I had to be in London at the beginning of the month for work, then meet my family in Belgium the week after. Instead of flying, or taking the train, I opted for door #3 - to ride my bike. I was hoping for a bit more touring, more days of riding, but work and weather got in the way, and I was happy to just make it from point A to point B (London to Brugge).
I packed a backpack with; 1 change of clothes, handful of gels, few extra spokes, extra tube, patch kit, extra tire, cell phone, and some cash (GPB and EUR).
LONDON
Riding in London is always a rush for me. Traffic on par with NYC but more twists and turns, literally. I left late afternoon headed east. I wish I had some photos of it. Perhaps better left to another time with a helmet-mounted cam.
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| Billboard of the Royal Family since this was the week of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. |
ENGLISH COUNTRYSIDE
I left London and got in roughly 50 miles. I say "roughly" since after mile 35 my computer went blank from the water. I was in Kent stuck in a downpour, completely unprepared, without any rain gear.
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| Overlooking the English countryside |
As the weather got worse I reluctantly made the decision to return to London for the night. I made a priority of getting a rain jacket. I found a small window with light(er) rain, but only had 24-hours as the following day looked miserable. I woke up bright and early to catch the first train east to pick up where I left off.
LONDON TO DOVER
At the train station I was happy to see so many cyclists catching trains different directions, all to get a nice ride in the countryside as well.
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| Victoria Station - Kiosk with other cyclists purchasing tickets |
Being on a fairly empty train has its benefits. The trains in London don't facilitate bikes so I just leaned it up against the seats.
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| My trusty Orbea and backpack (this time with a rain jacket). |
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| Following the signs to the ferries |
Arrived in Dover. Not the best shot, but the castle can be seen on top of the hill, while to the right one can see the edge of the famous Cliffs of Dover. The ferries leave from just below the cliffs.
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| Dover |
DOVER TO DUNKURQUE (via ferry)
I had the choice between ferries to Calais or Dunkurque. Calais had multiple options, while Dunkurque was rather limited. Landing in Dunkerque would get me about 20km closer and time was of the essence. No "foot passengers" were allowed, but by riding my bike on board I could qualify to board.
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| My cargo slip with "cycle" handwritten in. |
Boarding the ferry I was placed at the front of the line. There was a handful of Germans (mostly on BMW's) doing a tour themselves who were in line behind me. We were the first to board, leading the train of cars, RVs, and semi-trailers. I got a lot of looks while in line and on board alike.
I tied my bike up on the side while the motorcycles anchored down in their spot.
DUNKURQUE TO BRUGGE
As the bay doors on the ship opened I could hear the rain before even seeing it. I immediately took off my backpack, pulled out my new rain jacket and put it on, then hurried of the ship as the caravan followed right on my tail.
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| Plenty of waterways in many of the towns near the Belgian coast. |
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| Memorial on the beach for the Battle of Dunkurque (WWII). |
The border between France and Belgium in this area is marked by signs but no checkpoint. The road crosses through farmland on both sides. On one side a sign that says "French Asparagus", while the other side said "Belgium Asparagus". I'll go out on a limb and say that a blind taste test would reveal nobody would be able to tell the difference.
Belgium is very cycling friendly. The roads almost always had a bike path, and the motorists always kept a safe distance.
In one of the villages I stopped to verify directions. I ended up in a conversation with an older gentleman strolling down the road. He was curious about the trip so we chatted a bit about the route, Arizona, and also made sure to cover a bit of football (soccer). Across the street from us was a church, cemetery on the grounds, and vines for their own wine growing along part of the perimeter.
There are several food joints along the roadsides. All sorts of meats and cheeses all made to be served fried. I stopped to top off my water. If I weren't in such a hurry I might have indulged.
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| Town Square |
Brugge is often referred to as the Venice of the North. The waterways are beautiful.
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| Typical homes in Brugge |
I woke up in Brugge with a weather forecast of thunderstorms. It was a simple 100km from Brugge to Brussels but now I'm left with no choice. On the train I stayed in the coach that holds bikes. You can see the straps/belts that come down to secure the bikes.
Happy to make it to Brussels to meet up with my family. My daughter sure loved the waffles. I think this one was bigger than her head!
I ended up logging about 150 miles over the 2-days, at an easy pace, with good scenery.
