Ukraine June 2018
PROLOGUE from Heiko Linnert
„On Passo dello Stelvio at the final mountain stage of Giro d‘Italia 2012 there was a random meeting of Gabor Kreicsi, Vaclav Klicnik and Finn Linnert (11 years), and also many more BIG members. Gabor, Vaclav , Finns father- Heiko and Jürgen Reckhaus meeting again, now planned, at the annual BIG-Meeting 2012 in the Tatras on Sedlo Certovica and an idea that was born for another meeting on other eastern european BIGS. Some months later we decide together to make a journey similar to the crossroad programme described. Jürgen, Heiko and Finn planned to start (after the annual meeting 2013) on the evening of Friday 9th August, from Amberg (south of Nürnberg). Gabor joins the group at the 13th August in the evening. After Jürgens death these plans were stopped. After long discussions and many thoughts about it we now decide that we should do this journey in memory of Jürgen.
continuance from Gabor Kreicsi
At the and of the crossroad meeting there was a dinner attended by Finn, Heiko, Irene, Monika (Gabor’s wife) and Gabor. They agreed about the next mutual meeting that will be in East, firmly in Russia. The rules of the Challenge-BIG have been changed and the next crossroad meeting was created.
The participants:
Heiko Linnert (D) hlinnert@gmx.de +491719303159
Kevin Speed (GB) kevin_speed@hotmail.com +447964944866
Gabor Kreicsi (H) gabes@kreicsigabes.hu +36302445648
Aladár Puskás (H) puskascsalad@gmail.com +36209136140
György Domonkos (H) gdomonkos@vipmail.hu +36306981351
Róbert Galcsik (H) galcsik1979@gmail.com +36206271614
The schedule:
06.06.2018.
Heiko arrives at Budapest Airport on LH1678 flight at 15.45.
He and Gabor (and his wife) will travel together to Göd. ~60 km distance
The accommodation:
http://ilkacsardapanzio.hu/english/
11000 HUF/room include breakfast.
07.06.2018.
Heiko and Gabor drive to Pécs. ~ 300 km
The departure should start early, because it will be a long day with so much distance to cover.
They will climb the peak of Misina. This BIG will be Heiko’s final climb from the old zone 10.
After the climb, drive to Budapest airport. ~ 250 km
Kevin’s FR8358 flight arrives at 12.15 in Liszt Ferenc Airport.
Afterward drive to Hatvan where (M3 petrol station - south side – direction Nyíregyháza) the Hungarian team (who travel by train or by car) will be connecting with them. ~ 60 km
The full team will travel together to Vásárosnamény. ~ 240 km
The accommodation:
http://www.hotel-kovacs.hu/index.php
10000 HUF/room including breakfast.
08.06.2018
The breakfast at the hotel restaraunt will be at 06.30. This is an important set time, because the Ukrainan border is a very difficult and slow procedure, especially with three different citizens.
Vásárosnamény - Putyla~320 km
BIG PEREVAL SHURDYN (1173 M) 18,2 KM 835 M (Gravel road!)
This is the third various team to climb this BIG. It hasn'’t been on the BIG webpage…yet. After our climb we will claim it. ☺ This is the alternative south side. It will be unsubstantiated to climb aroundt around the mountain from this direction.
The accommodation:
http://hizhina-hutsula.ucoz.com/
18 EUR/person include breakfast.
09.06.2018.
Putyla – Kozova ~300 km
BIG TYSOVETS (1070 M) 12,3 KM 655 M
Travel together: Kozova – Vásárosnamény ~170 km
The accommodation:
http://www.hotel-kovacs.hu/index.php
10000 HUF/room including breakfast.
Travel together: Vásárosnamény – Airport Budapest ~250 km
Heiko’s flight LH1679 departs at 16.25 from Liszt Ferenc Airport. Kevin’s flight will depart at 12.15 on Tuesday afternoon. Heikoleaves for his flight, but Kevin to visit Budapest and the others to Salgótarján across Göd.
Other information and rules:
All fees with all issues -travel (petrol, airport parking…) Gabor will pay and after you can pay back in cash to Gabor. The foreign people (Heiko and Kevin) will be permitted to pay EUR or GBP and Hungarian people HUF or EUR. Everybody will pay between his „pick-up” and „drop-off”. Gabor will take care of this.
If you pay for your accommodation in Hungary you will able to, but Gabor will use if you can't. For the Ukranian accommodation (and the dinner) it will possible to pay in cash (EUR). So you don’t need to change HUF and UAH, of course there is a possibility.
For the entry into Ukraine you need a passport and minimum of 50 EUR (or other currency) cash per day.
Heiko (cyclocross) and Kevin (MTB) will borrow bikes for this trip. Please advise Gabor if you will able to bring your own pedals and what kind required. A simple situation we will be to add your normal or SPD pedals.
