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Tales from the Woods |
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09-08-2009 |
Opprebais |
When I rode out today I wasn't thinking of riding far. I could feel my legs were well recuperated but I imagined an hour or 2 would be more than enough. I rode towards Sint Agatha Rode and Ottenburg and then decided to descent into Basse-Wavre to climb out of it again towards the road to Perwez. It was a while since I followed this one past Chaumont Gistoux so I decided to try that. The bikepath, which in the past was deplorable, seemed to have been remade from Chaumont onwards. Great for biking now, without any potholes and other cracks in the road. I veered to the left towards Opprebais and decided to have a look at the Opprebais water reserve. Many decades ago this was the place where I did my first deepsea diving lessons. Well, needless to say, things have changed quite a bit since then. The site which was once abandoned is now completely filled with houses and it took me some time to find the entrance where we used to ride though to get to the clubhouses. There is only one clubhouse left, the one from DDT Tienen. The carriere is completely surrounded by a fence and there is a walkers/bike path going around it. Here and there you can catch a glimpse of the bluegreen water reserve captured in between the rocky walls. There is still diving going on here, but on a far lesser scale than 20 years ago. Access is limited and this has provided peace in the area as well as in the water itself. In my days it was not uncommon to have hundreds of divers visiting the site during the day and until late in the evening. Needless to say, the noise and light pollution did not go unnoticed and the Opprebais councel decided a while back to close the site as a diving spot and develop more houses next to it. The site has been opened again, but with strict limitations. When I rode around the pond it struck me that I remembered it to be bigger.
After that I followed the blue M markings for a while, taking me towards Dongelberg - another sweet water reservoir and dive-site - and Lathuy. I noticed that my bottom bracket had moved towards the left. Probably because I let some oil onto the axis a while back. When I shifted on the big ring in front, the front derailler cage rubbed against the middle chainring. First I taught one of the crankarms was getting loose but after a while my right crankarm began touching the right side of the frame. A sure sign that the axis itself was shifting. Ah that Tune Bigfoot crank , it is a very light crank but it has its peculiarities. One of them is the continuously loosening of the crankarms on the axis and another is the shifting of the titanium axis itself, moving through the bearings. When I got home I gave it a couple of jams with a heavy hammer and surely enough it moved back where it should be. I must change the bearings soon because the crankarms turn very badly. I finished my ride looping over Sart-Melin and back towards Hamme Mille. The weather was calm and with 23 degrees C not too hot. The sun came through during the afternoon making it alltogether a very enjoyable ride.
Ride Stats : 66K and 550/598 heightmeters (Polar/Garmin) in 3h2mins
5934/57045
09-08-2009, 16:17 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf
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06-08-2009 |
Hot Eizer |
Another very hot summer day and at first I wasn't sure if I should ride out, but when I got home I just went for it. Pace was relaxed of course but the stiff northeasterly breeze didn't make it unbearably hot. At least when you rode with the wind in your face. I had the wind in my back during the first part of the ride, making my way over Heverlee and Egenhoven towards the field roads above Leefdaal. Following that I took a right towards Vossem and then rode all the way to the Tervuren ponds. Here a welcome shade from the outskirts of the Sonian Forest offered some relief. Turning towards the east I began to feel the wind when I rode towards Eizer and Huldenberg. The Smeysberg - I took the Huldenberg city climb, less steep but longer - had me gritting my teeth but on top the dry wind blew straight in my face. Making my way towards Sint Agatha Rode and later Sint Joris Weert, the sun was burning a hole in the back of my helmet. The Zoete Waters offered some relief and I saw the big fish gasping for air at the surface. That surely is a sign it is hot and the water lacks oxygen.
Ride Stats : 50K and 340/379 heightmeters (Polar/Garmin) in 2h13mins
5769/55635
06-08-2009, 18:50 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf
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05-08-2009 |
Zetrud |
The weather was very hot today and the sun was making overtime when I left home around 20 to 4. I planned on riding to Beauvechain and pick in on the 100K loop of the Chaumont Gistoux ride. Having followed the 50K version a few days ago I wasn't expecting too much. And indeed, the ride followed mainly big roads towards Tienen, Hoegaarden and Jodoigne. I stopped in Zetrud Lumay to take a picture of a beautiful chapel in the fields. A bit further the ride turned left but due to the heat I decided to take a right turn towards Wavre. Another busy road that I followed until i could turn towards La Bruyere and then I returned home over slightly less busy roads passing through Beauvechain, Opvelp and Bierbeek. The sun had disappeared behind some clouds by now but the temperatures were still close to 30 degrees C. High Summer as we call that here.
