wiljen's adventures: Cobbly Cobble Cobble Ugh

03/06/15 Tournai to Ypres (Ieper), 67kms

Oh my god, it bloody rained again last night! But, when we woke up around 6am, there was no rain, and the wind was considerably better. When we finally got out of the tent at about 8ish, there was even blue sky and sunshine. Woo hoo!

All packed and down the road by 9:50am, and straight back into Tournai for the scenic tour. I forgot to tell Davo we'd done that on our own yesterday. Oh well, it is a pretty place, and the cobblestones aren't that bad.

On the outer of Tournai, almost in the farmlands, and more cobblestones. Wow, maintaining some history is all good, but come on! The back roads are a really nice riding alternative, the only thing you have to look out for, are the massive tractors pulling even bigger trailers full of stinky cow poo.

The cobbles were so bad, we rode on the potholed verge. Bone jarring!

After a short morning tea stop, in Willem, we enjoyed some more historic cobblestone roads, and fields of potatoes, before entering the very big city of Roubaix. Hooley Dooley, we thought it was just another small town, but it took us about half an hour pretty uneventful riding to get through it. Just on the outskirts, we stopped for lunch.

Go Will, he has become the glass tapper we hated at the roadhouse..ha ha ha

Oh no, more of the teeth cracking little buggers.

All the churches seem to be undergoing repairs. Pretty awesome though.

A few more kays down the road, we crossed the river, and spotted our first official Belgium sign. We'd been in and out many times over the past week, but hadn't seen a sign. So snappo, got that one now! From here we were back on RAVel 1, along the river, then onto another one of Belgiums little bike routes.

Finally got our border crossing pic.

We were enjoying these bike routes heaps, and we we turned onto yet another one, not far from Ypres, it looked really nice. Forest, little stream, compacted gravel.....then....oh oh....bloody cobblestones. This was a ripper, my dentist bill is going to be huge. We tried riding on the "verge", but that was either soft mud, or stinging nettles. Some ladies were stopped on the track, and we stopped to have a rest and a chat. Right next to a bridge that had been built and collapsed no less than four times. During the war, the Germans came to blow it up, but it had collapsed all by itself. They thought the English had destroyed it before they got there!

Happy riding, but someone needs to get the mower out.

Fffrrriggin hhheckk, tthisss isss rough! Hhhoww mmuch lllonnnger?

Not long after the bridge, the path turned back to sealed track. Aahh! Then we popped out next to a beautiful WW1 cemetery. On our way into Ypres, there were several of these, all immaculately kept and cared for.

This makes you stop and be grateful, so stop, people and be grateful.

Entering the town was amazing. A real town surrounded by a fort and a mote. Way cool! Oh, and streets of cobblestones. At least the cars had worn these ones day some over time. Again, we aimed for the massive steeple that seems to be in the centre of the village, and came to the main square. Oh wow! The old Cloth Hall, which was destroyed in WW1 and been rebuilt as closely to original as possible, is now the war museum and is beautiful. The rest of the town was also flattened, and has been rebuilt.

I would like to live in a town surrounded by a big wall and a mote, wouldn't you?

Just head for the mega steeple.

WOW....wow.

We found somewhere to eat and drink, and had an early dinner, before locating the campground, less than a kilometre from the centre. It is really nice, and it was full of motorcyclists, on a tour visiting some of the war sites. They do it every year, and pay homage to their comrades by laying a wreath at one of the memorials. A bunch of ex servicemen and women, bikers! Great to chat to a few of them.

Cheers, just a shandy for me, it is warm.

We ordered chicken chips and salad...ha ha ha, didn't expect a whole baby chicken....yummy though.

We rode through the Menin Gates and Will was so busy navigating he didn't realise....

Later on, we walked into town to watch and listen at the Menin Gate, as nightly they play the last post and lay a wreath in honour of those lost and who do not have a marked gravesite. It was very moving, and there were a lot of people there to pay respects. I'm glad we did not miss it.