Winter changes the character of the hills around Zalău completely. The town sits at the foot of the Meseș Mountains, in a basin that traps cold air, and from December to February the hills are often grey and fogbound, with snow lying on the shaded slopes and ice in the hollows. Dealul Dojii, one of the summits on the town's edge, about five kilometres from the centre, is an ordinary hill name, and it gives you a good excuse to talk about the seasons.
Spring comes late and quickly. By April the plum and cherry trees are in blossom, the hay meadows turn green, and the first storks return to their nests, clacking from chimney tops in the villages. May and June are the finest months for riding, with warm, clear days, wildflowers on every bank and long evenings. Midsummer can be hot, often over thirty degrees in the valley, and the afternoon often ends with a thunderstorm, sometimes with hail. Late September and October bring clear, cool days and a long procession of colour as the beech woods turn.
The roads follow the weather. In spring, frost heave and the meltwater from the snow leave potholes, and the local council patches them slowly. In summer, road edges crumble in the heat, and tar can soften on the sunniest slopes. Autumn leaves make bends slippery. And in winter, the hill roads may be iced or covered with packed snow for days, which suits tractors and not motorcycles. If you are planning a longer route, check the forecast the night before and be ready to turn back.
Zalău itself is a good base year-round, with fuel stations, a cluster of hotels and guesthouses, bakeries and supermarkets. There are also a number of garages that can fix a punctured tyre or a loose chain. The pedestrian streets in the centre have cafés and terraces that fill when the sun comes out.
Choose May or October, and pack both a warm layer and a waterproof.