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Fast, exotic, highly emotive cars. We can see more and more of them around on the roads of our country.
Many people decide to buy them to raise their prestige, but there are also freaks who can talk about such vehicles for hours.
They extract their power and capabilities. They are the ones the PositiveWays was created for.
The Transfăgărăşan Prologue event is the first of its kind in Poland. 2100 km of pure fun, adrenaline and unique adventure.
The purpose of our expedition was the DN7C or the Transfăgărășan in Romania,
the best paved road in the world according to Top Gear.
Is it really so? We’ve decided to check it.
The first day. Our adventure began in Szaflary.
Here our meeting of the participants of the expedition was arranged.
In the parking lot of the local therms, from minute to minute, more cars arrived,
while we were regenerating using numerous pools and saunas.
Supercars from all over Poland were talked-about by all the holidaymakers there.
After all the thermal baths, some nibbles and organizational meeting we set off for Biały Dunajec.
In an emergent hotel, as its first guests, we were welcomed in a truly-highlander style.
The parking space in front of the building was quickly filled with exotic cars.
After long talks and discussions we went for a supper,
prepared by a participant of the polish edition of MasterChef - Maciej Spectra Koźlakowski.
The second day. The start of the event.
On the morrow we were welcomed by fresh mountain air,
while rays of sunshine reflecting in the paintwork of our cars only brightened the great atmosphere.
Equipped with radios, we quickly packed up and hit the road.
-- Mobiles, where are some good bars to get a drink in here? --
First kilometers, wonderful mountain roads, unforgettable views
and all of these in the company of extraordinary cars and incredible people.
We quickly passed the polish border, first refueling and here we go.
With every kilometer we were approaching the goal – the Transfăgărășan Highway.
-- Caution… --
-- Where shall I go? My navigation’s f***** up… --
-- Well, let’s have a presentable round now. --
-- I guess it’s here… --
The weather was great. While speeding on the Slovakian roads, we came across an emergent tunnel.
We could not refrain, we opened the throttle to the limit. The roar of the engines made us dizzy.
The owners of Lamborghini, Ferrari and BMW M3 had the most fun, since they drove with their roofs open.
-- The walls came down… --
Nice one! Bravo!
32 degrees Celsius, with embers raining down from the sky we were rushing ahead.
The participants were holding together in two groups. Through the Hungary we were led by Lucas’ Audi S5.
After many kilometers of adventure, numerous stops at gas stations, we reached the highway and got carried away again.
Mariusz’s GT-R, Renald’s Porsche 911 Turbo, Audi S4 with Kacper and Przemek aboard
and 680HP Corvette ZR1 with Krzysiek and Łukasz sitting alongside were speeding on the highway, exceeding 300 km/h.
The guys really did not conserve the machines.
-- Jesus Christ! That’s awesome… --
-- That was awesome… --
We reached the Romanian border quite smoothly. A quick pit stop and back on the road.
-- ZR1 be careful, there’s something coming from the opposite direction. --
Several dozen of kilometers more to the goal. Unfortunately, we came across a great snarl-up, which slowed us down significantly
However, after two hours we got to the foot of the Făgăraș Mountains.
Last refueling and late at night we took the DN7C road to the top, to the mountain hotel located by the Bâlea Lake.
What waited for us there were the supper and rooms, in which the crew from Top Gear had also rested, with Clarkson ahead.
The third day. Făgăraș Mountains. DN7C Road.
Finally came the day everyone had been waiting for.
In the morning we were woken up by the sound of Renald’s turbocharged boxer engine, trailing away between the rocks.
We walked some meters away from the hotel and the dream road appeared.
Full of curves, rock cliffs and precipices.
With every driven kilometer we were welcomed by more and more spectacular views.
Each and every place was perfect to take a commemorative picture.
Scenic landscape was accompanying us for dozens of kilometers.
Initially, we had planned to spend this day overcoming dangerous bends and winding switchbacks of the DN7C road,
but in the meantime there appeared a spontaneous idea,
to follow the tracks of Clarkson, Hammond and May and visit the dam located dozen of kilometers away.
We blindly hit the road. Being on the spot, we were admiring the enormous artificial body of water with an observation deck.
The dam was a part of the road infrastructure that we could easily overcome and stop on the other side.
Few kilometers away from the goal we received some bad news from Mariusz, driving his GT-R.