Ride Stats : 63K and 320/349 heightmeters (Polar/Garmin) in 2h41mins
5719/55295
05-08-2009, 19:41 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf
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04-08-2009 |
Eastern Meerdael Forest |
First I planned to ride towards Overijse and do some BLOSO routes over there, but the warm weather made me decide to stay closer to home and in the forest. So I set out into Meerdael Forest, crisscrossing the part East of the Naamsesteenweg. The average temperature in the forest was 6 degrees less than out in the open and the tracks were still damp from last Sundays' rain. I did venture out into the fields towards Gottechain all the way to the Chapelle Sainte Corneille in Tourinnes la Grosse before returning towards the forest for a last couple of K's back to Blanden. In all I had a fine relaxing ride, not too hot and no insects to bother me either.
Ride Stats : 30K and 290/391 heightmeters (Polar/Garmin) in 1h36mins
5656/54975
04-08-2009, 20:06 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf
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01-08-2009 |
Nandrin revisited |
Yes, good weather forecast this morning and time to spare. So I rode my MPS to Nandrin to do another lap on my favorite trails. I have been coming here for many years now and each time I continue to ba amazed at the way this track is laid out, sometimes easy, sometimes difficult, but destined to leave me tired and happy at the end of the ride. The Merlin was purring happily as I rode out around 11am . The weather was warm, but not too warm with the sun hiding from time to time behind some clouds. I made good progress as the trails were surprisingly dry - nandrin dry that is - with only the occasional puddle. The trails were pretty clean and some of the grass had been mown. Nevertheless I recommend wearing long trousers since the tracks are sometimes overgrown and filled with nettles and brambles. I got a nasty sting from some nettles before entering the Bois des Gottes. Speedy downhill followed by a tough ascent on medieval cobbles. Then another fast downhill where my Merlin worked its magic and I could ride screaming fast without being worried of getting out of control. The trails then settles a little bit with some more relaxed climbing towards Ellemelle. This is about as far south as it will go and from Ellemelle I make my way up into the Bois d'Herberlain, with its 300 metres the highest point of the route. The track here is also surprisingly dry. But during the hollow road descent I do discover some hidden puddles - ouch.
In Tinlot I switch from the White route that I have been following onto the Red route. This is the more difficult route and things get really serious quite fast. Past Stree and into the Bois de Lonfontaine where I encounter the first really muddy patch. Yeah, Nandrin wouldn't be Nandrin without at least one mudhole. Into Outrelouxhe for a descent along a little river. This is by far the most beautiful part of the route and today I wanted to check out an option for an extra climb. Descending all the way along the Bois des Dames and then make my way up the crest. Well, I was walking up that crest. The narrow and steep track was just too difficult to ride. It looked more like a gully with rocks, and muddy . So I walked 3/4th of the climb until the slope got a little less steep and the track dried out. From then on I could ride. I descended along the track I normally ride up. This track is rock-strewn and very difficult to negociate. I left the speed a bit high and luckily the Merlin carried me over the rocks without flinching. I believe any lesser bike might have meant a bad fall. Down the slope and I turn to the left to follow the river upstream a bit until I turn left again for a very steep climb. This one is dry but covered with a lot of tree rubble left behind by forestry works. I have to dig deep but I make it all the way to the top. The descent towards the culminating rocks gives me time to recuperate. I stop to eat a bit, check out the bike and take some pictures.
I'm well into the ride now and only have about 15k left to ride. The singletrack leading from the rocky outcrop over the ridge and then down towards the Rue d'Oxhon is overgrown and I have to ride low to avoid the branches. At the bottom I check my body for spiders and ticks. Some Deet keeps most of the bugs away but it doesn't hurt to check now and then. The last climbs - the first 2 on a narrow tracks between two barbed wire fences and the last one in a forest, steep and long, sap the last of my strenght out of the legs. But then I'm back in Nandrin. When I look at my average it is the highest I ever done here. Even with the walking section. I believe this is mostly due to the bike and the exceptionnally dry trails I found here today. Still, I'm very pleased with my ride, I felt strong in the beginning, only beginning to fade after the walking session but I was able to find some extra strength to complete the ride in good speed. I have added a link to the GPS track of today. Please take note that the northernmost section includes a very difficult walking section.
Ride Stats : 49K and 840/912 heightmeters (Polar/Garmin) in 2h50mins
GPS Track on Garmin Connect : CLICK
5625,5/54685
01-08-2009, 19:50 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf
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29-07-2009 |
Meerdael Bloso's again |
Not having had the opportunity to ride yesterday - having to attend the birthday party of my brother-in-law - I took the chance today to ride out in Meerdael Forest. I wanted to do a long offroad ride so I chose to do the Meerdael BLOSO routes again. It was hot and windy , around 30 degrees C, but I wore my long pants anyway since I expected a lot of growth along some of the narrower trails. The ride went fine, I managed a very good average despite the warm weather. The forest looked like it had rained but it was dry with only some fallen leaves as witness of a pas hail storm. Some of the permanent puddles look definately green. See the picture !
