Looked like it would not rain too much but on meteox I saw a big bunch of clouds approaching. After long hesitation I took my raincoat with me and rode out for a long ride. I was only 100 metres away when the first drops fell. Typical, after waiting 2 hours and not a drop.
But I rode on and started out towards Bierbeek and Meldert to reach Hoegaarden. The rain was only a couple of drops but by the time I was in Hoegaarden the streets were slowly becoming wet. Riding on along the Lf6 my plan was to ride past Ezemaal and pick in on the Ludo Dierckxsens ride in the direction of Helecine. So I did and I followed that track towards Marilles and Huppaye. The wind was in my face now and it had stopped raining which caused the tarmac to dry up quickly. I still wore my rainjacket and I decided to leave it on, only opening up a bit at the collar to allow the sweat to evaporate. The Gore Tex isn't that permeable after 5 or 6 years.
Following the LD track I came into Dongelberg and Melin and then another period of rain was greeting me when I rode towards La Bruyere and Beauvechain. I wanted to do another loop though because I had planned on a 100K ride. So I persevered and gained Hamme Mille and while the skies dried out again I rode through Nethen and Sint Joris Weert. The roads again were drying out as I reached Sint Agatha Rode and took a right towards Neerijse. The ride along the Sint Jansbergse steenweg was nice because the road was dry and the wind was blowing in my back. From Egenhoven I looped back towards Oud-Heverlee and the Zoete Waters to finish off a solid ride through Vaalbeek and Blanden. The Vortex will need a good cleaning now but I am glad I was stubborn enough to continue riding and not return home as soon as the first drops of rain fell.
Something weird happened with my Polar about 3 hours into the ride. I think the battery of the speed sensor is down, because the Polar kept on stopping and starting. I put it in my back pocket because the continuous beeps were annoying me. I will replace the battery asap.

Endomondo track


Ride Stats : 111K and 820 heightmeters (Garmin) in 4h19mins

7831/69360

13-08-2011, 17:28 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf

Had some stuff to do after work so I left quite late for a ride that would bring me over Egenhoven to Leefdaal and Neerijse. Loonbeek, Huldenberg and Overijse were next as I worked my way south against a wind that seemed as fierce as yesterday. Luckily in the Yse valley I was most of the time sheltered from its force. It was warm and sunny but it became gradually more overcast as the kilometers moved on. I decided to make my way as far south as Maleizen and then turned towards Rixensart and Rosieres. Some climbing but also shelter from the wind that was now blowing in my side. When I reached Wavre and headed for Ottenburg I had the wind in my back and things were moving very fast now. I regularly saw 40kph on my counter as I sped towards Sint Agatha Rode and Sint Joris Weert. Still moving on I reached the Zoete Waters and then turned right towards Vaalbeek to finish off a fast ride despite the wind. I felt some droplets of rain when I was almost home and from the looks of it , it looks like some rain is going to fall tonight.

Endomondo track


Ride Stats : 60.5K and 410/425 heightmeters (Polar/Garmin) in 2h09mins

7720/68540

11-08-2011, 20:44 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf

Sunny and dry this afternoon, but as I already noticed when returning from work with the Vespa, the southwestern wind was quite fierce and would become my main adversary during my ensueing bike ride.
I rode out with the Vortex and first planned to do a point ride past Hoegaarden on the Lf6 route. But when I neared Hoegaarden and judged the strength of the wind I decided to make a loop instead. Following the Ravel 2 from Hoegaarden I was sheltered from the wind. In Jodoigne I left the Ravel and returned on the Chaussee de Wavre until I reached the right turn towards La Bruyere. This Chaussee de Wavre is quite a busy road and with the wind blowing in my side I and moving me from left to right I was glad to leave it behind me on the fast drop around the 1st Wing Airbase. From La Bruyere to Beauvechain I was more or less sheltered by the houses and only when I was riding towards Hamme Mille I could feel the wind from time to time, tugging hard and blowing in my face now. Nethen and Sint Joris Weert followed and I decided to round off todays ride by doing an extra loop towards Oud-Heverlee and Heverlee. In all, the ride was quite good and with an average heartrate of 109bpm I did not suffer too much from the windy conditions. That I almost managed 27kph average was a bit of a surprise to me but it surely has to be contributed to the excellent shape I seem to be in these last couple of weeks.

Endomondo track


Ride Stats : 65.5K and 430/445 heightmeters (Polar/Garmin) in 2h25mins

7660/68115

10-08-2011, 19:15 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf

09-08-2011, 21:08 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf

Looked Ok this morning, the sun was out and the forecast did not call for any rain to speak of. Unfortunately the wind was blowing quite hard from the southwest. That wind would be my adversary but also my friend during this ride.
I started out over Bierbeek, Neervelp and Willebringen to reach Hoegaarden. Here I injected myself on the the Ravel 2 and followed that to reach Eghezee. The wind was blowing fiercely from my right and luckily most of the Ravel route lies sheltered behind shrubberies and small trees. Upon reaching Eghezee I turned on the N91 and my speed was going up due to the wind now blowing slightly in my favor. This chemical wedding of my mitochondria and the wind sped me along and I was reaching 30kph+ without much trouble. At the last stretch I was even able to go 40kph in the fast corner around the Beauvechain airport. Arriving in Hamme Mille I had 70K on my counter so I decided to add a loop towards Nethen, Sint Joris Weert and Neerijse. On the Sint Jansbergse steenweg again the wind was in my favor and on the flat and descending bits I had no trouble following some of the cars which were doing 50kph.  Arriving in Egenhoven I rode towards Arenberg and then back to Oud-Heverlee. Arriving at the Zoete Waters I was on shedule to make it a century ride. Even though this was my second century in two days I felt a lot better than yesterday.

Endomondo track


Ride Stats : 101.5K and 635/655 heightmeters (Polar/Garmin) in 3h36mins

7519/67005

07-08-2011, 15:21 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf