Bromley to Bucharest: Day 34: Lake Vidraru to Mt Leaota, 186km

Day 34 - Lake Vidraru to Mt Leaota, 186km

I had a rough night. Regretted not washing (it was too chilly by the time I realised the stove was out for a cold wash). Dogs barked a mutts' chorus literally all night, to 0430. Not much sleep. Headache. And no coffee this morning!

So I had a gentle start, waiting until the sun was well up to dry the tent and let me sit reading a book and admiring the scenery. Wheels rolling by 1000.

Morning

My confidence took a knock yesterday and I didn't know whether to expect more tough sections. Also, I could see the loop around Lake Vidraru itself looked fiddly. So to save time - this is my last full day on the TET after all - I devised a 40km short cut. It was still off-road, but in lower foothills, and almost-technical single track at that. In fact, when I did pick the trail back up, it was rollercoaster rocks again, fast rather than technical, so I perhaps set myself a trickier run than Jon.

Obirsia

Glad I rejoined where I did. First of two phenomenal ridge-line runs today. Obirsia first. Chatted to some shepherds at the top. I don't speak a word of Romanian - I don't think I've even got "hello" or "thank you" right. So this conversation involved a lot of hand-waving and pointing at flag stickers.

It's odd feeling effectively mute in shops and situations like this. Schoolboy French can get me through those situations there and in Italy, while my Russian gets me most of the way in Serbo-Croat in the Balkans.

I realise now that lots of these ridge-lines look alike. But you get to ride all of them, so enjoy!

That to the right is the way up here. All of it.

Route ahead!

These trees made a nice change from commercial forestry.

Cut a corner to get fuel and food in Câmpulung.

Second run was Leaota, where I made a colossal mistake. From the peak, the route retraces slightly then curls south, but on OSM I could see a trail connecting direct to Lake Bolboci, along the Ratei ridge. There were 4x4 tracks too (at first), and a hut and visible footpath in the distance, so I gave it a go.

You can just about trace the route descending all the way off this ridge.

Summit of Leaota

Looking tempting!

Beautiful light

Unfortunately, the route petered out, but not until I'd spent an age recce'ing wood blocks on foot to find it. I'd lost the back wheel down a bomb-hole already once too, needing luggage off to drag it out. So regretfully I headed back to Leaota to retrace.

Nope. I can conclusively assure you there is not a way off the mountain here.

Tough getting back.

But I just couldn't get the bike back up the steep bits, with rocks and drops hidden in the "baby's-head" grass. Eventually I resorted to dropping tyre pressure and portering my bags on foot to recce, then leapfrogging with the bike. Took an age. I was dripping wet with sweat and getting cold, and could see the sun setting. It was far too windy to set up camp. Without the stove, I'd never warm up.
I tried to see how far I could get in the dusk. If I could reach road before it was pitch-dark, maybe I could run up to Brasov tonight and find a hotel?

Sure, I'll definitely get down from here before dark!

But night descended much quicker than that, and it turned out the route itself descends a similar-style ridge to the one I'd just battled. I quickly realised this was madness and put up the tent pretty much smack on the trail itself! Fortunately I'd warmed up a bit and it's more sheltered here. Still, not enough water for even a frigid wash, and cold meatballs for supper.