The Transfagarasan

 

These mountains (the Carpathians or Transylvania Alps) separate Transylvania from the coastal area of Romania.  The elevation change from Sibiu (pictured here) to the top of these mountains is about the same as from Provo to the top of Mt. Timpanogos.  The normal way to get from Sibiu to Bucharest is to drive through the canyon around these mountains.  However, there is another way. You can drive the Transfagarasan Road over the top.  

 

 

This road is not open year around so we needed to wait for a trip during the summer to take it on.  As we left the valley floor we wondered, "can this road really go over these mountains?"

 

 This road and a MINI Cooper S seem to be made for each other. Too bad mine is home in the garage.  However, Diana tends to scream, tries to push her feet through the floorboard, and grabs for anything to hang on to at the slightest provocation.  She also does NOT like heights.  So it is just as well that we were in a Skoda. 

 

There were times when the dropoffs were a little steep!  Fortunately for Diana,  most of the time the view down into the valley was blocked by the tops of tall trees.

 

 

We could see that there was some interesting road ahead.   

 

 When we saw this bus full of senior citizens just finishing their souvenir shopping, we wondered if they really knew what was ahead for them. The last thing Diana wanted was a view through larger windows, very high above the road from a vehicle that seemed longer than some of switchback turns in the road.  These travelers were still in for quite a ride.   

 

 

Of course, before making the final push to the summit we took advantage of yet another chance for souvenirs and goodies. 

 

Corn-on-the-cob or hot potatoes anyone?

 

And now back on the road toward the top.

 

Just as we came above the tree line, we suddenly came into a U shaped glacial valley in sharp contrast to the V shaped forested canyon we had been climbing through.

 

There was even a very bleak little homestead in this alpine valley, complete with cows and pigs.  Hopefully, they go down the mountain for the winter.

 

 And then into the switch backs that make this the Mazda "zoom-zoom road." 

 

Near the top there is a beautful little glacial lake.

 

Here we entered the tunnel that takes us beneath the final ridge of the mountain range and on to the other side.   

 

Hmmm....the way down looks a lot like the way up on the other side.  

 

Interesting place to set up camp.   

  

We even saw a few hardy folks on bicycles who still had a lot of road like this yet to climb.  And then there were the motorcyclists.......  That may be the most exciting way to travel this amazing road.  

 

 

Even after we got back below the tree line, the terrain was still very rugged and the road still very winding for many miles before it finally opened up into small farms and villages signaling that we were finally down the other side.  

 

It was a great trip!