Day 283 28th April
63 miles (Neufmoulin to Tilff) Average speed 11.2 mph Top speed 30 mph
A great day if a long one. I left my wild camp at 10 after tea and frozen Twix for brekkie. Water all frozen too. I really should not have relied on the moss to keep me warm and blown up my mattress. I soon arrived in Harzé where it was raining and cold but I had a coffee and croissants and found the town preparing for Roc d’Ardenne. A mountain bike race over 2 days and nights.
As the rain eased I decided to carry on as I wouldn’t have been able to get a camping spot. It was a day of big climbs. Don’t ever think Belgium is flat like Holland!! Doh!
Off we go
There were no more cycle paths so I joined the N30 which runs parallel with the motorway, so it was pretty quiet apart from the odd lorry splashing me. It then cleared for long enough for me to take off my waterproof gear only for it to start again, so I took cover in a forest and continued the climbs.Then I discovered a ski slope to confirm it’s not flat here! I stopped for a coffee in a Total garage and had a sausage roll for lunch.
Then I discovered a room with plug sockets and wifi while avoiding another shower. I was just reading through the betting papers to find that Liege were playing at 8.30 tonight even though I thought it was Saturday and had missed it at first. The wifi helped me find a campsite and the challenge was on. After lots more hills I was overtaken by an older guy on an ascent, which upset me a little, but he had hardly any luggage, so I drafted him for a while .I felt I was taking advantage, so took my turn at the front, which was good because the extra competition spurred me on. When he left me behind soon after, I was determined to catch him up on the descent and went flying past him and dived into a Lidl for refuelling. I hope he didn’t see me and assume I’d found my turbo!
I then stopped for food to cook at the campsite and a couple of beers to refresh the parts. Set up my tent in double quick time while boiling pasta and cooking chicken. Time for a shower and then an 8 mile ride to the stadium.
Stadium
It was all going so well … but I’d forgotten to get cash. Luckily a 15€ ticket could be purchased with a card. Bike locked securely, I went to go in with the game already started, but security wouldn’t let me in with my pannier so it was back to the bike to chain them together. Eventually I got in but had missed the first goal and no cash to buy a drink. While waiting in the queue I’d been chatting to a fan who told me how bad a season it had been. They hadn’t won in 2017. I went on to tell him about the O’s woes when he reminded me that Opoku had played for them. Despite the small crowd it was a good atmosphere and a great result with an above average standard Liege winning 3-1.
I missed seeing the first goal
Final score
After the game I chose the cycle path along the river home in the pitch black which made for an interesting ride to say the least.
Cycle path by the river – not so easy in the dark
Back in Tilff I found a bank and an offie before trying a beer in a bar, hoping to see the highlights, but they were showing golf. Still it was good to see Friday night drinkers having a good time. Back at the campsite I had to endure a teenage party until 3am.
A great day full of surprises,.
Camping Communale Rue de Chera 15€
Portakabin loos!! Needed a clean.