Looking for company to ride Vitosha 100

[maximcatalin]

Hello fellow riders !
My name is Maxim, 28 years old, I am from Romania (Bucuresti) and this weekend i'll be in Sofia visiting my brother.
It's my second time in Sofia and this time I am planing to ride Vitosha mountain on Vitosha 100 trail on saturday:

http://www.bikemap.net/en/route/563877-100-km-vitosha/

What can you tell abaut this trail? Also I would like to know trail condition (if it's muddy after rain or other things related to trail condition) and posible dangers/risks riding this trail. Advice/tips are welcome.

I am a medium level cross country rider, riding uphill and downhill is not an isue for me and my endurance is also good. Here is a post with the story of my last ride: http://www.ciclism.ro/forums/index.php/ ... ra-bucegi/

If you want to join me on Vitosha 100 (or other bike ride/trip near Sofia), just let me know.

[ermenkovbg]

Hello! I would like to joined with great pleasure, but on Saturday my son has a tennis tournament and I will watch him. I do not know if any of the forum will join to you, but it's good to have GPS. Here is the link to the track: http://www.bikemap.net/en/route/347722-obikolka-na-vitosha-100-km/#/z11/42.56572,23.25668/terrain . Keep in mind that on Friday will rain a bit, and also on Saturday, so it will be muddy. Of the track you can see that no small part of the route is asphalt. There are quite a gravel and the rest are tracks and earth roads. Route is not very difficult, but it is long and with no small total vertical climb and you must to have endurance. Which is awesome! In places the path is very narrow and you have to be careful. Have a nice ride! I'm sure you'll like it .

[maximcatalin]

Thank you very much for information.
It's the first time when I am bikeing alone in the wildness. I must admit that I am a litle bit afraid of wild animals and herding dogs.
What are the chances to encounter a brown bear on the track or herd of sheep?

[PtD]

Minimal.

[ermenkovbg]

Hello again. This morning I was informed that the tournament is canceled for next weekend. So I will join ! There's one small problem: my level is beginner and I will be slower than you . The route I'm passed for 9 hours. With all stops to rest, feed and photos . 42.657941,23.272025 There is OMV gas station and I think it is a great place to meet and start the route. I think in 7.00 am o'clock is OK. My mobile is +359888217130 Evgeni. I must warn you that my English is not very good . I will wait for response today to know what plan to do for the Saturday.

[maximcatalin]

Great news from you, Evgeni!
I'll be there, at OMV at 7:00 am.
There is no need to hurry, we have all day for bikeing. Don't worry about youre english, mine is bad, but we will manage to understand each other.
My phone number +40 766262504 ( +40 is the prefix for Romania).
Looking forward to meet you!

[ermenkovbg]

Eu nu ți-am spus, dar bunica mea nu vorbesc limba bulgară numai română . Ne vedem acolo!

[ermenkovbg]

Hello my friend ! I prepared an alternative route if tomorrow decide that the time does not allow Vitosha100. I think this will be more interesting . This route will also take a long time. Here's the route: http://www.bikemap.net/en/route/2329411-boiana-vetrovala-khbor-kamen-del-aleko-zheleznitsa-boiana/#/z12/42.59985,23.29135/terrain
Expect confirmation for tomorrow.

[maximcatalin]

Hi! I'am here in Sofia
It's ok to have an alternative route. Please post here the trak to upload it on my GPS device for tomorow.

[maximcatalin]

Sorry, I just saw the trak. It's better than Vitosha 100;
How is the descent/downhill from km 33 to km 37 ? It's looking agresiv.

[4getcredo]

If the weather is sick I would suggest to stick to the Vitosha100 option. The one ermenkovbg suggest is far more tricky (in terms of rain and thunderstorms, and terrain) than the first one.

[ermenkovbg]

I do not know . I never passed. I asked my friend and he told me it was not scary but hi ride DH . Look, it's just a suggestion, we can always change the route.

[ermenkovbg]

If the weather is sick I would suggest to stick to the Vitosha100 option. The one ermenkovbg suggest is far more tricky (in terms of rain and thunderstorms, and terrain) than the first one.

I think that the colleague is right. A man from forum proposed the following route: http://www.bikemap.net/bg/route/2329576-alternativa-za-kofti-vreme/#/z13/42.62347,23.26698/terrain
Shorter, but even so we will not have to get up early . Of course we can extend a little climbing on asphalt using the beginning of the previous route. What do you think?

[maximcatalin]

The weather forecast seems to be good, clear sky. http://vremea.kappa.ro/bulgaria/oblast- ... tosha.html
If tomorow mornigng the weather is ok and if we wont see clouds on Vitosha I think we can go with the second route http://www.bikemap.net/en/route/2329411 ... 01/terrain . If something goes wrong we can shorten the route by start descending at km 27-28.
Else (if its cloudy), we stay on the safer one: Vitosha 100.

[ermenkovbg]

ОК. But what about to change the time of the meeting at 8:00?

[maximcatalin]

8:00 at OMV Perfect!

[ermenkovbg]

ОК

[maximcatalin]

Back in Romania with great memories from Bulgaria.
Thank you very much guys for good time on Vitosha trails. It was an honor to ride in such great company.
The trails were perfect for that weather condition; technical, fast, challenging with beautiful sceneries (good choice).
I owe you som romanian trail (and a soup to Evgeni ) so when you come to Romania just give me a call.

Evgeni please post here the trak from bikemap and send me the photos.
Here are the photos: https://plus.google.com/photos/11650113 ... d6jvoue9AE (You have the option to download the album).
And a short clip til I will edit the full movie :
https://plus.google.com/photos/11650113 ... d6jvoue9AE

[maximcatalin]

[quote="maximcatalin"]Back in Romania with great memories from Bulgaria.
Thank you very much guys for good time on Vitosha trails. It was an honor to ride in such great company.
The trails were perfect for that weather condition; technical, fast, challenging with beautiful sceneries (good choice).
I owe you som romanian trails (and a soup to Evgeni ) so when you come to Romania just give me a call.

Evgeni please post here the trak from bikemap and send me the photos.
Here are the photos: https://plus.google.com/photos/11650113 ... d6jvoue9AE (You have the option to download the album).
And a short clip til I will edit the full movie :
https://vimeo.com/74527473

[maximcatalin]

An here it is the video clip:
https://vimeo.com/75422469