Distance of travel (include Pécs) ~ 2230 km
Distance of biking (include Misina) ~ 80 km
Height difference of biking (include Misina) ~ 1900 m
Our route from Hungary took us over the Ukraine border at Beregovo then through Khust, Rakhov to Putyla. The following day from Putyla, Ivano Frankivs’l (Stanislav), Kalush, Stryy to Tysovets then through Mukachevo to Beregovo and Hungary
10.06.2018.
After breakfast we will go to the church. 9.00 holy mass for the memory our old friend, Jürgen Reckhaus.
UKRAINE JUNE 2018
Thursday 7th June Ryanair flight FR8358 Manchester 08.45 to Budapest, arriving Terminal 2B at 12.15pm
07.06. (Thursday) Gabor and Kevin arrive at Budapest Airport and after we will travel together to Nyíregyháza (~250 km).
Our team: Gabor, Kevin, me and maybe my wife (only to and back Nyíregyháza) or one or two colleagues (BIG members).
08.06. (Friday)
Nyíregyháza – Putyla ~400 km
BIG PEREVAL SHURDYN (1173 M) 19 KM (13 miles x 2)850 M
So we climbed the new Ukranian western BIG's on 8th and 9th June! As road conditions are particularly demanding on the roads away from main roads it took us longer than anticipated to reach the foot of our first climb from Putyla. The stony uneven roads took their toll on the mini-bus
too. The offside rear wheel hit a nasty road depression resulting in a puncture. This had to be
repaired and there was some delay before we could begin our climb. Our accommodation host went with Gabor to a nearby garage and had it repaired for the colossal price of three euros! We finally set off for the climb at 17.30 but we only had two and half hours of daylight remaining. The delay was also made worse when we were stopped at a police checkpoint some distance on from the geographical centre of Europe where we stopped to take photos of the midway point beteen the Urals and the Mediterrenian Sea. At the checkpoint the police accused György of excess alcohol. They were convinced that they could smell alcohol on his breath when he wound the window down so that the police could question his driving. Perhaps they stopped him for some erratic driving but we were all happy with his driving. They took him into their cabin to question him and having become convinced, after not even breathalising him, he was fined a considerable amount in euros. He was totally perplexed – and totally sober. He protested his innocence and we were convinced this was police corruption as we were on the open road away from onlookers. György paid the fine under protest or they would impound our vehicle. We helped him later financially and we were disgusted with the police action. The stony uneven roads took their toll on the mini-bus too. The offside rear wheel hit a nasty road depression resulting in a puncture. This had to be repaired and there was some delay before we could start on the climb. Our accommodation host went with Gabor to a nearby garage and had it repared for the colossal price of three euros! These incidents were not welcome birthday presents for Gabor on his birthday today, however there was one happy incident this morning at the start in Nyíregyháza as Heiko presented him with a cycle climbing book that he had purchased on the web. We finally set off for the climb at 17.30 but only had two and half hours of daylight remaining. Pereval Shurdyn BIG 834 is particularly challenging and was glad I could use one of the Hungarian's spare mountain bikes ( György Domonkos) however we had to climb the western side for 7.5km from Putyla on road T2632, following the Foschke stream to the junction of the 'official' north / side climbs on the south side, then cycle the gravel for the final 5.2km - the upper part of the south side - to reach the top. it wasn't feasible to drive a much longer route through Romania to reach the bottom of the south side of the track to climb the whole of the south side - the remaining 7km. I note also that the Hungarian contingent also claimed the south side even though we all climbed from Putyla in the west. Only Heiko went down the south side and climbed the 7km back to the junction however it was dark on his return descent to Putyla. The rest of us wanted to return before total darkness - which we did. I've claimed the south side but need to amend it to the creation of a west side in the BIG profile of the climb. May I respectfully request that this be added for myself and the Hungarians so that we can correct our claims? The west side is a real challenge and in my opinion should most definately be included. It is also easier to access on the Ukranian roads. At first the way up from Putyla is a pot-holed asphalt road with some sections of gravel. Once the turning to the left is taken by a small Russian Orthodox church to the left of the road it’s asphalt for a short distance but the continuation is a central mound of clay with deep side ruts where 4 x 4’s or farm vehicles have worn the route. This makes it very difficult for cycling and really this is only possible with mountain bikes. At a fork we took the route to the right that leads down to a stream where we had to cross over two easily passable fords. I discovered on the way back, when I returned alone behind the Hungarians, that the higher track was easier to negotiate but had to remove the wooden bars placed across the path just before the junction. The way up was much narrower, totally impossible here for anything but 4 x 4’s or tractors. This led to another bar and the junction with the north / south road. From here it’s a better surface gravel road to the top of the climb where large red boards with Cyrillic text mark the top. It took me 2 hours and 15 minutes to reach the top and an hor to return back to Putyla just before dark. Heiko ahead of the others had continued on down the south side to the foot of the climb at a military area close to the Romanian border and returned back the same way. His descent from the junction to Putyla was in total darkness and returned an hour or so later.
09.06. (Saturday)
Putyla – Kozova ~300 km driving through Ukraine
BIG TYSOVETS (1070 M) 12 KM (7.5 miles x 2)650 M
Kozova – Nyíregyháza ~250 km
Tysovets BIG 835 is an easier climb as the whole route is asphalt. Gabor parked the mini bus near the side of a cafe a short distance from the road junction for the climb. The blue road sign indicated the way for Tysovets. We arrived early afternoon so had plenty of time to cycle the mountain. First there’s a short dip in the road then a slight rise for a few kilometres. I wasn’t at my best on a borrowed bike, especially carrying a small rucksack. The weather that day was very warm. These factors slowed me down however Heiko was good enough to stay with me to ensure I was on the correct road, especially a few kilometres ahead where a sharp right turn wa the correct way to go. At this section also there is a steeper gradient. This continues for some distance, then eases off and another steep section leading to the brow of the climb at the ski jump girders, from here it’s a steep down for a kilometre to Tysovets ski village. Through a barrier at the foot of the downhill then up again for 2km at a narrower concreted road section indicated by a steep gradient sign. This section was particularly challenging and i pushed the pedals too much because it resulted in a cramp and had to walk the last part. Gabor was at the top tryin to fix his bike – the front tyre had developed a slow puncture, it was probably out in sympathy with the mini-bus incident of yesterday. From here we were soon with two other Hungarians a we traversed the tarmaced skiers path to the ridge. Ahead there was a dip in the landscape where the ski-slope crosses then beginds to climb again. Gabor assured us that we were at the top even thogh Heiko and Robert continued on for a further 1.5km. We too a group photo then returned back down the concreted section to the barrier. Gabor replaced his inner tube while we waited for Heiko and Robert to return. I decided to climb back up to the ski jump girders and wait for the group there. We took more group photos then returned back to the mini bus. I stopped a few time to take photos.
10.06. (Sunday)
Nyíregyháza – Budapest Airport ~250 km
Overnight at airport hotel and following night
Departure Ryanair FR8357 06.30 Tuesday 12th June to Manchester 08.20
The closest train station to Budapest Airport Terminal 2 is Ferihegy, with trains operating to and from the Nyugati railway station in Budapest. Nearly 100 trains per day, including InterCity services, provide easy access to and from the city in less than half an hour, for a few hundred HUF. From the Ferihegy train station, Terminal 2 is accessible by bus number 200E during the daytime and with night bus number 900 at night time.
Train tickets are not available for purchase at Terminal 2. However, trains operating between the Ferihegy train station and the Nyugati railway station may be used with Budapest travel cards, so the 24 and 72-hour, weekly and monthly travel passes for Budapest public transport available at the post office on the mezzanine level of Terminal 2A are also valid for these services.
Hungarian state railway company MÁV operates a domestic ticket office at the Ferihegy train station every day from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. In addition, train tickets can also be purchased from the ticket machines located on the platforms. Tickets for destinations not shown on the ticket machines and supplementary tickets for premium category trains are available from the conductor on board the trains, without a surcharge.
Sunday 9th June
Later in the afternoon I took the train to Budapest Nyugati for a mere 185 HUF – about 60p. I had a price reduction showing my Network Rail FIP card. I walked the route to the parliament building then over the road bridge and along Buda waterfront and returned back to Pest over the chain bridge, from here back to the station
Monday 10th June
Taking the train again this morning I had a full day in Budapest. It was a very warm day. I returned back to the parliament building and this time over the chai bridge and explored the castle area and Buda. The only part i remember from our first visit many yrars ago was seeing the Fishermans Bastion reflected in the large glas windows of the building close to. I took photos of this area again. Much of the day was spent exploring Buda then I retirned back to the railway station over the chain bridge and back to the hotel in the late afternoon.
Airport Hotel Budapest 4-star hotel 8.4 Very good 2,602 reviews Guests love the great location – they rated it 8.7/10! 2220 Vecsés Lőrinci u. 130 / A Hungary +36 1 688 2000
· Check-in 1000 Hungarian Forint = £3.16. 100 HUF = £0.32
· Sunday, 10 June 2018 5000 HUF = £15.82
· from 14:00
· Check-out 1.00€ = 96p. 10.00€ = £9.60
· Tuesday, 12 June 2018
· until 11:00
· Breakfast included in the price
· 2 nights, 1 room £122€ 139.32