The day begins with a small milestone: the first breakfast in Romania at the rally! A good start, because we have an eventful day ahead of us.
After breakfast, all the marshals gather for a briefing. The most important points for the rally parade are discussed and we receive our high-visibility waistcoats – not necessarily the most fashionable accessories, but definitely essential for safety.
The line-up for the Rally Parade begins at 9.30 am. And then it’s time to wait. Waiting for the police, who will accompany and secure the convoy. In the meantime, we marshals also have to stop overly eager participants from cheating their way into the convoy – a task that becomes increasingly strenuous as temperatures rise. The heat is getting to everyone, and unfortunately the first minor accidents occur while waiting.
The police finally arrive and the parade starts to move. The approach to the road is a gravel track that repeatedly creates gaps in the column. One by one, the marshals join in to stabilise the group. Claudia and I are left bringing up the rear, just in front of the final vehicles of the police, the emergency services and the support team.
But then it happens: At a junction where the route offers several options, the rear block of the convoy promptly takes the wrong direction. Only when the police car intervenes, overtakes and stops the convoy can the group be put back on the right track. A brief moment of chaos, but eventually we catch up with the main column several places later.
From there, we continue in an impressively long parade to the Transilvania Motor Ring near Târgu Mureș. It’s a great feeling to be part of this long line of motorbikes travelling through the countryside.
When we arrive at the Motor Ring, there is – as expected – a lot of tarmac and very little shade. The heat is merciless, but fortunately there are drinks and snacks to keep us refreshed. For those who still have energy and desire, there is the opportunity to do test laps on the race track. It’s fascinating to take advantage of this unique opportunity, but the heat eventually pushes us all to our limits.
After the obligatory group photo, we are happy to leave the race track behind us and turn the heat into exercise. Back at camp, there is only one priority left: a long, cool shower. Only then do we feel like human beings again.
The rest of the day is dedicated to relaxation. After dinner, we retire for a rehearsal for tomorrow’s performance at the Trash Evening. Surprisingly, a lot of it works surprisingly well. Our calligraphy expert Bine even designs a great banner in Transylvania style, which she lovingly decorates together with Diana during the evening.
A hot, intense day comes to an end, but we are ready for what tomorrow brings – full of anticipation and with a highlight for our performance in the bag.