Back in business!

Finally on Thursday I went to training. Everything was frozen. It was a bit harder to ride because the snow was not beaten down on the paths in the forest. But everything was OK! I did about 20 km.

I had Nature, I had Bike, I had FREEDOM!

Photos: http://picasaweb.google.hu/kkisslaci/Training11122008?authkey=CTGRsFpVmV8#

Mt. Baraolt

On 22th of November the Winter rushed over St. George. We were happy like the little kids and we decided to make a tour in the fresh snow. For me this was the first ride in Winter with MTB. It was hard, very hard. Although I had a good equipment and I was very attentive, I realized that this is not enough. You need a good technique too! This is an extreme sport in Winter, and unlike in Spring, Summer or Autumn, the accidents happen more often. So take care, and think twice about the route when you want to go out in this season!
And what about our trip? It was beautiful, with lot of falls, and shorter than we proposed. We explored the Killer Cove. (By the way: last night it was -25 c grade in Întorsura Buzăului which is very close to St. George)

Photos: http://picasaweb.google.hu/kkisslaci/Gyilkos2008Nov22?authkey=Hh3GK9CKMWM#

Autumn: Starting with the MTB

Most of my friends are doing MTB. So it was a matter of time to go with them on a trip. I went, I liked, I became a fan of this sport too!

Luckily the forest is very close to me, it's about 200 m from my house.

MT. Bodoc and Mt. Baraolt is a good place for MTB. So I do training 2-3 times a week.

Photos: http://picasaweb.google.hu/kkisslaci/Zalanosz?authkey=uVBC2RBD1-w#

http://picasaweb.google.hu/kkisslaci/Bodokihvokt?authkey=7MVnKeOg5Xk#

http://picasaweb.google.hu/kkisslaci/Vadas2008?authkey=oRH6TV0NBW8#

Sfântu Gheorghe-Predeal-Râşnov

I think this was one of the hottest day of September. Even in Turkey it was colder in June. Our route was Sfântu Gheorghe-Hărman-Braşov-Predeal-Pârâul Rece-Râşnov-Cristian-Codlea-Araci-Sfântu Gheorghe.
We were afraid about the traffic between Braşov and Predeal. We put our fluorescent clothes too. Luckily everything was OK. We saw other bikers to there.

On our way we visit the most important Saxon fortresses in our region. They are beautiful. Especially Râşnov and Codlea. What we don't like it was the names of Braşov and Râşnov put on the mountains with big letters like Hollywood. It was disgusting. But the road was OK, and we did a long and beautiful trip. We rode 144 km that day.
More photos: http://picasaweb.google.hu/kkisslaci/Paraulrece?authkey=PuirwbFxjaQ#

Mt. Ciucas

I was two times there in this Summer.

First time I was alone. Second time I was with Nagy Attila, a friend of mine.

Ciucas is beautiful. The nature here is untamed. With only a few tourist around. I didn't saw any biker there.

Second time we climbed up the mountain to take some closer photos to the rocks. We arrived without noticing to the Devil's Hand. A bear accompanied us when we ate some berries. He run away when we shouted at him. We had luck.

Mt Ciucas is very close to Sf. Gheorghe. 122 km you can do very easy in 1 day.

More photos:

Ciucas 1: http://picasaweb.google.hu/kkisslaci/CsukS?authkey=aiKkHP00ZUQ#

Ciucas 2: http://picasaweb.google.hu/kkisslaci/Csukasattila?authkey=ijvWT_qYERs#

Sfantu Gheorghe-Istanbul

What can I say? It was fantastic!
I started my trip on the 17th of May and arrived on 30th of May to Istanbul. You can read my diary about this trip on my hemophilia blog:
http://kkisslaci.blogspot.com/2008/05/sfantu-gheorghe-brasov.html

Jimbor

On 19th of April I went to Jimbor (Székelyzsombor) and back to Sfântu Gheorghe (Sepsiszentgyörgy). I did 153 km in one day. Average speed 18 km/h, maximum speed 47 km/h. The picture, what you see on the blog, is the Homorod fortified church.
More photos on: http://picasaweb.google.hu/kkisslaci/Zsomborapr19?authkey=P2rnkikCWus

Mt. Bodoc Again

This time I had better luck. It was a fine weather, windy, but who cares? Between the forest in the walleys you didn’t feel it! The only complaint it was the road. The blacktop to Bodoc (Bodok) was bad because the heavy traffic. And the road to the top of the mountain was in a bad shape too, due to the intensive forestry. I don’t advice you to go to the top from Bodoc even if you have a mountainbike! On my way to Bodoc I observed that somebody throws some keyboards on the margin of the road. It is sad that since we entered in EU we have not only quality in garbage, but quantity too! We throw them when and where we like!
This time I was alone because yesterday I was working until 02:15, and I couldn’t get up early in the morning.Tibi, Edy and the guys went to Siriu Lake, which is in the Buzău Valley. After all my day was beautiful, I made an excellent barbecue and I took beautiful photos. . I enjoyed every moment.
See more on:
http://picasaweb.google.com/kkisslaci/Bodokihavasapr13?authkey=sh2zGjAAISk

