September 2, 2014
Bergeilk - Maastricht
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The morning was sunny with a light following wind, so a perfect day for going back into Belgium, before going back into The Netherlands etc. We followed a paved bike route out of Bergeijk which parelelled a dirt road; something about priorities here. We were in a similar situation yesterday in either Belgium or The Netherlands, possibly both. Into Belgium then, we crossed a canal,passed the airbase at Kleine-Brogel, then stopped to buy lunch at a supermarket in Bocholt. At the till, I said to the cashier, “Je m'excuse, je ne parle pas flamand.” “I don't speak French,” she said. In this tri-lingual country [German's the other language, of which more later] Flemish-speaking Belgians seem to have taken against the language of their francophone fellow citizens. As it is for their near neighbours, the Dutch, English is their preferred second language.
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At Neeroeteren, we picked up the canal towpath which would take us almost to Maastricht. It was busy with all manner of bike riders from bad-tempered roadies to family groups. I find towpath riding rather dull, but it certainly gets you from A to B, with little interference from gravity and we still had that tail-wind.
In Maastricht, we found an expensive hotel room, reduced the management said [but still expensive] if we paid in cash; the so-called honeymoon suite. There was an extra bed in there. I guess you could bring along your new wife's bi-sexual best friend and make a proper week of it.We had a look at the city centre before it got dark, then picnicked in the room again, no dining out tonight.
Today's ride: 84 km (52 miles)
Total: 296 km (184 miles)
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