| Monday
20 September Poix-de-Picardie to Peronne
96kms
Today the plan was to go around the city of Amiens. We first thought
of visiting but the smell of home is strong now and we just want to
get there.
After breaking camp we D920 and headed east. We tried to stay on the
smallest roads as much as possible.
The countryside stays the same around here, rolling hills and
farmland mostly. There were many battles around here during WWI and
there is evidence throughout the area. Mainly in the form of small
cemeteries and memorials, both from the allied and axis sides.
The municipal camping here is cheap and basic ok I guess for a
night.
Pictures from the days ride.
Tuesday 21 September
Peronne to Maubeuge 103kms
Got up at our normal time, broke camp and headed eastward on the D6
direction Roisel and finally Nauroy where the busy and almost dead
straight D932 begins.
Before getting on the D932 is was a nice ride, again with a lot of
reminders of the great war. Once on the D932 it was just doing kms
and watching out for the huge trucks that passed us. I should say
that the majority of the truckers were very well behaved it was just
not a fun ride sharing the road with these huge machines.
The last 20 or so kms before Maubeuge we rode through this very nice
Foret de Mormal which was a nice finish to the days ride.
We had seen on the internet the other day that there was a bicycle
path along the Sambre which flows past Charleroi and onto Namur. We
will try to find this cycling path tomorrow.
The camping here is the smelliest of all on this tour. It was
downwind from a field that was just fertilized, lol
The camping itself was ok for the night.
Pictures from the days ride.
Wednesday 22 September
Maubeuge to Namen (Namur) 116kms
Today really turned out to be a day of contrasts. We broke camp and
were on the road by 09:00. We headed back a few kms to the center of
town, found the Sambre and the cycling path next to it after a few
minutes of searching. We were pleasantly surprised to find a well
paved car free path.
The ride was very nice a peaceful for most of the way to Charleroi.
There were only a few rough sections but it was mostly due to the
cycling path being improved.
In Charleroi it all changed, it is difficult to describe the view of
these old, dilapidated and rusty factories along this cycling path.
The scene was one from a Hollywood post nuclear holocaust movie. It
really felt cold and forbidding riding past these huge deserted
buildings. We wouldn't even think of riding along this section in
the evening or night. After this ancient industrial park the cycling
paths dumped us in the middle of a chaotic city that was just one
huge construction yard. It took a while and with the help of a few
locals to find our way out of this city and back on the cycling path
along the Sambre.
The long day, along with the breaks we took and getting through
Charleroi meant we didn't reach Namen until 19:00 very tired and
without a clue as to where the camping was so we decided to splurge
a bit and get a room for our last night on the road.
We know the road from here to Maastricht as we've ridden it a couple
of times already going the opposite direction. After washing up we
got out for a nice diner and drinks before we went back to the
hotel.
Pictures from the days ride.
Thursday 23 September
Namen to Maastricht 112kms
Got up early today, we did not get much sleep last night we thought
it was nerves. We did not waste much time getting ready and after we
did our morning constitutionals we were underway.
We crossed the river Maas, got on the cycling path and headed
downriver toward Liege. As we neared Liege we ran into problems
because we decided to stay on the eastern bank and ended up getting
into heavy industry which made it a bit hairy. It didn't last long
and soon we were in the center of Liege and pretty much put the
bikes on autopilot and cycled the last 15kms along the Albert canal
to Eijsted and finally the last 10 to Maastricht.
It was real nice to cycle back down the same street were we had
departed on Wednesday 28 April.
Our daughter and Monique's sister Liselotte were waiting for us and
we had a nice and emotional homecoming.
It felt great to be back home.
Pictures from the final days ride. #1
the Maas early morning near Namen. #5 Liege looking upstream.
#6 the cone shaped border marker between
Belgium and Holland.
#7 Monique enjoying the last kms on the great cycling path between
Eijsden and Maastricht.
#'s 8/9 riding home.
#10 finally home enjoying a well deserved beer. |