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Tales from the Woods |
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27-12-2009 |
Leuven |
Grey and windy morning, and with temperatures around 4 degrees and intermittent rain showers I didn't feel like doing much. So I decided to ride to Leuven to check out where I would be working from the 22nd of january onwards. My employer has seen fit to move those who live closer to Leuven than to Mechelen, and who agree to be moved, to their Leuven offices. For me this is obviously good news since it means that instead of having to ride 70K each day to work, I will only have to ride around 16K. Which also means that I can consider going by bike, or bus, instead of taking my car.
Having checked out the premises I didn't feel like sticking around long in Leuven so I rode back over Heverlee and the Zoet Waters. From time to time the wind blew rain and sleet into my face so I was quite happy to arrive at home. A quick wash of the bike to remove the salt and dirt and I could enjoy a nice hot bath.
Ride Stats : 26.5K and 185/210 heightmeters (Polar/Garmin) in 1h18mins
9647/100585
27-12-2009, 00:00 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf
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26-12-2009 |
100.000 |
This morning saw the further disappearance of the snow but also some ice on the roads. I left around 11am for what turned out to be a nice long slow distance ride. First I made my way towards Grez-Doiceau and there I picked in on the markings of the old Maleizen road trip. These took me towards Bonlez, Chaumont and further on towards Corbais and Mont Saint Guibert. Looping back over Ottignies LLN, Limal and Bierges where I did a 29% slope, and then onwards to Tombeek and Terlanen. From here I rode back towards Sint Joris Weert and the Zoete Waters to close a fine loop. The roads were wet with salt and on most of the bikepaths there were big patches of ice. So I stayed on the roads as much as possible. During this ride I passed the 100.000 heightmeters mark for this year. A fact of which I am very pleased and also proud. Obviously another goal, 10.000K this year, will probably not be achieved but I consider the heightmeters a more valid marker of my kind of riding anyway.
Ride Stats : 72K and 650/730 heightmeters (Polar/Garmin) in 3h21mins
9621/100375
26-12-2009, 17:16 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf
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24-12-2009 |
Snow water ride |
The last couple of days saw the snow melting little by little, leaving the offroad a murky and slippery place, to avoid if possible. The main roads were getting dryer and dryer, and saltier and saltier as well. The bike paths were still mostly covered in snow . Wanting to ride out I chose for an easy road ride, which seemed like the best option in these conditions. I had to ride on the road, but the other traffic didn't mind. Cars veered well away, understanding why I was on the road, and not on the snow and ice-ridden bikepaths. The weather was cold and the last rays of the evening sun accompanied me as I rode towards Bierbeek and Neervelp. From there I headed towards Opvelp and Meldert, turning towards La Bruyeres and the Beauvechain. From here I looped back over Nethen, Sint Joris Weert and the Zoete Waters. In all I had a pleasant ride. The average temperature was just 2 degrees C so it felt not too cold.
The girl? She is Brittany Murphy, a young US actress who passed away at the age of 32 on December 20th from what looks to be a medication overdose. I first saw her performing in 'Don't Say a Word' and she left quite an impression on me. I remember this quote if hers, which has a sour taste now that she died :
"Everybody has difficult years , but a lot of times the difficult years end up being the greatest years of your whole entire life , if you survive them"
Sadly she didn't survive this year..
Ride Stats : 45.5K and 390/420 heightmeters (Polar/Garmin) in 2h6mins
9549/99645
24-12-2009, 18:36 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf
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16-12-2009 |
Night Howl |
Cold and dry today with just a whisp of flurry snow when I left for a nightride in the forest this evening. The Lupine shining brightly and with warm clothes to brave the cold. I did a loop focussing on climbs , taking good care in the downhils. They were very tricky. The visibility was good, with some darker patches meaning ice , but the main trouble were the frozen traces, criscrossing and unforgiving when your wheel gets caught in them. The wall of the ruts are like concrete, tipping you over if you hit them unaware. Even the sandy patches were feeling frozen solid. The leaves were crackling under my Big Jims when I braced myself for another downhill, very concentrated and sometimes just throwing the bike from one side of the trail to the other to avoid the ruts and other pitfalls. The climbs that followed were a moment of relief, nice steady pace and just taking care the bike didn't stall . The worse bits were where the horses hooves' had made a mess of the track, stopping you dead cold of your speed was too low. I managed to find a fair amount of climbs and after about 2 hours I was nearly back home. The cold didn't bother me much during the ride, once I got settled into my pace I was fine.
