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Spring cycling marathon Bulgaria 2011



You must have noticed how nature with all its beauty and vigor is not untainted by the routine of human eye. Getting accustomed to its sights we often tend to lose interest in fascinating details. This is probably due to that we live in a partitioned world of closed spaces, and we move from place to place not for the sake of beholding the world around us. No, we are simply in a hurry to reach from point A to point B. Well, of course there are ways to break away from this bleak routine – we’d better try to walk moiré often for shorter distances, and replace the car with a bike for longer ones. In many countries cycling has got many fans for the unique combination it offers – it is cheap and nature-friendly transportation plus a hobby and a way to exercise and keep fit. Why shouldn’t this happen in Bulgaria too?

This is in fact the goal of the first amateur cycling marathon Bulgaria 2011 that opened in early April. The tour’s length is about 2500 km. It goes across the country’s 28 regional centres. The participants in the campaign are thirty including nationals of Russia, Ukraine, Moldova and Turkey. Local enthusiasts are invited to join the core group as it follows the route. Organizer and leader of the group is Viacheslav Stoyanov known for the cause of collecting and recycling of waste dumped off the country’s roads, in riverbeds and in Black Sea beaches.

“Five years ago I replaced the car with a bike. I feel much more energetic, healthier and more flexible. And I am now more independent. I am no longer a victim of traffic congestions. Travelling the world I have gathered a lot of useful and interesting information on how people promote cycling as a transport option, and I though I could promote cycling, and I guess it is worth launching this idea in Bulgaria too. As chairman of the Factor Foundation I have organized this marathon. I have widely advertised cycling as an alternative to motoring. Bulgaria does not boil down to winter and seaside resorts. It offers wonderful conditions for cycling tourism.”

The cycling tour is part of the national campaign of the Ministry of the Environment and Water “I love nature, I take part”. By making stopovers for public discussions in different towns, marathon cyclists come across with messages for protecting the air, water and soil from pollution with harmful substances.

“We should like to encourage municipal authorities to run for European projects to the benefit of a healthier environment in towns and cities. We also encourage people to take up cycling tourism. Bulgaria is very beautiful but we have to see it with other eyes and show it to foreigners. In our core cycling group we have participants who are in their 60s – in fact the oldest guy is 67. Medical checks found that his blood pressure is like in a teenager. So, I want to tell people that physical motion is health. We opt for healthy lifestyles, live actively and think positively”, concludes Viacheslav Stoyanov organizer of the first amateur cycling marathon Bulgaria 2011.

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Cycling tourism along the Danube



The longest river in Europe, the Danube, has emerged as a luring challenge for cyclists. In the Austrian and Hungarian sections of the great river they can enjoy lovely cycleways. Some of the cycling tourists follow marked routes linking Danube countries. For the time being, Bulgaria and Romania however, have failed to build cycleways. They however can offer other benefits to cycling fans – nature along the lower reaches of the Danube is quite well preserved and is still a mystery for many tourists.



Currently hard work is under way on a project for a cycleway along the Danube’s Bulgarian and Romanian sections. When it is completed tourists will be able to enjoy a full Danube route starting from Germany and reaching the river’s Romanian delta as it flows into the Black Sea. The new cycleway will start from the Romanian town of Orsova and will go through the Bulgarian Danube towns between Bregovo and Silistra. Leaving Bulgaria it then will reach the Danube delta in Romanian territory. The deadline for building the cycleway, marking it and creating a website for its communication is 2013. Evtim Stefanov from the business centre in the Danube town of Vidin, North-western Bulgaria who leads the cycleway, project says that foreign cyclists keen to follow the Danube are already seen in Bulgaria’s towns by the river. Cyclists use national roads and maps. They usually stay in hotels or in camp-sites. The Bulgarian Danube section is much wilder, unlike central European ones that tend to be heavily urbanized. Cyclists have access to picturesque nature reserves where rare birds nest, and can relish the sights of ancient rock monasteries and medieval fortresses. Some spend the night in guest houses and join local folklore or culinary festivals.



“The nature in this part of Europe is wild, indeed”, Evtim Stefanov says. “This makes the Danube land route in Bulgaria and Romania particularly tempting for foreign cycling tourists. It is also a challenge. For example there is not a single town or village in the section from Oriahovo to Nikopol which is as long as 100 km. So tourists have to plan in advance the options for accommodation.”



On the internet there are plenty of details on accommodation options in the Bulgarian part of the Danube valley. The business centre in Vidin provides maps and brochures. Many foreign cyclists use state-of-the-art GPS systems. Evtim Stefanov says that cycling tourists that visit Bulgaria for the Danube route come mostly from neighbouring Danube countries, as well as from Germany and Holland. Led by their cycling hobby they make good use of the chance to get acquainted with Bulgaria’s lovely nature and ancient heritage. The staff of the Vidin business centre hopes that the development of cycling tourism in the region will result in the emergence of new guest houses, camp-sites and other tourist facilities that will make cycling in this part of Europe an even nicer experience.

