^^^
Great photo's Deano.
Think I need to invest in a decent "cycling" camera.
I really enjoyed this ride, I wasn't sure what to expect other than flat bit, hilly bit, flat bit.
The first 400 was quite quick, my fastest 300 and 400km to date, but then it was time for the Ardennes.
By the time I got to Florenville I'd had enough, I'd ridden the last 50km alone on quite a challenging section of climbing and the rough roads were doing my head in, I'd also not got any sleep in that first 540km. I'd taken a bivvy bag but only had a brief attack of the dozies earlier in the day but ridden through it.
However, I regrouped with Robyn, Suzannah and Bernie for a pizza then carried on to the sleep control which was superb.
Had a good shower and 4 hours of solid sleep and was raring to go on Saturday morning. Saturday was about 300km with about 3000m of climbing? and I loved it.
The route peaked at about 600m and from there we had some great fast descents and finished the day/night riding along flat canal paths with lots of strange nocturnal stuff going on. People
fisting fishing, camping, partying, (pissed people singing and dancing to Meatloaf!) It felt a bit like Apocalypse Now at times.
The final 140km was mostly pan flat canal path but we went through Antwerp which was busy and a bit of a shock to the system but fun dragging the bikes onto an old wooden escalator (lift was broken) down to the tunnel to cross the River Scheldt.
The last section of note was the headwind. Not like anything I've experienced before, no gusts, just fully turned on wind. Weirdly, I enjoyed battling into it for the last 30km.
It was great riding with everybody, Robyn (turning into my usual overseas cycling buddy!) Bernie and Suzannah(Cardiff Ajax), Also Liamo, Fussballclub, MattC, FBOAB and the VC167 guys..Deano, D.A.L.E and Rob...and the Kingston Wheelers guys.
Also good to meet Rohnny again. I first met him on a flat, dark, quiet section of road in Scotland during LEL 2013, I mistook him for somebody I knew and screamed something at him as I TT'd passed him, he was most startled and so was I when I realised my error. We laughed about it later...and still do!