The year 2021 is over and as usual, at the end of the season, we stay warm in the house and make plans for the next season or remember the adventures of last season. In 2021 we were lucky to discover some surprising routes, especially since some of them are not on the maps. It was quite difficult for us to decide on the 5 below, we rode a lot of beautiful roads, but these 5 impressed us the most.
5th place: Luncavița – Greci
We were about to reach the Măcin Mountains area and I was looking on the map and on the satellite images to find an off-road route across these mountains. The problem is that almost the entire area is a protected area. I finally discovered a road that passes between two reservations. It leaves Luncavița, crosses some fields and then climbs to the top of the Imbulzita peak at 291m and finally descends into the Greci town. In some places the road was lost in the grass or seemed to be ending in a sheepfold, so I was very satisfied when we managed to reach the end of the proposed route. Another very spectacular thing is the scenic viewpoint near the top of Imbulzita peak from where you can see everything around. You can also see the Danube from somewhere in the area of Calia Island until after Isaccea.
4th place: Ineu – Valea Întunecoasă
This road was likely to be higher in the top but unfortunately we rode it on a gloomy day and it was foggy at the top of the route. We’ll probably go back and do it again because it’s worth it. The road is spectacular for several reasons. First of all, you have the satisfaction of crossing the mountains. Then you have many kinds of terrain: at first you ride in the field, then a few soft hills. There is a more steep climb through the forest, and then the alpine area from where you can admire the surrounding mountains. The road climbs to over 1300m altitude and has some more difficult sections.
3rd place: Valea Boroș – Motorsirulo
The mountainous area in Harghita and Covasna counties is quite accessible because the mountains are not very high. So there are a lot of roads that cross the mountains or access sheepfolds, cottages, etc. The most spectacular is the road that goes on the tops of the Ciuc mountains at altitudes between 1200 and 1400m. This route was also chosen for the TET Romania route and for this reason there are great chances to meet other groups of motorcyclists. The segment we covered in 2021, the one between Valea Boroș and Motorsirulo, has a medium difficulty, especially in the rain. There are areas with a lot of unevenness, areas with grass and mud and a sloping part with a lot of gravel.
2nd place: Săliște – Jina
The Cindrel Mountains, located in the South-West of Sibiu, are best known for the Păltiniș ski resort. We liked them because they are full of spectacular off-road routes and spectacular landscapes. One of these roads is the one from Săliște to Jina, but not the one on asphalt. We are talking about the one that goes to Cabin Crinț and then goes on the ridge passes around the Guga Mare peak (1388m altitude) to the village of Jina from where you can enter the Transalpina. What we liked about this road is the fact that along almost the entire length of the route you have incredible landscapes in all directions, the culmination being the viewpoint on the top of Guga Mare Peak.
1st place: Șureanu – Petrila
This road has it all! If you go from North to South, you start at 1800m altitude, on a very narrow road that follows the level lines. Then you cross an area of alpine pasture where the landscape opens to the Parâng Mountains and in the valley you can see Petrila and Petroșani. Then you will go on a steeper descent through a coniferous forest, then again an open area, then a deciduous forest, and finally we crossed the meadows at the edge of Cimpa village. It seemed to us that this road competes with the Strategica road in terms of landscapes and route configuration. The advantage is that the road in the Șureanu Mountains is oriented towards the South. This means that it becomes practicable a few weeks faster than the Strategic one because the snow melts faster.