Romanian trip for my English speaking friends

So I´m here, in Romania!
  I came here with the intention to get knowledge about country not only as rambler, but also as aeronaut (pilot). All what i have is 20 kilograms weighing backpack where I have all my stuff. Lightweight tent, sleeping bag pad and great outdoor clothes gives me my sponsor ZAJO . I have also Skydrop and Skybean  vario and GPS devices. Glider Aspen 5 gave me Gradient, which I am most obliged.

  Traveling to Romania is secured by one friend of my friend, Romanian guy from Timisoara. He took me to Siria, which is place near Arad and Hungarian borders. Small hill upon the town is good for wind from W-N.

Hike up is little bit long, because at all pauses I looking down to flatlands, which are awesome. I can see for many kilometers of fields and villages.

 At take off wind is good and in few minutes i met local pilot, Cosmin. He speaking English very good, so he explain me weather situation. It looks bad, because clouds will be so low, and it is chance for thunderstorms. He also gave me an advice, to fly just thru flats, not by straight line thru hills with almost no place for land.

After 30k i landed because all around are shadows, exept small place where i try to climb again...into thunderstorm, but i was so, soooo low. After packing all stuff, i came on the road and hike. On right side some heavy clouds of rain talking "brum brum" and lightning flashes. But on me all the time hot sun shines. After few kilometers taxie guy brings me for 10km. Then I enjoy nice road passing thru forest, steam is climbing from hot asphalt.

I decide to use some hitch hike, because i must made it to some moutains for tommorows good weather and use it as much as its possible. I made few hiking kilometres and a lot of hitch hiking. I had nice interraction with locals, because no one speaks English or German. So we talk with hand and legs and some Italian words like montagna, tutti, bene, grande and of course parapente.  Lot of fun it is because locals all the time when i say "no vorbi romaneste" they start talking, talking and talking :D

For sleeping i found old and abadonned garden near Caransebes. Sumary is 30km by air, 15 by foot and 55 by hitch-hike.

http://www.xcontest.org/world/cs/prelety/detail:durifuk/21.6.2015/10:06

Day Two

Wake up into nice blue and cold morning under Montele Mic is beatiful. Pack everything and without breakfast i start to hike. My way thru typical (for me) romanian village is full of funny experience. Asphalt road  with final digestive products of cows and sheeps, staggering drunked men and womans sitting and talking in front of their homes. Everyone looking at me, what the hell i am doing here with long blond hair and big backpack. Just enjoing.

I walked for two hours, then my stomach want to eat so i stop for breakfast in valley full of threes and power lines. During my breakfast i thinking about landing here, if it will be possible. No it will not be possible because my way is to east, not to west. After this break i continue up, when car stops and bring me to moutain. There i want to take off, but wind is bad and clouds are low, so i decided just to fly down in course land on small place i saw from take off and use time for moving.

Flying into small valley full of trees just with small place downthere, in lee side of course. :) Best what i can do is to go and dont think a lot, because i can change my mind :D I landed in only one possible place and my chest almost explode from hearth rate. Nettle high as my knees working well. Everything is itching. I packed and start hiking. Road is good and my map says, there is two kilometres till crossway, from where I can go up to moutains again. But workers make some road and forgot bridge, or better to say, working time ends before they ends working on the bridge because I can see groundworks for it. Never mind, pants and boots down and cross it. Fresh and cold water it is, I like it.

Hike up to possible take off is so long. Clouds growing and start to shade big areas. On top I am sad, because it looks bad for me. Landing options i cant find, only way is to land on last grass 200m lower. Sunny areas with possibility of thermals are so far in valley, if i will not hit it and climb up, I will land down on threes.

Wind is blowing good so I tried to soar little bit, 50m up and thats all, Shadows like from Mordor cover almost everything. I flew maybe kilometer to west and then i must land, because moutains aint so steep for soaring just on wind. Pack stuff and try another strategy. Hike up to 2000m where moutain is enough steep, but there is another problem. Big rocks and knee timber, on rocks i can rip my lines and knee timber blocs my run. Almost impossible for take off. I found one place where i can run just one and half meter. One try i have, so I waiting until wind is good and some sun rise, then just wish a safe flight and jump into air.

