Today I wanted to tackle the second part of my Secret Meerdael Loop. This starts where the Naamsesteenweg crosses the Warandedreef and needless to say, the amount of hills are multiple in this region. Add to that that I take full advantage of every nook and cranny in this - the southern part of Meerdael Forest - and loop around like some crazy bee around a pot of honey.
The trails were still moist but at least it was dry and even though the skies were covered, there had been some sunshine during the day, drying things up just a little more than yesterday.
I had a great ride, my legs felt fine and even the steepest of hills didn't have me wanting for smaller gears. There are also a couple of hairy descents but the Moots is equipped with some excellent disc brakes. Furthemore, the confidence in the Continental Mountain Kings is great. I only had to look out for a couple of mud traps which not only can stop you faster than you can blink, but they also may wash out your wheels when taken at an angle. But all went well , I felt in control of the bike throughout the entire ride. When I passed near the Savenel wall I spotted a little roedeer in a grassy field. It paused long enough for me to take my camera out and snap it. When I moved along the trail it jumped graciously over the fence and disappeared in the dark forest.

After an hour and a half I decided to ride in, leaving the last part for another day. It could have been my imagination but at one point I thought I heard a distant rumble of thunder. The forecast for the rest of the week and the weekend calls for progressively better weather.

Ride Stats : 25K and 425/470 heightmeters (Polar/Garmin) in 1h42mins

4017/42495