Ride Stats : 56,5K and 515/625 heightmeters (Polar/Garmin) in 2h40mins
5538/53330
29-07-2009, 21:35 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf
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24-07-2009 |
Summer feeling at last |
A thunderstorm early this morning added a couple of litres more to the already well-filled puddles. Nevertheless it cleared out and apart from a very notice-able wind the summer feeling was there. The sun was out most of the time, only at times obscured by some clouds that didn't carry any rain with them. I rode out around 11am and made a nice little loop, catching up with yet another new set of arrowing in Bierbeek. Following them towards Beauvechain and La Bruyere and continuing towards Pietrebais, much like I did yesterday. I stopped to take a picture in Pietrebais, seems they are again having a little scarecrow competition.
This time I rode into Cocrou for a little extra loop away from the busy Chaussee de Jodoigne before entering Grez-Doiceau. From Grez I rode towards Bossut and then made my way over the cobbles towards La Malaise and Pecrot. Riding through the fields I completely grasped that summer feeling. The smell of the hay, the warmth of the sun and the cooling breeze in my face. Wonderful ! From Pecrot I rode to Sint Agatha Rode and then following the river Dyle towards Sint Joris Weert. The river was filled to the brim with brown water, witness of the heavy rainfall if the last couple of days.
Ride Stats : 50.5K and 310/258 heightmeters (Polar/Garmin) in 2h18mins
5424/52510
24-07-2009, 00:00 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf
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22-07-2009 |
Easy recovery |
Yesterday brought some thunderstorms, but not a lot for our region. Even though it did rain quite heavy for about half an hour. I did an easy recovery ride this morning, looping over Bierbeek, Opvelp and Meldert towards La Bruyere and Pietrebais. Coming back over Hamme Mille to complete the loop. Yesterday I went to the Open Door in the 1st Wing Airbase in Beauvechain and managed to shoot a lot of pictures of airplanes. You can see those on my Flickr page.
Another event was the heavy fall of Jens Voigt in the descent of the Petite Saint Bernard in the Alps, during the Tour de France. He was riding at 70kph when the right part of his handlebar broke off after hitting a bump in the road. It didn't look good, and todays newspapers say his condition is serious. My thoughts go out to him and his family and I hope he will recover soon.
Ride Stats : 40K and 230/252 heightmeters in 1h45mins
5314/51725
22-07-2009, 12:26 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf
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19-07-2009 |
Between showers |
Tonight saw a lot of rain and this morning there were still scattered showers, hurried on by a fierce southwesterly wind. I decided to take my chances and ride out before noon. Just a quick ride around Heverlee, Oud-Heverlee and Sint Joris Weert. Along the way I had a few raindrops falling around me and when I got to Nethen the road was wet and the skies in front very menacing. Just close the loop over Hamme Mille and I was back home already. My legs felt OK and the forecast for tomorrow calls for less rain and a little more sun.
Ride Stats : 29K and 215/217 heightmeters (Polar/Garmin) in 1h15mins
5194/50375
19-07-2009, 13:39 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf
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15-07-2009 |
Summer breeze |
Stiff summer breeze blowing this morning, keeping temperatures a tad below 25 degrees C. Ideally suited for a recovery ride. The breeze kept the insects out of the air, the sun was out for most of the time, now and then being obsured by clouds but only for a brief moment. My kind of summer weather, in a nutshell. I rode the Hilset over Haasrode, Bierbeek and Neervelp all the way to Willebringen, with the breeze blowing more or less in my back. Turning in Willebringen things changed, the wind was blowing in my face, warm and cooling at the same time, and I had to shift down a gear to compensate. I decided to return over Opvelp and Bierbeek again, completing the loop through Haasrode.
Legs felt good , but I was a bit woozy from the Fenistil tablets I have been taking to lessen the itching coming from a bite on my upper leg. Whatever bit me there went through my Assos trousers, but the allergic reaction so far has been mild. I had noticed some horseflies on my leg when I did the marathon ride last monday, but I knocked them off as soon as I noticed them. Seems they sit on or near the roads at the edge of the forest, and are flying up when I ride past. They did not bother with the parts of my body where I had applied Deet 40, but settled on the trousers where I did not spray. Next time I will spray on my trousers as well. Today I used Deet 50, both on my arms and legs, but - also - due to the strong wind and the fact that I was riding on roads instead of offroad, I did not see a single insect.
