Hello,
Ride Report of the Belgium Herentals 1200 2013 ride. (Hebrew)
I slept at a hotel which was about 10 km from the start, together with 6 Brazilians who came with their wives, one Russian, French riders, 3 Brits, and 2 Italians.
Besides these, there were 6 Americans (one on a fixie,) a mixed German tandem, a brit, and a few Belgians.
The Russian is called Stanislav, presented himself as "Stas", but everybody called him Stan at first.
The day before the ride I rode with Stas to Decathlon, and the starting point.
He couldn't manage his gps to work, and said he'd ride with me.
There was a big dinner before the ride, with all the participants.
I knew some of them from previous rides, and heard about a few others from internet forums.
I spoke a little with Matt from the UK who I knew virtually before, and he also knew me.
Wednesday:
Since I was the first to arrive at the hotel, I was in charge of making breakfast a little before 04:00 am, and lead the riders to the starting point.
We reached the starting point at 04:40, and we were off at 05:05.
A total of 41 riders started. One of the Brazilians said a few days before the ride that his leg hurts, but started anyway ("at most, I could go on our women's van")
When we stood on the starting line it started raining a little, which grew harder by the minute, and by the time we reached Brussels, it was continuous hard rain.
We rode in a big peloton, over 30 riders. Sometimes we were on the bike path, and sometime on the road.
Everybody stopped at Mechelen main square, and nice town with a nice cathedral.
When we arrived in Brussels, it was harder to follow the bike path.
One of the Belgians seemed sure of himself, and everybody else followed him.
Suddenly, on a left turn we saw the Atomium in all its glory. Everybody stopped for a pic.
We went on and passed it, and from the other side it was even more beautiful, with a flower bed in a small square. I said I was stopping for a pic, Matt did something with his hand.
Stas stopped with me, and we took pics.
Pretty soon we were together with the peloton, which was moving slowly in the condensed city traffic.
After leaving Brussels, the peloton split, and I rode with Stas and Matt.
At some point, I didn't notice in the gps map, we realized we were in France.
We knew by the road signs and cars license plates.
We crossed the border in a small road, and when I asked the organizer, after the ride, he told me that there was never a real border in the small roads.
We road with 3 of the Americans.
When I reached the hotel at night, I had a shower and fell asleep.
Thursday:
Stas took his time to get organized in the morning, and by the time we left (with Matt) most others already left.
The route was on a bike path leading into central Paris in a straight line.
We stopped for pictures at most of the tourist attractions. I took more pictures in this ride than in any other ride!
At the entrance to the big roundabout around Arc de Triomphe, Stas had a flat.
While he was fixing it, Matt and me looked at the traffic, and we both said that the right of way is for the traffic that enters, and not to the traffic that's already in the roundabout.
We had to take the 5th or 6th exit, and in ride reports of previous versions - It was something to remember...
We rode around the Arc de Triomphe fast, like there's no tomorrow, and we made it in one piece! :-)
The exit from Paris wasn't as nice, on bad roads (on the talks after the ride, the organizer agreed that it was a low point in the route.)
We stopped at a supermarket before the long and tedious section to Orleans.
We met the 6 Americans there, who were riding together, and we left with them, 9 riders in total.
At some point we met 2 Belgian riders (one wearing red, the other wearing blue) who joined, and everybody agreed to "work," and the route passed quickly.
Exiting Orleans (btw, a nice city, with impressive cathedral,) we were only the 3 of us, before everybody else, because we had to tend a "nature's call"...
The Americans passed us, and we thought we'd catch them pretty quickly, but we didn't see them till the end of the day.
We met them at a restaurant near the control, and they said they stopped in a McDoanald's to celebrate 4th of July.
Friday:
Matt had a flat in his rear in Toucy (nice square in the middle of the village.) He was amazed I heard the blowout....
While he was mending his puncture, I bought coffee and a chocolate croissant.
Stas said he didn't feel very well, and bought milk.
We continued riding, and came to a closed road. We said we'll try to ride it, and if not - trace back.
After about 1 km a small truck came, and said we can't ride there.
I looked at my gps, and saw a parallel road we could use, going through small villages.
We added about 8 km. Talking with other riders that evening - Everybody went through the "closed" section.
Then there was a Strada Bianca section of about 10 km. I like that section, Matt didn't.
