Hello all. As you all know today we were suppose to bike to Namur... well we didn't make it. This morning shortly after leaving Bastogne we were following Google Maps directions and it was taking us on a crazy route through fields and muddy dirt tracks. About 5 miles in we were stopped at an intersection (I use this term loosely, as the "roads" were not really roads they were dirt tracks) trying to figure out how much we really wanted to trust Google. This has been one of the biggest failures by Google on this whole trip. While we were discussing what to do a woman called from the backyard of the house that we were standing by, asking what we were doing and if we needed help, in excellent English. After talking very briefly, her husband came over and then they invited us into their backyard to have a drink and relax, while they helped us find a better route to Namur. When you already think you are on a bad road and a local tells you, you do not want to go down that road... You listen to them. So Ben and I went into the backyard (this was around 11:00-11:30 in the morning) and this turned out to be an excellent choice.
Mia and Fernando by their Fountain (the couple)
We had managed to find the two nicest people in Belgium. When we sat down in their lovely backyard, they brought out first some delicious apple juice, made from their apples with nothing added, and some other multivitamin juice. A few moments later they brought out wine and some hors d'oeuvres. The couple were wonderful, we talked and talked about our trip and anything else that came to mind. We also learned that during WWII General Paton and his army launched their offensive on Bastogne from the very fields where we were now sitting and relaxing, which was a very neat fun fact. It was truly relaxing and enjoyable. This experience was what this trip is all about, these little run ins.
Around 12:30 we were setting up to get back on the road, when they offered to make us lunch. So we stuck around for lunch and it was delicious. After eating lunch, drinking some beer, and talking some more, we prepared to head out and start biking to Namur. We said our goodbyes and they offered to let us stay the night, but we thought we could make it to Namur. So we headed down the road, only to then realize it was a little after 4:00pm and we had roughly 60 miles to ride... This would mean that we would not get into Namur until around 10:30-11:00. So after going about 5 miles we turned around and rode right back to their house.
They very kindly agreed to let us stay with them in some nice big comfy beds and they prepared some dinner as well for us. We had a fantastic stay with them talking and learning about the region, Belgium, and the Flemmish area. The next morning (that is today) they made us a nice big breakfast (with and egg... So that was fantatic) and sent us on our way with a map and advice. Meeting Fernando and Mia really was an incredible experience and we will never forget it. We may not have made it to Namur, but I think we had more fun in the countryside around Bastogne, and we had a beautiful sunset.
Today the plan is to bike to Namur as planned then catch a train to Brussels so we can make our AirBnB reservation. That is all I have for now so I am going to let you go, as I have to start biking now (I am writing this during breaks on Riding Day 19, sorry for the delay in getting this written). So I say best wishes and until next time.
wow what fun!
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