minna.eu.com

A short local ride yesterday rendered good news. No pain in my sprained ankle. It brought back memories from when I was hit by a car some six years ago; for months it was painful walking, but up on the bike I felt no pain at all. Ok … well, maybe this time I feel a bit stiff. But not painful. Really. My left knee, on the other hand, is taking stabs at me. And my left wrist is hurting from messing about with the crutches.

Attributing all pains and aches to normal ageing (after all, I am no longer a young bird), I spent yesterday evening looking at where to ride this morning. Just in case my ankle would change its mind, I didn’t want to venture too far, thus leaving out both Jambes and Bolland. But, looking at the forecast of yet another day of scorching sun and high pollen levels, it was not the day to push it anyway. So, how about trail exploring somewhere new?

Holsbeek. Positive reviews. Good signage. Pdf file available. Blue loop it is. Depending on how I feel, I go also for the red trail bits. And if I am really greedy: the green loop for last.

******************

I set out unusually early this morning. It was with a zen feeling of peace I parked up at the start. No problem finding it: Take highway E40 from Brussels, then E314 towards Genk and Haacht, then exit 21 for Holsbeek … and at the first crossing you have the starting point on your left … Not a humongous number of parking spaces, but at zen time; lots!

It all started out on tarmac. No big deal. The first off-road bit provided a long, but rideable, uphill. Fiddling with the camera, several bikers passed by. In Chartreuzenbos, I believe a left-turn sign was missing. After that, double track in different variations (tarmac, cobbles, something in between).

I stopped dead when the road had been dug up for serious plumbing work. Unfamiliar with the area, it took a while to find a way over it. Bunny-hopping was out of the question, or I might have ended up with more serious aches and pains.

Mini-sections of singletrack, with loads of tarmac riding in between. Crossing of busy roads. At 13.76 kilometres, finally a technical section! I did not bring out my fanfares; by this time I was pretty bored. Some more longish tarmac riding, short off-road and then … then … TARMAC DESCENT! ABOMINATION! No, no, no!! At the bottom, crossing of a super-busy road; the risk of a stage beyond aches and pains.

Some more tarmac, then a very technical, gullied uphill, perhaps unrideable to the majority of riders as it was quite steep as well. In fact, downhill it would have been more manageable … hm … and then the tarmac descent uphill? Would this loop be better the opposite direction??? Hmmm …

More tarmac riding, and then a split, with a liaison sign for Aarschot and … halleluja! Rotselaar red trail was joining up with my blue loop of Holsbeek! What followed here was enjoyable riding (thank you Rotselaar); double-track, but with small bumps and bends.

25k into the ride, Rotselaar trail split off to the right, and we … we went left onto tarmac. In my mind, I was already back at the finish.

Conclusion: For the few interesting off-road bits, it is not worth coming here. There is way too much tarmac on this loop. Even if it is rated a blue one, come on! This is off-road biking we are talking about!

Coming here with your own topographic map could be interesting, though, as I saw many small promising paths. I wonder what the two red trail bits are like …

Naw. If I come back to this area, I’d go for exploring Rotselaar red trail; after all it covered the best bit of the blue loop.

All the way back home in the car I kept telling myself, like a mantra, “Protein drink, protein drink … mmmmm … vanilla flavour … MMMM!!” This in an attempt to block out the image of a Magnum White ice-cream! ha ha

I made it back home for healthier food than ice-cream … Eventually I allowed myself a spoonful of Manuka honey, and distraction was complete with fresh cherries from my garden.

Somebody recently asked me how I got so skinny. Having lost 15 kilos in the past 12 years, there have been sacrifices, of course. There are days when I am generous with myself. Today was not one of them.

Some photos here.