Ghent

[Andrij]

If passing though Ghent and you have the time or need, stop in to http://www.plum-gent.be/nl/.

[LittleWheelsandBig]

A worthwhile bike shop with a huge historical collection. I kept thinking, "I want one of those and..."

[Ivo]

How do you progress with the eastern end of the route? I do have quite a lot of tracks and even some routesheets of that part.
Talking about bonkers traffic, Aachen is one of the worst towns in the wide area trafficrelated. If Aachen is not an absolute must, I'd choose another German scenic town as a turnaround (might I suggest Monschau?).

[citoyen]

How do you progress with the eastern end of the route? I do have quite a lot of tracks and even some routesheets of that part.

I've put the planning on hold for the moment while I'm busy with other stuff. I'll start looking at it again in more detail in the New Year. Definitely keen to hear of any route suggestions.

Talking about bonkers traffic, Aachen is one of the worst towns in the wide area trafficrelated. If Aachen is not an absolute must, I'd choose another German scenic town as a turnaround (might I suggest Monschau?).

Funnily enough, I've been thinking along similar lines. I chose Aachen because it's the first major town you come to across the border but it doesn't have to be a major town. I was looking further north at places like Geilenkirchen, but Monschau looks like a very interesting possibility - definitely worth considering.

I'm going to have to accept that if I'm determined to go as far as Germany and do so with a pleasant route, it's going to be somewhat over-distance for a 600. But I'm not too concerned about that.

[Ivo]

Going as far as Germany and a pleasant route, that sounds like the Vennbahn to me. Just by coincidence I have an audax route leading via the Vennbahn, returning via the Ardennes. The town of Monschau is only a small descent away from the former Vennbahn railroad station of Monschau (B).

[citoyen]

If anyone's interested, this is the route I've settled on:
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/19531453

Decided to just go straight through the middle of Ghent in the end. And Maastricht.

I looked at going to Monschau instead of Aachen but it adds too many miles - it's already quite over-distance for a 600. I'll save Monschau and the more interesting terrain of the Ardennes for a different trip.

If the route turns out to be really awful, I just won't do it again! It's probably my best chance of getting a 600 in the bag this year though.

[Ivo]

A minor point, you don't need the small detour in Maastricht via the level crossing, there's a cyclists tunnel straight through to the Scharnerweg.

[citoyen]

A minor point, you don't need the small detour in Maastricht via the level crossing, there's a cyclists tunnel straight through to the Scharnerweg.

Ah, thank you! I was wondering about that - had looked on Google Street View but it wasn't clear if you could use the underpass on a bike. Looking at it again, I can see there's a separate tunnel for cyclists.

[Ivo]

A minor point, you don't need the small detour in Maastricht via the level crossing, there's a cyclists tunnel straight through to the Scharnerweg.

Ah, thank you! I was wondering about that - had looked on Google Street View but it wasn't clear if you could use the underpass on a bike. Looking at it again, I can see there's a separate tunnel for cyclists.

Indeed, at the traffic light use the road just right of the main tunnel and then straight on into the cyclist's tunnel