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| Tales from the Woods |
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| 29-05-2007 |
 Compulsive |
One of my sisters once called me a compulsive biker. We were having an argument at the time and she meant it as a derogative remark, a sneer, mainly because according to her I tended to shy away from my responsabilities and hide in my biking. At the time I tought she could not have phrased it better. Except for the responsability bit she is ab-so-lu-te-ly right.
Sometimes I am praying for rain, because that is the only sure-fire way to keep me off of my bikes. Or at least to keep me from riding outside, because I have a bike set up on the rollers in my garage, of course. It seems the only days I don't bike is when I'm ill (rarely) or when the snow is too high (never) or when it rains hard (yep, this is Belgium, it does from time to time) Today I swear I was trying my best to stay at home, grab my Covenant book and drop myself in a comfy chair to read a few chapters. I really need to take a day off from biking to allow my body to fully recuperate . I almost succeeded in my plan . Upon returning from work I found some stuff to do around the house, made some appointments , watched the Giro stage where Stefano Garzelli grabbed a hard-fought and well-deserved victory but around 7pm I found myself with idle hands and caught a glimpse of sunshine. Yep, so I got on my bike and did a quick ride before darkness started to set in.
I have little sympathy for those people who always find excuses NOT to go biking. In my mind, if you really want to, you will always find a way. I know I do. Being out on a bike helps me to order my thoughts, helps me think about stuff and usually when I get home after a good ride I have figured out a way to deal with most issues that have been bothering me throughout the day. I had a lot to think about today and being out there, feeling the chilly wind on my cheeks whilst pedalling at a recovery rate 106bpm average, really helped me to straighten my mind and iron out all the wrinkles the day had put on me.
Now tomorrow I need to do a lot of stuff and I am most certain I will not find the time to go out. I need to get up early , go to the doctor to have my blood sampled, need to take the car in for an emergency checkup and I also need to work and have an appointment at the dentist in the early evening . Hmm, I will probably skip the dentist which will buy me an hour. Hope it rains.
Ride Stats : 26k and 195 heightmeters in 1h08mins
4791/40130
29-05-2007, 21:41 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf
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| 28-05-2007 |
| Great stuff |
Predicting the weather in Belgium must be a very difficult thing. Before the weekend the forecast looked as if we were going to get rain all through saturday, sunday and even monday. Saturday? Hmm, yes a little moist in the morning and some rain after 5 o'clock in the evening. Sunday? I don't remember it raining, it might have rained a bit during the night.
And then today, rain predicted, but what happens? Great weather - no sun, but dry - with just a few drops. I cannot tell what happened in other parts of Belgium and I'm sure it can be a matter of a few kilometers, but in the Centre it was a GREAT weekend weather-wise.
That also had some consequences on my mileage. I thought I would have a few days off of biking, but it turned out I biked on all 3 days.
Today saw me on part 2 of my Secret Meerdael loop, a succession of hills and singletrail, only leaving the forest on 2 occasions.
 Great stuff, if I say so myself. I was out with the Litespeed and I must say , I am really pleased with the 1.8 Nobby Nic tyres I put on a few rides back . Especially in these moist-but-not-wet circumstances with only the occasional mudhole , they perform splendidly. Narrow tyres yes, but with very good grip, also on the offcamber stuff. Their narrowness makes them a bit less comfortable and also the braking distance is a bit longer due to the diminished footprint but I really love them. They give me a lot of confidence on the steep downhill stuff. I made all the downhills and I also made all the uphills, except one where I was so amazed I was going to make it that I lost concentration and got stuck between 2 roots. Aargh... I descended again and rode up once more, this time passing the nasty roots with flying colors. I normally leave my chain on the middle ring but this time I decided to drop it on the small ring a lot, which made it less tough and kept my heartrate low. Had a great time today and when I consider the weekend, I am very pleased with the rides I did. Hopefully it will rain for a couple of days now so I can get a few days' rest before heading off to France for a biking adventure.
Ride Stats : 42K and 745 heightmeters in 2h58mins
4767/39935
28-05-2007, 16:06 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf
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| 27-05-2007 |
| Beautiful grace |
I just had to post this pic. I got it from the Litespeed Blog. No mention of a photographer but if anyone knows, please be my guest. I love the crispness of the shot, and the way biker and bike seem to form one whole , she really blends with the bike, grace, grit and strength are obvious .
