September daily comments

Sept 1 Fri Cycled out of Budapest in Group ride. I fell in a grate right up to the axle at the begininng of the bridge ramp,... did a head over heals, Sherri said it was very dramatic and could have been serious (bent wheel), but in fact ... no serious damage
Sept 2 Sat best day weather wise, about 112 km. Chicken leg for dinner, ... very good. Campsite we we're headed for was not available due to some paprika festival, so went back about 5-10 K to another, ... not a bad site, but there was a wedding going on, music till 2 AM, ... I didnt mind it.
Sept 3 Sun A 128km day. Donald self-locked himself in the toilet, .... and we considered leaving him there. Crossed a small river in a ferry and some bo-hunk Hungarin with a pot belly actually pushed Sue's bike along with his bumper as she was bording .... she was furious. Jen and Joe (the Aussies) were detained at the Romanian border till they get visas, ...staying at some hotel near the previous campsite. Australia is a land of convicts, ...what else could be the reason? In the central square of Timisora was approached by two young guys (probably roma gypsies) who seemed unreasonably interested in my bike. Two police offficers aproached and scared them off, ... I confess I didnt realize they were up to no good, till the police threatened them.

Sept 4(Mon)... text from my outgoing email, about my 2nd fall in Budapest
It could have easily been a bent wheel, when you consider it was axle deep in a road grate and I went over the handle bars (or so I'm told,..... they said I should have got a standing ovation), but I guess there was some forward motion that helped bounce it out, and it was a slow group ride where we were beginning to go across a bridge over the Danube. So in there end there was no damage at all, ... I just continued riding after a one minute stop to gain composure, ... as best I could, .... just a scraped knee and hurt the same wrist as the last time, .... but it seems to be getting better.

Romania and Hungary are interesting countries, ... already have encountered young gypsies who were after my bike, but the police scarred them off. It was the fact that the police were tough with them which made me realize they were up to no good (..I was just trying to be friendly, naively, pointing to my Canadian flag etc ,.... but maybe I've learned a lesson).
Also two cases of chasing dogs in Romania. To be crude about it, as long as you are faster than the others that you are cycling with, the problem becomes a problem-transfer to the slower person.

Sept 4 Mon a rest day in Timisora, where we stayed at the Perla hotel, which was pretty nice, and had dinner in the hotel both Sun and Mon evening. Dinner was 50 Lei or about 20 CAD, and very good. including some decent wine. At lunch had smoked salmon at a terace garden in the central square, .... wish I could find a protein lunch like that more often.
Sept 5 Tues 98 km to Resita kind of the beginning of some foothill mountains, so there was a bit of climbing, and rolling hills that give a better impression of the countryside. This ws supposed to be the BUSH camping place (= pretty much camping at the side of the road), but for some reason Tour DAfriqe booked us into a one star hotel (an old communist hotel), and Miles (the Tour DAfrique cook) is going to use the hotel facilities to cook dinner between 4:30 and 6PM.
Sept 6 Wed 125 k to Baile Hurculane. Took a shortcut with the Cristine friends and cut off 10K of a very busy highway.
Sept 7 Thurs Rest day in Baile Hurculane, a kind of small time resort centrein the mountains with thermal baths.Stayed at the Hotel Ferdinand, very posh, although the town is run down Charles of South Africa is talking about setting up a game reserve to game resserve in SouthAfrica and Mozzambique ... a possibility for Mar Apr May2007
Sept 8 Fri a 128 K ride (mountainous) to a bush camp (no showers, turk toilet) where we bather in the river in rather dubious water. That nigh the dogs barked close-by till 5:30. We found outthat Sue, 75, ahd two bags stolen from her tent when she went to the WC at midnight, I slept with my bike in my tent, not just under the fly in the ent itself with the front wheel off, plenty of room.
Sept 9 Sat a a133 K ride to Romancu Villeca Pension Orange wheere all 25 of us share onw shower. The first half of 65 K (5 hours) was rough through small towns, 2nd half on highway much faster (3 hours)
Sept 10 Sun 109 k to Gaesti, Lili said kids threw stones, ... a bit surprising. Camped in backyard of Club H motel, all shared one shower.
Sept 11 Mon cycled toBucharest, and after 65 K a police escort met us and we formed a cavalcade where we went on the opposite side of the road, like a fire truck, ...I was amazed.
Sept 12 Tues. Rest day in Bucharest Ibis hotel..... an impressive city, in a ver poor country, the Parliament buildings are the 2nd largest building in the world. 9 new riders joiuning us for the ride to Istanbul.
Sept 13 Wed, Cycled 100k or so to Rouse in Bulgaria, over the Danubbe for the last time. Shanny had a press conference in Rouse, ... I guess tourists are rare in Bulgaria. We camped in the grounds of a motel, where 2 rooms are used for showers etc.
Sept 14 Thurs cycled 120k or so to Villeca Tornova, kind of off-route from an overall perspective but supposed to be worth it from a scenery point of view. Camped in the grounds of a motel, ... since Bulgaria doesnt seem to have campgrrounds.
Sept 15 Fri cycled 162 Km, about 20 more than planned to end up in Shumen, along a road that was intended to keep us off the highway, ... and it did that I suppose, but a lot of confusion about routes and where to go. 162 k is a long day, and probably "beyond fun", .... and my biggest worry was that it would turn dark and we'd (Sherri. Sharon and Dee at this point) have to be picked-up. Lili got vanned from lunch and Peter the mechanic had to go back around 6:30 when dark approached and get 8 stragglers.... Angus Devon, the 2 girls from Thunderbay, Michael, Louise, Kendy and Cindy, .... and they got in well after dark. Despite the hard day, spirits seemed rather good, ... a bit to my surprise. Everybody seemed to have some story about how they got lost, waded through a small stream, slipped in the mud, and on and on. Gergo who had vanned in with Miles cycled back from the destination leaving a trail of yellow tape flags, ... did as good job.
Sue, 75, continues to announce value judgements ("only 9 days to go"., "my Orient Express shirt is for sale") which I suspect is interpreted negatively and is her way of encouraging disatisfaction, ...and probably not appreciated by the group, at least not by me.
Sept 16 Sat cycled 107 k to Varna on the Black Sea coast. After 162k yesterday the 107 seemed long, and Im really glad weve got a rest day coming up tomorrow. As we cycled in we could see Varna about 20K away and thought we'd be there in 15 miunutes, .... very deceptive because it toook 40 minutes, not 15 minutes.The weather has been good/great since we left Budapest, most days I cycle without a shirt.... which I like of course. Had dinner with Angus and Devona on a ship in the harbour, ..... kind of touristy I suppose, but pretty good.
Sept 17 Sun ... Doni, 46, from South Africa reports his bike stolen last night. He had left it in the back entrance to the lobby, and after seeing safe on several more occasion, neglected to lock it when he went to dinner. When he came back after dinner it was gone. Doni is 99% jokester, ... so there's a chance its all a joke.
Se18 Mon pt cycled 125 km to Pimorie, on the Black sea coast, stayed in bungalows.
Sept 19 Tues cycled 107 k to Malko Tarnova, amd staying in a hospital, 5th floor.(...hard ot believe) I guess the hospital is too big for this communist town, ... so they rent out rooms. Overall Bularia has exceeded my expectations, better roads, ... I think the truck drivers go outof their way to accmodate cyclists. Yesterday, the Varna cycle club (10 -12 persons) was grouped up outside of town to give us a hnads over the head ovation.
Sept 20 Wed. cycled just 55 k to get ınto Turkey. Crossıng the border gettıng vısas was a 90 mınute ordeal. Not that the turks were the problem. ıt was more our own doıng sınce we had a sıde tour to some caves. After the caves we had 30 k to go and we hadnt had lunch and we were dreadıng ıt.... but ın fact ıt went well over gently rollıng hıllls. Dıana from Thunder Bay bonked (= became exhausted) and rode ın the ambulance that was followıng us. I should say that Tour Dafrıque has a kınd of Turkısh agent, Cem, who acts as a tour guıde ın Turkey. and arranges for polıce escorts and an ambulance (Im not sure that ıts necessary). Dıana ıf fıne, by the way, and ate about 10 - 12 small hamburger pattıes for dınner, ... so she cant be feelıng too bad.
Sept 21 Thurs Rest day ın KUKARELI, 23 of us took a bus trip to Edrına wıth Cem(=Jım)... pretty good better than hangıng around town all day. Thurs wvwnıng we had a fancy dınner put on by the Mayor and Governor. Pretty fancy kınd of fancy wıth elaborate floral centre peıces. dınner ıtself (chıcken-mushrooms) was pretty good. and every body seemed to lıle to lıke the baklava (I make 10 tımes better). Gettıng there was a dısgrace, poor Peter (the mechanıc) was so embarrassed as he dıdnt kknow how (not typıcal for hım)to get there and he was askıng strangers ın the street, ... ıt took us 50 mınutes for a 12 mınute trıp.
Sept 22 Frı Cycled an easy 80k to Saray, and stayıng ın a hotel (rather than bush campıng), because the munıcıpal offıcıals dıdnt arrange campıng lıke they were supposed to.
Sept 23 Sat cycled 90 k to a small town Toyak?? (kınd of northwest of Istanbul). It was really bush campıng wıth no showers and outhouse toılets ... surprısıngly I wasnt too bothered by not havıng a shower. They also dıstrıbuted the Orıent Express cycle shırts we had ordere3d 6 or so weeks earlıer.
Sept 24 Sun we woke up to heavy raın at 5:30-6:30 AM that caused much floodıng... and I managed to posıtıon my tent pretty much ın a water run-off pathway. Thıngs actually changed pretty quıckly to faırly nıce and we cycled 60 K to abput 12 K outsıde Istanbul,... then joıned a group covoy rıde to the fınıshıng lıne on a park-lıke settıng on the Bosphorus. The local bıke club had put a baloon arch along wıth a sound system,.... small but ımpressıve. There were a few speeches and lots of photos. Then on to the hotel where I packed my bıke and then we had a group farewell dınner ın the hotel ... faırly fancy. Gergo had prepared a good slıde show for a projectıon system ... and gave us all a copy (I was ımpressed). I gave my tıps to the 5 guıdes (200 dollars and 150 euros collectıvely) for the 5 guıdes.
Sept 25 Mon rest day ın Istanbul, visited some of the same sights I saw in 2003, Blue Mosque etc and went on the Hop-on Hop-off bus tour .. not bad. Had dinner with Lili, Angus Devona in a rather fancy seafood restaurant terrace on the Bosphorus.... I guess appropriate for the last night.
Sept 26 Tues ... shared a minivan taxi (2 bike boxes) with Donald to the airport, 40 minutes despite the very congested traffic. The flıght for Heathrow 1:50 PM was on time then Heathrow-Toronto(5:30 PM) left on time, and arrived back in Toronto at 8:05 PM (35 minutes early)