Thermals working good, fast way under clouds i have. From cloudbase i can see other possible take off without rocks and with great steep shape. On map I cant see how it really is. Important is that i am in my kingdom, called air.

Cloudbase are low, just two-three hundred metres upon peaks, so flying here is quite hard. Circling with patience and as high as its possible able me to continue and enjoy beatiful views on green meadows wiht few rocks and small areas of snow from last winter. After 15km, i am little bit frozen, so i landed and bring some thermo underwear on legs, eat something and fly away. Clouds are big and low but i made it thru moutains.

Looking around give me awesome views of Romanian nature. I am impressed and I feel like in dream. Lone flying wanderer in middle of nowhere, i like that!

Weather is improving because i continue into smaller hills. Nice and long cloud street is in front of me so i used it as much as possible and land under takeoff Parang without knowledge about it. I just saw from air nice and steep moutain for tomorrows south wind situation. After landing, local romanian guy come and invite me into "koliba" for night. So I came. Nice day it was!

Summary: flight one, flight two, flight three = 85km, hiking around 10km and hitch-hike around 10km

Day Three

  Wake up around half past six. First step are heading up to Parang. Down in the valley fog wallow and here, at half of height of Parang 12m/s wind blows like from mammut ass. I hope it is only valley wind and in noon it will decrase to half :D

  In the middle of my way up, I ate something and enjoy awesome view with breathtaking details, air is so clear and moutains so near!

  At first antena place i meet Skyman car and local guy in gin jacket, he speaks very good English, so we checked weather and talk about flying. From him i knew that car and small house in building progress is Toma Coconea´s. He trains at Alps now, but for hudred devils, world is so small!!!

  My plan is to hike only at first possible place for take of and then use strong morning wind to save my energy and soar up and make top landing. Up i will wait for good conditions not only here (parang), but i can see conditions on my possible route from top.

  As i wish and hope, wind speed went down for maybe 8m/s. But i still waiting because behind Parang is blue hole. Its bad because hills behind arent so steep and valleys from my perspective are full of trees. Enjoying place and spectating flock of possible wild horses consuming time.

  Around noon I jumped into it. Just two hundred metres above top i fly into lee side, in 8m/s I expected stronger rotor that it was, but better for me. Here I never continue without maximum possible altitude, because its different type of flying than normal Cross Country. Here is most important to stay in air, not to be so much fast. Landing here is possible on grassy tops and I saw some places in valleys.  But landed here will end my trip, because hill are as shallow as my glide ratio, I think. Climbs are easy to find because wind is not so strong, maybe big moutain ridge south from me makes cover, but When i fly away from climb, strong sinking is everywhere, usally stronger then climb.

  I can spot lot of small details thru clean air. Herds, cottages, rock. Again I am so happy to be here, to be alone, who knows where and enjoy life and physical powers by paraglide. I am looking and taking pictures a lot but, slowly moutains goes more and more up. CB is at 2700 and summits have 2000-2100, so my useful altitude is really low. Never mind, I am accustomed to this at Slovakia.

I can see end of grassy ridge, now problems will come. Wind changes because in front of me is some kind of valley, but gull of threes and so big to cross with this cloudbase. Another problem is  Sibiu controlled airspace which begin maybe 3 km north from me. I decided to fly as much south as i can, and climb there and then fly not with side wind but half backwind thru valley. I think its possible but wind change my mind with force...i am going down, I cant find anything useful for climb up to CB. I landed near high voltage in rock n roll :D wind is strong like hell, only way how go forward is speed.