Biker is Portugal Pro Vanessa Fernandes and the event is the Worlds Duathlon Championships in Gyor, Hungary. Bike is a titanium Litespeed Ghisallo.
Check out Vanessa's Website
27-05-2007, 00:00 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf
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| Pannekoek |
Living on the border of Brabant Walloon on the edge of the Meerdael Forest certainly has its advantages. Lots of hills and lots of forest just next to my door. One disadvantage is that I need to really make an effort to get a recovery ride in. Either I stay on the rollers, ride at 20kph or I ride to the North. Through Leuven and then further on towards Mechelen I can follow the Vaart canal which makes for a nice pannekoek ride. For those not familiar with the term, pannekoek means flat. In the week I tend to shy away from the traffic in the city but during the weekend Leuven is a quiet town and I have no trouble riding through it on my way to the canal. Today I set out for a short recovery ride - revovery for me means an average of below 109bpm - and I got in a fine ride averaging 106bpm. Only the first and last stretches of the ride had some denivellation in them , the sides of the pannekoek as it were.
Ride Stats : 30K and 100 heightmeters in 1h18mins
4723/39190
UCI Cross Country World Cup #2 , Offenburg, Germany
Definately NOT pannekoek was the 2nd leg of the UCI Mountainbike Cross Country World Cup at Offenburg. The girls had a dry race save for the last 2 laps, and Irina Kalentieva grabbed the win with a sizeable gap between her and Canadian Marie Helene Premont. Multiple World Champion Gunn Rita Dahle-Flesjaa was third.
all pics Copyright Adri Haine 2007
The Chinese delegation , which surprised us all at Houffalize earlier this year, could not pull that off again, but still Blue Jersey World Cup leader Ren Chengyuan got a solid 7th place. Marga Fullana got in another good ride finishing a strong 4th. Full story and some pictures at Canadian Cyclist. The full result can be found HERE
Here is the moment of glory for little Irina Kalentieva, when she wins after the race was rendered very tough and super-technical due to torrential rains.
 Pic Copyright Rob Jones
 Pic Copyright Rob Jones
to end, here is a video interview with one of the sports greatest : Canadian Alison Sydor. Video was shot in Offenburg before the race.
27-05-2007, 00:00 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf
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| 26-05-2007 |
| Snail Trail |
I wanted to do one long slow ride this weekend. First I was thinking about doing the Ludo Dierckxsens Classic - or at least the hilly part of it - but then Moster Blond, who is back form a fabulous biking trip to Spain, contacted me to check whether I wanted to ride in the Dyleland area. Yes, of course I would.
So we set up to meet at the Zoete Waters but due to a last minute bug on her bike we met at Filip Sport in Hoeilaart instead. I had to get a minor thing on my bike fixed as well so we both took advantage of the little pit stop.
Upon riding towards Hoeilaart I came along this little snail, that was leaving its wet trail whilst slowly crossing the tarmac bikepath. I took some pictures before gently lifting it off the dangerous road and putting it among the green grass at the side of the road.
 It was arranged that we would ride the Overijse BLOSO's . These are not too difficult but on the other hand do offer some minor technical challenges. MB was talking about her trip and I was talking about things back home, it felt good to open the chatterbox with her. The trails were great, here and there last nights' rain had left them a bit slippery but that only added to the fun. We said our goodbyes upon reaching Overijse again and I rode off towards Huldenberg, where I took the time to photograph a particularly gnarly looking tree.
 Further I went towards Terlanen and St Agatha Rode , where I made the fiendishly steep climb in the St Agatha Rodebos. Another climb in Pécrot and then descending towards Nethen and the Meerdaelwoud. I had a little drink at the Hertebron, a spring in the forest which is supposedly clean after a bit of coli infection 2 years ago. Well, let's hope so anyways. I was thirsty and the cool water refreshed me.
 
Big Thanks to whatever angel is watching over me for keeping our ride a dry one.
Although the average speed was not high throughout the entire ride , I thoroughly enjoyed being out there and the fine company of MB and the chat we had helped me to see some things that had been bothering me in brighter light . I consider myself very lucky to have a friend like her.
Ride Stats : 83.5K and 895 heightmeters in 4h42mins.
4693/3909026-05-2007, 22:49 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf
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| 25-05-2007 |
| Rambo |
Here is our cat. His name is Rambo and he has diabetes. A few years back he was dropping weight and drinking most of the day, which made us go to the vet. The diagnosis was chattering, at least at first. The vet told us that if he didn't receive any treatment , he would die within a few months.
But, if we were to administer him daily injections with insulin, he could live for a long time to come. We love our cat and that is why we have been doing this for 3 years now, twice every day. Since the injections need to be given every 12 hours to keep the sugar levels in his blood a steady as possible - we chose 6am and 6pm - this has taken some organising and missing out on holidays as well.
Most people don't bother or are just assuming that the loss of weight and drinking is normal - hence their cat dies. Most people suck.
Rambo was born on the 5th of June 1994. Yep, this makes him a senior alright. He has always been such a friendly cat, as cats go. I can't remember him being viscious or lashing out - ever. Lately he spends most of the day lazing around, eating and lazing around again. His hind legs have suffered from the diabetes so he cannot move for big walks, which means he just advances a few meters and has to take a rest. He doesn't suffer and has no pain. He can purr so sweetly when he is being stroked . He has never been outside since we live close to a very busy road. The closest he gets to beng outside is during the summer months when we open a window and he can sit , smell hear and watch the outside world from behind a mosquito net. He obviously enjoys these moments very much.
I hope you like the little collection of pictures I included here. It took me a while to figure out how to include pictures in this blog but now I found out you can look forward to more pictures popping up in the text from time to time.
Some of these pics are without copyright notice - at least none visible to the eye - but that doesn't mean you can download them and put them on other media without mentioning the author . Copyright Adri Haine 2007
25-05-2007, 21:52 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf
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| 23-05-2007 |
| Pruneaux d'Agen |
Met up with Christine Vardaros, former Lotto-Belisol and current Pruneaux d'Agen professional cyclist , to do a little exploratory ride towards Wezemaal. She had posted a story concerning a collectors' item bike that intrigued us by its age and I found out that the shop that had it made - Van Den Eynde - still existed , in Wezemaal indeed. So we got together to check that out. The weather was gorgeous - sunny and a little windy next to the canal, and we set out on a leisurely 103bpm pace - less with held breath - over Wijgmaal and Rotselaar to our destination. Christine had a real cool bike as well - I should've made a picture I know but if you click on the mascotte picture you will see a pic Christine made some time ago..
We found the shop and it turned out to be a glossy place with lots of cool bikes - none as cool as the collectors' item though - and the guy at the shop actually knew the bike as well . We looked around a bit for other peculiar stuff but apart from some flashy golden-coloured Campagnolo wheels we didn't find any more collectors' items.We had both a little more time so we set out back towards the Leuvense Vaart to chat our way up to Kampenhout, where we U-turned a couple of times while we decided which part of the Vaart we wanted to ride on to in order to catch as much of sunrays as possible.
Christine had me enthralled with her stories and deep knowledge of food and supplements . I find myself eating too much of the same stuff all the time , and I'm hoping to get some more variety. So I have to check up on some of her writings on that subject.
Anyways, I had a great ride and am looking forward to a next occasion. Gee , I might even consider taking my trusty non-titanium road bike off of the rollers (gasp ! kapow ! ) or - more likely - put on some 1.0 slicks on my Hilset because I have the feeling that when she really puts down the pedal and goes for Mach speed I will be hard pressed to follow her on my fat-tyred bike.
Thanks Peanut for the fine company today, I really appreciate it . Be well and lets meet up again anytime soon.
