I slept in this morning. The body needed it.
After eating in town, we didn’t leave Giurgiu until after the noon hour. Kelley found his tire flat at the restaurant, prompting a tube change before we set out.
Isaac sought out a bike shop in town, leaving while Kelley worked on his tire. He purchased his own pump as well as an extra patch kit and tube for me. I will be forever grateful. We all reconnected later in the day.
Leaving Giurgiu, there was a stretch of highway, bound for Bucharest, that presented a challenge. The shoulder was decent, but the feeling of big rig trucks rattling by is always a little jarring. I’ve never been able to completely get over that uneasy feeling when a "big boy" comes up from behind.
The cycling mellowed immediately after exiting the major thoroughfare. We had just a few minor climbs and the temperature wasn’t an issue. Fields of corn and sunflowers were the rule.
Again, we had to stop at little grocery stores for food and water. This is working okay, but I do miss having a nice midday meal. Maybe tomorrow...
Just ten kilometers out of town, Kelley’s front tire started going flat again. We stopped by the roadside while he changed the tube. A small metal shard was pulled from the rubber. After the work, the tire held.
Cycling into Oltenita, we navigated to a pension. They didn’t have any rooms on the premises, but after a broken conversation, and a call from the niece of the proprietor, we were led down the street to a building with several rooms. A host of men were staying in the building already.
To be honest, the accommodations were a little shabby, but considering the time of night, we paid for the beds and cycled to up the street for dinner.
On a trip like this, it’s important to be grateful for any service offered.
Note: There are no EuroVelo 6 signs in Romania. We’re using our maps and road signs exclusively and haven’t had a problem so far.
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