03-01-2010, 19:37 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf

02-01-2010, 17:11 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf

Yesterday it was thursday, today it is friday, yesterday it was cold, grey and windy, today it is even colder and still grey and windy. Yesterday it was 2009 and today it is 2010. Except for the number in the year nothing much changes. But still it is another year and another chance at doing things right - or not.
Set out over exactly the same roads as yesterday, except for when I came to Hamme Mille I decided to add another couple of K's looping over Nethen and Sint Joris Weert. Returning through the Weertse Dreef. It was snowing very lightky throughout my entire ride and the bridge over the Naamsesteenweg was slippery when I rode over it. The average temperature was -1 degree, one degree colder than yesterday evening. The forecast calls for more freezing temperatures so with a little luck the offroad trails will get a little dried out with the frost.

Ride Stats : 36.5K and 260/300 heightmeters in 1h39mins. -1 degrees C average temp.

36/300

01-01-2010, 16:59 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf

Chilling out at work today, doing things I don't normally find time for during the hectic year. When I got home I urged to get on my bike for one last time before the year 2009 ended. It had been raining yesterday evening and tuesday evening so I was eager. Did an easy ride , relaxing and getting used to zero degrees C again after a few days of positive temperatures.

The year has been good to me bike-wise. I didn't get my usual 10.000K - stranding at 9676K instead - but I got well over a 100.000 heightmeters. I might have gotten a lot more if I had gone to the Ardennes just a couple of times more often. Next year I hope to go abroad , perhaps do some marathon in France or Germany. I'm not getting any younger and when I have the opportunity I feel I should take it. A week in the Vosges is also on my wish list. I just need to kick myself into gear and just go.
To all my readers, I wish you and those you hold dear and love, a very happy , sunny and healthy 2010. May whatever gods you worship bring you all their blessings. Gor now, just keep it safe and hope to see you soon in 2010.

Ride Stats : 29K and 230/270 heightmeters (Polar/Garmin) in 1h17mins

9676/100855

31-12-2009, 18:18 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf

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

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

24-12-2009, 18:36 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf

Yesterday saw another couple of hours of snowfall to add around 5 cm to the already thick carpet. The temperature was -2 degrees when I rode out and almost immediately I noticed the snow was not of the same quality as it was last saturday. It was 8 degrees warmer and the snow was a lot stickier. I decided to try to do the Blue and Red Meerdael BLOSO trails. Riding in the snow demands a lot of attention. You can either try to ride in the virgin snow, which is good but you have to beware of what lies beneath it. Or you can ride on the tracks laid down by jeeps, tractors and cars. Which is nice as long as your wheels are on those tracks. If you stray next to them, the difference in traction makes your wheels whoosh away. Very quick reactions are needed. In short, concentration needs to be high. Especially the downhill towards Nethen was very tricky, with its deep ruts and gullies. There was one biker trail I could more or less follow but even then I had to stop a couple of times because I got caught in a deep gully or my wheel just moved sideways. The uphills were easier, but also sometimes more difficult because of the deep snow. I stopped frequently to take some pictures. In the fields between Valduc and Bierbeek the snow was blown up by the wind and it was difficult negotiating the snow-dunes. Even in the tractor trails, my wheels just sank into the snow forcing me to a standstill and I had to walk some short sections. Near the end of the ride it began to snow a little bit, and it seems there is a lot of clouds over France which are heading our way. So it could be that the snow could last for a couple of days longer.

Ride Stats : 41.5K and 475/545 heightmeters in 3h29mins. 0 degrees C average temp

9503/99225

21-12-2009, 17:50 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf

Minus 12.7 degrees C this morning and when I rode out around 11am it still was -10 degrees. The snow was around 10 to 15 cm thick and I decided on a leasurely stroll through Meerdael Forest. The snow quality was good for riding , it was dry and hard. A lot easier to ride through than my last snowy ride, in the beginning of January this year. I stopped frequently to take some pictures, gradually becoming more confident and upping the speed as I rode along. More snow is forecast this weekend so there may be other opportunities for some short rides like this one. I leave you wit a couple of pictures to get you in the mood to go out and enjoy the snow too.