Ride Stats : 63K and 140 heightmeters in 2h46mins
4562/37770
23-05-2007, 00:00 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf
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| 22-05-2007 |
| Transportation phase |
Yess , at last some news from my new car. Remember ? It has left Production Phase and has entered Transportation Phase. Whether that means it just boarded the boat from Japan or is on a lorry in Antwerp harbour is to be seen. I opted for a cool recovery ride today, and my average heartrate of 106bpm was cool enough I would say. Legs felt good but not yet fully recovered from Sundays' marathon ride. The weather was not great but still with 17 degrees C it was just about right for a slow ride. Tomorrow it will be sunnier which is nice because I will start a little earlier then today. Upon returning from work at 7pm , I jumped on my bike and after my hoth tub I jumped back in my car to have my hair cut. At home around 10pm , grab a bite to eat and get ready for bed. Been feeling pretty tired these last few days - weeks actually when I think about it. My morning pulse (42-43 ) , body temperature and weight (69kg) are normal yet I don't feel great. Could be I suffer from pollen since I cough up some flumes from time to time . I am taking it easy on the rides and we'll see what develops.
Ride Stats : 34K and 210 heightmeters in 1h29mins4499/37630
22-05-2007, 22:33 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf
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| 20-05-2007 |
| Rando de l'Athenee at Wavre |
I've
already done quite a bit of [mountain]biking this year - and some
wonderful trails as well I might add - but today was my first organised
ride of 2007. Wavre is some 20k away from my home so instead of adding
to the global warming I took my bike over there, which added to my global warmup .
Upon arriving I left my bike at the guarded bike-park - I was the only
one in the lot, but then again, most folks arrive in groups and can
leave one of them to guard the bikes, a luxury I don't have - and the
mademoiselle gave me a card with a number (8) corresponding to a
numbered card she attached to my bike. I normally won't let people
touch my bikes but I gladly make exceptions for pretty mademoisselles..
Oh, right, there were a few people I was supposed to meet at the
start but some of them had already set off, and another one was going
to do the 25K with her boyfriend (who is badly out of shape ) and told me I shouldn't wait for her.
So I didn't. I went
to the inscription, ticked the 65K distance on the form - there were
also 15, 25, 35 and 50K distances on offer - forked over 4 Euro to another mademoisselle , got my bike back from the bike-park - merci ma belle - and I was
on my way. Oh wait, first I needed to attach a little card with the emergency numbers to my bike. Good thing these cards , you never know whats going to happen.
The Ride:The first few K were meandering through the city but then we
got into a park where the first offroad stretch was greeting my 1.8 Schwalbe "Nobby Nic"
tyres. I chose these because of the heavy rainfall we had last friday.
I would normally not consider such narrow tyres on a ride this long and
I have to say, near the end my back was protesting the lack of comfort
they offered . But considering the condition of the track, the choice proved to be a
wise one. The trails were rather dry to start with. The loop went more
or less anti-clockwise around Wavre. First we went toward Chaumont
Gistoux and Grez-Doiceau, where a lot of the trails were very familiar
to me. But still the trailbuilders managed to find some nice solutions
to include some seldom used singletrails. I particularly enjoyed the
trail next to the river Train, until the trail changed into a big
mudhole that was. Foot on the ground and a few quick jumps brought me
through the worse of it, back on the bike and the Nobby Nics found some
grip to get me out of there - fast. The arrowing was rather sparse but more
than sufficient. Although there was also the option to have your time
clocked - a brevet this is called - on the 65K and I suppose if you really went fast you might miss
some turns due to the arrowing being sparse.
But I only missed one - on a familiar track I must add -
where they chose another option to loop out of than the one I usually take.. my bad . I quickly noticed I
was wrong ( no more arrows ! ) and got back to the fork where I last saw
an arrow. After some 20K I got to the first rest stop. This was stocked
with food - dried fruit, cake , bananas and more cake - and water. Also some mint-flavored sports-drink which didn't
invite to get a second glass. Sober but sufficient I would say. And who
can complain when you get 3 reststops for 4 Euro, right?
The trail then
ondulated toward Dion Valmont and further to the Bois de Laurensart.
Here they added an extra loop for the 65K which took us on a screaming fast
downhill and straight into our first *big* mudhole.. *Aaargh*. Those who know me know
that I don't particularly like mud. The only people really liking mud might be the bikeshops, they get to change all the worn-out bikeparts. But I managed to get myself and my
bike through the puddles unscathed. Experience is a good thing in these
matters. Instead of burying yourself in the mud trying to go AROUND the
puddles, just go STRAIGHT THROUGH them. The ground is harder IN the
puddles, and the water will clean your tyres and bike, rather than clog
it up with mud. I saw some lesser experienced guys burying themselves
quite successfully in the sucking mud.. their agonizing screams left me
to pedal away with a smile on my face. Yeah, I'm bad.
