# Flemish NRttK



## swarm_catcher (23 Apr 2013)

I'll be doing a Flemish NRttK on Saturday 4th May, starting from the Grote Markt in Brussels at midnight (not Friday, but Saturday). It's not a Friday's ride, but the ride is modelled on Simon Legg's formula of the FNRttC.




 
There will be a stop in Ghent, hopefully, the 24 hour cafe 't Hoekske is exactly that. And I'm banking on a bakery being open early hours in the Bruges area. Breakfast will be at the Caruso in Ostend.

It's untested territory. I designed a route based on a Velomap download of the Benelux cycling map. It comes in at 123km, say 130 to be safe. I have not contacted any of the eateries. I don't know of any public lavatories or Tescos on the way. A headwind is almost certain. It will be an adventure: Brussels, Ghent, Bruges and the Kust (coast) in one night .... Trains back from Ostend can be researched here Railtime, cycles carry a charge of 5 euros regardless of distance (folders are free as long as they are folded).

So far, it's going to be my sister and I. If you can make the bike/Eurostar logistics work, you'd be most welcome to join us.

swarm_catcher


----------



## mmmmartin (24 Apr 2013)

swarm_catcher said:


> There will be a stop in Ghent, hopefully
> And I'm banking on a bakery being open early hours in the Bruges area
> It's untested territory.
> I have not contacted any of the eateries. I don't know of any public lavatories or Tescos on the way.
> ...


Such uncertainties make it all the more alluring.
Is your sister as fast as you and do I have to learn Belgian?


----------



## StuAff (24 Apr 2013)

mmmmartin said:


> Is your sister as fast as you and do I have to learn Belgian  French and/or Flemish?


FTFY.


----------



## mmmmartin (24 Apr 2013)

I'm astonished at how hard the logistics are. Even if I don't make it (see below) here is the result of a couple of hours of research so others might benefit.

*ferry from Ramsgate to Ostend* has just gone bust and stopped operations. This would have been ideal, although I seem to recall it didn't take bikes anyway.
*Eurostar* is £150 return to Brussels plus £60 return for the (non-folding) bike, making £210 for an overnight trip. (Also the £20 single for the return in the morning from Ostend back to Brussels.)
*NonEurostar train* - Calais to Brussels is a cheaper €37 - single - on a train arriving in the late afternoon leaving 8 hours to waste. If you go from Ostend after the ride back to Brussels, the return to Calais is tricky.
*the return (second option)* Afterwards, one could ride from Ostend to Dunkirk and get the ferry back, another 50k on top of the 130k.
all this and, of course, the train to Dover and return ferry crossing.
The gnarliest way would be to take the ferry to Dunkirk, ride to Ostend and pay £20 single fare from Ostend to Brussels, then ride back to Ostend overnight and ride back to Dunkirk for the ferry home to Dover.
Another way would be to put the bikes in a car and drive to Brussels, then get the train back to Brussels, but that involves a hotel to sleep in before driving back to Calais.
*The best option?* Train to Dover (£16 return), ferry to Dunkirk (£30 return), ride westwards for 33k to De Panne railway station in Belgium. Train for €19.70 for adult and €5 for the bike to Brussels, no changes, arrive Brussels 11.05pm. Ride overnight to Ostend. Ride the 50k from Ostend to Dunkirk, get ferry back to Dear Old Blighty, train home from Dover. Total cost £66.
I am in France on the Normandy recce trip in mid May for a week, then again on the Normandy trip for a week in June and straight back for six days for the Dieppe Raid. Not to mention the chance of going on the Newhaven-Paris FNRttC.

My constant absence from home (the "overnight" ride from York to Hull saw me leave home at 5pm on Friday and arrive exhausted at 10am on Monday and spend the next two days in bed, and I'm away for the next three days as well) is being noticed. This is why I might not make this one.


----------



## swarm_catcher (24 Apr 2013)

Indeed, thanks for the research. 'The best option?' sounds really good and I may do something like that in the future.


----------



## mmmmartin (24 Apr 2013)

Those roads between Belgium and France are fine, good tarmac and not busy, but you need to plan the navigation to ensure you stay away from the main roads. I rode there last year. And the exit from the Dunkirk ferry is best done by waiting 20 minutes for the vehicles to leave or you will be sharing a narrow road with big lorries. There is allegedly an exit north-eastwards along small dock roads, according to Googlemaps, but I have not ridden it.


----------



## frank9755 (24 Apr 2013)

I recall we ended up on a few farm tracks, and going the wrong way round the one-way system in a deserted shopping centre. But apart from that, it was a good route.

Sounds like a fabulous ride. Alas, Els, I will be in Wales that weekend - with Eddie and co - so won't be able to make it. But the thought of that beautiful canal between Ghent and Brugge with the big trees on either side in the dawn is quite mouth-watering!


----------



## frank9755 (24 Apr 2013)

mmmmartin said:


> I'm astonished at how hard the logistics are. Even if I don't make it (see below) here is the result of a couple of hours of research so others might benefit.
> 
> *ferry from Ramsgate to Ostend* has just gone bust and stopped operations. This would have been ideal, although I seem to recall it didn't take bikes anyway.
> *Eurostar* is £150 return to Brussels plus £60 return for the (non-folding) bike, making £210 for an overnight trip. (Also the £20 single for the return in the morning from Ostend back to Brussels.)
> ...


 
Or how about a Friday evening train (or ride) up to Harwich and a leisurely overnight cruise to Hoek, then a pleasant 90-mile (flat) leg stretch (or train) down to Brussels during Saturday?


----------



## Trickedem (24 Apr 2013)

mmmmartin said:


> I'm astonished at how hard the logistics are. Even if I don't make it (see below) here is the result of a couple of hours of research so others might benefit.
> 
> *ferry from Ramsgate to Ostend* has just gone bust and stopped operations. This would have been ideal, although I seem to recall it didn't take bikes anyway.
> *Eurostar* is £150 return to Brussels plus £60 return for the (non-folding) bike, making £210 for an overnight trip. (Also the £20 single for the return in the morning from Ostend back to Brussels.)
> ...


This in depth research comes from someone with time on their hands.


----------



## StuAff (24 Apr 2013)

Sounds like a good one for a 2014 excursion, methinks.....


----------



## slowmotion (24 Apr 2013)

Frank's Harwich Variant.

Slightly off-topic, but the last time I looked into it, the rail trip from Liverpool Street to Harwich to catch the overnight Stena ferry seemed distinctly risky. You couldn't book a bike space and they were limited in number, three(?). You seemed to be entirely at the mercy of the station staff at LS on your evening of travel. Not ideal if you have a firm ferry ticket. Does anybody know if the situation has improved?


----------



## swarm_catcher (25 Apr 2013)

Trickedem said:


> This in depth research comes from someone with time on their hands.


But not enough time to do the ride ... I thought retirement gave you freedom.


----------



## swarm_catcher (25 Apr 2013)

frank9755 said:


> Or how about a Friday evening train (or ride) up to Harwich and a leisurely overnight cruise to Hoek, then a pleasant 90-mile (flat) leg stretch (or train) down to Brussels during Saturday?


Overnight to Ostend, then 200km south to Dieppe, ferry to Newhaven, cycle up to London ... when shall we do it?

A recovery detour via Westvleteren would be reasonable.


----------



## swarm_catcher (25 Apr 2013)

swarm_catcher said:


> A recovery detour via Westvleteren would be reasonable.


In fact, it's not even a detour!


----------



## mmmmartin (25 Apr 2013)

Ahem. This is getting even more interesting. For the return, there is no need to ride from Ostend to Dunkirk. Oh NO!. You can take_ the longest tram journey in the world*_ for €6 by putting your bike on the Belgian Coastal Tram. It goes along the entire Belgian coast to De Panne, takes an hour for the 27k journey, then ride the remaining 34k to Dunkirk. Mid-afternoon ferry back to Dear Old Blighty, back home in time for tea and medals. I think I'm up for this one, Els. 

* little moment there oops


----------



## BalkanExpress (25 Apr 2013)

swarm_catcher

Apologies if you are already aware but this might be useful for route planning.

http://www.fietsnet.be/routeplanner/default.aspx

Put in start and finish and then follow the signposts number to number. Unless like me you are in the habit of missing a sign post.

I am very tempted to join (familly commitments permitting) as the logistics are simple enough for me - cycle the two miles from home to the Grand Place


----------



## swarm_catcher (25 Apr 2013)

Thanks BalkanExpress. I knew of the site but had never used it. You've promoted me to try creating a route and it looks good but longer by about 30km. I'll put it on my GPS anyway.

I wonder if you had a look at the original route and seen anything that you would advise against?

Hope you can make it ...


----------



## Dogtrousers (26 Apr 2013)

Not really on topic for the thread, but not really worth a thread of its own. On the night of Saturday 3rd/morning Sun 4th August a couple of friends and I will be cycling from the small Normandy town of Bréhal to the port of St Malo, past Mont St Michel. This will be exactly like a FNRttC except for a few minor details such as: it's not on a Friday, won't have a half way stop, and won't have TECs, wayfinders or any discernible organisation whatsoever and may well get lost. But apart from that, identical. In the unlikely event that anyone is in the area you are welcome to join us.


----------



## BalkanExpress (26 Apr 2013)

I am not very tech savvy (no gps) and have failed to open the file. 

If you could put it on bikely or similar I will try and have a look (this is how I see FNRttC routes)

Also if anyone is thinking of coming over needs a bed the night before or after or somewhere to stick a bike Saturday during the day, there is room at our place.


----------



## BalkanExpress (26 Apr 2013)

swarm_catcher said:


> . You've promoted me to try creating a route and it looks good but longer by about 30km. ..


 
I had a quick bash at this and have just over 130 kn from edge of Brussels to Ostend (Point 52 Vlaams Brabant to Point 8 kust via Brugge 4) .

To get out of Brussels I'd suggest via the Basilica and Grand Bigard which is a nice way to go (apologies if that is already the route).


----------



## swarm_catcher (26 Apr 2013)

BalkanExpress said:


> I had a quick bash at this and have just over 130 kn from edge of Brussels to Ostend (Point 52 Vlaams Brabant to Point 8 kust via Brugge 4) .
> 
> To get out of Brussels I'd suggest via the Basilica and Grand Bigard which is a nice way to go (apologies if that is already the route).


No! This is good. I've had limited time to research the route, so I appreciate your feedback. I'd prefer to use the knooppunten route. Can you share the gpx file? Or is 52/8/4 all I need to know?


----------



## User169 (26 Apr 2013)

I would be interested in coming on this ride, if I can find a relatively easy way to get to Brussel (no bikes on the Thalys unfortunately, but still need to check out one of the slower trains). What time to you anticipate leaving?


----------



## BalkanExpress (26 Apr 2013)

swarm_catcher said:


> No! This is good. I've had limited time to research the route, so I appreciate your feedback. I'd prefer to use the knooppunten route. Can you share the gpx file? Or is 52/8/4 all I need to know?


 

I failed to up/download the file  

In teh absence of tech support on my part I suggest you enlarge the map, click on the 52 by Brussels then the 4 in Brugge and finally the 8 in Ostende and it should do the calculation: add about 5 km to get out BXL and it should be good.


----------



## swarm_catcher (26 Apr 2013)

BalkanExpress said:


> I failed to up/download the file
> 
> In teh absence of tech support on my part I suggest you enlarge the map, click on the 52 by Brussels then the 4 in Brugge and finally the 8 in Ostende and it should do the calculation: add about 5 km to get out BXL and it should be good.


Cool, I'll try it when back home tonight (or Monday). Thanks so much.


----------



## swarm_catcher (26 Apr 2013)

Delftse Post said:


> I would be interested in coming on this ride, if I can find a relatively easy way to get to Brussel (no bikes on the Thalys unfortunately, but still need to check out one of the slower trains). What time to you anticipate leaving?


Hi Delftse Post! We'll set off at midnight as per FNRttC model.


----------



## User169 (26 Apr 2013)

swarm_catcher said:


> Hi Delftse Post! We'll set off at midnight as per FNRttC model.


 
Plenty of time then for some pre-ride "carbohydrate loading" on the grand place!


----------



## swarm_catcher (26 Apr 2013)

Delftse Post said:


> Plenty of time then for some pre-ride "carbohydrate loading" on the grand place!


What an excellent idea. All of a sudden, I fancy waffles at La Chaloupe d'Or.


----------



## srw (26 Apr 2013)

I didn't know it was the longest tram journey in the world, but I was going to suggest the De Panne tram too. Once in de Panne you can hire a multi-rider bike. There are plenty of tandems, and I'm sure I remember an 8-person quadricycle. 
The road from de Panne to France is very straightforward and pancake flat - most of the way to Dunkirk is easy riding on a quiet town road. It's also windy. If I were at a computer I'd post a photo of the customs post. It's now a chocolate shop. 

If you use the fietskarte (available on paper at tourist info in Ghent, Bruges and de Panne), be aware that some of the segments are off-road. I remember a slightly surprising detour down a muddy track on a 1:4 gradient off a canal dyke, through a wood to the road. 

Another time that multi-day tour would be attractive - the canals of Belgium make for great riding.


----------



## rvw (26 Apr 2013)

Herewith the aforementioned customs post:






And the waffles with which we stocked up just before!


----------



## mmmmartin (27 Apr 2013)

My attendance on this ride is now dependent merely on the weather. It wins over the competition for that weekend, which was to do a hilly 100k audax around Kent, or try to take some interest in football and go to Wembley and watch the mighty Tunbridge Wells team play.


----------



## StuAff (27 Apr 2013)

rvw said:


> Herewith the aforementioned customs post:
> 
> View attachment 22430
> 
> ...


Oh. My.

Want.


----------



## ceepeebee (27 Apr 2013)

frank9755 said:


> Or how about a Friday evening train (or ride) up to Harwich and a leisurely overnight cruise to Hoek, then a pleasant 90-mile (flat) leg stretch (or train) down to Brussels during Saturday?


This was my thought when I saw this (brilliant) plan


----------



## User169 (28 Apr 2013)

I think I'm in for this one. I can get a regular IC train with the bike to brussel and it only takes a couple of hours. The plan to get home would be to ride to breskens, get the ferry to Vlissingen and then train home.

What do you suggest on the lighting front? Will some LEDs be OK, or should I look for sometjing a bit more powerful?

Vlaanderen by night - this is such a great idea Swarm Catcher!


----------



## dellzeqq (28 Apr 2013)

is it possible to get from Dunkerque to Brussels by train without going via Lille? The map shows a line going northeast to Diksmuide, but Rail Europe (which is a crap site) isn't having it. I suppose one could ride to De Panne and take the direct train to Brussels http://www.belgianrail.be/jp/sncb-n...eqnr=1&ident=6w.017890111.1367172995&OK#focus


----------



## BalkanExpress (28 Apr 2013)

dellzeqq said:


> is it possible to get from Dunkerque to Brussels by train without going via Lille? The map shows a line going northeast to Diksmuide, but Rail Europe (which is a crap site) isn't having it. I suppose one could ride to De Panne and take the direct train to Brussels http://www.belgianrail.be/jp/sncb-n...eqnr=1&ident=6w.017890111.1367172995&OK#focus



Dell, once the little ones are asleep I will have a further play on the Belgian railways site and have a look.

This morning I did a recon of routes out of town to get to fietsknoppen 52. I now have something which should gives us frite, fashion, cobbles, a basilica and all with a minimum of tramlines.

This weekend is also Brussels city festival weekend "Irisfest" and I believe there will be live music on the Grand Place to accompany the waffles


----------



## BalkanExpress (28 Apr 2013)

Dell, it looks as if all trains go via Lille, but that there are non Eurostar or TGV options that would allow the bikes to travel. The down side two ( lille and tournai) or three ( Hazebrouch, Lille, Gent) changes and a three hour journey time .


----------



## srw (28 Apr 2013)

There is a railway line between Dunkirk and De Panne. When you ride alongside it it'll be obvious that the number of trains that actually use it is tiny. There aren't all that many international local railways!


----------



## mmmmartin (28 Apr 2013)

dellzeqq said:


> is it possible to get from Dunkerque to Brussels by train without going via Lille? . . . . .
> . . . .I suppose one could ride to De Panne and take the direct train to Brussels


I think that line is disused or for freight only. I came to the conclusion that it would be much quicker to ride from Dunkirk to De Panne and get on a train there, where you had actually paid for the bike so would be guaranteed to get it on the train with no problem. And obvs riding Dunkirk to De Panne would be useful when riding back from De Panne to Dunkirk the next day, having done the trip from Ostend to De Panne on the Kusttram. Fast riders on a Pinarello could outrace the tram, obvs. Fat old pensioners on steel framed tourers perhaps not.


----------



## swarm_catcher (29 Apr 2013)

Delftse Post said:


> What do you suggest on the lighting front? Will some LEDs be OK, or should I look for sometjing a bit more powerful?


LEDs will be fine, especially if there are going to be a few of us. I'll be using two IXON IQs (not always on at the same time).


----------



## swarm_catcher (29 Apr 2013)

BalkanExpress said:


> Dell, it looks as if all trains go via Lille, but that there are non Eurostar or TGV options that would allow the bikes to travel. The down side two ( lille and tournai) or three ( Hazebrouch, Lille, Gent) changes and a three hour journey time .


How about cycling to Veurne (Furnes), it's just over 20km. From there get a train to Brussels.
[edit: I guess that's the same idea as going to De Panne ...]


----------



## User169 (29 Apr 2013)

Bugger. There are works on the line between Rotterdam and Antwerp on Saturday. Currently, the Dutch train route finder wants to send me via Duesseldorf and Luxembourg!​


----------



## dellzeqq (29 Apr 2013)

I'm going to see if I can book the bikes on Eurostar tomorrow. Will there be smeus?

ooh, I just did this http://goo.gl/maps/fKwK7 (hit Grote Markt, Caruso restaurant, pedestrian) and it looks really cool! 119km.


----------



## BalkanExpress (30 Apr 2013)

I have just realised that for those coming over from the UK that this is in effect an "11pm" start.

You lucky whatsists  Doing the trip the other way means every FNRttC is a "1am" start for me


----------



## swarm_catcher (30 Apr 2013)

dellzeqq said:


> I'm going to see if I can book the bikes on Eurostar tomorrow. Will there be smeus?
> 
> ooh, I just did this http://goo.gl/maps/fKwK7 (hit Grote Markt, Caruso restaurant, pedestrian) and it looks really cool! 119km.


 
You say all the right things:
[bike*s*] @AgentHilda coming?
[smeus] Yum!
[119km] Perfect! Will sort out final route tonight (may be Wednesday).


----------



## BalkanExpress (30 Apr 2013)

swarm_catcher said:


> You say all the right things:
> [bike*s*] @AgentHilda coming?
> [smeus] Yum!
> [119km] Perfect! Will sort out final route tonight (may be Wednesday).


 
119km certainly sounds good and the navigation is easy, the Flemish equivalent of "head down the A23 until you can smell the sea"

The Brussels section of the Chaussee de Gand is, however, seriously shite. I'll see if I can nip out in the morning and adapt the route I had in mind so as to get us to the station at Berchem Sainte Agathe.


----------



## dellzeqq (30 Apr 2013)

swarm_catcher said:


> You say all the right things:
> [bike*s*] @AgentHilda coming?
> [smeus] Yum!
> [119km] Perfect! Will sort out final route tonight (may be Wednesday).


she is. Our Eurostar will roll in to Brussels just after ten (Brussels time). We'll make our way to the start (any hints on where to spend the ninety minutes or so we have spare gratefully received) and then, upon arrival in Oostende, we'll have breakfast, take the train to De Panne, cycle to Dunkirk and take the ferry back to Blighty.

Has anybody booked the return ferry? If so, at what time? I'm thinking.....arrive Oostende 8.00. Finish breakfast 9.00. Take tram 9.30. Arrive De Panne 10.45. Arrive Dunkirk 12.15.

Bear in mind, David, that we'll be leaving town after most people have gone to bed. Might it be that roads that are rough during the day are ok during the night? I ask, because the Manchester FNRttCs left town on the A56, and, after the first mile or so we pretty much had the road to ourselves.


----------



## mmmmartin (30 Apr 2013)

Re ferry. I was thinking of booking for 4pm and arriving early which is better than booking for 2pm and arriving late. I also have a Seecrit Code which is EXX25JS0Y3 and should give you 20% off, so a massive reduction from £15 to £13.50. Also if you have not done it before the ride from the docks to Dover railway station is dead easy and short but very convoluted, it involves a cycle route on the wrong side of the road and a pedestrian underpass. So might be worth printing it out before.


----------



## BalkanExpress (30 Apr 2013)

dellzeqq said:


> Bear in mind, David, that we'll be leaving town after most people have gone to bed. Might it be that roads that are rough during the day are ok during the night? I ask, because the Manchester FNRttCs left town on the A56, and, after the first mile or so we pretty much had the road to ourselves.


 
Much as I hate to malign anyone or anything, it is dire: poor road surface, little or architectural merit, tram lines which are a real pain on a group ride and it passes through a couple of areas which the police from time to time are obliged to state are not "no-go" areas for them after dark

I'd suggest heading down Antoine Dansaert and turn right at (or even before the canal) then up to Bvd Leopold II (not pretty but a largely segregated cycle path). What is pretty is the view as you ride up to the Sacred Heart: 5th largest church in the world, art deco, what's not to like at the cost of 1km


----------



## dellzeqq (30 Apr 2013)

I'm not sure I want to ride down anything to do with Leopold. I take your word on the tram tracks, though - those could be quite tricky when we go through Gent.

Els - I'm going up to Stanfords Map Shop on Friday. (any excuse). Let me know if there's anything you need.


----------



## BalkanExpress (30 Apr 2013)

As for a place it kill time, Swarm Catcher mentioned waffles at La Chaloupe d'Or (" the Golden Chaloupe").

It's on one corner of the Grand Place, big terrace and lots of room indoors. Various carbs in both solid and liquid form are available

It shoud be possible to lock the bike up and get a table close enough to keep an eye on them. I'll bring along a couple of mini-U's and a krypto cable to help truss bikes up.


----------



## swarm_catcher (30 Apr 2013)

dellzeqq said:


> I'm not sure I want to ride down anything to do with Leopold. I take your word on the tram tracks, though - those could be quite tricky when we go through Gent.
> 
> Els - I'm going up to Stanfords Map Shop on Friday. (any excuse). Let me know if there's anything you need.


Thanks Simon, don't need anything right now.


----------



## swarm_catcher (30 Apr 2013)

I'm looking at the route options:
1) BalkanExpress gets us out of Brussels
2) We follow the most direct route (the 119km route), in the knowledge that a more fine-tuned, scenic route can be attempted next year 
3) I've spotted a couple of non-road stretches/footpaths and have amended the route for that (now at 120km).
4) Have also amended the route to go via 't Hoekske, the 24hr cafe in Ghent.
5) We may get onto one-way systems in Gent and Bruges, I guess we'll just follow our noses when that happens. The worst that can happen is that we end up on a ring road which we can follow around.

Looks like Simon will have paper maps, and so will my sister.

Roll call:
Kris
Simon
AgentHilda
mmmmartin
BalkanExpress
Delftse Post
Els

La Chaloupe d'Or it is for carbo loading.


----------



## BalkanExpress (1 May 2013)

Swarm_cathcher

many thanks for all the effort

If a PM is the same as a Conversation then details sent. 

I have been reminded of an evening obligation which had slipped my mind, so I will not be at the Grand Place until late. If there is a need for locks and a cable let me know and I can drop them off somewhere between now and Saturday.

Many years ago I studied in Bruges and so should be able to get us through town and out the other side. Even if they have changed the one way system since then, the good news is most one way streets allow cyclists to contraflow.


----------



## srw (1 May 2013)

Bruges is a pig for navigation (says he having got lost going into it on a bike several times).

Our first cycling holiday was an organised affair starting somewhere near France, taking a detour up to De Panne to sit in the sun and thence to Bruges (whence a day trip to Holland) and Ghent. At the time I thought Bruges to Ghent was an awfully long way...

IIRC, the route from Bruges to Ghent was basically "find the canal, sit on the canal". If it would help a future edition I'm happy to see if I can dig out the route cards we were given, and also the Fietsroutekarte we bought.


----------



## dellzeqq (1 May 2013)

Thanks, Els. I'd spotted one off-road bit west of Gent, but I assumed that this was in the grand Belgian cyclocross tradition. We'd have been bumping down it at four in the morning and you'd be saying 'Eddy Merckx used this path to toughen up at the age of three'.

Wind now from the west. I'm gong to be three foot in front of Susie's front wheel the entire time.

Srw has a point about Gent to Brugge. Sticking with the canal adds a kilometre to the trip, but it take all the mapreading out of it.
https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?sadd...via=1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14&t=m&z=13


----------



## swarm_catcher (1 May 2013)

dellzeqq said:


> Srw has a point about Gent to Brugge. Sticking with the canal adds a kilometre to the trip, but it take all the mapreading out of it.


And too much canal is like cycling on a disused railway track, only more dangerous. You could hit the water as you fall asleep.


----------



## User169 (1 May 2013)

I'm a definite. I'm going to try to book train tickets this evening. If that doesn't work, I'll ride to Bruges and get the train from there. Will PM number.


----------



## mmmmartin (1 May 2013)

Current plan:
Train to dover, ride from dunkirk to de panne, catch 8pm or 9pm train to brussels central, walk 600 metres to grossmarkt. i should be there either at 22:30 or 23:30. I have an IGN paper map of the route from dunkirk to de panne and a GPS containing maps of all europe's roads, plus a paper map of the route from the central station to the grossmarkt. So i should be able to get to the bar and meet you all. If i do not, then go without me. I might try to chase you or might just go to a hotel.
You will not be able to contact me because my phone won't work out of the UK.*

After the ride i will take the tram to de panne, ride to dunkirk, and get the ferry. I will go for a 16:00 crossing so will have lots of time.

*My mobile phone will not work abroad yet until i have had this contract for 60 days. But I should be able to send and receive emails if i can find a wi-fi spot.


EDIT Tickets bought. Strangely, it is only £22 for a 24+ hour return with a motorbike and the nice lady at DFDS allowed me to pay that instead of the £30 return it should have been with a bicycle. Yes, she thought it an odd pricing decision, too. But she was very nice about it. I am on the 4pm out and the 4pm back - and you can go on the earlier boat is you wish, which would put tme on the 2pm if I so desired. so I'll try to get that one. And I bet if I was really early they might put me on the 12 noon.


----------



## dellzeqq (1 May 2013)

I went to Stanfords this afternoon, and sort of failed. I've got a 1 to 100,000 of West-Vlaanderen which takes us from just west of Gent to Oostende and then down to De Panne. They didn't have the Oost-Vlaanderen jobby, which would have taken us from the outskirts of Brussels.


----------



## ceepeebee (1 May 2013)

dellzeqq said:


> I went to Stanfords this afternoon, and sort of failed. I've got a 1 to 100,000 of West-Vlaanderen which takes us from just west of Gent to Oostende and then down to De Panne. They didn't have the Oost-Vlaanderen jobby, which would have taken us from the outskirts of Brussels.


I used the open maps app on my iphone in holland, you can set it to open cycle maps so it'll give you location, a zoomable map and (importantly for sense-of-directionless me) the location of all the fiets points. Haven't found a fiets app that does Belgium yet.


----------



## BalkanExpress (2 May 2013)

dellzeqq said:


> I went to Stanfords this afternoon, and sort of failed. I've got a 1 to 100,000 of West-Vlaanderen which takes us from just west of Gent to Oostende and then down to De Panne. They didn't have the Oost-Vlaanderen jobby, which would have taken us from the outskirts of Brussels.


 
If work is not too hectic, I'll look for one at lunch. Worst case scenario I can dismember my road atlas, (which I may do in any case as it is easier to read than the IGN maps )


----------



## swarm_catcher (2 May 2013)

Final GPX track is attached. I also have the route on my GPS device, should we go off track. I'm pretty sure my sister said she would have paper maps. Will check with her tonight.


----------



## BalkanExpress (2 May 2013)

ceepeebee said:


> I used the open maps app on my iphone in holland, you can set it to open cycle maps so it'll give you location, a zoomable map and (importantly for sense-of-directionless me) the location of all the fiets points. Haven't found a fiets app that does Belgium yet.


 

I have found an android app

http://www.vlaanderen-fietsland.be/app.php

but not one for iphone


----------



## mmmmartin (2 May 2013)

dellzeqq said:


> Wind now from the west. I'm gong to be three foot in front of Susie's front wheel the entire time


Met Office now saying for Ghent at 2am there will be a SW wind, 9mph and no gusts, and 9 degrees. This is starting to look suspiciously like the best weather I've had on a FNRttC for quite some time.


----------



## Aperitif (3 May 2013)

mmmmartin said:


> Met Office now saying for Ghent at 2am there will be a SW wind, 9mph and no gusts, and 9 degrees. This is starting to look suspiciously like the best weather I've had on a FNRttC for quite some time.


There will be a Ghentle breeze...have fun everyone - and no waffling. Bee for Belgium it is.
x


----------



## BalkanExpress (3 May 2013)

swarm_catcher said:


> Final GPX track is attached. I also have the route on my GPS device, should we go off track. I'm pretty sure my sister said she would have paper maps. Will check with her tonight.


 
Just in case I now have photocopies of the required pages from my road atlas (1:100 000)

A quick play on google maps' street view suggests that (unusually for Belgium) there are useful signposts along the way.


----------



## User169 (3 May 2013)

Weather sounds promising! Should get into Brussels Central at 10:30. Meantime, some lo-fi from the lowlands to get you in the oostende mood..

[youtube]
]View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzfJfkqfgHM[/youtube]


----------



## swarm_catcher (3 May 2013)

Ah, for me it has to be this:


----------



## swarm_catcher (3 May 2013)

Be careful, you might never leave:


----------



## dellzeqq (3 May 2013)

I'm utterly, utterly captivated by this little escapade. I'm going to ride along on Susie's left side to shelter her from the wind, and not worry about where we're going, or what progress we're making or anything. It's just going to be great.


----------



## ceepeebee (3 May 2013)

I am really so very jealous of this trip, enjoy y'all.


----------



## StuAff (3 May 2013)

Also jealous. Looking forward to being more jealous still after reading reports.


----------



## mmmmartin (3 May 2013)

Yup. Even my mini adventure via dover, dunkirk, de panne, brussels to the start point promises to be good. The ride back from de panne to dunkirk into a vicious headwind along the coast perhaps less so, especially after a night without sleep, perhaps less enjoyable but it is all part of the game. And (whisper it) the Normandy trip approaches day by day......


----------



## swarm_catcher (3 May 2013)

Tweeting with #fnrttk


----------



## User169 (4 May 2013)

Really looking forward to this now.

Some preparatory sun, fettelage and beer...


----------



## swarm_catcher (4 May 2013)

You may hear of train service interruptions between De Panne and Brussels. All is fine for direct journeys.


----------



## BalkanExpress (4 May 2013)

Delftse Post said:


> Really looking forward to this now.
> 
> Some preparatory sun, fettelage and beer...
> 
> View attachment 22742


 

No beer but a bit of fettling...I love the smell of ceramic lube in thr afternoon


----------



## dellzeqq (4 May 2013)

so....setting off for St. Pancras in half an hour

dropping the bikes off at 6, then upstairs to the champagne bar

taking the 19.04, arriving Brussels at about 22.00 (Eurotime)

we've booked on the 4pm ferry back which gives us quite a cushion making our way back to Dunkerque


----------



## User169 (4 May 2013)

Laterz!!


----------



## BalkanExpress (5 May 2013)

Back. 132km

All arrived safely in Ostend, although Agent Hilda is a bit bruised but not bloodied, and, certainly not broken after an encounter with tram lines in Gent.

Many many thanks to Swarm-Catcher for putting this together and to those who rode. A different and fun night out on the bikes.

Full report sometime later including on some of the nicest cafes every to have their upholstery sullied by all night cyclists.


----------



## User169 (6 May 2013)

Thanks to Swarm_Catcher for a superbly conceived, organized and led ride!

BalkanExpress got us smoothly out of Brussels and then it was a nice flat ride up to Gent. Agent Hilda got offed by the tram lines just outside the 24h cafe, but recovered remarkably quickly given the impressive clatter she made hitting the deck. We followed the canal to Bruges as the sun rose, had a coffee and croissant (BalkanExpress having located just about the only place open in the entire city), then followed the canal again to Oostende. By this time, the sunday riders were out in full force and we passed and were passed by lots of riders. We passed one again after a few minutes - he'd skidded on some cobbles and was nursing a sore backside. Into Oostende for breakfast and then time to head home.


----------



## theclaud (6 May 2013)

Delftse Post said:


> Thanks to Swarm_Catcher for a superbly conceived, organized and led ride!
> 
> BalkanExpress got us smoothly out of Brussels and then it was a nice flat ride up to Gent. Agent Hilda got offed by the tram lines just outside the 24h cafe, but recovered remarkably quickly given the impressive clatter she made hitting the deck. We followed the canal to Bruges as the sun rose, had a coffee and croissant (BalkanExpress having located just about the only place open in the entire city), then followed the canal again to Oostende. By this time, the sunday riders were out in full force and we passed and were passed by lots of riders. We passed one again after a few minutes - he'd skidded on some cobbles and was nursing a sore backside. Into Oostende for breakfast and then time to head home.



I was about to say "Where are the ride reports, then?!" Spoke to the 'Zeqqs this morning. Apparently Agent H has an impressive trophy bruise on her thigh, and DZ is... attending to it. There was a bit of complaining about cobbles and Dunkirk, and appreciative noises about dawn, breakfast, and the company. Got any pics?


----------



## User169 (6 May 2013)

Brussels...







Breakfast...


----------



## theclaud (6 May 2013)

Delftse Post said:


> Breakfast...
> 
> View attachment 22887



No idea what it is, but I'd give it a go...


----------



## User169 (6 May 2013)

theclaud said:


> No idea what it is, but I'd give it a go...


 
That was exactly the approach that Swarm_Catcher and I took! It was a very impressively wobbly lemon meringue tart.


----------



## theclaud (6 May 2013)

Delftse Post said:


> That was exactly the approach that Swarm_Catcher and I took! It was a very impressively wobbly lemon meringue tart.



S_C didn't hang about, by the look of the plate opposite...


----------



## User169 (6 May 2013)

theclaud said:


> S_C didn't hang about, by the look of the plate opposite...


 
That's Agent Hilda's plate!!


----------



## theclaud (6 May 2013)

Delftse Post said:


> That's Agent Hilda's plate!!


----------



## mmmmartin (6 May 2013)

Just out of bed. Retirement and its many blessings, eh?
Great little adventure. It's worth thinking about a repeat, hence I will include details that might be useful next time but inexplicable this time. 
Getting to Brussels is easy. Eurostar is pricey but quick. Slower, cheaper and adventurous way is train to Dover, ride to the ferry (newbies to Dover's road system and its several thousand huge lorries need to check this bit in exact and great detail before you go), then ferry to Dunkirk. When booking this try to get a 24 hour return for a motorbike, this is £22 but for a bicycle it is £30 return. Phone them and they might give you a return for £22 with the bicycle. Then ride the 33k from the ferry to the train station at De Panne. I had met two Belgians and they were doing the same, so this is obviously a popular trick. We had a strong following wind and a few nav upsets and it took two hours. There is a choice of routes for the first section: the traffic-free coast route along the top of a sea breakwater that avoids the industrial town and the housing and traffic, and takes you in an arc around much of the town and takes you to the shopping bit of the town, or the direct route on roads with traffic through the housing section. On the way out I went along the breakwater, which was great because there was a strong following wind. On the way back with DZ and Agent Hilda we took the more direct route because of the shelter afforded by the buildings. The distance is about the same, I think. EDIT The route along the breakwater is 500 metres shorter. 
At De Panne railway station I paid €19.70 single to Brussels Central and €5 for the bike. On the train, talking to the Belges I met at Dover, I learnt you can buy a carnet of 10 tickets, each valid for a journey from any Belgian train station to any other, for €79. This could be used for 10 people on one trip, or five people going on two trips, etc. it would be a cheap way for 10 members, of perhaps, a cycling club, to go from De Panne to Brussels, for instance.....
Remember the Eurostar goes to Brussels suid, which is 10 mins on a bike from the Grande Place.
Others have said what we did, and perhaps DZ might do some of that descriptive writing at which he excels. Think warm night, straight roads, flat country, cycle path for mile after mile, good company, chewing up the distance like we were Gods Of The Cycling World. Everyone else was asleep and we owned the world. Nothing was open, apart from the occasional small hotel with pink lights and a silouette of a thin lady with no clothes on. But the car parks were empty so perhaps there were no customers. Or maybe their customers don't stay for long. 
The N9 was a navigator's dream, just follow it.
Ghent was still awake and the upmarket 24 hour restaurant, complete with uniformed waitresses, clean loos, warmth, and general civilisation was lovely. This particularly because it had chosen to put itself exactly where Agent Hilda had a disagreement with the tram lines that had terrified us every time they appeared. I paid €7.50 for an enormous spag bol with ham and cheese that took ages to eat. Thoroughly recommended.
After this we followed the canal. Forget English canals with muddy towpaths and overhanging branches and tiny bridges. These were big enough for oceangoing vessels, and the towpaths were perfect tarmac with signs. DZ had the foresight to buy a good map, which saved us big distances and big embarrassment. Recommended. We left the canal at one point and went by the roads and by a chance in a million found ourselves in a village I knew well, having spent three hours trying to find the campsite. So I was full of confidence as I bravely led across the bridge and down a side road and into a trading estate before my confidence waned slightly as I couldn't remember which alleyway to ride up. I managed to conceal my total loss of faith long enough for the right alleyway to turn up and lead confidently back on to the canal path. 
In Bruges we were gasping for a sitdown and a coffee and the genius of The Fridays manifested itself when one of our number (no names, no packdrill) muttered something about knowing an all-night drinking den he used to frequent and rode off to find it, to return five minutes later with the whereabouts of a fine dining establishment so posh it would have passed muster with Mice. Think afternoon teas for €19.75, think carpets, warmth, polite staff and brilliant coffee. Recommended.
After Bruges we stuck with the canal. Think orange orb of sun rising slowly out of the mist, no wind, trails of mist wandering across fields, cows in the distance, the occasional duck breaking the undisturbed water. 
The Ostend breakfast stop was excellent and the staff didn't even laugh as I tried to pronounce the words for Large Breakfast. 
The longest tram journey in the world may have been great but I was dozing for some of it. At De Panne we incurred the wrath of a bus driver by being impertinent enough to ask to put our bikes on his (very long and bendy and empty) bus so he could take us to Dunkirk. So we rode off into a slight headwind, me in front by far enough to make a bit of a nav error and correct it before DZ and Agent Hilda arrived. The road is straight and the nav easy, and was made easier by the fact that the local marathon was about to run along it so we sneaked past the barriers just before they closed to all traffic and no other vehicles disturbed us. In Dunkirk I accosted an unfortunate taxi driver, and after dismantling the seats in his taxi and smearing chain oil over his roof lining, we decided three bikes would not fit so he drove off. It's amazing how polite he was.
Nav to the ferry port was easy enough providing I paid attention, which was difficult as I had had no sleep and my bottom bracket was screeching like a banshee. We arrived safely at the ferry and found comfy seats where we donned non-smelly clothes and scraped the muck off our faces. The ferry journey was good and these DFDS ferries are often much less crowded than the Calais ones so I slept, stretched out, on a comfy sofa for an hour. After the convoluted ride to Dover station my odometer showed 211k, which I felt was not bad for an old fat bloke with no sleep. The best £70 I ever spent.
Many thanks to all, esp Swarmcatcher and her sister who seemed to be just as fast and experienced in milemunching. We were a good team and for an action-packed 24 hours in forrin parts, you couldn't beat it. It was certainly better than my alternative, which was to go to Wembley and watch Tunbridge Wells FC lose to some northerners.


----------



## mmmmartin (6 May 2013)

Oh yes, so it is. That must be why my bottom bracket didn't come through the letterbox.


----------



## User169 (6 May 2013)

mmmmartin said:


> We left the canal at one point and went by the roads and by a chance in a million found ourselves in a village I knew well, having spent three hours trying to find the campsite. So I was full of confidence as I bravely led across the bridge and down a side road and into a trading estate before my confidence waned slightly as I couldn't remember which alleyway to ride up. *I managed to conceal my total loss of faith long enough for the right alleyway to turn up and lead confidently back on to the canal path*.


 
Very convincingly so! I liked the home-made sign we saw a bit later: "idiots this way" - the way we'd just been; "cyclists this way" - the way we we now going after retracing our steps having missed the sign the first time around.


----------



## BalkanExpress (6 May 2013)

2440901 said:


> Nothing to do with retirement Mmmmartin, its a bank holiday.


 
It's a work day here  (my excuse for not having filed a full report)

First up huge huge thanks to S-C for having got the whole show on the road. I have for ages been thinking I should ride to Bruges and then gone "but when will I find the time". S-C's answer was brilliantly simple: at night . And for a first attempt it was a fine piece of work: a simple route, a very nice half way stop and an even better end of ride cake stop.

As mmmmartin has said it is certainly worth thinking about a repeat and so here are a few, random as always, thoughts.

May Bank Holiday is a good time to do it, as it gives time for travel and recovery.

Grand Place is as good a place to start as any, picturesque, lots of cafes and plenty of cops to keep an eye on the bikes. (i was the last to arrive and there were indeed a coupe of cops stood by the others bikes. it seems they were keeping an eye on a "youth' on a mountain bike who was cruising the Place.)

Cycling culture shock: I'm so used to brussels cycling that I forget just how different it is when coming over from teh UK, not just being the other side of the road, which is complicated enough until all your reflexes adjust, but the whole package including different signage, priority from the right and the use of cycle lanes (we in effect did 130km on cycle paths).

Tram lines: horrible things to be avoided as much as possible, hence the traffic light infested, but tram free route out of Brussels. A look at google maps suggest a a couple of ways of minimising proximity to tram lines.

Numbers: following on from the above, the more the merrier becomes a relative concept. Belgian law says 15 or more cyclists together is a group: you no longer need to use mandatory cycle paths but you should have designated "road captains" with orange side lights; groups of 50 and more must have an accompanying car fore and aft. So a group of around 20 would probably be large enough to ride on the roads, small enough to fit in the cafes easily and easy enough to spead out if tramlines are encountered.

Route: from Gent onwards we have it (almost) nailed. Brussels to Gent does the job but a few tweeks could give us more countryside and fewer houses of ill-repute.

In short: FNRttK 2014: bring it on


----------



## mmmmartin (6 May 2013)

Agreed. As an aside, I think I would stay in a hotel in Ostend, or perhaps Dunkirk, for a night, and make a bit more of a trip of it. Those endless beaches of infinite sand were amazing.
EDIT The road from De Panne was closed for a section of the Four Days of Dunkirk cycle race, this being the last section. 
http://www.4joursdedunkerque.org/
So if this takes place mext year it might be good to stay and watch a bit of it. And - no wonder we had some strange looks as we rode through Dunkirk, although we were first we didn't look much like road racers. Well, I didn't, what with my Enormous Carradice. DZ and AH looked just the part. 
EDIT
As a further aside, the timings are interesting. I do remember being impressed with the rate of progress. DZ and Agent Hilda did about 170k including the bit to Dunkirk at the end, from midnight to about 2.30pm. Take off the hour spent on the tram, and that is 170k ridden in 13 hours 30 minutes. We had three stops, in Ghent, Bruges and Ostend, each of about 45 minutes. Call it 170k done in 11h 15 mins. My odometer says an average speed of 18.4kph. I can't remember a single hill of any description. Johnny Foreigner really does have some lovely cycling country. And no beersies were taken.


----------



## dellzeqq (6 May 2013)

well, I'll start with this..

_...bike racing is rooted in the Belgian, and particularly Flemish, character at a depth that no Italian sport can begin to approach. Watching a bike race in Flanders one can feel oneself entering the soul of a people.........._

well, that did it for me. I bought my first road bike from Don Louis in Herne Hill. The Don spoke English, Italian and Flemish. The wheelmaker spoke Welsh and Flemish. Kelly spoke Flemish, and Tommy Simpson's first big victory was the Tour of Flanders. So....give me the heads of your children to ride on! And then...Belgium appeals to the anarchist in me. In what other country do the police go on strike and get sprayed with water cannon operated by the fire service? What other country fails to find itself a national government for a year?

Having said that, one can get down with the workers, Flemish or otherwise, any time one cares to, but Eurostar had a deal on first class tickets, so Susie and I fetched up at Saint Pancras, handed over our bikes and swanned up to the platform feeling pretty pleased with life, a pleasure undiminished by being told that we had an entire first class carriage to ourselves. As in royalty. Well, almost. A dynamic young business type entered, and confidently plugged in his 'laptop' computer...but, when the impossibly chic Eurostar stewards inspected his ticket, he was instructed to go to standard class 'at least three carriages from this one'. How we sneered!

We passed on the complimentary grand vins, but enjoyed the smoked chicken salad watching Kent flash by at three miles a minute, and polished off our dessert under a lowering Flemish sky. Our bikes were in the same carriage, so we collected them with a minimum of fuss and made our way to street level to find

a) rain
b) cobblestones
c) hippies
d) drivers on drugs

a) and b) make for a tricky ride, and so we walked to the Avenue de Stalingrad, and ever so carefully set off. I yelled 'so far, so good' to Susie, a half second before a car came straight at me on the wrong side of the road. So....we tiptoed (or the cycling equivalent) our way to the Grote Markt where, drawn by the magnetic powers of Martin's Thorn bicycle frame we found the others knocking back coffee in De Gulden Boot.

We were (magnicent) seven. Els (our Valiant Leader), her sister Chris, Martin, Baltic Express, Delftse Post, Susie and I. The rain stopped. The sky cleared. We set off, gingerly, BE leading us through a maze of cycle paths, traffic schemes, road works and absolutely out of their skull pedestrians (but no hippies) on to the Asse road. The traffic thinned out. The wind dropped to nothing. The road was well lit. And the cycle paths.............

I'm going to have to get to this sooner or later, so I might as well get on with it. The N9 is an old trunk road that has been turned in to a two-laner. To the outside of the road there is parking space. To the outside of the parking space there is a cycle lane. Then there is (sometimes) a footpath. So we intrepid seven found ourselves riding down an eight foot wide cycle lane that dodged left, right and sometimes joined the road, which sometimes had a bus land down the middle of it. All of which betokens a degree of social organisation that I'd not expected of Belgium's anarchists. Now other people's democratic decisions are not my concern, but I tell you this - if some clod comes up with the same stupid plan for the A23 through Streatham, they're going to get it in a big way. Because what it does is turns towns in to ribbons of houses, hosing out the centred organisation that makes a town a town. It also makes for tricky cycling - you'd not want to be going down that cycle path past a thousand car doors, weaving over kerbs during the day time - and I found the irregular surfaces and the left-right-right-left stuff a bit wearing. And I did wonder how Belgian cyclists got to be any good. And then there's the brothels. Cycle paths bring brothels.

But, there you have it. Asse was asleep, and Aalst was even sleepier. Gent, at 33 miles was wide awake. We were invited in to a house of ill-fame rammed with Euro-Popsters, but Els, sensibly opted for the 't Hoekske cafe, and all was going well until........

The sound of a chute is a dreadful thing. When it's the one you love, it's completely horrible. Susie got her front wheel in to a tramline and that was it. She laid on the floor, terrified. Martin, sound chap, took charge, and we got her to move each limb in turn. All was well, albeit painfully well. She came to the cafe in tears, but, despite being clearly frightened, decided she wanted to go on. And so we headed across the town centre, found ourselves a canal and turned left...........

I'd rather wipe my arse with a badger than ride down a towpath in England. They're narrow, bumpy and bespattered with the remains of anglers - at least I think they're remains because they don't so much as flick an eyelid as you negotiate your way around their rods and baskets and crazy thermos flask collections.......but in Belgium, the towpaths are smooth, three times as wide and, better yet, devoid of anglers. And so we swanned along, not too fast, not too slow, just about right, and Susie gained her confidence back, bit by bit, and rode all the way to Brugge which has streets paved with cobbles and the kind of retro-shmetro tea room open for early morning coffee that, if it were in Broadway Market would have the locals wearing those sixties piled up hairdos and sports jackets and, wait a minute...........whoops. We'll never know.

Fifteen more miles of towpath, the mist hanging like a blanket over the canal, the sun on our shoulders and Flemish chain gangs (actually not too chainy) riding up and down in matching kit. Oostende is a tricky item to navigate, but Els led us, unerringly, to the Caruso cafe where some people ordered lemon meringue pie, cloudlike in its consistency. Me, I had a ham and cheese sandwich, and damn good it was too.


Martin, Susie and I said our goodbyes and boarded the tram. I'd been looking forward to this, but with Susie in pain it was a lot less fun that it might have been. We got off at De Panne, failed to find a taxi, failed with the bus, and set off for the port of Dunkerque, some twenty one miles distant. The wind was now in our faces, and getting stronger, but, cometh the hour, cometh the man....... Martin led us to the border and down a gentle road, made gentler by being closed at one end for a bike race, and then through Dunkerque, which is no easy thing. Slowly, slowly we traversed 'honest' suburbs (as in you wouldn't want to live there) and then across a plain inhabited by a vast petrochemical works, to the ferry terminal. Susie was absolutely all in when we reached the ferry, having cycled a hundred and three miles, seventy of them after crashing. We drank Coke and were glad of it, slumbered on the ferry, and then Martin led us, and, indeed, the rest of the cyclists out of the terminal and in to town and up to the station. Susie and I thanked him (but not nearly enough) and we jumped on a train that eventually got to Victoria, and another to Balham. Susie said no to a taxi and did the mile ride home with some difficulty. Prosecco, prawns and smoked salmon (from Waitrose, which, as we all know, is a workers co-op) dulled the hurt a little, and she slept until eleven this morning, waking much the better for the rest.

And that's the story of our ride. I'll spare you the bit about getting busted by the fuzz at lunch today, and content myself with the most heartfelt thanks to all my riding companions, not least Els for organising the thing and being so unutterably cool that I knew I had to go, Baltic Express for getting us out of Brussels and Martin for his care and patience on the road from De Panne.


View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0oKUpIqwek


----------



## srw (6 May 2013)

Do Eurostar and Belgian trains and trams take tandems? Next early May bank holiday is looking free - we've worked out that the Isle of Wight, though gorgeous in the sun, is not tandem-friendly. Mile-munching on Belgian canals, though - very tandem friendly.


----------



## Tim Hall (6 May 2013)

Sound marvellous. Two things: How is Agent Hilda's lippy? I trust no cosmetics were damaged during her _chute. _And riding through Ghent, yet no mention of Browning (or Sellar and Yeatman).


----------



## mmmmartin (6 May 2013)

You would get a tandem on the Kunsttram but if you did, not many passengers with it. And trains would be tricky. Unless you had S&S couplings, which would make life much easier...... This also applies to the Dover train, obvs. You might want to look at a car to Dover and across to Dunkirk then driving to, and parking in, Ostend, before getting a train to Brussels. That might be easiest and cheapest, not least because it avoids the difficulty of buying a ticket for two people but one bicycle....
And I can confirm that aforesaid lippy was as pristine after the fall as it was before, which is all one would expect, obvs. And that as I moved towards Agent Hilda who was at that point, lying with her head inches from a high kerbstone and being very silent, unmoving and possibly not even breathing, I did not wet myself. Nearly, thobut.


----------



## ceepeebee (6 May 2013)

Ghent will forever be the home of cake-pie (cake, in a pie crust! Amazing) and an all nighter on the corsendonck the likes of which will never be seen again for me. Next year though, I'll definitely make time for this trip and possibly try and find that late night bar with the bitterballen and the booze.


----------



## Agent Hilda (6 May 2013)

Brussels - Bruges - Oostende - De somewhere - Dunkirk

We decided to do this ride at the last minute , so I didn't really have time to think about the implications of riding at night in another country. If I had I might have asked a few questions

I reckon I was fairly sensible to suspect that it was going to be a challenging night. It normally is, but the plaits were plated and I thought whatever, I am going to fit right in and it will all be ok. At least its not cold and raining!

I have never been to Brussels. It was raining when we arrived. That was a bit of a shock. We were met by a bunch of ne'er do wells with dogs when we came out of the station. The kind of dogs that you use as weapons. The drivers were in small cars going very fast. It was dark and noisy and foreign. It didn't make a fantastic first impression. - but then the same could be said of the day we arrived in Milan, or Barcelona, or Madrid (Del had pneumonia and our hotel was beside a noisy sex club).

To get to the meeting point (in a very loudly neon lit gothic cobblestoned square) we slowly meandered down cycle paths with Del shouting hole! bump! hole! kerb! every five seconds and stopped to ask some random Brussolians the way to go. 

First impressions? Charming friendly people when not behind the wheel of a car. But then the same could be said of many a Londoner.

The gang were in a sweet old beer/coffee shop on the square looking fairly spiffy and up for it. So I thought well I have my own personal tail end Charlie All Upper and he can look after me all night ! Hah! All mine!! 

It was a miracle we got out of Brussels at all and that miracle was called David who led us safely through these extraordinary road traffic islands and out onto the main M road or something. I'm not very good at doing directions or knowing whether we are going North or South but I guess we were heading for the sea as that is the whole point!

There is a lot of sex in Belgium which I'm not used to. But the roads are fairly flat the moon was just perfect and I loved spending time with Els, Chris, David, Mark, Martin and The Boss, although I found the cycling hard.

I have never had an accident on The Rube before. In fact I have never had an accident before or a broken bone. I cracked some ribs once when I fell over a fence drunk, but that was a long time ago, and we had been drinking whisky and meeting criminals. I have been fantastically lucky! I fell off going up a mountainous hill once on Lon-Jog but landed on a grass verge and it was fairly sunny and I needed a bit of a lay down as it was. I think I have a rather flimsy frame of mind made up for by strong old bones and a nice helping of peachy fat to cushion the blow.

This time it was a real shock. I was pretty tired, it was the middle of the night after all, and I had found the cycling up to this point quite trying, meandering cycle paths with lots of turns, bumps and ons and offs, not quite knowing which direction the cars were going to come from, it was all a bit scary.

We arrived suddenly at the half way stop and I shot to the right across a tram line (or so I thought). Bang! I hit the ground hard and it instantly really hurt! All over! My first thought was oh shoot I have broken my hand as my fingers were all bent. Then I thought, all these years I have been scared of falling off my bike but in the end it isn't so bad! Then I heard Martin saying don't move. I thought my head is ok. My legs are ok. I just need to get up. And then I remembered to start making a big old fuss. Oh boy its hard to get up after a big shock like that as your body is shaking all over. My arms and hands were really painful.

I wanted visible evidence too but you don't get that until the next day - yuk its an ugly old mess . Dammit I thought! They are all going to think I am making a right fuss about nothing now! So I went in the toilets and had a big old weep. Took a nurofen had a cup of tea and got back on the bike.

I didn't call my Mum.

But I wanted to.

I felt bad for Els, its horrid having someone crash on your ride I am sure.

Cycling is always easier than walking anyway so it was ok. 

Dawn was so lovely - I can't tell if this is going to be the Year of The Dawns or not yet, but so far we have had good ones. Just as lovely were the little lambkins and the mist rising off the canals. We got a tiny bit lost but that extra 10k was really pretty and the roads super empty and the company farking great.

I didn't see an owl, a hare or any exciting new wildlife, I saw sheep and lambs, some lovely white cows and a lot of very sweetly smelling club cyclists pounding the small roads by the canals. One had just had an off and if I say so myself was making the most awful fuss - there wasn't a mark on him - what a girl!

In the end it was a really pretty quiet sort of ride. Not a huge amount of chatting but just riding along breathing it all in and waiting for the warmth to arrive.

I honestly felt dreadful after breakfast and was beginning to think I had a crack in my elbow as my hands were going blue and everything was swelling up, but I think this was just from the vibrations. 

We went on a tram which would have been nice if I hadn't been feeling so dreadful. We tried to get a bus to Dunkirk but the driver was not for turning and in the end I had to get on The Rube and cycle the last bit. That was quite tough but Del was bloody brill husbandwise keeping me amused and letting me sit on his tail. 

I must say I found the whole taking the bikes apart bit to put into the taxi cab secretly very funny but it would have been rude to laugh out loud. 

Martin was just fab putting up with me and he's not married to me so doesn't have to. Thank heavens for him actually who was a total brick as well as a genius reader of garmin and I was really complaining about the road to hell we cycled on to get to the ferry, it went on and on and on and on. But you know, Dell told me some great jokes, i'd like to share them with you but they were about explosions and road signs and that would be horribly indiscreet of me and I simply havent had enough to drink.

Thank you Els for organising the ride it was quite an adventure!

Now who is going to join me in persuading Jenny NOT to give up cycling?

Agent H


----------



## swarm_catcher (7 May 2013)

Photos are ready, and mixed feelings report to follow.


----------



## Agent Hilda (7 May 2013)

I'm really really fine Els and pretty proud of the revolting bruises on my leg!! Plus I love your photos and have liked them. Plus I loved your sister! Whoop what a doll. The boys were pretty fit too. See you soon I hope Sx


----------



## mmmmartin (7 May 2013)

May 5 is bank holiday next year. For your diaries.

It was a fantastic experience. The more I think about it, the more I appreciate it. 

Susie is as hard as nails, and certainly harder than she thinks she is ..... rode a hundred miles without sleep, mostly in the dark, all in foreign lands, mostly after a bad crash, and still cheerful at the end, and no lippy was smudged. Never a bad word spoken. Chapeau. Not many blondes can match that. Well, apart from that Schwarzenegger bloke. And what does he know about cycling in Belgium? Eh?


