Beklemeto Pass

The weather forecast was good weather, sun and a little cloud, but dry.  Got up early and had a big breakfast, which I didn’t really want, but thought I should have as I had a lot to do today.  Whilst eating it started to rain, which somewhat spoiled the plan.  It stopped after a while and the sky looked low and grey, but anyway I thought it seemed OK so all systems go.

The plan was to ride to Beklemeto, most of the way up the pass and see how far I could get in the time I had.  The pass rises to almost 5000 feet from the valley below at about 1200 feet.

Roman Road

I have driven this way many times but this was the first by bike.  As I was riding along the very gently climbing road In the valley my legs didn’t feel much like cooperating, I wondered how I would go on the climb. 

At the very beginning I saw a sign by the side of the road which described the Roman Road which almost runs parallel with the modern road to the top of the pass.   I decided to take this route up the pass.  The track as basically a very steeply climbing track, wide enough for a tractor, very wet and very muddy.   Interesting to see in places the original roman stones placed there 2000 years ago.  In places the track was very dark, deep in the forest, almost expected to see a Roman Legion coming through the trees.   Had a scare near the start when up ahead I saw a large animal in the track, running away from me about 50 metres away.  Dark brown, large and running very heavily with its back to me.  It was definitely not a deer, it could have been a wild boar or even a bear, didn’t like this at all!

Click here for Video Roman Road

It was slow progress uphill, managed to ride almost all the way, didn’t want to foot down as it was so muddy.  It got more foggy the higher I went and darker under the trees, felt very remote indeed, but the GPS showed I was too far from the main road.  Finally got to the resort of Beklemto at around 4500 feet, a quick turnaround and headed back down the road all the way to Troyan, fast winding decent for about 10 kms, brilliant, but a little cool.

Beklemeto Hotel near the top of the Pass

So successful first attempt, but the next time I think best to do the climb on the road and the whole decent off road, also I want to the reach the very top of the pass next time.

Second Day

So the bike was ready and so was I, set off nervously at about 9.00 am, there is a choice of where to go, in fact all directions are possible.  Decided in the end to ride to the north to a town Balabansko and see if I could pick up a track that would take me into the mountains to the right hand side.  In the end I couldn't identify any of the trails off the road, so I carried on to the village of Terzisko, uphill all the way.  

I called at the house of my best man who is an artist and lives with his wife and daughter in a complex old house on a steep hillside overlooking a ravine.   As usual when I arrived they were working on some furniture, they were very surprised to see me Tsvatko said I had come from the sky!

Cup of coffee and then back on the road, which by now was a forest track, used only by the forest workers to collect wood.  Came across a group of about 20 horses, led a young girl.  All the horses had some kind of saddle, but not exactly a saddle, it was used to load wood on the then they would carry it down to the trucks in the valley.  The route basically was a very big up and aery long down, 24 miles, a good start.
 
Came across this big Zil Russian forest truck on the trail, wish I knew where the signpost was pointing, couldn't find those places on the map.

Just as I got to the main road for the last three miles or so I was overtaken by  a group of road cyclists, all dressed the same in full road kit, shaved legs, serious stuff.   I rode immediately behind them and spoke to one of them for a few seconds, they were from Toyan and at the end of the their ride, I think the one I spoke to was a bit surprised, wouldn't speak much.  Anyway I more or less kept up with them with my chunky tyres singing due to the speed before turning off to home.

Bulgarian Mountain Biking

I am writing this blog about my first mountain bike trip to Bulagria.

Our house in the town of Troyan, right in the middle of the country, east, west, north south.  Its just north of the Balkan range of mountains, which splits the country in two east to west.  The name locally of this range of mountains  which we know as the Balkans is Stara Planina, or Old Mountains.  

From our house ther is a pass to the north which climbs up to over 4500 feet, the srart of the climb is at the edge of the town.

I brought with my my Giant Trance X3 mountain bike which will now live here.  I brought in the bikeguard box that I got when my new bike the Canyon Nerve 7.0 was delivered.

The flight and checking in the bike was easy and it arrived safe in Sofia.  

Just managed to get it the Kia Picanto I rented.  The first night after arriving at 20.30 I stayed at the holiday Inn in Sofia Buisness Park.  Just in case, I took the bike box out of the car and left in the luggage room of the hotel.

Next morning after breaskfast loaded up again and set off for Tyoyan, its 130 kms and with one stop for coffer arrived lunchtime.

Unpacked and assembled the bike, no problems all went together well.

I reduced the pressure in the tyres and the shocks, I dont know if I needed too, pumped them up OK and with a little adjustment was ready for the first ride, but first a nights sleep.