The next control was a Lidl shop. They usually sell "by the pound," cheaply, but nothing ready to eat.
We met the 2 Belgians and road with them.
At the next food stop we saw a McDonald's sign, and I offered to stop there.
We asked a local, who said "1 km that direction" (not our direction,) but we rode there anyway.
After about 1 km we didn't see a McDonald's, and asked another local, who said "2 km more"(!...)
We decided to pass, and when into a nearby supermarket. We added about 2 km.
The "red" Belgian was tired, and dropped off, and we were 4.
Stas forgot to fill his water bottles, and we went into a small church graveyard.
The route goes through Champagne, on the tourist road, and even recommends to stop at a certain bistro.
I asked how much was a glass, and it seemed ok, so I bought one. :-)
We continued through the vineyards, mostly climbing up and down hills
I stopped for some pics and the others continued. I felt good, and caught up with them, but Matt wasn't around (the "blue" Belgian had a gps, and Stas clung to him, and Matt only used the route sheet.) They said Matt took a wrong turn in one of the villages.
Exiting, we went through Hautvillers. There were some serious steep ascends there.
"Blue" rode fast and dropped us, and Stas who didn't feel good all day, and only drank milk, walked the hills (Stas is a very strong rider!)
If Stas is walking, then there's no reason for me to kill myself, and I walked as well.
When we reached the control we saw Matt, and it seemed his wrong turn made his way shorter...
Saturday:
Near Mettet there's a long straight on several km, which worn us.
We stopped at a cafe next to the racing circuit there.
In Namur we went on a bike route which is built on an old railway line.
There are quite a few like this in Belgium, and they are long (10 km or more) and straight.
Towards the end we took pics next to the sign to Aarschot (an English joke, took me a while to get it...)
The route ends in 12 km of strait old railway bike path.
I felt good and want to enjoy, so I rode fast.
Stas and Matt continued riding the same pace. They arrived 15 minutes behind me, and we all went into the control together, at a time of 88:40.
I went to sleep a little after midnight, woke up at 08:00 for breakfast at the hotel, packed my bike, and went on a flight on my way to my next adventure... Stay Tuned... ;-)
Most of this post was written during my flight, and I'll fix it when I reach a "normal" computer.
Ride Report of the Belgium Herentals 1200 2013 ride. (Hebrew)
I slept at a hotel which was about 10 km from the start, together with 6 Brazilians who came with their wives, one Russian, French riders, 3 Brits, and 2 Italians.
Besides these, there were 6 Americans (one on a fixie,) a mixed German tandem, a brit, and a few Belgians.
The Russian is called Stanislav, presented himself as "Stas", but everybody called him Stan at first.
The day before the ride I rode with Stas to Decathlon, and the starting point.
He couldn't manage his gps to work, and said he'd ride with me.
There was a big dinner before the ride, with all the participants.
I knew some of them from previous rides, and heard about a few others from internet forums.
I spoke a little with Matt from the UK who I knew virtually before, and he also knew me.
Wednesday:
Since I was the first to arrive at the hotel, I was in charge of making breakfast a little before 04:00 am, and lead the riders to the starting point.
We reached the starting point at 04:40, and we were off at 05:05.
A total of 41 riders started. One of the Brazilians said a few days before the ride that his leg hurts, but started anyway ("at most, I could go on our women's van")
When we stood on the starting line it started raining a little, which grew harder by the minute, and by the time we reached Brussels, it was continuous hard rain.
We rode in a big peloton, over 30 riders. Sometimes we were on the bike path, and sometime on the road.
Everybody stopped at Mechelen main square, and nice town with a nice cathedral.
When we arrived in Brussels, it was harder to follow the bike path.
One of the Belgians seemed sure of himself, and everybody else followed him.
Suddenly, on a left turn we saw the Atomium in all its glory. Everybody stopped for a pic.
We went on and passed it, and from the other side it was even more beautiful, with a flower bed in a small square. I said I was stopping for a pic, Matt did something with his hand.
Stas stopped with me, and we took pics.
Pretty soon we were together with the peloton, which was moving slowly in the condensed city traffic.
After leaving Brussels, the peloton split, and I rode with Stas and Matt.
At some point, I didn't notice in the gps map, we realized we were in France.
We knew by the road signs and cars license plates.
We crossed the border in a small road, and when I asked the organizer, after the ride, he told me that there was never a real border in the small roads.
We road with 3 of the Americans.
When I reached the hotel at night, I had a shower and fell asleep.
Thursday:
Stas took his time to get organized in the morning, and by the time we left (with Matt) most others already left.
The route was on a bike path leading into central Paris in a straight line.
We stopped for pictures at most of the tourist attractions. I took more pictures in this ride than in any other ride!
At the entrance to the big roundabout around Arc de Triomphe, Stas had a flat.
While he was fixing it, Matt and me looked at the traffic, and we both said that the right of way is for the traffic that enters, and not to the traffic that's already in the roundabout.
We had to take the 5th or 6th exit, and in ride reports of previous versions - It was something to remember...
We rode around the Arc de Triomphe fast, like there's no tomorrow, and we made it in one piece! :-)
The exit from Paris wasn't as nice, on bad roads (on the talks after the ride, the organizer agreed that it was a low point in the route.)
We stopped at a supermarket before the long and tedious section to Orleans.
We met the 6 Americans there, who were riding together, and we left with them, 9 riders in total.
At some point we met 2 Belgian riders (one wearing red, the other wearing blue) who joined, and everybody agreed to "work," and the route passed quickly.
Exiting Orleans (btw, a nice city, with impressive cathedral,) we were only the 3 of us, before everybody else, because we had to tend a "nature's call"...
The Americans passed us, and we thought we'd catch them pretty quickly, but we didn't see them till the end of the day.
We met them at a restaurant near the control, and they said they stopped in a McDoanald's to celebrate 4th of July.
Friday:
Matt had a flat in his rear in Toucy (nice square in the middle of the village.) He was amazed I heard the blowout....
While he was mending his puncture, I bought coffee and a chocolate croissant.
Stas said he didn't feel very well, and bought milk.
We continued riding, and came to a closed road. We said we'll try to ride it, and if not - trace back.
After about 1 km a small truck came, and said we can't ride there.
I looked at my gps, and saw a parallel road we could use, going through small villages.
We added about 8 km. Talking with other riders that evening - Everybody went through the "closed" section.
Then there was a Strada Bianca section of about 10 km. I like that section, Matt didn't.
The next control was a Lidl shop. They usually sell "by the pound," cheaply, but nothing ready to eat.
We met the 2 Belgians and road with them.
At the next food stop we saw a McDonald's sign, and I offered to stop there.
We asked a local, who said "1 km that direction" (not our direction,) but we rode there anyway.
After about 1 km we didn't see a McDonald's, and asked another local, who said "2 km more"(!...)
We decided to pass, and when into a nearby supermarket. We added about 2 km.
The "red" Belgian was tired, and dropped off, and we were 4.
Stas forgot to fill his water bottles, and we went into a small church graveyard.
The route goes through Champagne, on the tourist road, and even recommends to stop at a certain bistro.
I asked how much was a glass, and it seemed ok, so I bought one. :-)
We continued through the vineyards, mostly climbing up and down hills
I stopped for some pics and the others continued. I felt good, and caught up with them, but Matt wasn't around (the "blue" Belgian had a gps, and Stas clung to him, and Matt only used the route sheet.) They said Matt took a wrong turn in one of the villages.
Exiting, we went through Hautvillers. There were some serious steep ascends there.
"Blue" rode fast and dropped us, and Stas who didn't feel good all day, and only drank milk, walked the hills (Stas is a very strong rider!)
If Stas is walking, then there's no reason for me to kill myself, and I walked as well.
When we reached the control we saw Matt, and it seemed his wrong turn made his way shorter...
Saturday:
Near Mettet there's a long straight on several km, which worn us.
We stopped at a cafe next to the racing circuit there.
In Namur we went on a bike route which is built on an old railway line.
There are quite a few like this in Belgium, and they are long (10 km or more) and straight.
Towards the end we took pics next to the sign to Aarschot (an English joke, took me a while to get it...)
The route ends in 12 km of strait old railway bike path.
I felt good and want to enjoy, so I rode fast.
Stas and Matt continued riding the same pace. They arrived 15 minutes behind me, and we all went into the control together, at a time of 88:40.
I went to sleep a little after midnight, woke up at 08:00 for breakfast at the hotel, packed my bike, and went on a flight on my way to my next adventure... Stay Tuned... ;-)
Most of this post was written during my flight, and I'll fix it when I reach a "normal" computer.
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