Time for a long road ride so I set forth towards Meldert and Hoegaarden to pick in on the Ravel 2 . This goes over Jodoigne and Eghezee until it reaches Saint Servais near Namur. The weather was less pleasant than it had been these last couple of weeks. It was cold enough to make me wear a long-sleeced shirt and there were dark clouds threatening with rain from time to time. The wind was blowing from my right front so I took an easy pace trying not to spend too much energy on this part of my ride.
Around Eghezee a dark cloud looked like it was about to burst but it didn't and it stayed dry. I turned with 57K on my counter in Namur. Riding back over Eghezee and towards Jodoigne I saw a dark cloud with veils of rain hanging beneath it straight ahead of me. So I decided to avoid the certain rain and took a left turn off of the Ravel just before Huppaye, taking the road towards Glimes. Upon reaching the N29 coming from Jodoigne I followed this a little while until I reached the N91. I had felt some raindrops near Glimes and the roads were still wet from the shower that I had avoided.
Taking the N91 towards Incourt and Hamme Mille I could make good speed. The wind which had been blowing in my back upon turning in Namur, was now strongly blowing from my left, trying to tip me and my bike over to the right. The N91 is a broad road so I could stay away half a metre from its side and the cars could still pass me by without problems. Arriving at Hamme Mille I took a left towards Nethen and then came in over Sint Joris Weert, the Zoete Waters and Vaalbeek. The last bit was easy with the wind in my back again. The sun was out more now than it had been a couple odf hours ago, but I could still see dark clouds. With 126K this was my longest ride this year and I am glad I could finish it with a relatively high pace despite the wind making it very difficult for me during the first half of the ride and between Huppaye and Hamme Mille.

Ride Stats : 126K and 720/755 heightmeters (Polar/Garmin) in 4h42mins

4377/44880