Ukkosyö ja Waterloon taistelukenttä

19.5.2022, torstai · Bryssel → Waterloo → Maubeuge

Yöllä ukkosti. Korvatulpat olivat tarpeen.

Eilinen viini painaa jaloissa, joten päätin ensinnäkin odotella sateen loppumista ja sen jälkeen pyöräillä Waterloon taistelukentään ja muistomerkkiin tututusmaan. Varmaankin Abba alkaa korvamatoilla tänään.

Päivän määränpäänä Maubeuge Ranskan rajan tuntumassa, Ranskassa. Siellä ei itsessään liene mitään, mutta ensinnäkin sinne on 85km (rento päivä) ja toisekseen yhytän siellä Eurovelo 3-reitin, jota seurailen pääsen Santiago de Compostelaan. Reitin varrella on varmaan pyörämatkaajan kaipaamia palveluita: mukavia hotelleja, rafloja, leipomoita.

Pitkäkin matka alkaa pyörän satulaan nousemisella. Joka aamu, aina kunnes lopulta huomaa olevansa perillä. Päivä ja polkaisu kerrallaan matka jatkuu.

Katso kuva Instagramissa

The 7th cycling day had almost everything.

Let’s begin wit weather: already quite early it was 26C and air was humid after rain. No wind. The temperature rose and was 29C for a long time. Then wind started to get stronger and change direction wildly. Suddenly it was only 18C and rain began. After half an hour rain, the rest of the day was more or less tailwind. Now it is sunny, again maybe 26C.

Then the roads: some less than one meter wide bidirectional bikepaths, lots of street and even bigger road without any cycling infrastructure. And then during the last 45km mostly lovely riverside and old railroad tracks turned into long distance cycling highways. Plus some agricultural roads in the middle of fields.

I did see at most 10 cyclists today, none with panniers. For many kilometers, I was riding alone, only birds, cats, squirrels kept me company.

I rode through tens of villages. Most of them very empty looking, all cafe and shops closed, very few people around. Villages looked rather poor to my eye.

87km, thus about 775/3300km or 23%.

Katso kuva Instagramissa

Hello! It is Freddie here in Maubeuge. We arrived here through rain, shine and even some distant thunder. My friend, who pedals our vehicle, the bicycle, was a bit lonely as there were no other cyclists. But he got very happy with our lovely dinner crepes and cider.

I think we will ride to Saint-Quentin tomorrow. There are beautiful houses.

Katso kuva Instagramissa