The gearbox was damaged and it switched to safe mode. Mariusz reached the place with great difficulty.
The only right solution in this situation was to call the carriage from Poland in.
High concrete rails and a tunnel caused that the sound created by the thoroughfare of our brigade
brought in a large group of local tourists.
It also quickly grabbed the attention of the police, who, to our surprise, started to organize the traffic in such a way
that we could safely relish the symphony of emotions coming from the interior of the tunnel,
resurgent by the roar of our engines.
On the way back we were savoring the multitudinous views.
The speed, respect and overloads had a great effect on everybody.
In those mountains we felt as if we had been in a different world - a paradise for drivers.
Unfortunately, the grounded GT-R was not the only unlucky car.
Arthur’s Lamborghini, driven by Kevin, just after leaving the curve, ran over a shard of rock,
blowing out the tire and slightly damaging the rim.
The vehicle came back to the hotel at a snail’s pace.
By contrast, in Lucas’ Audi S5 a power steering pump got damaged, taking in the enjoyment of fast overcoming the curves.
Nevertheless, those who were more lucky
had a possibility to take the advantage of all the capabilities of their machines on the Transfăgărășan road,
especially closed for us.
The fourth day.
In the very morning, saying goodbye to the Făgăraș Mountains,
we set off for one of the most beautiful European cities - Budapest.
Mariusz changed to the Renald’s Porsche, while his GT-R took the carriage.
After a long and exhausting journey through the Romanian roads,
we decided to pop into the local car wash to freshen up our cars.
The field car wash was far from European standards.
When Michał saw this, he decided to take matters into this own hands.
-- We were just about to collide with the buckboard,
the carter became sick from nerves and hit the roof of our BMW. --
In extreme cases it is better to have you roof closed.
-- If our roof had been open, it would have been funny,
because we would have been hit on the heads. --
We finally reached the Romanian-Hungarian border.
There, to our surprise, we were offered a very warm welcome by the Hungarian border guards.
It turned out that the local officials really hoped
for commemorative pictures with the company of our wonderful machines.
No problem. The crew in the Corvette provided an adequate experience for them to boast about to their friends.
It probably would not work out in Poland.
200 kilometers away from the Făgăraș Mountains we approached the emergent highway.
30 kilometers of smooth surface of asphalt, with a minimal traffic in addition, were the temptation we could not resist.
Effortlessly did Krzysiek and Łukasz reach the speed of 340 km/h with their Corvette.
The journey through the Hungary passed efficiently.
Another refueling on the way was needed in order to finally reach the capital.
After the check-in in the hotel, this time the taxis took us to one of the most luxurious and charming restaurants in the city.
The participants had time to try some sophisticated dishes and to discuss the finishing venture.
After the delicious supper and in the party moods we headed for an exceptional club - the Bed Beach.
The attendees were welcomed by lovely hostesses and dancers.
We all gave in to the party madness.
The boys had fun until dawn, to take the way back home the following day.
The venture brought a great deal of unforgettable memories.
This spontaneous trip organized by Łukasz and Krzysiek became an incentive to organize more events of this kind.
The weather was perfect and the adventure had no end.
Two months after the journey, the attendees of the PositiveWays
had the possibility to share the memories during the meeting in Bieszczady Mountains.
-- The trip was super, people even better.
Really amazing cars, it was great to see, compare and touch them,
at one time and in one place, especially that this place was so wonderful.
The whole journey with crazy people, where we drove with considerable speeds…
That was noble, really noble. --
-- Most of all beautiful landscapes, roads, some cool adventures,
breakdowns, which are nice to remember, looking for a tyre to a particular car for 2 days… --
-- We’ve met really cool people, all of us, during this event,
interesting personalities, car freaks. --
-- Why the Transfăgărășan road? I have always been interested in aviation,
that was my passion, that’s why I took part in this trip. --
-- That was cool to advert to Top Gear’s trip to Transfăgărășan from 2009.
Looking at the cars that we had, we had nearly the same set of cars as the Top Gear did,
since there were Lambo Gallardo Spyder, Ferrari California and Aston Martin. --
-- Just as Jeremy Clarkson said: The best roads in Europe. --
-- Reports said by people who took part in the expedition to Romania convinced me,
that it is worth to go for such events and we’re planning a common trip next year. --
We have briefly discussed the details of the next journey,
this time to Monte Carlo, which you cannot miss!
translator: Agata Mucha