Valkenburg to Spa

Breakfast starts at 8.30 so no point being up earlier :) I did most of my packing and then headed down. Breakfast was quite nice, three pieces of bread, a bread roll, two pieces of cheese, a very nice slice of ham, jam, a boiled egg and tea! I ate it all, naturally :)

I finished packing and was on my way by 9.30 I guess. The big debate had been whether to ride up the Cauburg, after all it is not even on my route! However, I'm here, I may never be again, so I rode up. It wasn't too bad actually. 1st gear all the way of course, but still, not too bad. Actually I was getting a bit of a stitch by the time I got to the top :) After another look I shot of back down, my fastest and only real decent so far this tour. However all that was about to change.


I rode south and into Belgium. It was quite hilly and I have to admit I was rather enjoying the rewards of a climb by getting to decend down the other side, just as long as the next climb wasn't too close :) Once I'd finally made it into Belgium I had a total change of plan and decided to go south east and then back around to the south west, rather than heading south west all day, it just looked more interesting. To reward me for this change of plan I hadn't gone very far when there was a bike path, about 3 K's, through a nice wood. Very pleasant.

I stopped at a large dam, impressive view. It was at the top of a very long climb, I'd had to stop. Of course it shot off back down another hill and then up yet another. I was gettig very tired. I was getting slower and slower on the hills, I think I have reached my current limit, around 900 metres of climbing. I was using a quiet white road to get into the town of Spa and there was a short sun shower just before I go there, I stopped under some over hanging trees for a minute or two. Then I came to an intersection. I had no idea which way to go. Fortunately there was a bike route sign and it said to go down a gravel road. It was in the direction I thought spa was in, so I did. What a white knuckle decent, up to 22% at one point. I had to stop a couple of times to rest my hands. However it did take me directly into town.

In town I found a patisserie and got some food. I had a very nice dessert called a Glace, sort of a custard slice. Fortunately I'd stopped to eat right next to Tourist Info and they showed me where the camp site is. Just as long as it is not at the top of a hill :)

Of course it was. What a monster! I had to stop twice. I also took a wrong turn at one point and ended up doing an extra K or two. By the time I finally got to the site I was completely stuffed, and not from food. I rolled out the tent, to mark my spot, and decided to have dinner, it's only 5pm but it seems like as good a time as any. I ate half a baguette and some more cherries. Oh yes, I bought some cherries at a farm today. Could be a little riper, but nice.