Tag 2: Brebu Nou > Slatina Timis > Macoviste > Orsova > Decebal > Baila Herculane > Campu lui Neag > Vulcan

MIVOAKA: 09.07.2024

Day 2 and I can already say: Lots of action!

We left the campsite at 8:00 a.m. because we had a lot planned for today. As you can see from the pictures, the early motorcyclist took the best pics 😜.

Sensational landscape here in the Carpathians. The sun is shining and I ride further south. Through Romanian villages where time seems to have stood still and the breathtaking view of the Carpathians again and again. At some point I come to the E70, which seems to be very popular with long-distance drivers. Despite the many cars and trucks, the view is great.

Today I'm taking this road to Orsova on the Danube and then on to the "Decebalus Rex" - a statue of the Dacian king carved into the rock.

The Decebalus Rex statue depicts the face of Decebalus, the last king of the Dacians who ruled from 87 to 106 AD and fought against the Roman emperors Domitian and Trajan. Located right on the banks of the Danube, the statue is the largest rock sculpture in Europe at 55 meters high. The sculpture was commissioned by Romanian businessman Iosif Constantin Drăgan and created by a team of twelve sculptors between 1994 and 2004. Below Decebalus' face is the Latin inscription "DECEBALUS REX—DRAGAN FECIT," which means "King Decebalus—Built by Drăgan."

The Danube is as big as a giant lake here and the mountains give you a real Maritime Alps feeling.

After a coffee we continue to Baila Herculane, the oldest health resort in Romania with wild springs around 38°C.

It's a good thing that the Cerna flows right next door and is much cooler at around 24°C. Kneipp treatments are free of charge - and the mood is top notch.

The springs of Băile Herculane, also known as Hercules Baths, are famous for their healing properties and long history. The spa has 16 thermal springs stretching over a length of four kilometers. These springs have different mineral compositions, including sodium chloride, bromine, bicarbonate, iodine and sulfur, and their temperatures range from 38 to 67°C. They have been used since Roman times and are known for their therapeutic effects on various diseases.

And then, friends, my off-road adventure starts just behind the village of "Cerna-Sat".

TET time: 60km of mud, puddles, rubble - everything the off-road fan needs.

The landscape was stunning again and apart from a few forest workers there was no one around.

Well, I should have filled up with gas beforehand because I was running low. After the TET (Trans European Trail), Fia was barely recognizable because of the mud, but we got through it OK.

Road to Campus lui Neag at the end of the TET Section

I even came across a BMW X1 and a VW Tiguan on the way. I would never have done that with those cars. It took a lot of strength and energy, but I'm well prepared - the fitness training was worth it.

After the TET I drive through the beautiful village of Campu lui Neag and Uricani down to the towns of Lupeni and Vulcan.

While the feeling of freedom and nature still dominates in Campus lui Neag and Uricani, the dilapidated towns of Lupeni and Vulcan depress me, or I just walk through the ghettos. In any case, pure Ukrainian flair here.

Since the others are feeling so bad, I've just moved into the most expensive hotel. To take care of my body properly and have something nice to eat.