Bicycling the Blue Danube 2008: Day 31--Braila to Tulcea, Romania

PIECE OF CAKE, RIGHT?

Friday, July 25, 2008
Braila to Tulcea, Romania

Distance: 97 km (60.27 miles)

X+--Our ride today begins with a ferry crossing of the Danube since the last bridge we saw was across to Bulgaria in Giurgiu. We arrive in Tulcea (say "tool-chuh") this afternoon. Not only have we traveled nearly 3,000 kilometers but we have also traveled back in time nearly three thousand years as Tulcea was inhabited by the ancient Greeks who built their settlement on that of earlier settlers dating to the 7th century BC. At various times in history Tulcea was controlled by the Byzantines, the Genoese, and the Ottoman Turks.

When Judy and I looked at the mapped route this morning, I said, “Ow. Look at that squiggly line that’s Hwy 22. We’re in for some climbing.” Judy poo-pooed this, reminding me that we were in the Danube delta. Hold that thought.

When we left the hotel we had about 5 minutes of hectic city riding, and then we took a ferry to the other side of the river. There were several ferries running, but most of us took the same one and so did the van. On the other side of the river, Hwy 21 was smooth and beautiful, running through tall forest and bordering a branch of a river and a wetlands alive with herons and ducks and other birds. But, every time I stopped to take a bird photo, the bird flew away, so I quit that after a bit because I was far behind the group.

Harold, Carolyn, and the van wait in line to buy ferry tickets and board the ferry to the opposite side of the river

After this level stretch, we climbed into Macin and then hung a turn onto Hwy 22 (E 87), which climbed the hills behind the city. From then on, we never stopped climbing and descending, climbing and descending.

Lone fisherman who got to his favorite spot on his bike

Odd to have mountains in the delta

Level route begins to turn into hills in Macin

While today was the prettiest scenery in all of Romania and perhaps the entire ride, it was also a tough day for me. We had many climbs, some of them long, many of them steep, to get over the mountains. Up and down and up and down. Who would have thought that a delta area would have mountains and hills? They were low lying mountains and the hills looked very similar to those in northern California. One just couldn’t beat today’s ride for scenery.

Me holding aloft a sandwich to lure Judy and Harold and Carolyn into the shade for a food break. We sat on this wall in the shade and ate our lunches. After this I rode ahead by myself.

As the day wore on and the sun got hotter, my energy began to wane. I’d get so slow on the steep climbs that I’d have to walk the bike for fear of wobbling into traffic, and the truck traffic was heavy on this smooth road to the harbor in Tulcea. Some trucks, trying to keep up speed on the climbs, passed between oncoming traffic—including trucks—and me. They left not a hair’s breadth of room, and certainly no room for wobble. I think that this walking in my bike shoes gave me shin splints.

I was trying to show in these pix how the men wore fedora-type hats

A peasant cart struggling up the hill; I was behind it for a bit and then passed it; there was a load in the wagon plus two adults on the cart. The hill was very long; I felt sorry for the single horse.

Another of the long climbs

I got in at 1:30 pm, on this our last day of riding. Stefania and Alex were waiting in front of the hotel. I stripped off my rack pack (which I must empty and return to Ex+) and water bottles; then left the bike with them so that they could remove my seat, pedals, and mirror. The bike had seen me over paved, dirt, gravel, grassy, sandy, potholed, dished, and lumpy surfaces; through tunnels, over bridges, through big cities and small villages, uphill and down with nary a flat or mechanical problem. It was a bit hard to say goodbye to my trusty Cannondale steed.

Tonight we are in another very large hotel, Hotel Esplanada, right on the river. Last night’s hotel had Turkish towels that one had to use a derrick to lift they were so dense and big. Also our room at the

Belvedere was totally green—bedspread, cabinets, refrig, desk, chairs, curtains, and entire bathroom. I noticed last night also that the beds were getting wider and wider—not the very narrow beds of western Europe. Tonight’s room at the Esplanada is done up in red, and the beds seem like standard twins or maybe a bit wider. We also have fluffy white bathrobes and slippers here. The towels, while not as large as those in Hotel Belvedere are still thick and heavy. Our room looks out on the river so we can take photos from our windows (see below).

Our hotel and the view from our hotel room window

My right shin is very painful and it is painful and difficult to walk, but after the Rear Guard got in, Judy and I took a stroll (me limping along with my sore right leg) and had an ice cream—after going to a several stores and a grocery in search of Hall’s cough drops and cranberry juice . . . You know the drill by now.