London to Salzburg on a bike - Stage 4 - Crupet to Bastogne - 97km - RV6 Picardie-Ardennes

Encountering the Ardennes - 9th September 2013
View to the West over the Meuse Valley

Crupet to Bastogne
Crupet Grotto in the morning sun
Do not let anyone tell you Belgium is flat. Anyone who thinks so has not been to the Ardennes.
Up before opening time in Crupet
Get your inner tubes here!
I made an early start at 8am as I had opted to skip the 12 Euro breakfast at my posh hotel. It was an up and down day in the watery morning sun, the mist just clearing. The school run is just like home, the Mum's rushing to get their little ones to school on time. Managed to keep out of their way and found a Patisserie in Hamois to take on some fuel about 9am. This town is on a major cycle path, an old train line, that goes North East towards Liege. I spotted a cigarette machine where you can buy a replacement inner tube so it is either a very popular route or someone locally is dropping tacks. Liege was not on my itinerary so I continued Eastward, on RV6, through very pretty countryside. There was a bit of a saw tooth profile to this section which meant long climbs and then long descents so it was pretty hard. On one such descent a vicious dog ran out in front of me, hope it learned a lesson. I think if I had been climbing, in the opposite direction, it would have taken a lump out of my leg.
Going Uphill - most roads are pretty good
View from the top
View from the bottom - a Belgian Stream
My trusty steed
Dense Forest in the Ardennes
Made it to Bastogne, turning point for the Liege-Bastogne-Liege Classic. Cannot claim to have cycled the pro's route but might just have crossed it? I found the Tourist Office, unfortunately they had no knowledge of  Hotel prices or availability but the Lady gave me a list of Hostelries to try. Any B&B's were out of town which is a problem when you need an evening meal. I picked a suitable Hotel nearby with a good place for Rosinante. Bastogne is where the Battle of the Bulge is commemorated. About 20,000 Americans died and it was their largest and bloodiest battle of the war. Many Americans still visit. One such family were on the next table to me at Dinner. It was a Mum and two sons who had an Uncle who had been badly wounded in a tank battle but did get home. Mum who was in her eighties was trying to keep her boys, one who was a Policeman, off the beer! I was on their side. Cheers! My Hotel Giorgo had a Pizza Restaurant attached so it was an easy walk to my evening meal.
My dinner was really great, I had a big Calzone Pizza and massive salad. Outside, the rain was setting in and was forecast to last for the next week. Ooerr!
Bastogne was where I would say goodbye to RV6, the Picardie-Wallonie cycle route. It continues to Wiltz in Luxembourg. Have to say it has been perfect, will miss the little Blue and Yellow (Ukranian Flag) stripes tomorrow.
That means you are going the wrong way at a junction

Follow me stripes, but no Roundheads allowed
Turning Point - Liege Bastogne Liege
Location: Bastogne, Belgium

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