Thank you admin as a cyclist this is a great topic for me and very much appreciated

Lovely post admin and the pictures are so stunning to I'm sure this will come in handy when we are looking for somewhere nice for a steady cycle.

Cyclists CLUBS IN BULGARIA


1. "
KK Hemus
Mailbox. code - 5600
Tel - 0670
Bull Vkod. Levski 435
et tel / fax: 6-31-28
GSM: +359888337814
e-mail: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

2. "
CC Bourgas - Bourgas
Mailbox. code - 8000
tel code - 056
Boulevard St. Stambolov 126 - racetrack
et tel / fax 811 443
GSM: +359889788995 +359885996997
e-mail: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

3. FSCA - "
Tsar Simeon"
- Plovdiv
mailbox. code - 4000
tel code - 032
Bull. K. Velichkov "
91
et tel / fax 622 055
e-mail: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

4. KK Nessebar - Nesebar
mailbox. code - 8240
tel code - 0554
"
Sunny Beach - Hotel Chrysanthemum
et tel / fax: 22 685
GSM: + 359,885,910,789
e-mail: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

5. Resort Evrooyl - Svilengrad
mailbox. code - 6500
tel code - 0379
Knyaz Boris I "
49
AD phone: 7-11-71
AD Fax: 7-18-42
GSM: +359885864740

6 VCHKK - Varna
mailbox. code - 9005
tel code - 052
Street Vaptsarov "
9 Sport The complex"
Black Sea "

et tel / fax: 606 578
GSM: 359888512331
e-mail: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

7. "
Sprint"
- Razgrad
mailbox. code - 7200
tel code - 084
Knyaz Boris "
52 1st floor
AD phone: 66-09-67
GSM: +359899895423

8. "
Swallow - 1905 - Kazanlak
mailbox. code - 6100
tel code - 0431
Stadium Sevtopolis
et tel / fax: 62 005
GSM: +359878706660
+359885151471
e-mail: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

9. KK "
Dobrich - Dobrich
mailbox. code - 9300
tel code - 058
Street Cap. E. Spisarevski "
45
et tel / fax: 604 203
GSM: +359897902805
e-mail: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

10. KK "
CSKA - D. Kotev - Sofia
mailbox. code - 1113
tel code - 02
Asen Yordanov Blvd "
1 k / a"
Red Flag "
- Coffee
AD Phone: 8720124
GSM: +359879925580
GSM: +359877866294

11. Resort Pechenegs - Pazardzhik
mailbox. code - 4400
tel code - 034
Street P. Yavorov second mailbox. elevation 223
AD phone: 44-58-57
fax: 44-47-75
GSM: +359898649674

12. KK Yantra - Gabrovo
mailbox. code - 5300
tel code - 066
St Nicholas Riazkov "
7 entr.B
et tel / fax: 899 684
GSM: + 359,895,680,313
+ 359886626584

13. KK "
Lokomotiv"
- Stara Zagora
mailbox. code - 6000
tel code - 042
square "
Samara"
3 bl.3 ent. And in April 31
AD phone: 681,495
Fax: 638 651
GSM: +359898654769

14. KK "
Blue Stones"
- Sliven
mailbox. code - 8800
tel code - 044
Boulevard H. Dimitar bl. 43 ent. 13 April 4
et tel / fax: 624 224
GSM: +359886208057

15. KK "
Shaft"
- Vidin
mailbox. code - 3700
tel code - 094
South Industrial Zone - racetrack
Fax: 600 320
GSM: +359899151517
e-mail: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

16. KK Lokomotiv - Sofia
mailbox. code - 1200
tel code - 02
St. K. Fotinov "
77
AD Phone: 8470303
GSM: +359899151502

17. JSC "
Zebra"
- Novi Iskar
Street Livadski time "
7
GSM: + 359,878,116,970
GSM: + 359,888,268,677th
e-mail: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

18. KK Ruse - Ruse
mailbox. code - 7000
tel code - 082
Street Stesher Mountain "
45
Tel: 629 910
GSM: +359887427879

19. "
NSA - Academic - Sofia
mailbox. code - 1710
tel code - 02
jk. "
Bug"
Block 70 3rd floor
tel: 962 51 43
GSM: + the 359,898,776,589th

20. Sofia Cycling Club 1889 - Sofia
mailbox. code - 1000
tel code - 02
Vasil Aprilov 9
Tel: 8435249
GSM: +35988788069

21. Resort Vitska Arrow - Teteven
mailbox. code - 5700
tel code - 0678
Square Sava Mladenov
tel: 2440
Fax: 2588

22. Adapted Sports Club cycling - Sofia
mailbox. code - 1000
tel code - 02
quarter Musagenitsa - Student area bl.89 vh.11 April 191

23. Cycling Club Alex Nikolov - Varna
mailbox. code - 9000
ul.Petar Enchev 9
GSM: 0878 901 822
e-mail: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
web address: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

24. Cycling club Pirin - Gotse Delchev
mailbox. code - 2900
Street Colonel Boris Drangov bl. 34 ent. D
GSM: 0895 421 511, 0878 627 270
e-mail: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
web address: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]