Ride Stats : 31K and 465/500 heightmeters in 2h05mins. -2 degrees C average temp
9444/98475
16-12-2009, 00:00 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf
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14-12-2009 |
First Freeze |
Last night temperatures dropped considerably below zero for the first time this winter. I had a day off from work so decided to take my chances and try an offroad ride again. The Litespeed was equipped with a new Middleburn 36 tooth middle chainring, a new chain and a new XTR 12/34 cassette in the back. Shifting went smoothly but I had to get used to the Middleburn not gripping the chain quite as well as TA chainrings, when shifting from the 26 upwards. It needs just that little split second of holding back the power when shifting, otherwise it wouldn't lift the chain. The forest was cold when I entered it. I saw -2 degrees C on my Polar and had an average temperature of -1 degree C throughout the ride. But as I had guessed, the mud was mostly gone. The overnight freeze had taken care of that. The earth was stiff and the puddles were still frozen up. So that made for a great surface to ride on. I set out on the Meerdael BLOSO's. Starting with the blue from Blanden in the opposite direction.
At the crossing with the Red Bloso I took the Red but this time in the right direction. I added a few extra loops here and there just to check out some trails and add a couple of extra climbs. During the first half hour I needed to get used to the cold temperature but after that I felt just fine. I had chosen exactly the right amount of clothing and my mitts and waterproof socks with inner socks protected my extremities from the cold. Obviously I wore a windproof bonnet under my helmet.
The ride went fine, I took a picture of the tallest tree in the forest, from out in the Valduc plains, and passed close by that tree a while later to take another picture of it, and its twin brother that broke in two during a storm. I call them the Twin Towers. They are situated not far from the Dikke Eik, another leviathan in Meerdael Forest. After completing the Red I continued along the Blue, again in its opposite direction. I added a couple of climbs in the Nethen region to keep my inner fire well and truely burning. After a very intense section I switched over to the Green BLOSO in Heverleebos to finish in a more relaxed pace and with less height differences. When I arrived home, it was already getting below zero again, another cold night awaits us.
Ride Stats : 61.5K and 670/755 heightmeters in 3h47mins. -1 degree C average temp
9413/97975
14-12-2009, 16:52 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf
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09-12-2009 |
Drizzle drazzle |
When I left home it was raining, some drizzly rain that would last for the entire ride, sometimes less intense, sometimes more intense. Dangerous to ride in those conditions on the roads, even with more than appropriate lights on the front and back of the bike. My glasses would get wet, and the street lights and the lights of cars would blind me, sometimes I was just riding into a black hole. When I only had my own light to shine on a darker road, I was fine. Also, the car drivers are very busy with the rest of the traffic and the rain, and sometimes notice the little biker just in time. I did a small loop starting out through the Weertse Dreef, then connecting with Nethen, where I did an extra climb, towards Hamme Mille. Uphill towards Nodebais, looping to Tourinnes from there, a little loop in Tourinnes and then back towards Hamme Mille and Nethen again. In Nethen I did another extra climb and then rode back towards Sint Joris Weert and the Zoete Waters. I was pleased to arrive home since the last 15 minutes the rain was really intensifying.
Ride Stats : 40K and 365/485 heightmeters (Polar/Garmin) in 1h54mins
9222/95885
09-12-2009, 20:01 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf
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06-12-2009 |
Doing the H |
When I rode out it was almost dry but I would soon notice a strong wind was blowing from the southwest. There were a few drops of rain flying though and the forecast was for more rain during the day. I set out on the Haasrode tour and I wanted to do a complete lap of it today. My legs felt good and well recuperated. When I arrived in Willebringen I would get a first real taste of the force of the wind but it still was only raining very lightly and with the track twisting and turning all the time I only had the wind in my face very shortly. But after when I arrived at the furthest point of the route, the geosite in Hoegaarden, the long ride back in mainly western directions was about to begin. I took the big road to Meldert and the rain was getting more intense. With the wind in my left side I suffered to keep the bike riding in a straight line. It was really blowing fiercely. From Meldert I rode towards l'Ecluse and after l'Ecluse I had the wind full in my face for a long period of time, making my way towards Beauvechain. The streets were getting wetter too but my Goretex jacket kept me warm and dry. Its long back panel also kept the water from my buttocks. Obviously I was wearing my Sealskinz so my feet stayed dry as well. With temperatures around 11 degrees I did'nt feel too uncomfortable with the rain. Climbing from the 1st Wing Airbase towards high Pietrebais the full force of wind and rain had me digging very deep but I tried to keep my heartbeat in the higher LSD ranges. Around 145-150bpm maximum. Dropping down towards Cocrou I could relax a bit. The rain was a bit less but when I was leaving Cocrou it started to rain harder again. I decided to do an extra climb towards the church of Biez, very slippery on wet cobbles. Took a picture from the bike and the backdrop looking out over Grez-Doiceau.