Ride Stats : 17,5K and 175/205 heightmeters (Polar/Garmin) in 1h24mins. -9 degrees C average temp

9462/98680

19-12-2009, 00:00 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf

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

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

Today the weather forecast called for overclouded but dry skies. The wind had turned to the North and temps were averaging 4 degrees C. Frisky but what a joy not to have to take a rain coat on a ride. Instead I wore my old Blancs Gilets Thermo jacket and a brand-new Assos Roubaix tight. This tight costs an arm and a leg but I know from experience that they are the nec plus ultra in bike wear. I have been biking with a Roubaix for about 4 years now and it was time a add another one to the collection. This one uses the last technology in chamois and cold protection. I was not disappointed. It fitted like a glove, gently pressing where pressure is needed and the stitchings are on places where they don't hurt. This tight is comfortable when you sit down on a bike, and stretches when you stand up. A bikers' tight. The material is absolutely wind-tight and resistant to rain. Good product and well worth its steep price.
I set out with the intention of biking towards the western edge of the Sonian Forest, ride past the Middenhut and see from there how I would return. Northern wind meant I had a gentle hand pushing me along during the first part of my ride. I rode over Korbeek Dyle and Duisburg, disappearing into the Sonian Forest . In Jezus Eik I crossed the E411 and rode on towards the Welleriekende Chapel. From there its one straight line following the Bundersdreef until the end of the Forest. I paused to take some pictures of the 2 Stooges, but unfortunately they didn't pass my quality control. Always difficult to take pictures with the self-timer.

I rode on towards the Middenhut and took the Sint Michielsdreef back towards the east. After crossing the Rue Dubois again I arribed at the Tumulidreef from where I followed the Hoeilaart Bloso for a while until I reached the connection towards Hoeilaart near Groenendaal station. I began to feel the wind now and decided to incorporate a couple of climbs . Making my way towards Maleizen I rode into the direction of Wavre and then took to the right dropping down towards the Lac de Genval. Nice little climb back up towards Rosieres. From here I connected towards Terlanen. Another climb towards Ottenburg and then down towards Florival. A couple of climbs in Pecrot and by now I began to feel the fatigue in my legs. I didn't have anything to eat nor drink during the ride so I was basically burning fatty tissues. A last loop over Nethen and Hamme Mille brought me home again, very satisfied with my ride.

Ride Stats : 82,5K and 830/935 heightmeters (Polar/Garmin) in 3h52mins

9351/97220

12-12-2009, 18:06 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf

The weather is changing. Today the wind turned from west to northwest and it was as good as dry during the whole day. When I rode out in the evening there were a few scattered drops falling from menacing black skies but nothing to worry me. I did an easy loop over Heverlee, Oud-Heverlee, the Zoete Waters and Sint Joris Weert towards Nethen and onwards to Hamme Mille. From there I rode towards Nodebais and Tourinnes and then to Beauvechain. Here I turned into the wind for a long stretch towards Opvelp and Neervelp. From here it was uphill towards the watertower of Bierbeek. Turned to the right for another loop taking me alongside the E40 towards Haasrode and onwards to Blanden. I had cleaned the bike a bit yesterday and it was running very smoothly.

Ride Stats : 46.5K and 350/400 heightmeters (Polar/Garmin) in 2h7mins

9269/96285

11-12-2009, 18:48 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf

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

Had to pass at the doctors' to get an exam for next years licence demand. Good to go for the licence but the doc wanted me to visit a cardiologist anyway to get a proper test done just in case. Passing the 50 y/o mark has its downsides. People start wondering when you will drop dead, it seems, especially if you do a lot of sports. Can't be good for your body, all that biking, or can it? Time will tell. 
When I arrived home it was past 6.30pm but I decided to ride out anyway, making the most of the dry spell. Rain was forecast during the night so now was the time to ride out. I made it an easy recovery ride, still recuperating from yesterdays ride and with a lot of caffeine in my body I didn't want to stress my heart even more. It was a clear and dry evening with temps around the 8 degree C mark. had a really quiet ride enjoying the crisp air. There was a bit of wind on the higher plains but nothing like yesterday. At the end of the ride I felt a couple of raindrops, forboding of more wetness I'm sure.

Ride Stats : 32K and 280/315 heightmeters (Polar/Garmin) in 1h28mins

9183/95400

07-12-2009, 22:39 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf

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

Something that I wanted to do for a while now but which was always postponed because if the weather is great I'd rather go biking and if the weather is really bad it's too far and hazardous a drive. Returning to the Oosterschelde, in the province of Zeeland, the Netherlands.
I have spent many a fine day here when I was still deepsea diving. We would dive on the change of the tide and spend the 6 hours in between just relaxing or enjoying the local horeca. I have been wanting to go back and do a long bike-ride there but obviously this should be done in the summer. Now there is too much wind and today also a lot of rain riding up to Wemeldinge and coming back over Goes. The Antwerpen circular drive was very treacherous with a very wet tarmac and a lot of cars going all over the place all at once.
Riding up the 125K distance I just put the car on cruise-control because I wanted to save fuel. Not sure if I could tank in the Netherlands I also didn't go to the Oosterscheldebrug or Neeltje Jans. A couple of highlights I also want to include in my bike ride should it ever happen.
For now I drove towards Wemeldinge and stopped at a location called 'the tettekes' . Here there were only a couple of cars - all Belgian licence plates - and I saw some divers exiting the water. The tide was low.

