BalkanExpress
Guru
- Location
- Brussels
Sunday 3 July saw the first run of the Limburg version of the ever expanding Eroica operation.
Rides (60, 100 and 160 km)!all set out and returned to Valkenberg in the Netherlands, home of the Amstel Gold race and a very pretty town with a fine medieval centre and castle. I had booked myself and the Peugeot Y10 in for the 60km, neither of us are as young as we used to be, although the bike is in considerable better shape than me.
Let's get the dismay out of the way. When doing one of these rides do not when packing everything into your fancy Eroica musette leave your spare inner tubes behind. If you do pray that you not running latex inners on the original rim tape. If you happen to be running latex inners etc etc, pray that the rear one does not go bang 30 km in. If it does you will find that spray sealant hung may work for 3mm holes but not 3cm gashes...not even two cans of the stuff. If you have been this stupid then it is only right and proper that the cycling gods will ensure the emergency repair number is busy and that it starts to rain. Still the cafe I stopped in was very friendly and I managed to get a lift back to Valkenberg.
All of this was a pity as the day had been a real delight until then. Not too many starting at the same time on the short route so the balance between lovely bikes, lots of Raleighs, Gazelles, RIH and Batavus, to look at and elbow room was about right. The start through town was pretty and then suddenly I was through an arch and into the caves under the fortress listening to Nina Simone, as I rode past an underground video installation.
Out of the caves and then bang, straight up the Cauberg, I managed to ride up but there were plenty for whom 12% and vintage gears meant a bit of a walk. This was very much the theme for the ride, at leat the bits I did, pretty countryside and great descents with leg ripping climbs and some gravel paths that looked like river beds, we almost all walked that section. In short it was hard work on a roadbike with 23 MM tyres, in fact would have been hard work even in my old rigid MTB.
Hard work but lots of fun, interesting people to chat too, great landscape and a fun but challenging route.
Would I do it again? Well it is damned expensive for a day on the bike but as a one off event it is a bit special and I think I would.
I have a few pictures but am failing to add them here so will try to create an album and post the link......we'll have created a very short album but not sure how to cross link. Still it is the thought that counts.
Rides (60, 100 and 160 km)!all set out and returned to Valkenberg in the Netherlands, home of the Amstel Gold race and a very pretty town with a fine medieval centre and castle. I had booked myself and the Peugeot Y10 in for the 60km, neither of us are as young as we used to be, although the bike is in considerable better shape than me.
Let's get the dismay out of the way. When doing one of these rides do not when packing everything into your fancy Eroica musette leave your spare inner tubes behind. If you do pray that you not running latex inners on the original rim tape. If you happen to be running latex inners etc etc, pray that the rear one does not go bang 30 km in. If it does you will find that spray sealant hung may work for 3mm holes but not 3cm gashes...not even two cans of the stuff. If you have been this stupid then it is only right and proper that the cycling gods will ensure the emergency repair number is busy and that it starts to rain. Still the cafe I stopped in was very friendly and I managed to get a lift back to Valkenberg.
All of this was a pity as the day had been a real delight until then. Not too many starting at the same time on the short route so the balance between lovely bikes, lots of Raleighs, Gazelles, RIH and Batavus, to look at and elbow room was about right. The start through town was pretty and then suddenly I was through an arch and into the caves under the fortress listening to Nina Simone, as I rode past an underground video installation.
Out of the caves and then bang, straight up the Cauberg, I managed to ride up but there were plenty for whom 12% and vintage gears meant a bit of a walk. This was very much the theme for the ride, at leat the bits I did, pretty countryside and great descents with leg ripping climbs and some gravel paths that looked like river beds, we almost all walked that section. In short it was hard work on a roadbike with 23 MM tyres, in fact would have been hard work even in my old rigid MTB.
Hard work but lots of fun, interesting people to chat too, great landscape and a fun but challenging route.
Would I do it again? Well it is damned expensive for a day on the bike but as a one off event it is a bit special and I think I would.
I have a few pictures but am failing to add them here so will try to create an album and post the link......we'll have created a very short album but not sure how to cross link. Still it is the thought that counts.
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