si ne-am simtit bine la un restaurant langa Olcea. Am dormit cu cortul langa Petrani langa rau.
Ziua urmatoare am pedalat pe ruta: Petrani - Pocola - Beius - Rosia - Damis - Bratca - Borod. A fost o zi superba, un traseu de exceptie, traversarea mt Padurea Craiului, am avut vreo 12km de urcat, am vazut izbucuri si pesteri, ne-a placut enorm satul de varf de deal Damis, am avut si o coborare de cel putin 10km pe drum proaspat asfaltat. A si ploat cateva ore, am pedalat si pe ploaie, ne-am adapostit la un bar in mijlocuul pustietatii intinselor paduri unde am intalnit niste bosorogi cheflii de dantuiau de mama focului si ne-am incalzit cu o palincuta. Seara ne-am pus cu cortul langa o benzinarie Calido langa Borod.
Pe 1 mai am urcat panta de 4-5km trecand prin localitatea Cornitel si i-am asteptat pe prietenii din Cluj cam 5-6 ore. Apoi am coborat in viteza spre Bucea sa ne intalnim cu ei. Eu de bucurie ca mai vad lume si mai ales ca mai vad si fete romancute pe 2 roti, m-am emotionat, m-am bulversat si mi-am pierdut capul efemer de mi-am uitat ultimii si singurii mei bani(170RON) intr-un pachet gol de tigari Malboro pe banca de autobuz din dreptul localitatii Bucea.
Spre bucuria mea am observat cu groaza ca-mi lipsesc banii dupa ce am pedalat vreo 4 km cu grupul, cand ne-am oprit putin la iesire din satul Bulz. Mi-am autotras 2 palme de ciuda pt. noua gafa si am facut cale intoarsa cu bicicleta in mare viteza sa incerc sa recuperez banii. Spre fericirea mea banii erau exact in locul unde-i lasasem cu 20 minute in urma adica pe banca statiei de autobuz din Ciucea. Ca sa vezi ce oameni de treaba sunt ardelenii! Mi-am facut o cruce mare si am multumit divinitatii ca de data asta m-a ocolit beleaua si mai am si eu bani de o ciorba si de o bericica, caci mai ales era momentul sa sarbatorim la Stana de Vale, intalnirea cu ciclocontingentul clujean. Apoi fericit am pedalat ca nebunul sa-i ajung din urma si dupa cam o ora am reusit sa-i ajung. Traseul a fost de exceptie, trecand prin satele Bulz, Remeti,(aici am vazut un lac miniatural cu pesti deosebiti), am pedalat pe langa lacul Lesu, foarte pitoresc, apoi pe valea Iadului, drum ingust semi asfaltat, uneori bun, alteori execrabil, dar traseul este de exceptie. Am vazut si 2 cascade: Iadolina si Valul Miresei si pe la ora 19 dupa o pedalare incantatoare am ajuns in Stana de Vale. Aici am avut marea surpriza sa ma intalnesc cu Rick, un cicloturist solitar din Buzias, de mare calibru care anual face cel putin o tura de peste 1000km prin Romania de unul singur. Nu-l mai vazusem de mult si m-am dus cu el la restaurantul Iadolina sa sarbatorim, intre timp a venit si Razvan si am petrecut o seara agreabila mancand copios:ciorba de vacuta, cordon bleu si band pe masura: bere, gin, vin. La sfarsit Rick s-a dovedit a fi foarte generos achitand nota de plata care era peste 100RON (Rick frate, esti mare om, mare caracter! Te imbratisez cu drag si dor!) Apoi ne-am dus la cort la un foc de tabara unde am mai stat la cate o bericica si povesti pana ne-a venit Mos Ene pe la gene.
Ziua urmatoare ne-am hotarat sa plecam pe un traseu turistic spre cascada Bohodei pe jos. Razvan s-a hotarat sa ramana sa pregateasca lemne de foc si sa aiba grija de biciclete si corturi. Il durea putin piciorul ca fortase pe o catarare la iesire din Beius si-i pocnise niste capilare intr-o gamba a piciorului care ulterior s-a umflat. Chiar si-n aceste conditii vitrege Razvan a pedalat ca un erou. Eu impreuna cu Rick si cu cei din Cluj: Levi, Adela, Cami, Tamas, Dani si inca un cuplu de clujeni care sa ma scuze le-am uitat numele pe moment am facut acel traseu turistic foarte pitoresc, din pacate ne-a prins ploaia, apoi grindina iar pe la cota 1600 chiar si lapovita. Am intalnit si portiuni de zapada de 50cm. Eu si Rick nu eram bine echipati, imi uitasem pelerina de ploaie si caciula iar marele Rick era doar intr-un maieu, la un moment dat temperatura era de doar 1 grad celsius si ploua in dementa si eram la 5 km de statiune. Ma mir cum a reusit Rick in aceste conditii sa nu faca hipotermie, in maieul sau si cu capul sau chel, blond si gol. Eu am inceput sa alerg de nebun sarind peste mormane de zapada, mi-a intrat zapada la adidasi si senzatia de neplacere s-a intensificat. Apoi am gasit la o stana o bucata de nylon de mi-am pus-o in cap. Curat frumoasa si inedita experienta de supravietuire am bagat. Pana la urma am reusit sa ajungem la Stana de Vale reusind sa evitam hipotermia. A urmat un chef zdravan la focul de tabara, ca nu-i asa doar o viata are omul!
Ziua urmatoare a trebuit sa ne despartim, fiecare pe drumul sau: Rick o lua spre Bucea -Zalau, clujenii spre Valea Draganului, eu si Razvan spre Beius. Apoi am avut o coborare de vreo 13 km cu panta de pana la 12% spre Budureasa. In Beius ne-am oprit la o pizza Hawai delicioasa, apoi in Rieni ne-a prins o ploaie lunga, ne-am adapostit la o terasa. Iar seara am campat la iesire din Sustiu la poalele mt Codru Moma intr-o zona f pitoreasca langa un parau plin de pesti.
A doua zi dimineata m-am trezit ca Razvan e bolnav, avea febra, frisoane, greata, nu se mai putea scula din pat. Bunul meu camarad cred ca cazuse de extenuare dupa 1200km pedalati si poate si o mica toxiinfectie alimentara, astfel ca toata ziua l-am asteptat sa se odihneasca pana au venit parintii cu masina dupa noi.
Dupa o noapte de odihna la mine si-a revenit si a trebuit sa mearga la Cluj cu busul unde avea treaba.
A fost o tura memorabila si le multumesc tuturor care au participat la ea pt clipele de neuitat.
Asteptam cu interes urmatoarea tura!
cu prietenie,
Claudiu, membru al Clubului Sportiv Gratzu
Traiasca Banatul nostru drag !
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