I took a couple of pictures and rode on along the levee road towards Wilheminadorp and the nearby diving spot 'Goessche Sas'. No divers here except for a couple of Dutch people who looked like they might go in the water later. The rain had stopped so I took a couple of minutes to look out over the expanse of the Oosterschelde, an estuary formed by blocking the sea entrance by means of huge waterworks. In early days it was one of two mouths of the Scheldt river. This river now enters the Northsea through the Westerschelde mouth. The entire region of the Oosterschelde has been made a National Park in 2002 and is known for its diving and delicious mussels. I rode back with the feeling that I must return here soon , fully fueled, and ride the extra distance towards the Oosterscheldebrug and the Neeltje Jans waterworks. 

05-12-2009, 14:48 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf

Today was pretty wet and halfway through the afternoon I began to dispair about being able to ride out this evening. But around 5.30pm the skies were clear and the roads began to dry out. So I slapped on the Lumicycle Led System 3 and rode out. I wanted to do some more climbing today, and started out on almost the same route than the one I took last wednesday. When I arrived in Ottenburg I added another climb back to this town and then set out for Terlanen with the dreaded Moskesberg followed by 2 climbs on the Smeysberg ridge. From there I rode towards Neerijse for a loop with another couple of climbs taking me towards Leefdaal but not quite. When I turned on the small tarmac road through the fields towards Leuven I saw Selene appearing from behind the clouds. She was just past full but still shone bright enough to lighten my path before me. The wind was blowing in my back and the soft white light of my Lumi coupled with the bright moonlight made navigating easy. I felt intensely happy during that moment. Another drop into, and climb out of, Bertem and then towards Egenhoven and the Arenberg castle. From there I rode through Heverlee and towards the paratroopers barracks. Then next to the Mollendaal Expressroad, through the two tunnels and into Blanden for a final stretch before reaching my home again. The average temperature was 5 degrees C but I didn't feel cold, just satisfied with my ride. The Lumicycles' battery was far from empty but I'm guessing it will need a couple of hours to be fully reloaded.

Ride Stats : 62K and 740/795 heightmeters (Polar/Garmin) in 3hrs

9080/94400

04-12-2009, 21:33 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf

I started around 3pm this afternoon so I could enjoy an hour or so of light before darkness fell and my light was needed. I wanted to do some heightmeters so I looped towards Nethen and Pecrot, taking in some hills left and right. In Archennes I turned towards Ottenburg but then took the climb on the narrow tarmac road to the left. Somehow I managed to get a flat in my front tyre during the uphill. I couldn't find the hole so I put in my last reserve tyre. The other one still needs to be fixxed from my flat last week in Meerdael Forest. I better do that as soon as possible because next time I will have to walk.
From Ottenburg I dropped down towards Terlanen and then took the steep Moskesberg upwards. Back down and then I went in the direction of the Smeysberg for two climbs of that ridge. Over Sint Joris Weert where I climbed up the very steep Speelbergstraat, rode down the Hollestraat towards the Leuvensestraat, climbed up the Heidestraat to turn left on the Oude Nethensebaan. Another left down the Kasteelstraat towards the Leuvensestraat again. I followed that road until I reached Heverlee. Then I returned to Blanden over the Industriepark and through the biking tunnels along the Meerdaalbos laan.
I knew the full moon was out today but unfortunately it was clouded with some light showers and a stiff southeastern wind that made it feel colder than the 6 degrees C it actually was.

Ride Stats : 50.5k and 595/640 heightmeters (Polar/Garmin) in 2h20mins

9018/93605

02-12-2009, 18:37 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf

Today the weather was great. A bit cold in the morning but sunny and most of all dry and not a lot of wind. I rode out in the afternoon and picked up on the Ludo Dierckxsens route in La Bruyere. The bike felt great, the new crankset was day to night compared to the Tune. Stiff and running ever so smoothly. Lets hope it keeps on doing so.
The streets were dry and the heightmeters accumulated nicely when I rode towards Chaumont Gistoux and Dion Valmont. When I arrived in Archennes I met Roger who was also doing a road ride. The offroad is pretty wet - understatement - so the only reasonable option is staying on the streets and do some long distance there. I added a couple of extra climbs in Archennes and moving up towards Bossut before crossing La Malaise to pick up with the LD again in Pecrot. Next I looped back over Nethen, Sint Joris Weert and the Weertsedreef for a nice distance and a good ride.

Ride Stats : 62.5K and 510/590 heightmeters (Polar/Garmin) in 2h53mins

8968/92965

30-11-2009, 21:29 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf