Tuesday 3 September 2013

Back into Belgium, The Netherlands and Luxembourg.

August 29

 We left Aachen and found some hills, lots and lot of hills. The first day was some aggressive rolling foothills but generally climbing the whole day. We ended up camping at spa de ore campground near Sart de Spa which is famous for its automobile race course.

Next day was brutal we tried to ride 80 km but only made it 65 km. We had to push our bikes up some of the hills because of loose cobble stones on impossibly steep roads in a town called Stavelot. We road on a route called route de panoramas, and one called feule de diable.  We met all the cool kids on their cool race bikes at the summit in Trois Ponts and saw an awesome church on the side of the hill in Goudy. 

Got over 1600 feet several times and dropped 800 feet in about 1/2 hour. We had to get off the bikes and walk down the hill because the brakes were getting so hot I thought the tires might over pressurize and fail. That was coming into an incredible town called Vianden. We saw its chateau from a meadow above the town and tried to take a picture but it started to rain so hard we couldn't see the chateau any more never mind take a picture. This little town is charming but hard to walk on there's very little flat parts. In 1367, a tall brick wall surrounded a large area for protection. The river below, where we camped, has large fish. We arrived too late to see the inside of the chateau but took some awesome photos of the outside.


A view of a town we are about to go through.



Al scolding the GPS for taking us on this route. Very close to the church on the previous photo.





Arriving at a campground for the night. Dog chasing chicken, owner chases dog, there goes our dinner. 



Darn GPS kept taking us on no very pleasant unpaved paths for 3 km.



A little town called Slavelot. I always thought cobbled stone roads were romantic, now I have changed my mind especially while riding on a loaded bike.

We thought, what a beautiful view! Not knowing, we had to climb it. It was beautiful nevertheless.



One of the several summits.



Yes, we had to push our bikes on this red road. This other black road was no problem.



Allan slowly disappearing down the hill and the dog howling with the bells of the church next to us. 





We took a moments rest for a photo after a long switchback to look at the town of Clervaux.







We never thought we would walk our bikes down the hill because it was too steep and the brakes and tires got too hot.



Made it safe to the next campground. Allan pointing at the road for tomorrow.



This is the chateau we saw from far away but couldn't take a photo because of the rain. The town is called Vienden, Germany.



The river, our campsite (yellow tent) and the road above.



Having us a time.

Some of the streets.



The chateau









1 comment:

  1. That's tough ride through some nice countryside. I like the pictures. One of my favorites is Chicken, dog, owner.

    Tom

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