The Surprise

Wednesday, 9th of April, it was a strange day. It was beautiful, but very windy. I was thinking that maybe I shall go to Sugas, It will be an easy trip, I shall do many photos because the forest is beautiful in Spring. Instead of this, on my way…..I met the guys! And we did more than 50 km in 2 hours! Our route was Sfântu Gheorghe (Sepsiszentgyörgy)-Vâlcele (Előpatak)-Araci (Árapatak) –Bod (Bodfalu)-Hărman (Hermány)-Podu Olt-Ilieni (Illyefalva)-Sfântu Gheorghe. (Sepsiszentgyörgy). We stopped at Hărman (Hermány). There is a beautiful saxon fortified church. We did some photos. For me it was a good opportunity to rest a bit after such a run, but it was a real surprise for me, that this time our training wasn’t so fatiguink. I was tired but I didn’t felt stiff. You can see more photos on: http://picasaweb.google.com/kkisslaci/Hermanapr9?authkey=CabZBI7B_Po

The St. Ana Lake

On Sunday, on 30Th of March, I went for a ride to the St Ana Lake. The weather was with me, not so cold, not so windy, proper for biking. Until Bixad (Bükszád) the road was good, then becomes bad. In the village I observed a grocery which has got a funny name: Redneck Grocery. At the foot of the mountain I met some enormous shepherd dogs (6). I had luck with the shepherds, because the dogs practically blocked my way. Then I stopped nearby the Jimbor mineral spring. It eased my efforts with it's water, because I had to climb 19 km to reach the lake. On the top of the volcano it was still snow. A big part of the lake was under ice. I dressed up warmer and put my cap under the helmet. Despite of this, I was feeling good, I enjoyed very much the view of the lake. Then I ate my oranges and after that back on the saddle again! On my way down a Mercedes cut a curve. My attention saved us from an accident. But this kind of cases appear very often. Therefore the bikers always have to ride carefully.
Trip dist 96 km, trip time 6 hour, avg. speed 16 km/h, max speed 46 km/h.

More photos: http://picasaweb.google.hu/kkisslaci/StAnaMarc30?authkey=2gU7M5Htugc

Tusnad

Sunday, March the 16Th.
Today we went to Tuşnad Sat (Tusnád). It's after Tuşnad Băi (Tusnádfürdő).
This time I used my brain and I started my ride earlier with an hour. Even so, when the guys arrived, they had got only 30 min handicap and they went uphill!
On my way I stopped in Micfalău (Mikóújfalu) and Bixad (Bükszád) to do some photos.
Micfalău is a very interesting place. Many people from here has got Italian origin. They come here as stone-carvers before the 1st World War. We can meet names like De Francesco, De Negro, Giacomelo. The stone is their life. I took some photos with old houses which are made entirely of carved stone!
On our way back, the tire of a bike received a puncture.
Today we did 93 km. My maximum speed was 51 km/h with an average speed of 22 km/h.
I know that is not the best, but this is all what I can do at the moment.
More photos on http://picasaweb.google.hu/kkisslaci/BikliMarc16?authkey=MVa62ccYBOE

Trainig with the guys

It was very hard day for me. They are all well trained, and participate to all kind of contests. Most of the 50 km I was in the platoon. They didn't have to wait me too much at the end.

Photos on: http://picasaweb.google.hu/kkisslaci/Bicimikoujfalu?authkey=eFSu9Y_uC88

Mt. Bodoc

On Sunday, 9Th of March, I wanted to climb with my bike the Bodoc Mountains. It was raining all the time. Everything was wet-wet-wet! This was OK for me, but when I started climbing...... I realized soon that this is not for me. I didn't come for s surviving iron-man contest. Everything was so muddy that it was impossible to continue my trip.
After all it was an exciting experience. I enjoyed every moment.

Bad Weather

My training with Edy (on 1st of March) started interesting. We both met some problems with our bikes. But after an hour we finally started. At first we had a beautiful day with fine back-wind. When we arrived to Micfalău (Mikóújfalu) we suddenly realized that if we won't stop and return as fast as we can, the storm will catch us. At Olteni (Oltszem) we wanted to buy some kürtöskalács. The waitress said that we have to wait, but when we were looking out the window............ We had a great luck, that we were only 15 km away from home.
Besides of the bad weather, I enjoyed the training. We did 56 km, average speed 21 km/h.

Now is Monday, the 3rd of March. The rain stops, but the wind is still very stong. I saw during my trip a wagon with hay turned upside down! Today I did only 28 km.

