END OF THE WINTER?

It's the end of February, and I'm tired to wait the snow to be melt away. It was a great winter, but unfortunately here the snow was too deep for biking. Yesterday it was very hot outside, about +5c grades and I was hoping that the snow become a bit thinner. Even so when I arrived in the forest the terrain was very hard because of the melted snow. I was falling down a lot.
On my way I met with some gypsies. They only smiled to me, which is a good sign: they become to be customized to se such strange things, like a mountain biker (even in winter). I tried not to fall down until I dissappeared from their sight. It was a great fun, but I think I shall do some road until everything become dry and warmer.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

The first day of the year 2010 find us on our bikes.
The snow was melting, but on the northern parts of the mountains it stays. Our trip was a mixture of snow, mud, deep snow, water.
We started from St. George and go to Vâlcele (Előpatak), then turn to Ilieni (Illyefalva) an back to St. George, of course doing all off-road.

The weather was too warm for this season. We were wearing only T-shirts and wind-stoppers. They were good until we arrived to the top of Vf. Plopului (Kereszténytető). Here we received a rough wind and heavy rain. Luckily we had waterproof coats and shirts with us. On our way we saw some deers too. We did about 20 km.
I think it was a good trip even if the nature was a bit against us.

Late Autumn

Yesterday I was on my usual training route. I took my photo camera too. Please enjoy the collours of the season.
More photos: http://picasaweb.google.hu/kkisslaci/31102009bicikli#

End of the Competitional Season

This very first season was really great.
I participated at 4 MTB competitions and I was allways on the first third or on the middle of the rank.
The competitions were the following:
Maratonul de MTB Munţii Ciucului 06.06.2009

I had a collar bone fracture too, but after 6 weeks I was OK.
Tuşnad MTB Maraton 20.09.2009

Maros Maraton 27.09.2009

Alpinsport MTB Maraton 25.10.2009


During the Summer I did many trips and many trainings, but I shall not write now about them.
Maybe next time.

RIDING-EATING=TRAINING

I like this season.

I'm in a good shape. The paths are dry.

We are in the wilderness ......... and we can eat al kind of berries!

CSÍKMARATON / MARATONUL MUNŢII CIUCULUI

On 06.06.2009 was organized this off-road bike competition. It was my first challenge. I participated in the short, the 41 km ride. The difference of the level was 1122 m. We had to do it in maximum 4 hours.

Here is the route map: http://www.csikmaraton.ro/uploaded/images/imgup_77982732.jpg

We had a cloudy weather, just good for a ride. The soil, on most part of the path, was dry.

We were more than 300 competitors. I arrive the 109-th, and become the 20-th in my age category (over 35 year). My timing 2:48.

I'm new in this sport, only 10 month ''old''. I want more and more. I simply love it!

CAT MISSION

My son, Daniel received a cat on his birthday. It was the right gift for him, but since we live in a flat, we couldn't afford it to keep it with us.
so yesterday I did a trip with Attila to Jimbor, to bring the cat to my wife's family who live in a house with a big yard. this time we ride on the road.
We crossed very fast the villages of Vâlcele-Araci-Hăghig-Feldioara. Then we entered on the E60 road. It was Saturday, so it wasn't a heavy traffic on the road.
We stopped at Rotbav to make some photos. There is a beautiful fortress.

It is a pity that the road goes very close to it. the international road causes a lot of damage for the fortified church.
Then we crossed the Bogata Forest, which is a natural reserve.

At Homorod we stopped for the fortified church.

Then we crossed Mercheasa and arrived to Jimbor. Here we visited the local fortress and stopped at my family.

After making 80km we were very hungry. They waited us with sausages and roast meet, so it was very hard for us to stand up from the table and ride on the road again. And the hardest part begins now! The road between Jimbor and Satu Nou is very bad and it starts raining. We didn't escaped from rain and cold weather on the last part of our trip.

For us it was fun. we were well equipped. The weather didn't bothered us too much.
we crossed Vârghiş and stopped after Baraolt to visit a fossil site.

It's an interesting place, we find very easy a lot of fossilized sea shells and leafs. Then we stopped at Biborţeni to drink some mineral water from the spring. We crossed Băţani Mari then we climbed the Hatod Pass. It was already night, so when we went downhill, we ride very slow because the holes on the road were filled up with rain water. Even so, small accidents happened. Then we arrived to Micfalău. We didn't stopped. Then we crossed Malnaş, Olteni and finally arrived to Sfântu Gheorghe. It was a long and rainy trip, but it was a lot of fun too.
Totally we did 158 km. Max speed 48:30. trip time 8:22. Avg. speed 18:83.

