first cb 1100 to complete transfagarasan, romania?

[bronx boy_imp]

i am in romania. the bike got here a couple of days after i did, and it was a breeze to get it thru customs. the customs agent and shipping company asked a lot of questions and i just explained that the bike was here temporarily and not being imported and they let me thru without any temporary tariffs...it was remarkable. after a week of playing around in bucharest, and learning to drive here ( these guys make nyc taxi drivers look like little old ladies going to church on sunday) i headed down to transylvania. first stop transfagarasan highway. this would item #5 on my bucket list.

it was built by ceausescu during the early 1970's as a quick way to get troops thru the mountains in the event of a soviet invasion. the road is amazing. it is about 100 km long and it bends and twists up around over and thru the carpathian mountains. the curves and switchbacks make sense, and you have a good feel from this road. it was rated by top gear as the best driving road in the world, beating out the stelvio pass in the italian alps.

in my short motorcycling experience, i have ridden some of the best roads in the us. the pacific coast highway was my favorite, this was better. this was awesome...literally. i was awe struck. i am afraid of heights, and it didn't strike me until today that i could get this feeling on a road. the height and sheer verticality was incredible ( not a good enough word), and it went on for hours. i never got out of third gear, unless i was downshifting. with the little bit of wind, and the altitude it got really cold...probably below fifty. thank god the clouds cleared, because there was no way i was going to do this in low visiblity. close to the summit there is a mountain lake that is really beautiful. the views near the summit take your breath away, and when i started the descent, i rode 25km downhill. can you imagine that...riding my 1960 dunelt three speed english racer bicycle for 25 km and not having to pedal. not once?

Unfortunately the picture below really doesn’t tell the story.

there were a few other cars on the road, but not may. i didn't see any deer or bears, but i did have to stop and let a herd of cows and goats pass. i got that on video but i haven't figured out how to get that into an email as yet.

bucket list item? i don't know, that list just tends to get longer,
worlds greatest road? it is for today.
really great day that will i never forget? i have been smiling so hard that my face hurts.

so how do you celebrate knocking another item off of the bucket list?
well i just had dinner at a great little traditional transylvanian restaurant.
i had a bottle of wine and listened to two guys play romanian songs on the clarinet and accordian.

i think i am going to go down to the hotel bar and have another drink.

hell, i may go after bucket list item #4 and try out that bidet thing...if i can get somebody to show me how it works.