Getting to the second rest stop now, planted in a field in Ottenburg. I tried
checking how long we had to go (I had 41K on my counters) but the girls
manning ( lovely play of words don't you think?) the rest stop were not 'in the know' of such arcane things. So
I figured it must still be 25K and moved on. Food and drink here were the same as on the first stop. Nothing fancy but sufficient. The trail now came very
close to Wavre again but luckily another loop (or 3 ) was awaiting the
long-distance riders'. First we got a fine loop going towards
Rosieres, with a hollow road drop in a forest towards Tombeek to follow. Albeit another
mudhole awaited us at the bottom of said drop. Oh well, let's get dirty
- it's fun. Another climb followed taking us in reverse direction of a marked route (BLOSO Overijse ) and back towards Wavre.
I began to feel the accumulation of K's in my legs and
riding alone - I only seemed to be passing bikers at the rest stops and only 2 or 3 passed me - gave me the impression to be on some trail exploration
. I love the solitude of the longest distance on an organized ride. Most people seem to settle for the middle distances , 35/50K on this ride . I was just
thinking of adding an extra stop to absorb a powerbar when the third
reststop announced itself. So I ate it there, or rather I queezed it out of its wrapper. It had slightly begun to
rain now, and the trails became covered with a wet sheen which rendered
them a bit more tricky than they already were. Every now and then some cobbles were thrown at us, and you know how tricky wet cobbles can be. Alertness was required. Some 10K to go, and some fine trails were awaiting us yet. Looping towards Rixensart we came to
a nice rollercoaster MX-type track. Only thing was, it was a loop and I
nearly did it twice before I realized I better get off it if I was to
regain Wavre anytime soon. Wait, I see an arrow pointing AWAY from the
loop, OK thats it, lets go. Up until now, the bifurcations had been
very well signposted, but this MX track needed another arrow or perhaps
a plaque explaining it was a loop and where to get off of it. The last
few K's were pretty tough, some very steep climbs and a nasty downhill in a
wet field - incorporating a gully that did not seem ride-able to me. Those with tired muscles and lack of concentration better
beware. There was a plaque marked 'Danger' though so I don't think a lot of bikers were surprised by it.
The Lowdown:
What I liked :
- arrowing was sparse but sufficient
- signposters at traffic junctions and crossroads
- dangerous downhills were marked
- guarded bike-park at the start
- 3 rest stops, sufficiently stocked with food and drinks .
- rest stops well divided over the ride (20K - 40K - 55K on 65K)
- some nice trails included and some surprises as well
- every biker got a card with emergency numbers
What I did not like:
- arrowing too sparse for chrono-riders
- no controls for chrono riders and stop/start procedure of chrono was archaic
- confusing trails at the MX track
- tough bit at the end might throw tired bikers off.
I can't comment on showers and/or bikewash facilities since I did not use these.
Synopsis:A good ride, well organised with attention to detail and some very nice tracks. Arrowing and rest stops were sufficient . The chrono was their first one and it showed. If they want to do this again they need more signage and a better way to time the riders. Also, some control points along the ride to discourage cheaters. There were signposts indicating dangerous spots and at most road crossings signposters stopped the traffic for us. Never forget to say 'Thank you' they are sacrificing THEIR sunday for you! Bifurcations between the distances were well marked and not easily missed. Emergency cards and guarded bike-park are welcome extras. Pricing was more than fair. The Bare Facts : 68K and 1000 heightmeters (Hill Factor 14.7)More Info:
Ride's Profile : CLICKMap of the ride : CLICKRide Stats : 106K and 1325 heightmeters in 5h43mins
4466/37420
20-05-2007, 21:30 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf
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| 19-05-2007 |
| Evy Van Damme retires |
When browsing on the web, I came upon this sad news : Evy Van Damme, wife of Cofidis Pro Nick Nuyens but foremost one of our countries' leading ladies in the road racing circuit for the past decade , has announced her retirement.
