New Roads

It's been nearly a montch since i arrived in Belgium and after 6 races, many training hours fuelled by countless ham sandwiches, I guess I’m sort of finding my way around here!

The first few weeks were always going to be a tricky one for training. Not knowing anyone here, or anywhere, these were to be tough miles (or possibly kilometres).

For the first week, I seemed to spend more time off the bike checking the map and retracing my footsteps than I actually spent training. To be truthful it was dull; short and simple loops on local roads, coupled with dead straight cycle paths were not the most excitable destinations but at least gave me a good knowledge of the area. However, the first glimmer of hope for me to see the much promised great cycling routes of Flanders came as quite an accident. Following main roads to the North, I spotted a lane with a cycle route number and map nearby. To my relief, the map revealed an entire network of recommended cycle lanes across the entire Limburg region, revealing the ‘fietsroutenetwork’ which can be read about in an earlier blog. These picturesque lanes now provide the perfect landscape for longer training rides and are always an enjoyable outing.

As I dared to venture further, I headed into the rolling hills of the Walloon to the South. Although seemingly far less welcoming to cyclists, with a much harder to follow cycle routes and poor road surfaces, the Walloon is still is very tempting area to train in. The constant undulations and sometimes fairly steep climbs certainly offer a different variety than the windswept plains of the Brabant and Limburg. Going further South I have made repeat trips to the Mur de Huy, having worked out a fantastic route compromising of good cycle lanes, quite countryside, and 2 cobbled climbs, which could not differ more from the non-stop traffic jams to be found in Huy itself. As the weeks have passed, the map, although still firmly in my pocket, tends to remain there resulting in far more productive and enjoyable rides.

For sure, I miss riding on some of my favourite roads back in Essex, whether it be racing up North Hill, a quick loop of the Easters or sprinting for the pre-established signposts. However the almost tedious feeling of knowing exactly where I’m going, every bend - every pothole, replaced by uncertainty and ambiguity makes way for a somewhat refreshing experience and I relish the opportunity to continue discovering new, unexplored areas of Flanders.


Final Thought:

"Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail"

- Ralph Waldo Emerson