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

I was set to go out for a road ride, but the strong wind and lower temperatures lured me into the forest again. I felt still tired from yesterdays' quick dash so I adopted a more relaxed pace and just let my front wheel guide me through the beautiful summer forest. I explored a few tracks I normally don't follow - and with good reason because they proved to be quite grown over, even almost gone in some cases. But they were there and they went somewhere, so I tried them. The forest floor was moist at some places and the high grass, nettles and brambles made me glad I wore my long trousers again. Only some scratched on my arms. Even though I wanted to relax I ended up with the same amount of heightmeters as yesterday, but with the 17K shorter ride that meant it was tougher, at least climbing-wise. I stopped from time to time to just stare at the trees and take some pictures.

At the end of the ride I passed the 1000K mark for this month and I'm just a couple of heightmeters shy of the 10000 metres mark for this month also. Not bad , considering the weather wasn't always good - either too hot or sometimes too wet. And with one day to go I might just add a little to both figures, depending on how I feel tomorrow and what the weather will do.

Ride Stats : 39K and 515/575 heightmeters (Polar/Garmin) in 2h26mins

5577/53845

30-07-2009, 20:47 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf

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