Tag Archives: Straja

Valea Jiului MTB trails

Don’t stay home, it’s a trap. After this pandemic period, the weather went crazy, lots of rain, If we were to listen to the forecast, we should have stayed in home for the last couple of weekends. But as I say, if you snooze, you lose so to avoid this, we headed to Straja for 3 days ride in the area. We heard some rumors that the trails are in perfect conditions and that we would have shuttle there so we seized the opportunity.

We were quite right and the guys from Straja Extrem Park hooked us up with a shuttle for 2 days. It’s a blast to ride the 2 long trails from Straja. Baloo trail is nice and flowy and Wolves trail it’s a bit more technical but with loads of natural flow. Both are very long and you can feel your whole body worked up by the end of the trail. You don’t need more than 5-6 descents to declare yourself pleased for the day.

But this ain’t all, there is more in the area for you to ride. Don’t miss Valcan trail, this one is without a doubt the funniest of them. Again a berm jem and longer than the other 2. You really feel you’re alive. We hit it like 8 times and didn’t get bored :D.

What we want to tell you is that the combinations of the 3 long trails are for sure the recipe for a terrific weekend ;).

For accommodation we went to Allma mountain hut as usual. Nice cosy place where you feel directly @ home. You can cook yourself anything in the kitchen and hang out in the living or on the great view balcony. We always stay here once in Straja, you can see the place in the picture bellow.

Ok, so this article is just a hint for how and where to spend a nice weekend riding with your buddies. All trails are on trailforks. More ideas are to follow so just stay tuned 😉 Enjoy and ride safe!

Straja and Parâng quality trail riding

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Ok, so we haven’t posted for ages, that’s true, but we hope to make a recovery this fall.

Somehow, the plans didn’t go exactly as we wanted and we sacrificed the writing for riding and working :P, but we have a lots of stories to tell and a lot more going on. Mainly we wanted to make an article about each stage of Romanian Enduro Cup, that was just sick as so far. This weekend is Harghita Enduro, you can read more here, and then final stop, Metal Enduro Resita.

Ok, that’s it for now with apologies, let’s say something more meaningful. This weekend we went to a short trip to Valcan mountains (Straja resort on trailforks) and Parang mountains, 2 places that we have never ridden on.

Man, it was a good choice because we found out some serious trails here.

At Straja, we knew the terrain from last year, from Straja Enduro, but we have only been there as photographers. This year we got to ride the place. Still sorry we didn’t manage to reach the contest but next year for sure we will not miss it.

Straja has mainly 4 trails, 2 at the top of the mountains, a bit more alpine and you can reach them with a chairlift or by peddling out, and 2 long descents at the bottom where you have a gondola to help you out. The gondola and the chairlift do not always work so is good to check it out before you head there.

There is also shuttle service but it has a minimum number of riders that gets it started, at least 5 so check this out too.

The 2 main trails, the ones that run both sides of the gondola, Lupilor and Baloo by their names are just sick! you really feel that you are alive when you ride them. Your arms to :))))

For accommodation if you enjoy a basic mountain hut with cozy beds, shower, a great view and oh yeah, a great host, please check Allma Pension ;).

After a fuzzy evening with the fellas, next morning we headed out to Parâng mountains after a quick breakfast at a Medieval restaurant in the center of Petroșani (P.S. very good omelet there :D)

In Parâng we took the chairlift up. It’s an old chairlift with no support for bikes. It’s something improvised so please take care of your bikes. Check out the way they put them on the chairs and put some protections for the frame, just below the saddle because they will hang out by the saddle. We used our knee pads for this :).

From where the chairlift lets you off, we headed for Parângul Mare peak. It’s only pushbike from here, or, if your name is Ludo May, you might be able to ride it out… not us.

After 3 hours of pushbike, carrying or hiking it, we gave up and headed back. It was a bit late, so we decided to head back early. It was a bummer but the descent from Cârja peak was awesome. Steep, rough, loose technical, a real jam :D.

Form where the chairlifts let us, we rode fox trail, that takes you back to the base of the chairlift, you can find it on trailforks.

Man, that’s a very nice trail, with a lot of flow! it is a bit obscured in the middle or at the end but it’s ok, just ask the locals for directions.

Overall, it was a nice weekend, really funny with quality riding. Check the videos and photos bellow to convince yourself :D. Ride safe!

Straja Enduro

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This year was the first edition of Straja Enduro, the last stage of the Romanian National Enduro Cup, #CNE, just 1 week after Metal Enduro Resita!

Man, 2 contest in 2 consecutive weekends, mad schedule, must to become an habit!

Straja is beautiful, we know it from the winter. Awesome slopes and offpiste skiing here. And close to some awesome mountains just perfect for back country, skiing or biking.

But, the contest was something else. The landscapes ware just perfect, with the fall and the golden trees! It was a photographic orgasm as you can see from the pics bellow!

And the trails are awesome, one in particular, Wolfe’s trail catch our site. It’s an natural long trail full of natural futures, roots, rocks, single track, off camber and anything in between.

The contest has 6 special probes and its quite a long day! Enduro!

Thanks again to Bike Attack Resita for making this second and last contest possible and to all the people involved in developing the bike scene in this area! Keep it up guys!

We leave you bellow some edits and the pictures that we ware talking about!

Also check out Bike Attack, Metal Enduro and Valea Jiului MTB Trails!

Oslea backcountry skiing

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So this year I decided to visit Oslea and Valcan Mountains again, near Straja ski resort. Last year I took part of Oslea hike and ride contest that is organised by Red bull and takes place each year, here, near Oslea peak. This year I did not get a place in the contest, looks like its a very popular one, in like 5 minutes all places ware filled up :))), maybe next year.

But, I did something else, I have gone to do some backcountry skiing there, and it was B E A U T I F U L ! It was such a nice 3 days mini vacation that I am seriously consider to do the same next year. First day, being an 5-6h drive from Bucharest (depending when you leave), I’ve been to Straja ski resort. It’s been a while science last time I have been here (first year when I learned how to ski :D). Such a nice resort, like all the ones in the west. Now I really discovered it, finding the second chairlift was a blast, that is where the fun off piste skiing is :D.

After a day at the ski resort, we took our accommodation in Lupeni and went to technical meeting for the contest to learn about the snow conditions on the mountain :D. So they took the contest in the old place, not the one that took part last year. That means that part of the mountain will be all free :D. The snow was perfect and the whether to. The forecast showed clouds but the clouds ware around Retezat mountains that are near and a little bigger so we had like the perfect ski touring day as you can see it from the pictures :D. At the evening we went to the contest party to see who won :D. Big surprises there, places switched and I am glad that the freeride scene is moving on here in Romania.

Next day was powday. We made a track to the contest place. In the ridge of the mountain was 50cm deep pow! It was the best snow I have encountered science I start skiing, balls deep powder! Too bad we had to make only one run because it was the last day and we had to get back home. Oh well, till next year! I leave to you some pics and some short edits for better resemblance of this beautiful mountains. Enjoy!

Photo credit: me and Alexandra Popescu.