The ride down towards Grez was tricky, steep and with wet cobbles so I didn't let the speed go too high, controlling my descent with both brakes , pushing the bike in front of me, leaning back over my rear wheel. From Grez I rode over Archennes towards Pecrot. Here I saw the bikers coming in from todays' mountainbike ride. They looked very muddy ! But I wasn't exactly dry and clean either. A last couple of climbs took me out of Pecrot and into Nethen. Past Sint Joris Weert and then into the Weertse Dreef the wind was at last blowing in my back and I could relax a bit whilst driving the last couple of kilometers towards my home.
Ride Stats : 70K and 620/685 heightmeters (Polar/Garmin) in 3h19mins
9151/95085
06-12-2009, 17:02 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf
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29-11-2009 |
Battle with Aeolius |
Around noon the skies cleared out sufficiantly to risk a ride outside. The wind dried out the streets very quickly. Unfortunately the wind also would prove a formidable opponent, or welcome ally , when it either blew against me or in my back. At long last the Hilset is back, sporting a beautiful new crankset. As I have mentioned a couple of times already, the new crankset consists of a Shimano M960 crank, Hope Ceramics bottom bracket and Stronglight CT2 chainrings. Looks the part and is a worthy replacement to the Tune fastfoot which gave me too much little problems to feel comfortable with. I had to re-adjust to the position on the bike but pretty soon my body was used again to the Hilsets' manner of riding. A bit dry and hard but also very direct and positive. I put on Nokian NBX Lite tyres in 2.2 section to provide me with the necessary grip and comfort on the long dark evenings in the autumn and winter. The semi slicks will have to wait until next spring. I also mounted my oldest wheelset, shiny silver 1994 Shimano XTR M910 hubs couple to early Mavic ceramic rims. They keep on going, even after 15 years in service.
My original plan was to ride the Ludo Dierckxsens but I let that go almost immediately when I felt the strenght of the wind today. The LD would take my up into the plains and I would be spending a lot more energy than I would like to , just to keep upright and moving against the wind. So I did another tour, taking me first towards Bierbeek and Meldert and then - with the wind in my face - towards La Bruyere. Here I took a 90 degree turn towards Beauvechain, very happy to have the wind blowing from the side for a while. Even then, care had to be taken, especially between houses or behind patches of forest. The wind could catch on all of a sudden, so it was hands on the handlebar all the way. From Beauvechain I rode towards Hamme Mille and then over Nethen and Sint Joris Weert towards the Zoete Waters . From here I added another loop over Heverlee before arriving back in Blanden. Just a little loop more to make it an even 50.5K . Just after I arrived another shower made the streets wet again. I had been very fortunate to find a dry gap of almost 3 hours in which to ride out and stay dry.
Ride Stats : 50.5K and 380/430 heightmeters (Polar/Garmin) in 2h25mins
8905/92375
29-11-2009, 16:59 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf
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26-11-2009 |
Dark Flat |
At last a dry day or at least most of it. When I rode out at dusk it started to rain lightly. There was a strong wind blowing as well. I decided to do the Meerdael Bloso, or at least as much as I could ride without leaving the forest . The Green was wet with the new rain but when I reached the Zoete Waters again after a tough section against the wind in the Dyle valley near Korbeek Dyle, the wind had dried up most of the trails. Temps were around 10 degrees C so not too bad for this time of year. In Meerdael Forest most of the trails were pretty dry but of course on the flat sections the water could not escape and things were muddy. I took an alternative downhill towards Nethen, which turned out to be more dangerous than the one I wanted to avoid. The long uphill near the Savenel wall was mushy, sapping strength out of my legs. I decided to add a part of the Red Bloso after completing the Blue loop and things went well near Valduc where I had the strong wind in my back pushing me along the field road parallel to the forest . A muddy bit in the forest and then I cut the red loop short, avoiding Bierbeek and the long uphill which I knew would have me with the wind straight in my face. I had to do a bit of adventuring in Mollendaalbos because there were a couple of big trees that had fallen over the path. Had to climb with my bike on the back, over the trees and through some thorny bushes. I guess I must have picked up a thorn there because after a while back on the bike I felt my rear tyre losing pressure. I stopped and decided to change my inner tyre.. checking a nearby tree I saw the number 6 over 2 other 6'es. Yeah, with a white half moon shining above my head and an owl making some eerie noise behind me, things felt a little spooky all of a sudden. I found a pointy bit in my outer tyre but couldn't get it out completely. So I broke the point off , inserted a new inner tyre and partly pumped up the tyre. From that point I took the shortest way home because I feared there might still be enough left of the thorn to penetrate my inner tyre again. Luckily I managed to get home with a badly twisting rear tyre. The last sections were very muddy to make things even more difficult. But I had a good distance nevertheless and felt tyred but satisfied having done at least one ride in this windy and wet week.
