The only way to keep your health is to eat what you don't want, drink what you don't like, and do what you'd rather not. - Mark Twain
I start the day with a 5 mile ride to some lakes then back to Genk where I resume my route. The small black notice is of course the widely recognised sign meaning you are about to cycle through a lake.
If you are a strange person and enjoy cycle touring then you lose easy access to food and drink as you are limited by what you are prepared to carry and what is available. Your body also starts to crave healthy foods that will keep you pedalling such as fruit and nuts and treats like snickers bars become acceptable. What's not to like.
Because it looks like a slow news day here are some statistics. Naturally I have picked days through the heart of the Flemish Ardennes with plenty of ascent though now the going is flat as I head west towards Antwerp. Generally my speed is a 10mph average with the dreaded Muur (wall) and other steep climbs dropping that to 9mph. The clock is kind to me as it pauses every time I pause; 5 hours of pedalling takes me 8 hours of elapsed time.
Knooppunt are the nodes, junctions or points around which the cycle network is arranged. In this way you can plan a route from node to node. And yes, I then cycle through a lake.
More beautiful cycleway and scenery. If I remember I will post some overall route statistics on the types of surface.
More industrial heritage.
I haven't always been where the coffee and cake is when I need it but today a cherry pie falls in my lap just after noon.
Time cycling on the canal.
I had been wondering why the route at the end of the day was quite so circuitous but then the cycleway wraps around the German War Cemetery with austere grey concrete crosses remembering soldiers from WW1 and WW2.
Typical view as there are always cyclists.
Here are the promised statistics which show that in 955km 50% of Way Types are on streets or roads when in practice you are on a cycle lane.
Of the Surfaces data I would highlight the 51.9km of cobbles, though that is usually at most 1km at a time. Very little isn't a well made up and maintained surface so it was only today that I found my first pot hole and I also saw three road cleaners on various sections of the route maintaining the excellent condition of the cycleways.
Oh, and I managed to get some laundry done.