Check the story at Cyclingnews.com and at Nick Nuyens website . The news is also mentioned at Cycling FX Cyclingladies but the other media have yet to catch up with it, it seems.
Well, sad news at least for all of us, who admire her for her sportswomanship , her achievements and yes, because she is one pretty lady as well.
For her it looks like a relief, to be able to close this part of her life and get on with another - maybe more important - part, that of being a fulltime wife and - hopefully - mother.
In an interview she accorded "Het Laatste Nieuws" , she states that she is stopping in her prime - at 27 years old her best years may lay ahead of her - because she couldn't bring up the continuing training , suffering and bereavements it takes to remain on top of her sport. Furthermore , the interview to me also expresses that she is disappointed in the lacking amount of quality time and attention the Women are getting for their sport. This to me has been obvious for some time now. The Mens' races are all that matters, the Womens' just seem to be almost a fait-divers at times, not only in Belgium but also on the International level. The struggle to make people realize that the Women also deserve the same kind of attention - let alone the same time of recognition - is an ongoing one and I fear it is a struggle against windmills. That may sound bitter I know .
I haven't found an online version of this interview, but I'm looking. On the website of Het Laatste Nieuws there has been no mention of it - yet.
As most of you will know , I love to follow Womens' racing , as a photographer but also as someone who is continuously impressed by the power, grace, grit and tenacity of the competitors in this difficult and demanding sport. I follow the Womens' Mountainbike XC racing which seems to earn a bigger level of attention amongst it male counterparts as the Women in road racing, indoor racing or cyclocross seem to get.
But beware, mountainbiking in itself is a very small sport - so lets not get overexited here. I understand that from a sponsors point of view, the "big names" in the Mens' circus attract a lot more of attention - thus money - but at least in mountainbiking the Women are treated more and more equally to the Men . On the World Cup series , their race has been appreciated from a Saturday event to a Sunday event. The Women now have their race at 11am just before the Mens' , thus allowing lots more people to view - and get excited about - the racing. A good thing sure enough. Also, they race for the full 2 hours - as the men do.
Still, things are evolving in other aspects of bicycle racing as well and I am always grateful when mention of the Women is made during the coverage of , say , The Giro or the Tour the France. I wonder how many people know that there is also a Giro for Women, or Tour de France for that matter ? Many people are striving to give the Women what they deserve - fair and equal treatment in all aspects of life - and this includes sports . A big thanks must go to the teams, sponsors and media that make it their daily job to make this possible and to further its development. And of course to all the athletes themselves, who bring us the excitement of the races.
At least in her retirement interview Evy got one full page in Belgiums' leading newspaper.
Thanks for everything you brought to Womens' Cycling in Belgium , Evy and I wish you a very happy and fruitful life. Bedankt voor alles Evy en moge het je goed gaan in de rest van je leven.
Evy Van Damme pic copyrighted http://www.snakeonline.be/
19-05-2007, 18:00 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf
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| 16-05-2007 |
| Bread run |
Easy ride this evening, started after the Giro stage ended. Cold wind blowing and I took it easy but still managed a good first hour, due to the wind blowing from behind most of the time. I kept it on the big ring on most of the climbs to work a little on my strength . The Polar transmitter got a new battery but when I checked the heart rate profile I noticed it still had some weird numbers during the first part of the ride. I will get a new Wearlink next friday and be done with it. Upon finishing I had to pass at the bakery to get a bread. Tomorrow is a holiday and I forgot to get one when I got home from work.
Ride Stats : 41K and 290 heightmeters in 1h43
4264/35330
16-05-2007, 20:39 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf
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| 13-05-2007 |
| Rain .. or not |
I got to terms with my emotions yesterday - thanks Miss J for listening to my howlings - and I also felt a little better physically. I have had some aching joints and a bit of a runny nose these last few days but I didn't feel ill, just weak. It must have been the large amount of K's and heightmeters I had been absorbing the last month that caught up with me. Anyway, I feel gradually better, this week has been a relatively easy one on the biking muscles so I got ample opportunity to rest and recuperate.
Early this morning I got an SMS from someone asking me if I would join her for the Wavre ride. I declined because the weather forecast called for rain during the first part of the day. Sorry for being a coward, Sandrine, I hope you still got a great ride in. It's my loss, not yours.
