The Retezat range rises to the south, its granite peaks carrying snow into early summer, and the whole area belongs to Hunedoara county, a land of old mining, Dacian history and shepherds who still move flocks through the hills.
The nearest real towns are Petrila and Petroșani, both mining towns of the Jiu valley, where black-coal workings shaped the streets, the apartment blocks and the identity of the people. Petroșani is large enough for everything a rider needs: fuel, food, a pharmacy, and a roof for the night, and Petrila has its own services too. The Jiu valley was a hard place to work and a hard place to close, and you will still see old pit-heads and workers' housing from the communist era.
For riding, this is a rewarding area. The road that links the Jiu valley with the Hațeg country passes through the Băniţa defile, a narrow gorge where the asphalt twists beside a stream and the walls close in with limestone and beech. Corners are tighter than on the plain, the surface is generally good on the main road and uneven on the side roads, and you should expect lorries labouring up the gradients. The weather changes quickly; a bright morning can become fog and rain by afternoon, and the temperature drops noticeably as you climb. Late spring, when the meadows are thick with flowers, and early autumn are the best seasons.
Nature is the real attraction. Chamois, brown bear and lynx live in the Retezat, the national park to the south, and roe deer cross the road at dawn and dusk, so stay alert in the forest sections. Streams run cold and clear, and the air smells of resin and wet stone. The villages in the hills are small, with limited shops and no reliable fuel, so fill the tank in Petroșani or Petrila before you head up, and carry a snack for the long stretches in between.