Ride Stats : 46K and 430/500 heightmeters (Polar/Garmin) in 2h42mins
8855/91945
26-11-2009, 20:12 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf
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22-11-2009 |
Meerdael Mud |
Yesterday had me working a fair bit of the day away, and when I got home I didn't want to ride out , having had a flu injection the day before. This morning it had rained the night before, quite a lot in fact, but I wanted to get a ride in. There was a lot of wind so the decision was made to ride in the forest. I just followed my front wheel, incorporating a lot of climbs and generally making my way around Meerdael Forest. The trails were wet and withthe leaves quite slippery. In a few descents I had to react to my front or rear wheel suddenly breaking away, but I managed to keep the rubber side down at all times. At one point I decided to walk down a very steep drop, instead of risking a fall. My back was causing me some trouble, not when I was on the bike but before and after the ride. Funny, I don't remember making any movement that might have caused this. Usually there is a little snap somewhere that takes a couple of days to heal. Maybe it happened during the night. I did my stretches and all went well, I don't feel stiff while bending over but I do feel some pain when trying to walk straight. Will have to see how this develops. Meanwhile I'm still waiting for the Hilset to be fixxed with a new crankset. It's been 4 weeks now and I hope that Filip receives the Hope Ceramics bottom bracket next week. Riding on the Litespeed all the time is fun but I want the Hilset to ride on the road, its much more adapted to that than the Litespeed. When I got home I had a fair bit of mud on my bike, and the average speed and heightmeters also attest to the seriousness of this ride. I didn't feel anything from the flu injection, only that my resting heartbeat is up a few beats, just reaching 50bpm . Late in the afternoon we had a thunderstorm passing with a lot of rain.
Ride Stats : 45K and 675/780 heightmeters (Polar/Garmin) in 3h06min
8809/91445
22-11-2009, 20:56 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf
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19-11-2009 |
Lets enjoy ourselves in the waning light and total darkness |
Another beautiful day, sunny and dry and almost 14 degrees C when I set out, half an hour before sunset. I didn't have a plan but more or less wanted to ride in the area of the Margijsbos and hook up with the Overijse BLOSO's somewhere. I left over Sint Joris Weert and then up the crest of the Smeysberg. I know quite a bit of tracks here so was able to ride up and down at least 3 times, each time enjoying a track carpeted with fallen leaves. Very tricky in the downhills - especially in the waning light - and also demanding full attention during the often steep climbs. It suffices that your front or back wheel hits a log or a root under the leaves to send your bike sideways, demanding catlike reactions to keep the rubber side up. Once the light was gone I switched on the Lupine Tesla and the road once again became an open book. I only use this light at the moment, mounted on the helmet it is more than enough to lighten up the path for the next 50 metres. The dry roads are light, wet is dark. Thats a lesson you quickly learn when nightriding in the forest.Take nothing for granted, even on roads you know like the palm of your hand. Try to stay focussed and concentrated at all times and only take your hands off the handlebar to take a quick sip. From the last ascent of the Smeysberg I rode towards Terlanen and disappeared into the Sint Agatha Rode bos. The sheep were grazing peacefully - a dozen spooky lit eyes as their gaze was caught by my light - when I passed them and did a couple of steep climbs in this forest. The downhills were demanding my full attention. A very steep one towards the road from Terlanen to Ottenburg, taking to the left and left again into the Oliestraat where another long and difficult climb took me to the road between Ottenburg and Sint Agatha Rode. I dropped down the crest at the other side, taking a small track besides a camping lot and further down towards the road between Ottenburg and Archennes. Back up on cobbles and then I followed the Overijse Bloso down and up again to arrive in Sint Agatha Rode. A last loop with the steep climb near the Radarweg and then I took a small track towards the church. Next on to Sint Joris Weert where I entered Meerdael Forest for a last loop taking me past the Kluis and back home. I really enjoyed this ride. A lot of climbing but I never had the feeling I was stressing myself. Before I arrived home I noticed the crescent moon just about to disappear at the southern horizon. Tomorrow I have to go and have a flu shot - the regular flu, not the Mexican - and this means at least one day off of the bike. For saturday I'm not sure yet since I have to work in the morning , possibly till 3pm.
Ride Stats : 41K and 535/570 heightmeters (Polar/Garmin) in 2h27mins
8764/90665
19-11-2009, 20:02 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf
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