Beautiful sunny day so I set out for a cool ride along the extra loop the Meerdael Classic 100K does over its 60K distance. I have done this before and I know it nets around 700 heightmeters in 40K, not something to be laughed at. Furthermore it incorporates a couple of difficult climbs, really steep ones and technical bits.
I started as usual with the railroad singletrack in Pecrot, followed by a climb/descent of the Malaise plateau. The start of the singletrack is interrrupted by some workings below at the railway track, but once passed those its as usual big fun, trying to ride it in one go. The uphill and downhill that follows is very sandy but I manage to get it done without stopping. When I arrive at the Pecrot station I start the Garmin on the Meerdael Classic track. I have posted the track already so I refer you to look for Meerdael Classic in my blog.

On the trails I come accross a lot of bikers who are riding the offroad trail offered by the Gordel. Sometimes they ride in the same direction than me, sometimes they are coming from the opposite direction. The collection of heightmeters and singletracks takes me to Ottenburg, Sint Agatha Rode, Huldenberg and then towards the Margijsbos along the Yse. I have to be patient because the small track along the Yse is very busy with Gordelaars. When I see a small singletrack going upwards on my right I don't hesitate and take it. It is the first of 4 climbs that take me up the Margijsbos/Smeysberg hill. When I am zooming down at high speed towards the Wolfshaegen disaster strikes. A flat tyre. I take out one of my spares and change the inner tyre. I continue along my way with a last climb up the Smeysberg ridge along the Kleine Keistraat. On the tarmac that follows on the crest I notice my rear tyre is a bit flat. I continue down along the Koestraat and then ride towards Sint Agatha Rode and after a passage following the river Dyle through a nature reserve and crossing the 2 Marbaises I arrive in Pecrot. Before tackling the Beaumont hill I decide to stop and add a bit of air to my rear tyre. Another disaster. Whilst I'm pumping I hear a hissing sound and my rear tyre flats. Bummer. I take out my second spare but when trying to inflate that I quickly notice that it won't hold air. It seems to be losing air at an old patch. So there I am with 3 inner tyres and not one of them that wants to hold air. I try looking for the hole in the second tyre but I can't find it. I put it in again but I just can't keep the pressure in. So I am faced with a log walk home.
After 8 km and 1h15 of walking I arrive home. Pity the ride had to end like this. Lessons learned : never keep a tyre that is already patched.

Ride Stats : 55.5K and 855/980 heightmeters in 4h8mins (1h15 walking included)

6812/72490