June 2015 9
Story and photos by Kevin Novello
I
t is mid April and almost 9 months to the day when I find
myself back in Romania. We are in the mountains out-
side of Sibiu and I am parked precariously along a steep,
mountainside trail with a small group of riders that have
come here to train for the 2015 Red Bull Romaniacs (RBR).
Towering pines have defied gravity and rooted in to the thin
mountain soils, providing me something to lean my handle-
bar against while we listen to TC.P xpower (TCP) guide Paul
Frala instruct us on the technique required to conquer the
trail ahead. The tail ahead literally extends in to the clouds
at an angle I think is almost un-rideable, save for the fact
that Paul has just mounted his bike and effortlessly rode 40
or so meters up it. I sit in awe for several moments and
work up the nerve to give it a go.