Mountain Biking - CLUBS

1. SC Rambayk - Sofia
Phone code - 02
ZIP - 1528
Sofia's Druzhba - 2 bl. 324, ent. B, app. 28
Tel: 979 1828
Fax: 9731573
Gsm: +359886666077
E-mail: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

2 resort Dimitrovets - Isperih
ZIP - 7400
Phone code - 08331
Acad. "
Ivan Vazov"
6
Gsm: +359888136888

3. SC "
Krasna Polyana"
- Sofia
ZIP - 1330
Phone code - 02
Sofia's Krasna Polyana "
1 bl.26 vh.13 ap.60
tel / fax: 873 885
Gsm: +359898431284
E-mail: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

4. SC Veloso - Varna
ZIP - 9002
Phone code - 052
Acad. Gen.. Stoletov 68 fl.3 ap.5
Gsm: +359887851174
E-mail: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

5. KK "
speed"
- Dimitrovgrad
ZIP - 6400
Phone code - 0391
Bull. D. Blagoev Str. 27 entr.B ap.9
Gsm +359878600057

6. SC Bike-Kerr - Kardzhali
ZIP - 6600
Phone code - 0361
Tel: 3 74 30
Fax: 6 13 75
Acad. "
Mining"
6 ent. And in April 34
E-mail: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.].bg

7. SC VB Team - Sofia
ZIP - 1330
Phone code - 02
Jk. "
Hippodrome"
bl.12 vh.1 fl.2 ap.6
Tel.: 8520743
Gsm: +359878499622

Thank you Ashley for yet even more useful information. I don't see many places around that encourage cycling or shops for that matter they sell bike? occasionally you can see the big supermarkets selling them but generally they are just cheap bikes and not really what I'd trust on a long bike ride but now we all have some more contact information which is great.

Thank you from my partner too who is a keen cyclist and will find all this very interesting when I show him

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Cycling paths in Bulgaria



What better experience than riding a bicycle among nature without depending on your car and knowing that you are a part of the great family of “people on two wheels”. One can learn a lot about the Bulgarian history and culture, while riding a bike along the cycling paths. And of course, he or she can try the local cuisine of the different regions.

For the past two years the “Eco Community” Foundation has been working on the marking of the Bulgarian part of the so-called Danube path, or “Euro bike 6” that is to become a part of the common European bicycle network. According to Mrs. Radost Petrova, program manager of the foundation, the beginning of this path is at the springs of the Danube River and its end – at the delta. The Bulgarian part is some 550 km long.

“The interesting thing about this path is that it exhibits the Roman inheritance in Bulgaria – Mrs. Petrova says. – There are remains of Roman fortresses in most of the cities along the route. They can be visited and reveal interesting details from the lifestyle and culture of their ancient inhabitants. Even I myself managed to travel along the first 300 km this spring. People are now used to see bikers along this route, since there are many of them, most likely foreigners. It is quite popular in Europe and definitely one of the most interesting for their bikers. I found it quite interesting that small kids even in the most deserted villages used to say “hi!” and “hello!” They were used to greet foreigners. We were told in a motel that at least ten bikers per day pass by even in the cooler months.”

According to Radost Petrova there are also good bicycle routes in the south-eastern mountain of Strandzha. They are well marked and one can find information leaflets at the park’s directorate. The so-called “Cross-Rhodope Route” in the southern part of the state is under the auspices of the Bikearia association. Paths have been marked along it with various difficulty of mountain biking. Work on this route continues with the expectations the whole marking to reach the town of Svilengrad by the end of 2011:

“We expect to do another cycling path in the further future and it is called “Route Along The Iron Curtain” – Radost Petrova says. – It is a European initiative. According to it the route has to connect all the countries from the Barents to the Black and Mediterranean seas. In Bulgaria this route passes along the border with Serbia, Macedonia, Greece and Turkey. The path goes exactly through those places, where the “iron curtain” has restrained access. Nature has been well preserved there. This route will become a part of the European cycling network “Euro bike-13”. Discussions have started at the EC on the exact route of the path. This route has not been developed yet and is not a tourist product, but one can even try to go along it, if he or she is experienced enough. Other paths were recently marked in the area of the town of Mezdra, on the Shumen Plateau and elsewhere in the Northern Bulgaria. Routes for bicycle races were even marked in the town of Chiprovtsi, so things are still to develop in these parts of the country.”

Bulgaria gets more and more attractive for bicycle tourism, according to Mrs. Petrova:

“There are many hills, mountains and plains in Bulgaria, so one can choose routes that suit best his riding style – she continues. – Tour operators for adventurous tourism offer cycling tours with a guide. Cycling routes can be combined with wine tourism in some regions, like the one of the town of Vidin.”

According to Mrs. Radost Petrova there are several organizations that have taken care of the development and maintenance of cycling routes in Bulgaria through the past years. A lot of cycling enthusiasts mark the routes by themselves and upload on the Internet instructions where and how you can ride a bike.