Beyond the high crest, the mountains begin to fall away to the north, and the land below is the Jiu valley, one of Romania's most industrial landscapes. For much of the twentieth century the coal mines here employed tens of thousands of men, and the towns of Petrila, Petrosani and their neighbours grew up around the pits. The miners had a fearsome reputation for solidarity and sometimes for violence, and in the early 1990s their marches on Bucharest became a national news story. Many of the mines have since closed, and the region is reinventing itself with mountain tourism and a long, complicated memory.
From the road, the contrast is striking. Behind you are the open pastures of the Parang, and ahead the landscape is darker and more broken, with forested ridges, old spoil heaps and the grey roofs of mining towns. The ski area of Straja above Lupeni, and the high trails of the Retezat range to the west, show where the future may lie. The descent is quick, with a series of wide bends and a surface that can be rougher than higher up, since heavy vehicles use the lower valley roads.
The riding is easy, but not without hazards. Cloud and fog drift down from the heights, and the road can be damp and slick under the trees. In the valley itself you meet trucks and ordinary traffic, and the pace is slower than on the crest. Stray dogs are a part of the landscape in some places, so be alert in villages.
Petrila, with about twenty-five thousand people, and Petrosani, with over forty thousand, are the towns for fuel, food and a bed, and both are within easy reach. They are not pretty towns, but they have their own character, and the people are warm and direct. Walk into a local cafe, and you will be handed strong coffee and a plate of something fried without much ceremony. If you want to stay in the mountains, there are plenty of small guesthouses higher up, away from the traffic.