MT. BODOC

Today we celebrated our town's day with a trip on Mt. Bodoc. This time we started the climbing from Pădureni (Besenyő). When we left the village I had a small problem with one of my wheels, but Doruk and Attila fix it very fast. I was hoping that they will be a bit slower, because I needed some extra time for rest.

We started to explore a totally new path, and this was much harder and longer then the usual one....... and prooved to be more beautiful too!

It was a sunny weather, but also it was very cold. We didn't take off our windbreakers. During the trip we didn't stopped too much. Only on the top of the mountain we stayed for a while at the spring, when we filled our bottles with water.


Then we had a very fast and dangerous run downhill to Bodoc (Sepsibodok) village. Jakab Tibi had a downfall. Luckily he had no problems.

Totally we did 60 km, 40 were on offroad. All this in less than 5 hours.

HARD TIMES

Hard times? No, we only do more intensive training as the weather is going to be better and better. Today we explored the southern part of Mt. Baraolt. We ride in a wild, a forgotten world. The paths in the forest were unused. Silence everywhere.... only birds, small animals, a deer.
After my calculation we did about 50 km.

THE WINTER STRIKES BACK

Today I was wake up and surprise! It was snow outside! The wind was blowing hard, but not matter. We went outside with the guys for a short off road trip. Totally we did 19 km. I think this bike "story" is not any more a hobby. It's more like an addiction. I went out with Lehel and Attila.
Photos: http://picasaweb.google.hu/kkisslaci/Bicimarc14#

FROZEN? NO! JUST TIRED!

It was a long time since I did my last trip (8Th of February), but I was very busy, but the weather didn't helped the riders. Now everything is frozen. Last night it was -16 c, so I went on the usual route. The snow was thick, and frozen the surface. On some portions I was forced to pedal downhill! No wonder that it took me a lot of time to arrive home. Totally I did 20 km off-road.
More photos:
http://picasaweb.google.hu/kkisslaci/260209?authkey=28nl0DbBLww#

Training

Today I had a very hard training. I went with the guys who are preparing for the MTB races. For them it was an easy run. For me ........ I was the last Mohikan of the group. We did 89 km on road.

Start from Sfântu Gheorghe to Ilieni, then Hărman. At Sânpetru DoruK received a puncture. Short stop. We arrived to Braşov, then Codlea.

At Codlea we stopped. Everybody was hungry. We did some photos and we ate some sweets and sandwiches.

Then Hălchiu and the Ardealul Inn where DoruK received the second puncture. Then Bod-Araci-Vâlcele. At Vâlcele we stopped at the mineral spring, then the last climb!

My average speed was 25 km/h.

Photos:
http://picasaweb.google.hu/kkisslaci/Feketehalom08022009#

OUR FIRST RIDE IN 2009

Yesterday we went for a short ride to Sugas. The weather was very warm. It was a pleasure to go out with the guys. We rode on the road, because the forest was very muddy. At Sugas we drunk mineral water from the spring and went back to civilisation. Tibi achieved 72km/h downhill!

SHORT RIDE TO VÂLCELE

On 22.01.2009 I went to Vâlcele. The weather was too warm. The snow was going away, so I didn't go off-road because of the mud. I took my Merida Crossway, put the bike bags on it and went on the road.

Man, I hate the road on this time of the year!

It was dry, but dusty. When a car was passing by, you felt the salty dust in your mouth.

At Vâlcele I filled my bottles from the spring with mineral water. I put on the bike 9 liter. It is enough for my family for a week.

The end of the year (31.12.2008) find us again on bikes. We went to Sugaş Băi resort, then Benkő Spring-Shadow Creek-Valea Crisului-home.

It was a very sunny, but cold day. We didn't see anybody else, just birds and wilderness.

It was silence everywhere.........

We did about 40 km, most of our trip off-road.

ST. ANA LAKE

On 14.12.2008 I went with Edy and Tibi to the St. Ana Lake. You can find the lake in a volcanic crater, near the Băile Tuşnad resort. It is unique in this part of Europe. We are lucky to have it so close to us! It's about 50 km away from Sf. Gheorghe. Because of the weather we went with the car to Bixad. In Bixad the road was clean, but when we climbed up the mountain the snow become thicker and thicker. So we did off-road only on the ice of the lake. For me this was for the first time when I was riding on the ice of the St. Ana Lake. We were playing like little kids.
More photos on: http://picasaweb.google.hu/kkisslaci/StAnna14122008?authkey=S0vMVehlrXU#

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#