bulgaria 2017

[ratrace]

As most of u know i am a little under the weather these days so was told no 4x4 playtime for a while plus i was off work for some time

A few months ago got the ok to go out again but i had to be a bit careful and not get too knack playing.

So told a guide and ask if he would come with me and test my limits. Remember i still have to pay him a day rate. He said of course

well of course i book the time off got my Landrover move to its new home in Bulgaria and waited to go

day 1
guess what it was blood hard work but only needed 2 extra breaks for about 15mins which i was well happy about

 

[ratrace]

as you can see nearly went a bit to far, well nearly

and i told him easy 1st day

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10154676026271116

 

[ratrace]

then fell/slip off the track and had to use the winch, guess what i broke that as well the motor burn out i think, poor chris had to help me out a bit

Got to admit that was a long day 8.30am to 6.00pm but with only a few extra breaks i was please

I need a new winch fitted in the morning so will go out a bit later

 

[clivehorridge]

Good to see you back in action Mike

He’d have done better spotting you on that rutted track, instead of filming you roll it

You were lucky there mate.

Pity about the winch, can you re-motor it?

You’ve just shelled out for a new one on the Cruiser IIRC.

Enjoy but take it easy too ....

 

[ratrace]

new one was fitted next day cost me a few bob as well and that was the 1st problem i had, but Chris has his own workshop plus can import anything i need in the future

 

[ratrace]

day 2
was a bit less hard work for me. Chris Thomas fitted a new winch for me, after that he notice a small fuel leak which he sort out as well, then guess what the solonoid refused to turn over engine over. So a short term fix was a bypass and it got it start up.
Then we got out after 1 pm but thanks to chris we stay out to about 6-7pm another good day, guess what did not use the blood winch once

new winch

 

[Chas]

day 2
was a bit less hard work for me. Chris Thomas fitted a new winch for me, after that he notice a small fuel leak which he sort out as well, then guess what the solonoid refused to turn over engine over. So a short term fix was a bypass and it got it start up.
Then we got out after 1 pm but thanks to chris we stay out to about 6-7pm another good day, guess what did not use the blood winch once

new winch
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Nice pics Mike, good to see you back in the saddle.

 

[ratrace]

day 3

In the trees on the left there is a abandoned village, we drove past it twice and didn't see it

we had to turn around at this mud hole due to trail stop just after this

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10154681187756116

We could see this village but the only way in was on foot, itis about 5km's from the nearest tarmac, you can get to the edge of the village by 4X4 in good weather, forget it in bad weather

in the end we walk into the village

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10154681193111116

 

[clivehorridge]

Spooky, that village Mike.

Any ideas why it was abandoned?

 

[Chas]

Yes Clive, I thought it looked a bit spooky too.

 

[chapel gate]

Spooky, that village Mike.

Any ideas why it was abandoned?

X2.
I was going to ask the same thing.

 

[ratrace]

Chris says there are a lot of villages like this, slowly tranport links start to die off, the local young adults can see they can have a better life nearer a big town so move,whats left is the old who slowly move away as well so the kids can look after them better. Then it dead. but if get time and look around you will find there are no tarmac roads at all the villages have been like this for a long time.
got to admit would love to take the wife there at night, now that would will worth a good laugh to see her face

 

[ratrace]

day 4

Bridge washed out no way through

got to test the winch at last

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10154683414251116

 

[ratrace]

day 5
another good day

the above pic and below pic is a heaven of trails

the next pic looks like another empty village
so we will try and head over and take a look

this was not the best idea in the world but as we are bother hgv drivers and know how to reverse, ok the trail turn a full 180 deg and there was no way we had the room to make a turn but it was only a 100m reversing to allow us to go down the next part.
please note it was not muddy and there was a good view going backwards

as you can see the trals are use by the loggers

two hours later we find a way into the village and again it was dead

then at the centre of this village there was a tarmac crossroads but there was no tarmac road out ???????????????????????

then we find one house still live in it has power and a sat dish

 

[Chas]

then we find one house still live in it has power and a sat dish
View attachment 135871

I wonder why just one house was occupied?

 

[ratrace]

who knows, it might be the last member of the family or just won't leave the old family home to move near the rest of the family

 

[clivehorridge]

Great stuff Mike, very strange to see so many villages left empty.

I guess the properties still belong to someone but it depends on the transition from the deposed communist era and the present day.

Here, all property and land was seized by the state when the communists took control. The state owned everything then, until the revolution in 1989.

After the communist government was deposed, people who could evidence former ownership, reclaimed their property. Those that couldn't couldn't, and many have tried and failed.

There are houses and villas in Bucharest that have been empty for 25 years, simply because the former owners can't convince the courts that they own it.

 

[Shayne]

Look's a great trip Mike and its good to see you back in the game

I would love to drag you out into something like this Clive , i know you feel we have covered enough distance by the time we get to you but when we get offroad its a whole different ballgame . Maybe one day eh

 

[ratrace]

Look's a great trip Mike and its good to see you back in the game

I would love to drag you out into something like this Clive , i know you feel we have covered enough distance by the time we get to you but when we get offroad its a whole different ballgame . Maybe one day eh

well looking at coming back to Romania in 2019 (60th birthday year) but have also in mine going to greece and would love to go to turkey but i need to see my guide if he is up for a mega trip of 4 counties in 4 weeks and how much it will cost me

 

[clivehorridge]

Look's a great trip Mike and its good to see you back in the game

I would love to drag you out into something like this Clive , i know you feel we have covered enough distance by the time we get to you but when we get offroad its a whole different ballgame . Maybe one day eh

I would love it Shayne, we’ve got a tent, so as long as it was summer we’d be fine.

Mike's got the right idea though, using a guide. Whatever he cost would be well worth not wasting days going somewhere inappropriate.

2019 is my planned year for a trip to one of the Lincomb events, but to hell with it, I’ll be retired by then, I can do whatever I want