Elevation: 676 m
Duration: 4:39 h
Average speed: 15.7 km/h
Today was the first rainy day. While I initially welcomed the cooler temperatures, the rain at about 19C wasn’t so welcome. But you don’t get to choose.
Just before Tongeren by the museum, today closed, about the Roman history of the region, I had my second breakfast. An excellent plum cake:
Then I cycled into the city with an old cathedral and even older (Roman?) city walls to which these slightly newer buildings are attached.
Shortly after the city I entered the Limburg Fietsparadijs! Which would have been more paradisiac without the rain. Which admittedly for the most part waited out in a bus stop with two Dutch men who were hiking around Limburg.
Anyway the rain didn’t last that long. After 33 km I had to climb the first serious (but short) climb of this tour. With a small pause in the middle I managed.
However on the top I urgently needed a “tree”, which wasn’t a problem except that unwillingly I also some bowel movement, but no toilet paper. Well recently rained on potato leaves make for a reasonable replacement.
I thought of having lunch at Haccourt, but shortly before I run across a public BBQ place with a public toilet. So I had one of my breads there. But it was a bit too cold to linger long time, so I bode farewell to two Belgian cyclist riding to the Netherlands and planning on camping. Thinking back now, I am really convinced that camping must be a torture or BDSM practice. In the cold rain today it must be simply miserable.
As I only had eaten one bread and not stopped for any other sustenance at about 53 km I was quite hungry and decided that a stop to eat an other bread was needed. At that moment I saw a information board a bit further in the road and thought that maybe there might be a bench. There wasn’t, but the board said that there would be a proper information about the Ardenne bleu at 500 m, so I continued in the hope that there might be a bench. And I was rewarded. Not only by a bench but by a Cistercian abbey.
No longer in use as an abbey, but still important use ongoing (also don’t forget the cheese).
I took a break and a croque monsieur which gave me back some energy. BTW, the church itself was quite new and lacked any interest (for me), but there was a nice garden behind:
5 km later at Aubel I hit an old train line now transformed in cycle way. It was surprisingly easy to uphill and the downhill. Would it not have been for the rain that set in for good at about 10 km to go from my accommodation tonight it would have been a very nice ride.
Anyway, at my hotel that overlooks a golf course (where people were continuing with their play in the rain), I had a looooong and very hoooot shower, a hot tea and now for dinner a hot onion soup. Now I feel throughly warmed. Inside out. Ready for more tomorrow, after a long night rest. Now it’s “only” 22:00, but I totally feel ready for bed!
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