The Wallachian plain in southern Romania is about as flat as Europe gets: a vast expanse of wheat, maize and sunflower fields stretching to the horizon, broken only by lines of acacia trees, irrigation channels and villages strung along the road. Teleorman county, where Gresia lies, is in the heart of it. Two thousand years ago, this was frontier land. The Romans built a long earthwork rampart with forts and towers running north to south east of the river Olt, known as the Limes Transalutanus, to protect their province of Dacia. Gresia and the sites around it, including Roșiorii de Vede, Crâmpoia and Izbășești, lie along its line. Little survives above ground, and the remains need a trained eye or an archaeologist's map to spot, but the idea of a Roman frontier running through these fields adds depth to a landscape that can seem empty.
The plain has its own beauty. In summer, the sunflowers turn their heads towards the sun in endless fields, storks nest on electricity poles in the villages, and the sky is huge. In winter, cold winds sweep across from the east, and snow can block roads. Summers are very hot and dry, often above thirty-five degrees, so ride early and carry water.
Villages here are poor and traditional, with houses painted in bright colours, wells in the yards and elderly people sitting on benches outside their gates, watching the world go by. Many younger people have left to work abroad.
The riding is straight and simple, with long, flat roads and occasional bends. Surfaces vary widely: national roads are mostly in good condition, while county and village roads can be badly potholed. Horse carts, tractors, dogs and pedestrians are common, especially in villages, and local drivers can be aggressive when overtaking. Night riding is best avoided, as unlit carts and animals can appear suddenly.
Roșiorii de Vede, about eight kilometres away, is the nearest town, with fuel, shops and restaurants. For a taste of the region, try mici, grilled minced meat rolls served with mustard and bread, and a cold beer at a roadside terrace, or fresh watermelon bought from a stall at the side of the road in summer.