----------



## BalkanExpress (8 May 2013)

mmmmartin said:


> Susie is as hard as nails, and certainly harder than she thinks she is ..... rode a hundred miles without sleep, mostly in the dark, all in foreign lands, mostly after a bad crash, and still cheerful at the end, and no lippy was smudged. Never a bad word spoken. Chapeau.


 
This x1000


----------



## Flandrienne (9 May 2013)

Hello!
All safe and sound? I had a wonderfull weekend taking part at the Flemish night ride to the coast ! I am cycling to Delft soon.Someone will have Post...


----------



## Flandrienne (9 May 2013)

http://smilebox.com/playBlog/4d7a59314d4441774e44453d0d0a&blogview=true

Look at that!


----------



## swarm_catcher (9 May 2013)

Do you know what a Flandrien is? It's a cyclist who rides until he can't remember his own name, somebody who is silent, never complains, has enormous physical strength and perseverance. Flemish people like to think they're natural born Flandriens. I'd like to add that if you come off your bike, pick yourself up and continue to ride, then that would be a characteristic of a Flandrien also. So with that I'm going to award something very special, it's the unique Friday Foreign Flandrien award and it goes to Susie. Who wouldn't be proud of a triple F status? By the way, Wiggins won the International Flandriens award last year, he was born in Belgium after all ...

There was a wonderful photo of the start of De Ronde Van Vlaanderen, in Ghent 1930, in the 100 year celebratory magazine of Het Nieuwsblad (March 2013). It shows the peloton on a tramlined, cobblestoned road. Shame I can't find the picture online, and I daren't post a photo of it.
​Those tramlines are still there, and they'll be a feature of the safety talk at next year's Flemish NRttKust. Mind you, we'll be avoiding tram lines at all cost. At least until we reach the coast. Because on the coast, is the longest tram line in the world, as researched by mmmmartin.

Maybe that is what we should do? Maybe we should ride to Knokke. That could make us ride just north of Ghent. And people wanting to get the tram would get full value of the longest tram line in the world, as researched by mmmmartin. Knokke also has train connections back to Brussels and would be closer for the Delftse Posts amongst us.

Finding a middle of the night stop might be harder mind.

For the middle of the night stop, we could fill my sister Kris' pannier bags with pastries and coffee/tea flasks. I had given here a lecture along the lines of 'don't come kitted out for a trek to Kazakhstan'. But, my goodness, didn't she do well? Never cycled that distance, never cycled at night, brand new bike, recovered from a back injury only days before. Kept up with everybody, took wonderful photos, contributed to navigation. I apologise to her for my sense of humour failure as she brightly suggested we cycle the scenic route home from the local train station, on the way back. I feel so bad, but yep, my sense of humour had gone. I felt battered and shattered and only wanted to get home as quickly as possible. I'm very pleased for my sister that she enjoyed herself. I think she might just have come out tops with her bike taking all the curbs, bumps, cobblestones and tram lines on the way. She went to work on Monday and felt none the worse for the night ride. Just amazing.
​Other thoughts of the weekend:

Kris and I sitting outside on La Grande Place eating waffles was great
No rain during the ride
No mechanicals
Hearing cuckoos a couple of times
The little plover (? I think) in Ostend
Cycling through Bruges was absolutely wonderful. I was so in awe that I didn't take any photos. We were already tired by then, and hunting for break stop was priority. But next time (if we go through Bruges again), we should wonder around more. Seeing Bruges empty can be fully appreciated if you've been to Bruges on a typical touristy day.
The many professional looking cycling groups going at great speed along the canal. I would hold my breath as two opposing groups were crossing ... just next to us.
Hearing the word posh being used so often (???)
Celebrating my mum's birthday
Coming home (Hanwell), parking, opening the door and hearing a 'YESsssss' from several houses along the street. A moment later, an even bigger cheer was heard. The first Yes, was Brentford saving a penalty, the second Yes, was Brentford scoring the winning penalty goal. The Bees are going to Wembley and I'm going too!
The low of the news that my parents pet sheep died on the Monday, 16 years old she was
The high of my dynamo light with USB port arriving
The sky high of bumping into V for Vengadetta at work, who told me about his plans on making electronic shifters for somebody who needs both left and right on the same panel. Just brilliant and inspiring
What could be improved?

Definitive route. Contrary to what mmmmartin thinks, I'm no good navigator. I do have a good sense for when I'm lost, which is most of the time.
More scenic route. The Gentsesteenweg may not need many waymarkers, but there is a lot of sameness. I love a warts 'n all route, and you do get that when mapping the most direct route between A and B. I've seen Belgium now, like I have never before!
We'll have scope for a seaside breakfast place, since the ride takes longer than expected, more places will be open
Meet at the station? Cycle through the Grote Markt together?
I loved the company and appreciated the team work. I'm already looking forward to next year. There is some great feedback (max 20 riders is a good call from BalkanExpress). mmmmartin could be our transport correspondent, BalkanExpress could be the Brussels - Ghent guru, and my sister and I can explore Ghent to the coast. Any thoughts on the Knokke idea?

Here is the photo a like the most of my sister's series


----------



## StuAff (9 May 2013)

I think I've ridden with quite a few Flandrians, of various nationalities....

Great job Els, hoping to make the next one even more after all these great reports and pics.


----------



## BalkanExpress (12 May 2013)

swarm_catcher said:


> ​ But, my goodness, didn't she do well? Never cycled that distance, never cycled at night, brand new bike, recovered from a back injury only days before. Kept up with everybody, took wonderful photos, contributed to navigation. I apologise to her for my sense of humour failure as she brightly suggested we cycle the scenic route home from the local train station, on the way back. I feel so bad, but yep, my sense of humour had gone. I felt battered and shattered and only wanted to get home as quickly as possible. I'm very pleased for my sister that she enjoyed herself. I think she might just have come out tops with her bike taking all the curbs, bumps, cobblestones and tram lines on the way. She went to work on Monday and felt none the worse for the night ride. Just amazing.
> ​


 
Huge chapeau to Kris, I had not realised that this was such a big trip for her. The way in which she set of at a confident pace and kept it up all night suggested a(nother) hardy Flemish rider.

For the route: Knokke would be good both for the logistics and because the route would go out through Damme and this is an amazing bit of canal to ride along.


----------



## swarm_catcher (12 May 2013)

Below is the map moment, mmmmartin referred to.






For my pilgrimage (see yacf), I'll be upgrading my gps device, so that I can get maps like the one above on it.

I agree with Damme, just beautiful. More options are opening ... a friend has offered to open up their seaside flat in Ostend, for breakfast. There are other people I'm touching base with, some near Ghent, some near Knokke.


----------



## dellzeqq (12 May 2013)

that map is testament to the seductive power of water. I hadn't noticed that we'd turned through ninety degrees until Martin brought us to a halt and I took a look at the dawn.

All rides take a bit of working out. I recall User10571's original Whitstable route. Up a 1 in 5 hill, across a graveyard, down a 1 in 5 hill with a barrier across the bottom of it. How we laughed! Then again my idea was bomb straight down the A2, which we eventually got to do on the way to Ramsgate, albeit that some bright spark had turned part of the A2 in to one of the world's silliest bike paths. For the first six Whitstable FNRttCs we followed NCN1 in to Sittingbourne, which is as stupid a piece of work as Sustrans ever came up with, but now we do the sensible thing and go via Milton Regis. And, later this month the FNRttC will probably revert to one of User10571's original ideas in the hope of catching the fag end of the bullfrog mating season.


----------



## Flandrienne (22 May 2013)

I am preparing to ride a part of the Flandrien route of de Ronde van Vlaanderen, climbing my first cobblestone mountain: De Kemmelberg!
Meanwhile,at the same day, busy Bee Swarm_Catcher will be pedalling through Sweden !


----------



## Aperitif (22 May 2013)

Good luck. Don't like the look of that guy's bicycle in the picture though...maybe the photo has been cobbled together - like De Kemmelberg! The weather will be good in Sweden too...s'warming up.


----------



## Flandrienne (15 Jun 2013)

I completed the Belisol Lotto Arrow. The event was very well organised and the guy on the poster is Andrei Greipel who joined the ' fast ' ones. I took it easy and enjoyed the " hills" around Ypres
 I Felt humble seeing the graveyards of world war 1

.





Bye for now...  next bike ride: The Freddy Maertens arrow 18 July


----------

