Although the weather is not the most perfect kind, still to get a ride in for this week was a must! So no big hills and to high speed but some lengthy ride over more or less flat countryside. With 70+km one can get some distance from home, so I opted for the belgian side with the well known naturepark "de Kempen". Getting there was not easy, but first a little climb on the way: Hobbelrade. Again this year a personal best. After Beek and Elsloo I made the mistake to get on the wrong side of the canal, and I couldn't get on the cycleway along the A76 to get into Belgium. A little nice detour via Stein and I could get over the border. Speed was still good, legs also and the weather was very nice with a little breeze. Following the canal towards Maasmechelen I got that specific feeling again, that you get coming in Belgian Limburg. I can't exactly describe what it is, but you know you crossed the border somehow.
Through maasmechelen was kinda fun, with all kind of people on the terrasses. Then after a suburb I got left into the Kempen area. Big forests and a confusing route that I had planned. Planning in Strava can mix up MTB tracks with roads. So i had to trust my gutfeeling and the little garmin map on my steer and follow some cycleways. It worked out well and i could get to that straight crossing over the E314 towards Zutendaal. There I was on a dangerous road and i was glad i found a cycleway again very soon after that. The view that was served to me was amazing there!
All the way to the Dutch side with the industry and in between a big chunk of nature! This is a place to explore maybe in the future with the family. It's not far away but still something completely different. During the ride there I could imagine the deer and wild hogs running around and getting lost here was something actually possible. It feels huge and wild.
From there it was due south through more forests but also some nice suburbs with houses that looked more like castles most of the time. Still keeping a good pace I got in more familiar terrain at Smeermaas and Lanaken. Along the channel it was through a not so known approach I found myself at the noorderbrug. Through Meerssen and the lange Raarberg I was home with a ride of another kind. More than I could have hoped for on this evening
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