On the Roof of Belgium

At an elevation of over 500 metres above sea level, Bastogne is apparently the highest city in Belgium. Of course, we all know just how high Bastogne is, because yesterday we cycled every one of those 500 vertical metres, most of them several times over.

Today is our second rest day for this ride, and it is just as well, for I don't think that many of our riders would have been able to face another hard day. The timing also turned out to be perfect for two other reasons. This morning we awoke to drizzling rain, that has persisted for most of the day. If that rain had arrived 24 hours sooner, I am sure that it would have been the straw that broke the proverbial peloton's back.

The second reason the timing of the rest day was perfect was that it gave an opportunity for some of our ailing bikes to be replaced. Today a young man from the Cycle Centre drove all the way from Maastricht with five replacement bikes. Hopefully all our riders will now be mobile and happy when we start riding again tomorrow. I thought it was quite amazing service.

Bastogne had a terrible time in WW2, being right in the action during the infamous Battle of the Bulge in 1944. During the German offensive the city was actually surrounded by the German forces and bombed mercilessly. It was not until fine weather allowed the allied air forces to regain control of the air that the German blockade was defeated. After this defeat, the Germans never managed to put together a significant offensive action. It was the beginning of the end for Hitler and his Nazis.

The modern city of Bastogne still honours their liberation by the US forces, and there are several war museums packed with artifacts and documents from that period. Even after 80 years, you get the feel that some of the dark memories still remain.

So how did I spend my free day in Bastogne ? The first significant event was the obligatory visit to the nearby laundromat to try to catch up on the backlog of laundry. This was followed by a baguette and cake for lunch. The shop even sold something that (almost) looked and tasted like real coffee. Of course I could have been delusional.

In the afternoon I met the man from the Cycle Centre and helped with the changeover of the bikes. He also attempted to straighten my bent key, which was starting to look like a prop left over from of Yuri Geller's paranormal shows.

Then it was a visit to the nearby 101st Airborne Museum, where they had an extensive display of battle artifacts. They also had a simulated bomb shelter that helped to realistically reproduce what it would have been like to endure a bombing campaign. It was actually a very sobering experience.

Tomorrow we resume our riding as we make our way to Sank Vith.Read more