I finally got out of bed around 10am and it still was dry outside. So I decided to do a ride in my local forest. I had a great ride, the trails were nearly dry and about 45 minutes into the ride it started to rain. The rain was light though and riding in the forest hardly allowed the drops to reach the forest floor through the thick leaf canopy , let alone bother me or making the trails wet . After an hour or so the drizzle stopped completely which had me wondering if this was all it was going to be. At the same time I got a pang of regret for not having done the Wavre ride.
Still, Meerdael forest was great, and I was careful to keep the pace low, so as not to strain myself. The smell of the wet forest is always a special one and the trails were moist but there was no mud to speak off.
I am pretty sure Theux would have been too much for me today, as I am sure Hamoir was yesterday. But I feel better, my head is clear - and you can take that both ways , literally and figuratively - and the legs felt better, a lot better. Whilst typing this I see the first rays of sun peering through the cloud cover giving me hope for next week.
The Litespeeds' 2001 SID SL fork - which isn't serviced yet due to the parts not being available - gave me no troubles . Normally the parts are due to arrive next week, but I'm not sure if I will keep the bike for the long weekend or turn it over to Filip Sport for maintenance. The latter option leaving me with only one bike for the long weekend. Ah, choices.
Ride Stats : 36K and 330 heightmeters in 1h51mins
4162/34660
13-05-2007, 13:36 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf
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| 12-05-2007 |
| Emotions |
Was a bit drained emotionally after a long talk yesterday evening with a very good friend. Felt so good to talk to her but at the same time this takes a lot out of me . She is on a holiday for the next week and I miss her already. It will be a long week for me .I felt physically weak as well this morning - have been feeling that for a few days now - and when I woke up and saw the rain come down, I quickly decided not to ride to Hamoir and stay in bed instead. Another person , who I consider to be a friend as well , gave a sign of life after a few weeks of silence. I am glad she did and at the same time the message was not a happy one. I hope we can get in contact real soon.Oh, did I ride? Yes, I dragged myself onto my rollers and did an hour and a bit, catching up on my reading - Thomas Covenant is still trying to find out the power of the White Gold in part 3 of the first Unbeliever trilogy - The Power that Preserves. A very strong story with some deep soul-searching in it. Giro d'Italia is starting today.. that will keep me occupied for the remainder of the afternoon I hope, and the next days as well. Tomorrow is uncertain weatherwise - perhaps dry in the morning but quickly new rain might appear from the south. We'll see tomorrow morning, there is a ride in Wavre which I have done a few years ago and which is very nice.Ride Stats : 25k in 1h10mins4126/34330
12-05-2007, 19:36 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf
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| 10-05-2007 |
| Mottige Bergskes |
Today saw the temporary return of some dryer weather, so when I got home from work I decided to go out and do a little ride on the road. I vaguely had a plan to follow a route I discovered more than 6 years ago and which I call 'Mottige Bergskes'. This loosely translates as "Very Awkward Little Mountains" and I call it like that because at the time the markings on the road consisted of an M and a B inside a big white arrow. Moreover , this route, which started all the way in Berlaar (thats what the B really stands for) went over some pretty tough and steep little hills ,so thats where the Little Mountains ( Bergskes ) comes from.
Well, whatever you want to call it, the markings have long withered away but I do remember some of the most difficult of the hills and I did some of those today. The route took me through Pécrot, Wavre, Dion Le Mont, Basse Wavre, Ottenburg, Tombeek and Terlanen to give you a vague idea.
I was not feeling great at the start and the fierce wind made it difficult at first to get a good pace going so I took it fairly easy. But once I was about one hour into the ride, things picked up nicely. The last 25K were awesome with the wind pushing in my back.
The weather forecast for the weekend doesn't look too great for the moment. Saturday will be almost dry but Sunday is for the moment dripping wet. Hope to get my Litespeed back tomorrow evening so that I can at least try to attend the Rode Lintjes tocht in Hamoir which is planned for saturday.
Ride Stats : 60.5K and 580 heightmeters in 2h39mins
4100/34330
10-05-2007, 19:59 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf
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