On the road . August 2010 . Belgium and France
Library
in Morez, France, 31-08-10
Deja-vu
Londerzeel - Belgium
to Paris - France
(4 cycle days; 15 rest days; 347km;
2242m)
Londerzeel to Mons (84km; 462m)
Mons to Saint Quentin - France (97km; 802m)
Saint Quentin to Pont Sainte Maxence
(99km; 486m)
Pont Sainte Maxence to Paris (67km; 492m)
Well and truly ready for a day of cycling,
we set off towards Brussels along the same route we
had ridden yesterday evening taking James to the Eurostar train. The route becomes easier once
you know where to cross and which side of the road to
travel on. But normally bike paths in Belgium cities
can be very confusing. Everything seems so random. Sometimes
a red path, sometimes marked as a bicycle route; sometimes
just like a plain ol' footpath; and sometimes ending
so abruptly with no indication where you should cycle
next. Quite often though they are in really poor condition
and not signposted. A quick internet stop and bread
purchase in the city before we move out of town in the
direction of Mons.
By lunchtime the sky is grey and we
have had one small five minute downpour...
Tip of the month: split tyre?
So your tyres are wearing
dangerously thin and you haven't managed
to find any decent replacements yet.
Then the inevitable happens: your tyre splits.
No need to panic if you
have a square of strong awning cloth (also
known as canopy or shade-cloth) in your
repair kit. Folded double and placed inside
your tyre, it can get you a lot further
on your trip. It is lightweight, cheap,
doesn't take up much space and is available
at most garden centres. It is also advisable
to put this tyre on the front of your bike
too, thus taking less weight strain from
your luggage.
Londerzeel (Belgium) - Morbier (France)
Kilometres: 878 kilometres and 40 metres
Riding days: 11 days this month
Alti meters: 5423 metres up
Weather: changing... more rain than necessary
Best accommodation: Maison Pierre-Yves en Paris !
Special thanks to:
Pierre-Yves for allowing us to stay in his
apartment right in the bustling heart of Paris
for two weeks and just being such a cool guy.
For the fun chats and late night discussions over
one or two beers • Tifenn for the great conversations; great cooking;
great tips; excellent choice in wine and warm
welcome into her world • Laure for all of the above too. Let's hope we can meet in Egypt! • Simone and Celine for the excellent dinner on our last
evening in Paris and of course the chance to catch
up with Simone again after 3½ years • Sara and Sébastien for visiting
us in Paris and then organising to meet up in
Morbier. For the insight into French culture in
this region and showing us around. And not to
forget the amazing fondue and the reminiscent
conversations over the American leg of both our
cycle trips. Another big thank you for letting
us stay a few extra days at the apartment when
we discover that the campground in Morbier is
closed for the season.
Breakdowns:
02: flat tyre (Son)
04: right tent flap zipper busted irreparably
25: ripped tyre (Son)
26: new tyres (one each Son + Ali)
