The forecast rain didn't show so after a days' rest yesterday I could not resist getting the Vortex out and do a recovery ride. The sky was cloud-covered and with 16 degrees C it wasn't exactly warm but with longs sleeved jacket and tights there was no problem. I also wore a windbreaker because the wind was blowing cold from the northwest. Doing one of my usual laps, starting out over Bierbeek, Opvelp, Meldert and La Bruyere. Then turning right towards Beauvechain. Here I turned left and cycled through Tourinnes, Nodebais and then down into Hamme Mille. From Hamme Mille I reached Nethen and Sint Joris Weert and then decided to add another loop taking me towards Neerijse, Egenhoven and Heverlee before turning towards Blanden to finish my ride. I rode at an easy pace so the ride was a very relaxing one. When I got home a big grasshopper landed on me and I could not resist taking a picture of it.

Another 400K+ week, the third in a row. Despite the uneasy weather I managed to ride almost every day during the month of july, having an occasional rest day obviously when I felt it was needed.

Endomondo track


Ride Stats : 50.5K and 310/305 heightmeters (Polar/Garmin) in 2h00mins

6593/61170

24-07-2011, 14:29 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf

The best chances for stable weather were after 6pm so I decided to first watch the stage in the Tour de France, and then ride out for a tempo ride. Bertje Contador tried to pull a big number in the TdF stage but in the end he only partially succeeded in taking back some time on the other competitors. Belgian Jelle Vanendert met his limits and Cadel Evans seems to be the favorite for the GC with only a 42K time trial left. But who knows what 3 weeks of hard cycling does to anyone's legs. So there is nothing decided yet and tomorrow the final dies will be cast.
This evening I started out on an easy pace and upped the pace as I went along. Zoete Waters, Sint Joris Weert , Sint Agatha Rode , Ottenburg and then descending into Basse-Wavre. From there a long climb took me towards Chaumont Gistoux . I rode on to Sart-Risbart and then just before Dongelberg I took the N91 back towards Pietrebais. The wind was blowing from the north so it took some power to keep the pace up. Turning right towards La Bruyere and Meldert temporarily relieved me from the wind but from Meldert to Opvelp it was back in my face again. I kept the chain on the big ring and battled it out, making it a good tempo training. Reaching Bierbeek I turned left towards Haasrode and Blanden to complete a solid workout.

Endomondo track


Ride Stats : 66K and 500/515 heightmeters (Polar/Garmin) in 2h26mins

6542/60865

22-07-2011, 21:52 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf

Well, yesterdays' forecast showed a grim and wet 21st of July but when I woke up the sun was shining. A quick look at www.meteox.be convinced me that I would better get on my bike. Not for a long ride, because I was recovering from two 100K rides and because there was an interesting stage in the Tour de France today. I did not want to miss that. So I settled for a quick dash and rode over Heverlee, the Zoete Waters and Sint Joris Weert. Here I again encountered my friend Roger L., who was also doing a quick ride before watching the Tour on TV. We briefly spoke and went our own way. Riding on to Nethen, then Hamme Mille and Beauvechain, through Opvelp and Neervelp , turning left to reach Bremt and then passing Bierbeek and Haasrode to close the lap. Legs felt fine and I focussed on high rpm's with minimal power. The sun was shining throughout the entire ride, a first for this week.
Let me close by saying "Vive La Belgique !  Leve Belgie !" and lets hope this fine weather on our National Day inspires the politicians to make haste of a new government.

Endomondo track


Ride Stats : 42K and 245/285 heightmeters (Polar/Garmin) in 1h35mins

6476/60350

21-07-2011, 14:08 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf

The forecast for today was OK in the AM with only in the late afternoon possibilities of rain. So instead of staying home I rode out. I wanted to do a 50-60K recovery ride, depending on how my legs would feel the distance could be stretched to 60-70K.
Setting out along Bierbeek and Willebringen to reach Hoegaarden. Since the narrow roads were still wet from yesterdays' and last nights' rain I followed the big road through Zetrud-Lumay towards Jodoigne. From Jodoigne I followed the N240 towards Wavre until I took a left turn towards Lathuy and Dongelberg. The weather was a bit cold but dry and the wind was only mildly rattling its chain from time to time. Legs felt fine so from Dongelberg I rode on to Sart-Risbart and Chaumont-Gistoux. Grez Doiceau and Archennes were next and then I rode though Sint Agatha Rode. I felt fine so I decided to add a loop and rode to Neerijse whence I followed the Sint Janbergse steenweg to Korbeek Dyle and Egenhoven. I now had more than 70K and I began thinking of another 100K loop. So I rode to Heverlee and then Heverlee Park and looped back in over Bierbeek and Haasrode, taking some small extra loops whenever I could. From Haasrode to Blanden and here I added another loop so I reached 96K when I passed my home. Another couple of cooling-down loops took the distance nicely over 100K. Feeling very satisfied with this result I can now relax for a couple of days to let my body recover from the workouts.
I hope there is no snowfall on the Galibier for the next couple of days so we can enjoy a good battle between the GC contenders in the Tour de France. I'll be looking at the forecast often.

Endomondo track


Ride Stats : 101K and 700/715 heightmeters (Polar/Garmin) in 3h51mins

6434/60065

20-07-2011, 14:30 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf

Forecast today was for a dry spell in the AM with possible showers from around noon. So at 9.20AM I was on my bike . I set out for the Biz'On the Bike ride. This time the 100K loop would suit me fine. I added a couple of loops, one to avoid a cobble section just before Zetrud-Lumay, and another near the end ro make it a full 100K.
The weather was fine for cycling, not much wind, slightly overcast and temperatures around 22-24 degrees C. When I reached Bierbeek I fell some raindrops but after a couple of minutes it stopped raining. There was a big dark cloud coming near though so I was glad when I was nearing my home with just a little more than 105K on my counters. The Mobile Viking mobile network was down so my Endomondo tracker could not upload the recorded data from somewhere around the Haasrode Industrie terrain but around 2.30PM the data connection was OK and the data uploaded just fine. You can check my ride by clicking the Endomondo link below this report.
I felt great today, and I met my friend Roger in Incourt. He was going in the opposite direction so we briefly stopped and compared our rides. He was more or less doing my loop but in the reverse direction. We should go to the Ardennes together to do some road riding there somewhere next week, when the Tour de France will be finished.

Endomondo track


Ride Stats : 106K and 840/890 heightmeters (Polar/Garmin) in 4h05mins

6333/59350

19-07-2011, 14:47 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf

Wasn't sure if I should ride out today. The morning saw a lot of short showers and a fierce wind accompanying them. Furthermore I could use a day of rest. But around 2.30pm the skies cleared out and a quick look on www.meteox.be showed a period of relative calm on the shower front. So I rode out with the Vortex for a quick recovery ride. Making a loop starting out over Vaalbeek , the Zoete Waters , Sint Joris Weert , Nethen and Hamme Mille, I crossed the N25 and continued along Tourinnes, Beauvechain and then taking a left towards Opvelp, Neervelp and another left here brought me to Bierbeek and Haasrode. The wind was indeed a major factor today but I only had it against me during one quarter of the ride. When speeding from Beauvechain to Neervelp it helped me gain a top speed of 53kph during the descent. 
With an average temperature of 22 degrees C I could not complain about the temperature either. The sun came through every now and then and the horizon was drawn with dark clouds in all shapes. Near the end of my ride the skies were darkening again but it remained dry. 

Endomondo track

Ride Stats : 40K and 305/300 heightmeters (Polar/Garmin) in 1h29mins

6227/58460

18-07-2011, 17:17 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf