Maastricht – Lierneux – Luxembourg: 189 km

After sunshine comes… rain?

The two days that it took Jan and myself to go from Maastricht to Luxembourg were not the easiest. We found ourself caught in rain on both days. Here and there we took shelter, here and there we had to follow through. Jan booked a train from Luxembourg on Wednesday, so we really needed to be there before then.

The Ardennes provided us with our first climbs. Not a problem for Jan, but my steel, heavily packed bike is something I need to get used to. The climbs in The Ardennes are short, but can be steep like you won’t believe. For the puncheurs. Which I am not. I’ve had to walk up two of them. In the back of my mind, I grow more scared for the Alps, and the Vosges for that matter. On some of the climbs I wonder what I’ve started, but simultaneously I feel more than alive.

The first of those days we arrive at a random campsite near Lierneux, the one that’s closest by. When we arrive it seems closed? Kind of strange for a camping. The whole place is worn down, the showers haven’t been used in over a century and we can’t seem to check in. We decide to put up our tent anyways, and pay in the morning. Everything is wet. Jan’s everything is wet because his bags are not waterproof. My everything is wet because I changed clothes two times since I sweat so much underneath my rain jacket that I might as well. We cook our first meal on the camping stove. Pasta obviously.  

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The next morning most of our stuff is still wet. We carry on, but decide to take the shorter route, albeit with more traffic, to get to Luxembourg faster. Bad decision. The lorries, trucks and cars pass us on high speed and the stress it causes makes us tired. We take a detour that is nearly traffic free. It heightens our spirits and a watery sun doubtfully peeks through the clouds every now and then. During lunch we book a hotel to honour our last day together and dry all that is wet.

We’ve again cycled about 200 kilometres these two days. I need to take it slower. I need to do more than just cycle, eat and sleep, I keep thinking that every day. I’m worried about my Achilles heel. It’s killing me ever since we’ve started climbing the Ardennes.

Luxembourg is great. A hot shower after two days of rain feels like Nirvana. We eat, we want to go out, but we’re too tired. We drink a beer, just because we said we would. We eventually go to sleep rather soon. Tomorrow I’ll be alone. It feels like ‘the adventure’ is really starting tomorrow, when I’m alone and have to be completely self-reliant. Nevertheless, I’m so grateful and happy to have had my friend with me along the way. To ease me into it all. Especially Jan, who’s carried me along the rainy, desolate and gloomy Belgian villages, over climbs I could not even cycle all the way, and weather conditions that would’ve made me stop 30 kilometres sooner. Thanks!