This gallery contains 7 photos.
A series of new signs has been catching my eye on the way home from work in recent weeks. Numbers in circles accompanied by arrows means that the long awaited spread of the Dutch-style node point cycle navigation system (Knooppunt) … Continue reading
This gallery contains 6 photos.
National Day public holiday in Belgium. Most of the country is enjoying a late morning in expectation of music and fireworks tonight. Which means the roads are almost deserted, a glorious opportunity to ride almost car-free through summer fields with … Continue reading
This gallery contains 4 photos.
Sometimes it is worth getting soaked on the bike ride home from work. After our first major rainfall for weeks I could have been very grumpy about my very damp arrival home last night. But later the skies over our … Continue reading
This gallery contains 5 photos.
I am now trying to get myself a bit fitter after a seasonal layoff from longer bike rides. As it is cold, damp and the visibility is poor the roads are not an attraction and I need a bit of … Continue reading
This gallery contains 3 photos.
A small gallery from Sunday – mountain bike ride and lunch, with ghostly shapes in the mist over the countryside and the frozen lake. The church spire of Plancenoit was like a space ship as it suddenly emerged from the … Continue reading
This gallery contains 6 photos.
Each year my New Year’s Day ride has a slightly different character and this year it was the result of three days of freezing fogs in the Brabant Wallon countryside in the centre of Belgium. No doubt that the mountain … Continue reading
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One of those days today. One of the few days when there really is no point trying to explain to anyone not already converted why cycling is the best choice. Hitting the panic button when I realise that there was … Continue reading
This gallery contains 9 photos.
As an environmentalist I feel deeply concerned about what is happening to our climate. It is not right that I should be out in the garden shovelling leaves in shorts and a teeshirt on the last weekend of October in … Continue reading
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In the Ten Commandments and indeed in the equally important Rules of the Velominati there is no line that says “thou shalt not covet your neighbour’s bike shed”. Which is good news, because I have been coveting a bit lately. … Continue reading
This gallery contains 25 photos.
It’s been a while. But welcome back. Welcome back to the feeling that today is that day. The day I just have to ride. The temperature is drifting up and forecast to clear 30 degrees for the first time this … Continue reading
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Watching the numerous baking programmes that have become so popular on the TV my ears pricked up at the mention of a cake named for one of the world’s great bike rides – the Paris-Brest-Paris. Created in 1910 to celebrate … Continue reading
This gallery contains 3 photos.
Some of the fun things about Belgium country life are the local festivals, markets, walks and indeed bike rides that are put on by community groups and local councils. There is always something happening in Lasne and at least twice … Continue reading
This gallery contains 2 photos.
2016 has started with a bit of a whisper on idonotdespair.com I have as they say been “otherwise engaged” and most cycling activity except watching the cyclocross on Belgian TV has been deferred. We have just moved from the rented … Continue reading
I Do Not Despair 