A bit colder today but the wind is gone. So time for another long road ride. I decided on the Haasrode Tour. A ride that starts in Haasrode and makes a fine loop over Bierbeek, Neervelp , Willebringen , Hoksem and Hoegaarden. The ride is moderately hilly and the roads have dried out a lot since yesterday. Even the smaller tarmac tracks, only have to be careful with the mud that has gathered on certain points. Riding with semi-slicks means you have less control when the track becomes slippery. But I did fine and taking my usual rest at the Marollen Chapel overlooking Hoegaarden I took some time to look around. Unfortunately a bit of mist was making it hard to see further than a kilometre or so.

From this chapel the loop goes on towards L'Ecluse, Beauvechain, Pietrebais and Cocrou. From there the last leg took me over Archennes and Pecrot towards Nethen, Sint Joris Weert and along the Zoete Waters back to Vaalbeek and Blanden. This was my second long ride of the weekend and it feels good to know I had recuperated enough to keep the average heartrate low. I had 117bpm on average against 121 yesterday. My average speed was about the same - a little quicker today - with roughly the same hill factor.
On another note, I have been thinking about getting myself a titanium frame for my alu road bike. And an opportunity seems to have presented itself. I'm finalizing my decision (YES or NO , its simple really ) and will report about it when the die is cast. I will also explain my reasoning behind getting a titanium road frame if and when I get the frame , but obviously the additional comfort is a key factor.
I leave you with todays track. You can download it when you copy the link in a new window and remove the bit behind 'gpx'

Ride Stats : 69K and 540/610 heightmeters (Polar/Garmin) in 3h17mins

8161/86950

07-11-2010, 17:27 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf

It started raining yesterday evening and this morning it was still raining. A good soaking for the offroad tracks so I preferred to stay onroad today. Waited until 11am and then rode out to catch up with the trail of the Ludo Dierckxsens ride from a couple of years ago. Not too difficult but with a couple of nice challenges and riding through some beautiful Brabant Walloon villages. The average temperature had dropped a couple of degrees since yesterday but with 11 degrees C it was still quite pleasant. When I returned I passed through Meerdael forest and made a couple of Autumn pictures whilst there is still some leaf on the trees. The browns and yellows were abundant. 

Passing through Florival I met up with a couple of bikers who were already putting down arrows for the upcoming organised ride in Ottenburg on the 11th. A classic and I hope it stays dry next thursday. Back home just in time before a big back cloud let go of another rain shower.

Ride Stats : 65K and 515/565 heightmeters (Polar/Garmin) in 3h9mins

8092/86340

06-11-2010, 19:01 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf

Nightriding time is upon us again. Since the hour shifted to its Winter regime, darkness is upon us an hour earlier. Today it was very warm for the time of the year, with temperatures reaching 18 degrees C. I couldn't resist riding out when I got home from work. Took the Moots into the forest to escape the fierce wind blowing from the south. It had done its work quite well since the forest floor was covered with leaves. It also dried out quite a bit since last weekend. I decided to stay on the bigger forest trails nevertheless. Took the Lupine Tesla and for the first half hour I could still do without .

But then the sun dropped beneath the horizon and things got dark. I emerged from the forest in Haasrode for a little stretch and took the opportunity to take a picture of the red ball going donw.

Soon I was back into the forest and switched on the led to make things visible again. I didn't use the full beam, with the leaves I could easily see the road and avoid most of the nasties.  It was quiet and the last joggers and walkers sped out of the threatening gloom of Meerdael Forest. Whilst I entered deeper into it, getting used to riding in my little beam of light. The wind was howling high in the trees above me. When I rode a little stretch in the open coming out of Meerdael and riding into Heverlee bos I got the blast from the side and it nearly toppled me over. Compression between two forests, causing wind speeds to go up even more. Soon I was back in the arms of the trees and the wind couldn't reach me any more. Completing my little loop following the Prosperdreef back from Heverlee to Blanden , just before passing the "De Vlakte" forestry the wind gave me a last violent tug , coming from my right this time. I took it with a smile, I just had a great ride outside and the first nightride of the autumn under my belt.

Ride Stats : 28K and 265/325 heightmeters (Polar/Garmin) in 1h38mins

8027/85775

I took the opportunity to ride to Bossut Gottechain again this evening to have a look at what a mountainbike event can do when the conditions are bad. The organised ride of Bierbeek had around 1400 starters, the big majority choosing the 45K distance. After the first rest stop in Gottechain the bikers had to come down a tarmac road and then take a left turn into a road between two fields. This road is bad at  the best of times but with the rain and the hundreds of bike wheels it became a nightmare at the end of the track, where the field road reaches a tarmac road. I posted a pic of the bikers passing over it last sunday, and here is what it looks like viewed from the exit.

As you can see, the tracks has become 50 metres wide, instead of its usual 3 metres. This is because in their attempt to keep the tyres rolling, bikers are always looking for some place where they still have traction, in this case, where no-one has ridden before. So far the owner of the field has not formulated a complaint but I would not be surprised if he wants to recuperate for the loss of his young grain that has been mashed but a myriad knobbies. At a certain point the organisers did re-rout the track over an alternative path, avoiding this mud-trap. Maybe that decision should have been taken earlier. It is very difficult to judge the state of each and every track along the 45K distance. It must be a learning point for future years. If the rains come down in the days before the event, this field needs to be avoided.
I completed todays' ride riding past the rest stop area and returning over Gottechain and Hamme Mille. I had to hurry because around 5.15pm the dusk began to fall. The time has come to take the lights out.
On another note, the lost track of last friday, when my garmin froze, has been added to todays ride ! So the amount of heightmeters is a bit high in comparison to the Polars' . But this just makes up for what I lost last Friday.

Ride Stats : 29K and 245/390 heightmeters (Polar/Garmin) in 1h21mins