Day 18: Cycling on a Belgium Highway!

 Day 18; the cycling highway to Antwerp

We were early birds this morning; until we took the bike and it had a flat on the rear. The inner tube we bought in Dinant had a bad valve so a grumbling Ben took this inner tube out and replaced it with a repaired inner tube we had for “just in case”.

09.30 we were up and rolling. We left Ieper through the Menenpoort, it felt strange that we were leaving the city and these names will stand here for ever.

The first miles were through the battlefields to Passendale, over the roads the soldiers took to the front between 14-18. 

The hills were over by the time we reached the river Leie and the cycling (tow) path there was very good. I had been a bit worried about this day diagonally through Belgium. In years before in Flanders there had been very bad tarmac or even worse; the concrete plates shaking your bike and body every 2 seconds. But I did not have to worry, after Gent we got on the cycling highway between Gent and Antwerpen. 

It was brilliant; perfect tarmac, no cars and priority on the crossings. Cyclists seem to appreciate the highway too, it was very well used. Komoot was today of a great help to find these roads.

The foodstops were well planned; a coffee and apple pie with ice cream at 40 km in a BMW motor showroom ( really! Apple pie between the motors), and after 92 km a more serious lunch stop with bread, cheese, fruit and a sausage roll.

After 160 km we rolled into Antwerpen, on the wrong (left) side of the Schelde. 

The Garmin tried to send us through the tunnel, but the tandem did not fit in the escalator. Cyclists told us there was a ferry, but it would stop at 18.00 so we had to be quick. We showed great form by doing a little time trial to the ferry.

It was not to difficult to find the hotel next to the station. NH hotel, great deal; in the middle of the centre an excellent room for a modest price.

We had a Malaysian dinner and went to bed, while the trains drove in and out of the station.