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| Tales from the Woods |
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| 22-07-2012 |
 Neerhespen |
Today saw the sun out again. I wanted to do a recovery ride so I set out towards Hoegaarden and then onwards to Goetsenhoven, Ezemaal and Neerwinden . The temperature was around 18 degrees when I started, but it looked like the sun would make it warmer very soon.
I wanted to check out a couple of cars I saw in Neerwinden whilst I was riding the Kroeme Toer earlier this week. They were still there so I could take some pictures and move on.
When I reached the War memorial site at Neerhespen I turned the Vortex around an rode back towards Hoegaarden along the traces of the Kroeme Toer. From Hoegaarden I took another track towards Oorbeek, Hoksem and Kumtich. Willebringen, Opvelp and Neervelp were next. The wind was blowing faintly from the North-Northeast again and it did not bother me too much today. From Neervelp I took a left towards Bremt. Bierbeek, Haasrode Industrie and then Heverlee Park and returning following the Naamsesteenweg into Blanden completed this easy recovery ride with an average heartrate of 112bpm. The average temperature was a mild 23 degrees C, looks like the summer has arrived at last.
Endomondo track
Ride Stats : 82K and 565 heightmeters (Garmin) in 2h56mins
6157/59670
22-07-2012, 14:47 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf
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| 16-07-2012 |
| Oorbeek and some rain |
This morning saw the sun out, so I was fast to get on my bike and try to get a ride in. Meteox.be forecast rain around noon so I had to be fast to keep it dry. Starting out along the Kroeme Toer from a couple of years ago, over Haasrode, Bierbeek, Willebringen and then riding towards Kumtich. I came upon Roger L, who was fiddling with his pedal cleats - he does this all the time, has a hard time finding the correct position on his bike - and we rode together for a while. I saw some menacing clouds over the western horizon but Roger assured me that there was too much wind and it would not rain. Yeah right. When he stopped again to fiddle with his shoes I bid him au revoir and rode on from Meldert towards La Bruyere , braving a strong headwind. In Beauvechain I took a left towards Tourinnes and Hamme Mille. Entering Nethen my luck ran out and it started to rain, softly at first but before long I had to stop and don my Assos windbreaker to keep myself dry. Obviously the road became wet and dangerous very fast. Riding over Sint Joris Weert and the Zoete Waters, barely able to see where I was riding with my glasses getting wet and dampy, I was glad to have the wind in my back for the last stretch towards Vaalbeek and Blanden. When I got home I took 15 minutes out to clean my bike. At least I got a 50K ride in, I hate to think about the distance I might have ridden when the weather would have been "normal" for a Belgian summer. I have the feeling I already lost 500K due to this rainy weather the last 2 weeks. Damn.
Endomondo track
Ride Stats : 50K and 335 heightmeters (Garmin) in 1h49mins
5751/56890
16-07-2012, 14:11 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf
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| 02-07-2012 |
| Ligny |
Wanting to ride some more in the region behind Wavre I was looking for tracks and I came upon a track starting in Ottenburg and heading all the way to Sambreville. Not sure wether I could complete the whole track I noticed there was the possibility of a shortcut in Ligny. Riding up to Ottenburg provided a nice warmup completed mostly on the 34 in front. When I wanted to ride down to Wavre along the Chaussee de Ottenbourg I had to turn back because of roadworks. Never mind, I would do the detour along the Noire Epine and then along the N4 and the Chaussee de l'Orangerie to arrive in Basse Wavre and continue along the track in my Edge 705. Wavre was - as usual - quite busy and dangerous with people having no attention at all for cyclists. But I survived and soon I was passing the Walibi parc and then onwards to Ottignies and Court St Etienne. Still very busy roads but some nice backtracks as well. Crossing the N25 things got serious with a steep climb out of Sart Messire Guillame. Once on the plains I was heading for a high broadcast tower. Mellery, Tilly and Marbisoux were the next villages on the list. The sun was coming out and it was quite pleasant weather with only a minimal amount of wind and temperatures around 22 degrees on average. Passing through Tilly I paused to take a picture. My sister will be pleased with that, her surname being Tilly.
From Marbisoux I was nearing the N93 where the Tour de France would pass in a couple of hours time. The police was already busy with roadblocks so I knew I did not have a lot of time to cross back, unless I wanted to wait for the circus to pass. I did not want to do that, so that gave me another incentive to cut the ride short at Ligny, some 52K out, and ride towards Sombreffe where I passed the N93 again, heading for Chastre. Nice rolling roads gently ondulating up and down but mostly staying on the plateau. What wind there was seemed to be blowing in my back as I headed north towards the N1. This is a very busy road with no real bikpaths so I decided to leave the N1 asap instead of following it all the way to Wavre. Through Corbais and Corroy Le Grand I came to Chaumont. I decided to add an extra loop following the N243 in the direction of Perwez. But I turned left and came through Maleves, Sainte Marie and Wastinnes. The church where VDB married was at last out of its scaffolding so I paused to take a picture.
Onwards I went and through Opprebais I reached Incourt where I crossed the N91 riding towards Dongelberg. No chance to visit the castle - the gate was closed - so I rode on, taking a left towards Lathuy. On the N240 I took another left and then a right to arrive at the 1st Wing Airbase and La Bruyere. Nearing 4 hours and with the sun gaining strength I felt it was time to close up so I rode to Beauvechain and Opvelp for a last loop bringing me to Bierbeek and Haasrode before entering Blanden with a very solid ride under my belt.
Endomondo track
Ride Stats : 120K and 830 heightmeters (Garmin) in 4h23mins
5184/52935
02-07-2012, 00:00 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf
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