Sutra 4 - July 5th, WEPION – DINANT – HOUYET The Belgian Greek, rain showers and the mountain – fren
THE GREEK BELGIAN ...
I had already hit the road for a couple of kilometres feeling positive and strong! That breakfast had worked miracles! While I was still following RAVeL-2 towards Dinant I got the attention of another cyclist that started approaching me all covered in his racing gear/clothing, asking me how I am doing,where I come from and where I am heading to. After being a bit surprised of my destination (… looking first at me then back to my heavy load and then back at me …) said "well … good luck with that!'' Our conversation was going on and the fact I am Greek was brought in, then he started laughing and said in Greek: ‘’AN EINAI DYNATON’’ (translation: IF POSSIBLE!!!) haha… it turned out he was Belgian/Greek and I could have a nice greek conversation also about Greece’s politic situation right now that I had in my mind those days not really being able to catch up with the news and what is going on. So he filled me in for the rest of the 3 km we cycled together before our ways parted, wishing good luck to each other! What a nice coincidence.
RAIN SHOWERS AND THE '' MOUNTAIN - FRENZY''
The weather had been really good all day, the sun was not burning and the temperature was really nice for cycling. Some clouds ahead though could be the sign of a rainy afternoon to come. I reached Dinant!
As soon as I reached Dinant I just wanted to sit down and have a coffee somewhere updating things and do some Yoga Sutras studying. While I was at the café the skies literally opened … pouring down a hell lot of rain … I could do nothing but wait a bit longer and cover Jack to save my stuff from getting all wet and nasty. I took that as an indication that I had more time to think what to do from that point on. I could already reach France going directly to Givet .. but something came over me while my finger was running alongside the map pointing towards Dinant’s mountain network. A desire had been created instantly. Just have a glimpse of these areas up there I had never been before! I could still find a way to head down the Ardennes afterwards. My mind was all made up so after the rain calmed a bit …the late afternoon found me and Jack pedalling towards Anseremme being all excited and ignorant of the adventure waiting for us ahead…
And I tell you something … I studied the map. I really did!! But the beginning of this route just lures you to follow it even more
… it’s so beautiful, easy and relaxing, breathing the mountain air!
Although ascending does not giving signs that you are falling deeper and deeper into a mountain desire-frenzy trap, that from a point on there is no really way to come back from but only find the strength to push forward to reach somewhere to rest… and with that been said I mean MAKING IT ALIVE TO HOUYET!!! … From ANSEREMME-WALZIN TO FURFOOZ-CELLES AND SANZINE … I can truly say were the hardest and steepest routes I had ever encountered in my cycling experience so far … not only in my cycling experience but also in my walking one…cause as it turned out I had to do a lot of kilometres walking and pushing Jack up … feeling my arms burning like I had been holding a headstand for hours…
The pick of difficulty going up is at WALZIN the start of a 300meter climb to FURFOOZ… and following your desire comes always with a price and consequence!
WALK IT OFF … CRY IT OFF!
And there I was … walking for almost 30 minutes pushing Jack up … not being able to cycle at all … concentrating on the sound of my breath and the sound of my pacing, feeling my sweat coming from the top of my head, burning my eyes and going all the way down my legs on an endless circle. I could think of nothing else, I had no expectation of when I would reach the highest point or how long I would still have to walk. Only thing I knew was that if I wanted to rest somewhere safe with the choice I made to follow these mountain roads, I would have to reach a camping in Houyet before sunset.
Then after a long distance walking up the mountain hopefuly following my map the right direction cause I hadn’t seen a car or any person around … I finally felt I was reaching the pick! I could feel I can walk easier and Jack was feeling lighter! Coming out of the forest I saw the first fields and the road becoming flat towards Furfooz … I HAD MADE IT!
At this point I have no idea what came over me. I left Jack aside I sat on the ground and I started crying soooooooooo much …. Sooooooo loud! Hahaha
So much emotion that I just didn’t know how to handle came out and it was like a volcano erupted suddenly! I haven’t cried like this for years and it felt amazing! I guess when you tried to ''walk it off'' and didn't work, ''crying it off'' sometimes works miracles! I felt that a heavy weight was lifted off my shoulders!
A few more kilometres of intensive uphill through Celles and Sanzine and the last ones being all speeding downhill on a mountain-frenzy high ride… I had reached my destination right on time! Houyet and Camping De La Lesse!