My sturdy 1962 Mercian (fixie with 46-16)got loaded up and via Harwich to the Hook I cycled to Rotterdam and then by train to Maastricht. A lovely city which I got yo know very well as my Garmin thought that repeated loops along cobbled lanes were much better than the direct route to Valkenberg where the Eroica ride was taking place. By following the sun I found my own way and arrived to find my Danish friend Allan along with Lasse - a couple of welcome drinks later we registered for the ride. The Eroica is a series of rides in various parts if the world. The requirement is pre 1970 bike, similar kit and unspecified age of rider - although most were “mature” . Lots of stalls selling vintage equipment were visited and patronage paid!
Early breakfast with arrival of my Belgian prev Registrar Tom whom I had conned into accompanying us. The implication of 80% non-tarmac’ed roads had not registered. Lots of glorious bikes but only one fixie! A beautiful sunny day soon turned into a heatwaved dehydrating ordeal! Up and down gravel and sandy tracks - hardly any traction on the rearwheel which sent flints and dirt in all directions. Keeping upright was a challenge and not all achieved this. The course was well marked but the drink stops (juice or water) were far between (only 3 on the 105 km course)!! A brewery stop with non-alcoholic or low -OH beer towards the end helped but we were tired and thirsty. The last vlimb was Dead Man’s Hill (16%) which Tom almost managed on his Flandia but I saw noone else cycle! Five km from the finish I missed a large wooden boom and flew over the top. The bike was fortunatrly ridesble - bent front fork but wheel true - steel always wins the day!!! - and I finished with a rather painful elbow! Nothing to dampen our spirits and a great night was had!!!
Next day Allan and Lasse headed home to Denmark (will miss their great company!!!) and Tom and I to Antwerpen where his parents entertained us in great style. Tom 30+ years younger than me is a strong climber! The next day we paid Tom’s hospital a visit and an Xray showed haemarthrosis (blood in the joint) of my right elbow ie a head of radius fracture! Treatment? Keep moving, carry on and painkillers (perhaps in different order!).
So the next day I cycled to Bruxelles along cycle tracks- well laid out but occasionally rather bumpy which was b.... painful! Some shouts or swearing did accompany my progress! Cycling with one hand on the bars was not always easy as the right could not bend enough to allow me to drink (water!!) and could not hold on to the bars for long on its own!
I spent three nights in Bruxelles looked after by our wonderful French friends- we visited Ghent (lovely!) and the sights of Bruxelles (very pretty) and I had lunch with my old school friend, Louis. Also witnessed various WC football events on latge screens (and this continued at my next destnation , Ypres). I cycled there on the Thursday- 125 km - hard work!! A beautiful rebuilt town with the moving daily remembrance ceremony at the Menin gate. It was the 90th anniversary of the ceremony so much pomp was displayed on the Thursday . On the Friday I cycled to the Passchendale museum and the Tyne Cot cemetary - the largest Commonwealth war grave - sad sad sad!! The weather was still too hot to sightsee after 1500 hrs (all trip 30+* and dry dry dry). And my elbow was still rather (!!!) painful - it was ok when it was straight for a while but then very painful to bend it. And ok when bent for a while but then etc etc!!
After 2 days in Ypres bike ride to Calais and on (via some rather unpleasant hills) to Canterbury where a certain football match outcome forced the bars to close down serving just as I arrived - dry as a stick!! Anyway - spent the night at excellent local micro brewery, the Foundry. Made it safely back to the hotel avoiding drunken fans. Sunday morning service at the majestic Cathedral and then train back to Suffolk.
A great trip - would’ve been even greater without my stupid crash. I eas impressed that the tubeless Giant tyres came to no harm on the Eroic flints! The Mercian as always a delight (needs a bit repair when I get home - new front fork??). The B &B in Ypres (Het Houden Paard) excellent.
The Belgians charming hosts but interesting that in Belgium cyclists (and some drivers!!) ignore cyclists whereas in France all cyclists give a waive. Or is that just because they felt dorty for me - fixie and fracture on one bike?
