|
|
|
Tales from the Woods |
|
|
25-07-2013 |
Marollen Chapel |
Two days of rest did wonders with my legs. I had to wait to ride out because around 8AM it started to rain. 15 minutes later the rain stopped but I had to wait until 10AM to ride out because the streets took a while to dry out. I rode my usual lap over Bierbeek, Opvelp, Beauvechain, La Bruyere and L'Ecluse and then set towards Hoegaarden along the Tramstraat. Left towards Sint Katelijne Hauthem and a local loop or two around the Marollen Chapel brought me halfway my ride. Riding back along the Tramstraat, in and out of Meldert and then home whence I had come an hour before.
The sun was out in force now and while the first hour felt refreshing with the ground still drying out after the rain, the second hour was warmer with around 28 degrees C.
Endomondo track
Ride Stats : 60K and 385 heightmeters (Garmin) in 02h01mins
9286/48740
25-07-2013, 13:35 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf
|
|
|
|
18-07-2013 |
Boom |
Today I was planning the last of a triplet of 100K rides. I chose an easier path by taking the Vaart towards Mechelen, then onwards to Heindonk and Boom along the Zennegat. The wind, however, was blowing strong today. This was good because it was also quite hot quite soon in the day, but it also gave me some work battling myself towards the Northeast. When I reached Boom, some 49K in the ride, I stopped for a snack and to take some pictures of the Sherman tank that stands watch over the river Rupel in Klein Willebroek.
After my snack I started on the way back. The wind was more or less in my favor now, more or less because on some occasion when my direction was veering towards the East, it bothered me. But I could maintain a good pace even though I was beginning to feel the effects of the 2 previous rides in my legs and the sun was also shining in my face. Lots of drinking and like I said before, the breeze was doing wonders. I arrived home with a good average and a satisfied feeling in my legs.
Endomondo track
Ride Stats : 101K and 210 heightmeters (Garmin) in 03h27mins
8958/46800
18-07-2013, 13:24 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf
|
|
|
|
17-07-2013 |
WTCool 100 |
A while back I started out on this ride, but I had to cut it short due to rain falling and making the roads wet and slippery and visibility bad. Today, the weather was warm and dry, with the first couple of hours seeing the sun hide behind high clouds. There was a little breeze from the north, not worth bothering about it. I started on the track, and was taken over Willebringen to the Marollenkapel in Hauthem, where the official start is. From Hauthem I rode to La Bruyere and onwards to Pietrebais. Wanting to avoid the busy Chaussee de Jodoigne I rode through Pietrebais to go to Grez. From Grez, the long climb towards Longueville followed. From Longueville it went to Chaumont. Here the trail followed the busy Chaussee de Huy. The bikepath is a ruins and riding on the road is close to suicidal. I did do a bit of it on the road, the traffic being not too bad. The drop into Basse Wavre set me up for the climb out of it. The trail takes the 10% average Mur de Wavre but I decided to take the long way around the Bawette and join the trail back just before it turns into Ottenburg. From Ottenburg it went to Eerken and Pecrot and then the climb towards Nethen. Only 15% this one but this was the only time on this ride I had to drop the chain on the small ring in front. From Nethen to Sint Joris Weert and then towards the Wolfshagen and the Keiberg up the Smeys. The trail takes the Smeysberg upwards, I took it in the reverse direction, dropping down the Smeysberg and taking the climb back up along the Koxstraat. Down via the Kleinwaverstraat and then I was on the Sint Jasnberg steenweg riding towards Egenhoven. A couple of climbs along the way but nothing to bother me. Instead of riding all the way to the Leuvense Ring I took another track past the Imec building and Arenberg, coming back on the official track at the English Cemetery in Heverlee. Into Blanden and I was back home. A good track, with some dangerous roads and some steep hills, the latter can be avoided by taking alternatives if you don't feel up to riding a gradient of 17% or more .
Endomondo track
Ride Stats : 104.5K and 865 heightmeters (Garmin) in 03h44mins
8857/46590
17-07-2013, 13:27 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf
|
|
|
|
13-07-2013 |
Heks |
The sky was overcast but the sun was bound to break through. Started with long sleeves and the Assos Blitzfeder because it was only 16 degrees and the wind was blowing from the cold corner. The plan was to follow the Lf6a - Vlaanderen Stedenroute - until I reached the picturesque village of Heks. Heks - translated in English that means Witch - is a little village not far from Heers and Tongeren. Some 70K east of where I live. So I took it relatively easy on the way out, enjoying the landscape of the Haspengouw fruit region. Cherries and apples were hanging on the trees. The first looked ripe for the picking the latter were definately not ripe. The landscape started to ondulate a little more once I reached Brustem, with some 4-6% hills. In Heks I stopped for a snack and I took a couple of pictures of the church. I was 2h30 into the ride and some 68km from home.
On the way back I removed my armlings and the Blitzfeder, the sun was coming through the clouds now, and with the wind slightly in my back my pace was a little faster as well. Even though my legs were beginning to tire from the succession of small hills. When I rode past Goetsenhoven my Garmin 705 added 9K to my distance in a couple of seconds. No idea why it did that but on the map you can see I covered that distance and I reached a speed of no less than 774kph. I am no jet fighter so there definately was something wrong with the measurement there. When I reached home I had 149K , I looked at th eride with Mapsource and detracted the 9K that my garmin added. That still leaves me with a very respectable 140K in a little less than 5 hours. A good solid ride.
Endomondo
track
Ride Stats : 140K and 990 heightmeters (Garmin) in 04h58mins
8594/44630
13-07-2013, 16:12 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gastenboek./.Guestbook |
Druk op onderstaande knop om een berichtje achter te laten in mijn Gastenboek. /
Press the button below to write in my Guestbook.
|
Email Me |
Press the button to send me a mail
|
|
|
|