This morning saw temperatures of minus 5 degrees C and there were some light snow flurries. The sun was making an effort to pierce through the clouds but it was a losing battle. I rode out and immediately noticed the stiff and icy cold northern wind. I decided to make this an offroad ride - my first one since last october when I fell and hurt my left hand. Following the Blue and Red Bloso routes in the reverse direction would prove a nice ride and I could judge the amount of traffic on these routes whilst I came accross them. It turned out to be 6 bikers, 2 on cyclocross steeds, all very well dressed to brave the cold. The forest floor was frozen solid and that meant that in the muddy areas all tracks had become concrete cliffs and ledges, trying to topple me over. I managed well though and braved the wind on the plains in the north riding into Bierbeek. Moving back to the forest along the edge of Valduc I had the wind blowing to my advantage, a small mercy. Completing the red bloso I joined the blue for a more hilly intermezzo along the forest edge near Nethen and Sint Joris Weert. Stopping briefly to make a picture of myself with the Savenel wall as a backdrop before making my way up the cliff towards the Hercules Salon.

Completing the ride along the blue and passing the Zoete Waters where the ponds were covered in a thin icy layer. Snow was being blown over the ice. Looked nice but I felt the cold in my hands and feed and decided against stopping to take some pictures. Up the Keiberg and then down into Vaalbeek where I made my way towards the Langendaal . I decided to continue and follow the Weertse Dreef for a while , making another loop following the Prosperdreef to the north and then riding upwards back to the jucntion of the Naamsesteenweg and the Weertse Dreef. In all a very good ride, a little cold at times but still I was pleased that my hand held up against the beating coming from the frozen paths.

Endomondo track


Ride Stats : 43K and 520 heightmeters in 02h08mins . -3 degrees C

Arriving home I settled myself on the Hilset on the Tacx Satori for 40 minutes of cooling down. Not that I needed cooling down, my fingertips and toes were tingling when the warmth returned to them. But this ride helped me to settle into a state of recuperation. I only noticed near the end that I had left the resistance on 2 since the last ride. So I quickly adjusted it to 1 and did another 10 minutes on that level.

Ride Stats : 28K in 00h42mins

2409/4355