 Angry and sad, thats me, when i landed. I forgot strong wind and rotor behind strees at landing, Now hurry! Pack all stuff and find place for take of. It will be hard, because everywhere are shallow moutains, plenty of knee timber and trees. Back into 2100m consumes lot of time because i lost "path" thru knee timber and must squeeze thru. I sing a lot to warn possible bear to not meet me, because i am as angry as i will rip him :)

 When i came to "top" iam sad again, moutain shape is shallow as hell. Calculating my options I decide to try it, but wind blows like from mammut ass. At third attempt i made it into air, but staying at same place maybe in one meter altitude...hmmm what i will do? Then god of wind Ailos resolve it. Strong wind comes and took me 10m up and 10m back. Now i can hit some thermals but they are weak, so wind bring them behind ridge into rotor. I jumped thru small lee side to east and continue searching for my thermal. Soaring at half speed is neccesary because at trimm speed i will say at same place. I hit and cirle some +3m/s but they ends very soon. At half hour i decide to jump back and continue by foot.

Landing place near one cottage offers me to look inside, herds making bryndza but speak only Romanei. So we try to talk like this.

  I have just dictionary book because application I cant find. This discusion takes hour :)  Guys also ask me what i will do now and if I saw lost cow from sky :D

  For tommorow cold front will come so i decide to use offering help, they will come down to village which is 18km away. I am so tired and fell asleep in car, wake up just at Talmaciu, where my friends end. I went to field for sleep.

Summary: flight 1, flight 2= 50km hike around ten and hitch hike around 40.

Day Four

  ´Plan for last day is to go to most pretty and cool moutain pass here, Transfagarasau and maybe just flew down. I hitch heke there with cold front behind my back, and finally when i came there, two F-16 flew less than 200m above ground.... hen cloudbase went down and i was not so speede to fly before it. So just catch nice sceneries to camera, enjoy the place and hike a bit. Then i started to hitch hike back home, i must be fast because tomorrow will be good weather at my home country. 

   After lot of problems, Cristian brings me to Arad, but before it i wait for him until he will finish the work. After few days in moutains, smelling bad from sweat and with dirty clothes, I sitting in casino and looking on cool and well dressed guys throwing they life and money into machines and girls doing the same.

  By train back to slovakia, by hitch-hike to one of best takeoffs here, I flew a bit, but just a bit because three hours of sleeping aint enought and my mind want to sleep. 

But I am at home! I made it alone! I am unharmed! I am satisfied! Thats the way I like, enjoy country, interact with locals and do it low-cost. I didnt made it only hike&fly because i want ot maximize my flying experience, so i used hitch hike. In future, Romania is place for another visit with paraglider. See you next time and thank you a lot, Romania!

DO WHAT YOU LOVE AND LOVE WHAT YOU DO!

Rumunskými Karpatmi deň tretí

 O siedmej budíček v kolibe rumunskej zvoní mi. Čaká ma dlhý deň. Musím sa vytrepať na kopec Parang, z ktorého chcem letieť Ďalej na východ po vysokých ale plytkých kopcoch okolo jednej veľkej nádrže. Na najbližšiu možnú štartovačku je to sedemsto výškových metrov. Počasíčko vypadá zaujímavo, dole v doline je hmla, po kopci mocne, až búrlivo prefukuje J vietor. Deriem sa najkratšou cestou cez les nahor. 

  Raňajky dám v polke také typické paštikárske, teda chleba s májkou. Dodá mi to sily a tak hravo ukrajujem z prevýšenia. Pri prvom vysielači vidím veterné rukávy, stužky, asi sa z tadeto mocne lieta. Ďalej ma zaujme auták s polepom SKYMAN, objaví sa aj týpek v gin bunde. Pokecám s ním, pozrie mi počasíčko. Dozvedám sa že auto a rozostavaná kolibka nie je nikoho iného ako Toma Coconea. :) svet je malý!

 Nabalí mi čokolády a načapuje vody. Deriem sa hore  s úmyslom na prvej možnej ploche to odpáliť a nasvahovať čo najviacej výšky, londnúť hore a počkať si na obed. Tak aj urobím, Aspeník ma pojme 300 metrov ktoré nemusím šľapať. Popri svahu to lížem, vidím dokonca divé kone pobehovať po holinách. Nedaľeko nich pristávam. Dávam si šlofík, študujem mapu a situáciu, dopĺňam energiu. 

Okolo dvanástej skáčem do toho, natočím pár metrov na preskok do závetria. Viditeľnosť je nádherná, všetko je ostré a jasné. Hory ako naše Nízke Tatry. V závetrí si nájdem niečo slabšie a dotáčam kochajúc sa tou nádherou. Letím od mraku k mraku ďalej s vetrom v chrbte a ide mi oči  vyočiť. Na kopcch sa túlia ovčie stáda, kde tu koliba, drevenica a nádherná príroda. Letím opatrne lebo kopce podo mnou majú 1800m, ale sú dosť plytké na prípadný re-štart. 

Počko síce vyzerá nádherne, ale nie je úplne perfektné, stupáky sú úzke a často aj slabé, zato klesákov je ako policajtov na cestách keď je slnečno.

Nerobím však chyby a pokračujem ďalej do vyšších kopcov po hrebeni na východ. Som naozaj šťastný, až dokým neurobím chybu. Stupák som nenalietol a tak klesám do zarastenej a plytkej doliny. Tlačím sa dopredu nad kosovku, nízko, že ju skoro okopávam. Našťastie citlivý SKYDROP zapípa tú našu a driape ma nahor. V 2500 opúšťam stupák, lebo nad hlavou je základňa a plné kotle valím na východ.

 Hrebeň sa rozdeľuje na dva menšie, ktorými končí a začína veľmi zalesnená oblasť nižších kopcov, v podstate akejsi doliny, či prielomu medzi dvoma väčšími hrebeňmi. To spôsobuje silnú údolku, ktorá ma začne pribíjať o zem. Neviem nájsť nič rozumné, svah nedrží a ja hnijem dolu, pristávam na cúvaka, klapáka a stojáka na poslednom fleku pri vysokom napätí. No celkom som sa napaprčil. 

Bleskovo zbalím a deriem sa koskou nahor. Chcel by som čím skôr odštartovať a využiť počasie. V kosodrevine nie sú však žiadne chodníky, alebo ak aj sú, nenašiel som ich. Ťažký bágel na chrbte, horúčava, a predieranie koskou je naozaj náročné. Pot sa zo mňa valí. Trošku mi aj riťou stíska, bo predsa, je tu dosť pusto, medveďov tu pár isto žije. Radšej zanôtim, alebo skôr zaziapem naše slovenské, nech aspoň medvede vedia že nie som ich. Možno nemajú radi zahraničné pokrmy.

 Nijakého nestretnem a po úmornej túre na 2100m vysokú pagurku som sklamaný bo je plytkejšia ako vtipy v Kredenci. Ale nevzdávam sa! Pešo nepôjdem! naveľa naveľa sa mi podarí aj odštartovať, lebo fúka prepekelne a rýchlosťou vyšetrovania trebárs Gorily. Postávam na mŕtvom bode, vietor ma nepustí, a som nízko. Príde však prífuk a pojme ma do 10m nad zem. No, zdá sa že je čas na speed, svahujem teda na polke. Po nejakej pol hodine to vzdám, v tom silnom vetre nemôžem nastúpať na odlet na ďalšiu možnú pristávačku a nechám sa iba zaniesť dozadu. Pristávam pri kolibke, kde bača hneď vykrikuje dačo po rumunsky, hodíme teda krátku reč.

"eu parapente petrosani"  (ja paragliding petrosani) pastier sa čuduje, bo je to asi 40km. Spŕška slov a viet mi nedáva zmysel a evidentne nechápe keď mu po rumunsky poviem "nu verde rumunesci" teda nerozprávam po rumunsky. Ale z posunkoch je mi jasné že ma volá do koliby na žrádelko. Bryndza s čímsi ťažko popísateľným ma zasýti. Zhŕknu sa viacerý a dievka s chlapákom čo v kolibke bryndzu tlačia naznačujú čosi ako "machina" teda auto.

  Rozprávame sa postupne štýlom: oni napíšu vetu do môjho zápisníka, ja si ju preložím (10minút) odpíšem (10minút) a tak máme z toho dvojhodinovú debatu, pozostávajúcu z pár viet. Zoberú ma dole do dediny lebo cesta je kadejaká a dlhá 18km. Tak reku dobre, chvíľu sledujem nádherné lesy za oknom ale zaspávam. Zobudím sa až Talmaciu o desiatej večer kde ma vykladajú, zmorenýsi idem ľahnúť niekde do poľa.

Bilancia je mizerná, nejakých 40km.  http://www.xcontest.org/world/en/flights/detail:durifuk/23.6.2015/08:52

http://www.xcontest.org/world/en/flights/detail:durifuk/23.6.2015/13:26

Rumunskými Karpatmi deň druhý

  Včera to bola viac menej nuda, najmä slabý polet. Dnes to vyzerá nádejnejšie. Zbalím svoje bývaníčko, hodím 20kíl na plecia a ide sa. Je veľmi mokro, vlhko, takže aj dneska bude veľa oblačnosti.
  Kráčam jedinou asfaltkou ktorá vedie na Montele Mic, čo je akýsi rezort kde sú vleky a chaty, odkiaľ by teoreticky išlo odletieť. Je síce plytký ako scenár Búrlivého vína, ale ak si dám trošku pozor, mohol by som sa aj zodvihnúť. V poslednej dedine ktoré nesie meno Borlova sa kochám klasickým romania style. Prašná cesta uprostred, ktorá je priama ale hodne hrboľatá, mnohé "hrbole" sú proste kopy sračiek od kráv. A aby toho nebolo dosť, predomnou asi pol kilometra ženie pastier svoje ovčie stádo, ktoré po ceste vykonáva svoju rannú potrebu. Päťdesiat oviec krát každá päťdesiat bobkov a mám čo robiť aby som nebol celý zagebrený. Tetky sedia o siedmej ráno na priedomiach, opitý chlapi sa tackajú nevedno kam...Prekráčam asi 6-7km a jedno jediné auto smerujúce do maličkej osady hore, ma zoberie. Pokecáme štýlom ruky nohy a pár slov (montáňa, parapente, slovači, grande, tutti atak podobne) snaží sa mi vysvetliť že po jeho známeho tu bol vrtuľník asi takto: "Amigo parapente Montele mic, švác, helikoptéra" a do toho rozhadzuje rukami a ja len s hrôzou dúfam že lapne na tých serpentínach volant a bude poriadne kerovať. Na gure oriadne fučí ale zo zlého smeru. Chcem si to aspoň zletieť nazad do osady a prešľapať na druhý kopčisko, čo má tak 2100m a trošku lepšie je orientovaný.
  Keď vidím tú zalesnenú dolinu, kus ma premkne strach ale rýchlo ho zaháňam, á veď to doletím, á veď to je dosť veľká čistina hentam..., hlavne neváhať a šup do toho aby som stihol byť na druhom kopci ešte načas.

  Doletím ta a čistinka je síce fajn, ale preťahuje vietor po doline, stromiská sú vysočizné a trošku to tam pridvihuje ale presne tak slabo že sa nezdvihnem a presne tak silno aby mi to pokazilo rozpočet na pristátie. Zvŕtam sa tam zvŕtam, tep zrýchľuje. Okopávam stromky ale dáko sa mi podarí sa tam napasovať a po vetre to šľahnem do žihľavky  a tá je veru fajná, dopŕhlený, mokrý ale šťastný že je všetko OK balím éro v tráve po kolená. Spakujem sa a cválam het roklinou. podľa mapy je tu akási cesta asi o kilometer ďalej ktorá vedie hore na holiny. Keď prídem na flek je mi jasné... cez potok zabudli zrobiť most alebo teda dokončiť. Takže vyzuť a do ľadovej vody približne do kolien a prebrodiť. fajné osvieženie.

  Teraz mi už len 1000m výšky ostáva nadžubať aby som mohol letieť. Strmina až strach je to, veriť sa mi nechce že to nejaký kolesový stroj vyjde. Hore je fajný prameň, naberiem vody i do zásoby. Medzičasom sa to hodne dekuje.

  Strašná makačka je to hore, nevládzem.  Keď sa mi podarí odštartovať, som neskutočne šťastný že aspoň svah drží, hoci je zatemnený. Dole v doline je to nasvietené i z tade mraky naskakujú ale nevydalo by mi na pristátie, prípadné. Po dvoch neuspešných pokusoch musím ísť až na samý vrch. Ale problémom sú šutre a koska, v miestach kde je totiž poriadne strmý, nie je miesto na štart... okrem jedného kde mám rezervu cca meter čiže jeden a pol kroku. Aj sám sa čudujem ako mi to vydalo a nerozdrapil som šnúru a padák ani som sa nezdžubal do tej kosky i keď mi nohy oplieskala. Tá radosť je však neopísateľná. Dokonca sa mi podarí čo to aj nastúpať!

  Otvára sa mi pohľad do hôr, sú nádherné, skoro celé trávnaté, vysoké okolo dvoch litrov. Tade musím preletieť. Bude to sranda bo mraky sa válajú nízko, dokonca z južnej strany sú nižšie ako kopce.

  Postupujem pomaly, dotáčam všetko a samozrejme kochám sa! Po svahoch túlia sa ovčie stáda.. kde tu je nejaká kolibka...

  Po asi hodinke musím londovať, je mi strašná kosa na nohy, lebo kokon je strašne tenký a okrem toho je jednoduchšie to rebrierko prekráčať s padákom v kvete ako oblietať. Samozrejme bežia za mnou asi kilometer psiská. Pribehnú, divia sa, štekajú jak zbesnetý. Chytro sa obliecť a odpáliť. Psiská zostanú zarazene stáť že kde som zmizol. Letím ďalej, ale začína to byť pobiedne s pristávačkami. Kašlať na to, nevyhnijem a je to! Asi druhý stupák je zaujímavý tým, že blízko popri svahu ma mláti v údolke a vyplaším srnu. Tá mysliac si že ju prenasledujem uteká, ale iba vtedy, keď sa v stupáku k nej otočím. Ináč rozdýchava. A veru sa nabehá lebo lietam blízko popri svahu dosť dlho. No nič, zatrénovala srnka trošku.

  Veľký preskok predomnou. Musel som si trošku, ako sa na východe zvykne hovorievať "popri mraku nastúpať" :D lebo by som to  nedoletel....

  Výhľady sú nádherné, dychberúce a ja som neskutočne rád, že som sa z tej divočiny vymotkal ďalej.

  Naskytajú sa perfektne divoké perspektívy. Tieto hory sú fantastické.

Pred sebou v kurze vidím nádherné mraky, nižšie kopce a civilizáciu..to bude paráda.

    Vietor sa trošku zvrtol. Mám ale časúú takže dotáčam všeto, mrcasím sa.

Odmenou mi je nádherná rada mrakov až ku ďalším kopcom. Perfektné!

  

   Dávam si cieľ, priletieť aspoň na kopec kde je lyžiarske stredisko, že by som jutro odtiaľ odpálil. Postupne si cieľ kladiem až za dolinu, aby ma ráno nepoložil preskok. Aj tam je lyžiarske stredisko.

  Nakoniec krásnym večerným doklzom užívam samotu a úspešný deň.... pár kilometrov som ukrojil.
Hneď ako pristanem, pribehne týpek že hybaj do koliby. Nedal ináč, tak som išiel. Debata klasická, rukami nohami... :D
http://www.xcontest.org/slovakia/prelety/detail:durifuk/22.6.2015/13:48

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