Racing the Storm to Brussels

Day 53: Namur to Wemmel (53 miles / 3,100 ft.)

The forecast called for rain and winds approaching 50 mph, so we set the alarm for 7:00 and were rolling by 7:45. Morning traffic hissed across the wet pavement while low clouds whipped through the still-dark sky. The howling wind gave everything the ominous feeling of a major storm approaching.

The race was on. We bundled up against the chilly air, but a long climb out of Namur quickly had us warming up. Fortunately, the wind was mostly at our backs. A light rain was falling but quickly cleared up and the sun occasionally tried to break through the clouds, giving us a beautiful sunrise over our right shoulders.

There was a feeling of urgency all morning. Most of our pictures were taken while riding or during quick nature breaks. We wanted to reach Brussels, navigate the city, and arrive at Luc and Manou’s home in Wemmel before the serious wind and rain arrived.

The miles were clicking off quickly, especially when the tailwind pushed us along at nearly 20 mph. Whenever the route turned, however, the crosswind reminded us how powerful the storm was becoming and occasionally threatened to blow us off the road.

Fortunately, Belgium has an impressive cycling network. Nearly every road seemed to have either a bicycle lane or a separate path, including some beautiful trails covered with autumn leaves. Even Brussels was surprisingly easy to navigate by bicycle, and we made our way through the city without too much confusion or stress.

About two miles from our destination, we spotted the giant silver spheres of the Atomium. We couldn’t resist navigating over for a few celebratory photographs. Built for the 1958 Brussels World’s Fair, the Atomium represents an iron crystal magnified billions of times.

Brussels has always been the symbolic endpoint of this tour, so standing beneath the Atomium felt like a major moment. We still have two more riding days, one to watch the cyclocross race in Overijse and another to Mol to visit friends we first met in 2017, but we had successfully ridden from Lisbon to Brussels!

Luc is also part of our 2017 story. Before our first trip to Europe, I discovered a wonderful program called Brussels Greeters. Visitors complete a survey describing what they would like to see, and local volunteers who love their city can choose to lead them on a free personal tour.

Luc selected our request and spent about four hours showing us Brussels on our very first day in Belgium. A volunteer tour guide became a friend, and nine years later, we were now racing a storm to reach his home.

We arrived around 12:15 after making only a few quick stops and eating nothing more than a few pieces of candy. We had covered 53 loaded miles and climbed 3,100 feet in just four and a half hours, including navigating Brussels and stopping at the Atomium. We had beaten the storm, and we were both pretty proud of what we had accomplished especially when the rain started to fall shortly after our arrival.

Luc and Manou welcomed us warmly. We secured the bicycles in their shed and showered while Manou finished her trip to the grocery store. When she returned, we sat down together and warmed ourselves with piping-hot bowls of fresh vegetable soup. That was followed by fresh tomatoes, mozzarella, charcuterie, and baguette.

We ate, talked, caught up on each other’s lives, and looked out over their beautiful garden while hearing about their projects around the house. After coffee, Lisa and I disappeared for a long and much-needed nap.

By evening, the wind and rain outside had become treacherous. At times it was genuinely frightening as the storm rattled the house and shook the surrounding trees. Listening to it from the warmth and safety of their home made us realize just how close we had cut it. We kept talking about how lucky and relieved we were to have pushed hard and arrived before the worst of it.

For dinner, Manou prepared a classic Belgian comfort dish called chicons au gratin. Endives were wrapped in ham, covered with a creamy white sauce and melted cheese, then baked in the oven and served with mashed potatoes. It was exactly the right meal for a wild autumn night.

As usual, the conversation carried us late into the evening. Suddenly it was nearly 11:00, and we all agreed it was time for bed. Tomorrow is a rest day, giving us more time together and a chance to explore a little of their home area, visit a few parks, and continue the conversation.Read more