Freedom!

Today (23rd of February) I had my first training with the bike. I was going for a ride with Edy, alias Eduard Astilean. We went to Ghidfalău (Gidófalva)-Angheluş(Angyalos)-Reci(Réty), then back to Sfântu Gheorghe. The weather was very fine. We did about 35 km, with an average speed of 20km/h. The roads were a bit muddy. The villagers looked to us a bit surprised, but they had the satisfaction that we become the first strangers, who visited them this year.
We stopped at the lake of Reci. It's still ice on it. Some fishermen were fishing on the ice. We were amusing on the fishing prices: 1000 RON a season ticket (abonament)!
But this is the life: everyone of us has got a hobby, and every hobby is expensive for foreigners.

Photos on: http://picasaweb.google.hu/kkisslaci/Bikefeb23?authkey=-DGbPvOhKyw

Starting the project

Making this project is harder than I ever imagined to be. But I'm glad that I begin and hopefully God will help me to finish it.
At first step I entered in contact with the Romanian Hemophilia Association and the Romanian Red Cross, then with the Bulgarian, Turkish, Hungarian Hemophilia Associations, after that with the World Federation of Hemophilia too. They approved my action.
I shall go not only in the name of my Covasna County Section, but in the name of the Romanian Hemophilia Association! Their moral support and the others' means a lot for me.
Now we are at the second step, which is fund raising and beginning the campaign in the media.
We started with a press conference:
http://www.libertatea.ro/index.php?section=articole&screen=stire&sid=195180 http://www.evz.ro/article.php?artid=337378 http://www.covasnamedia.ro/stiri/news.php?extend.3317 http://www.szekelyhirmondo.ro/article.php/Kisfiáért_kerekezik_Isztambulig/6808/
http://pluszportal.ro/web/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1925&Itemid=2

http://www.3szek.ro/modules.php?name=3szek&id=6519

Our local TV was there too, and Radio Targu Mures, a regional radio, mentioned the project in the news too. I think that we started a good campaign in the media.
We are at the beginning of the fund rising.
We have to move fast!

New project: Help for hemophilia!

1. Objectives :

I shall go on a bike to the WFH Congress which will be held next year in Istanbul. The Romanian Hemophilia Association through this action wants to focus the public attention on hemophilia and to talk about our problems. I shall do 1089km in 14 days.


2. Justification

My younger son, Daniel has got severe hemophilia. He was diagnosed at the age of 1. Since then we faced with many problems through which I understood that I can’t manage alone Daniel’s situation. But after we entered in the association I realized that not only we have difficulties, that there are people who are in even worse situation. That’s why I decided to do this trip not only for my son, but for the whole hemophilia community.

3. Activities

During my trip I shall stop in each important town, no matter if it’s Romanian, Bulgarian or Turkish. There I shall meet the local hemophila associations and the local media too. Once arrived there in the name of our association I want to get in contact with other similar organizations to build common actions and develop a partner relationship over the medium to long term.

4. Duration and plan of action

I shall do 1089km in 14 days.

18 May start from Sfantu Gheorghe to Brasov 32 km
19 May Brasov-Pitesti (via Bran) 133 km
20 May Pitesti-Bucuresti 113 km (via Leordeni, Titu)
21 May Bucuresti-Giurgiu-Ruse 64+9 km
22 May Ruse-Sumen 112 km
23 May Sumen-Varna 93 km
24 May Varna Burgas 128 km
25 May Burgas-Primorsko 65 km
26 May Primorsko-Malko Tarnovo 78
27 May Malko Tarnovo-Kirklareli (Turkey) 53 km
28 May Kirklareli-Luleburgaz 58 km
29 May Luleburgaz-Silivri 89 km
30 May Silivri-Istanbul 62 km
31 May rest
1 June Conference!

.
5. Expected impact:
My goal is:
- to raise broad awareness of hemophilia not only in my country, but in other countries too.
- to show an alternative to people about how they can involve to help
-to provide fresh ideas and strategies for the youth about how they can spend their free time

6. Target group:
-Ministry of Health
- officials
- medical staff
- media
- ordinary people

7. Results:

-better medical assistance
- more medical products for treatment (an ordinary patient with severe haemophilia receives each month 1 dose monthly!)

Winter training? Nordic Walking!

I started the training for Istanbul since the 15th of November 2007. Here, in ST. George we have a great winter, full with snow, but completely inappropriate for biking. Luckily I stay very close to the forest, so that I started to practice Nordic Walking. I do 4 sessions/week and 7-8 km each time. First I go to the spring, which is nearby the forest. Then with 3 bottles of spring water in my rucksack I start climbing up and down the mountains.

Here are some photos about my training route http://picasaweb.google.hu/kkisslaci/Jan23erdo?authkey=ZDpz7-y_FQ8