Ride Stats : 31K and 225/212 heightmeters (Polar/Garmin) in 1h26mins
5118/49575
15-07-2009, 00:00 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf
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14-07-2009 |
50 |
Well, thats it then, the first 4 decennia of my life have passed. I turn 50 today, hooray !! My life has been well-filled, mostly by very time- and effort-consuming hobbies, and I'm glad to have done what I already did. That being said, the toll of the years is also notice-able. The speed and acceleration have once been better, but the long haul effort is becoming more and more my thing. Strange how the sands of time tend to slip faster when you are getting older, and another feeling is that for every thing you learn, there a 2 things you seem to forget. But, musn't complain, still alive and kicking.
14-07-2009, 10:50 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf
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13-07-2009 |
Marathon trails revisited |
For the last day of the 4th decennium of my life I wanted to do something special. And the fact that the riders in the Tour had a rest day also allowed me to stay away longer than I normally would. I took the Moots out and rode towards Pecrot, where the start lies of the 2008 Belgian MTB Marathon Championships. I know the track quite well because I was one of the people who conceived and changed it , leading up to the championship. But still it was almost a year ago since I last rode it, in part or as a whole, so I wanted to try and do the complete lap today. The weatherforecast was good, partly clouded, no rain and temps between 20 and 25 degrees C. That meant wearing long trousers wouldn't feel too warm. I applied a good spraying of Deet 40 and got on my way. The ride leading up to Pecrot already yielded me 118 heightmeters but things were getting serious pretty quick after I started out on the Championship trail itself. The GPS track is available on Motionbased. I will add a link at the end of this article.
Describing the track completely would take too long so I will only give some highlights. The first part is pretty intense turning around in Nethen before moving towards Bossut . After crossing the N252 there follows a part that is more oriented towards field roads, and the big ring can go on a lot. After that, the track drops towards Pietrebais where another intense section follows, with really narrow - and sometimes dangerous - tracks ondulating up and down. Then its in the fields again towards Longueville. At the chapel you are around the halfway point and things get intense once again with some steep climbs and zooming descents leading in and out of the forest and towards Biez. Then I ride into Grez Doiceau for the first time, and a loop leading towards Dion Valmont introduces a lot of cobbles and some more climbing - again. You will be glad to see Grez Doiceau again but the last part is also pretty hefty. Climbing towards Gottechain you will remember my words. Then a bit of field road takes you towards Bossut and then down into Archennes. The most difficult climb of the lot - very sandy - had me walking, as usual and there are a couple more to follow before I am near Pecrot again for a final loop, following the first 4K of the track again before finishing at the end of the Ruelle du Curee. The figures showed 91.5K and 1361 heightmeters. Not bad at any rate. I then rode back home, not before stopping at the well near the camping La Hetraie to drink some cool water. The ride has been difficult - due to the warmth and the difficult tracks - but I am glad I did it. The grand total of the day way a surprising 124K and nearly 1450 heightmeters.
Ride Stats : 117K and 1435/1479 heightmeters (Polar/Garmin) in 6h42mins
GPS track on Motionbased : CLICK
5087/49350
13-07-2009, 00:00 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf
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12-07-2009 |
What a difference a day makes |
Today saw a lot of clouds and some rain in the morning but come noon the sun started to peak through the clouds and the wind - which was blowing quite noticeably - came from southern directions, upping the temperatures to the lower 20ies. So I took advantage to get a quick recovery ride in while things were looking good. Nothing fancy, just a ride 'around the block' .
Ride Stats : 27,5K and 195/244 heightmeters (Polar/Garmin) in 1h13mins
4970/47915
12-07-2009, 13:34 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf
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11-07-2009 |
Summer you said.? |
You must be joking, right? Yesterday it was 17 degrees and it is raining intermittently as I sat out for what I hope to be a medium lenght recovery ride. I'm dressed as if it is autumn. Long sleeved and with 2 layers of underwear.
Great, its mid-july, this must be Belgium. One week ago - it seems like ages ago already - we had 30 degrees C and didn't know where to crawl to escape the heat. Now I am gald to see a watery sun piercing through as I had to take shelter in a bus stop in Ottenburg when the light drizzle changed into medium drizzle. The roads are wet when I ride on and so is my back and bottom and my face from the drops my tyres send in the air. Looks like another dark cloud looming so I make haste and not 10 minutes after I arrive home another shower hits the streets.
Ride Stats : 44K and 345/369 heightmeters (Polar/Garmin) in 1h59mins
4942/47720
11-07-2009, 13:30 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf
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