La Grimpette commune de Warlincourt-Lès-Pas to Wihéries

Tuesday October 19, 2010

My campsite for the night on a bike path near La Grimpette in the commune of Warlincourt-Lès-Pas.

It rained overnight so unfortunately I had to pack the tent up wet.
I had a few bottles of UHT milk that I got yesterday, which was a good idea because I could have breakfast straight away, and not spend two hours trying to find milk.
It was a fairly uneventful day. The roads were mostly fairly busy, and I seemed to be riding through built up areas for the whole day.
I stopped at a Maccas for lunch again. And when I say I stopped at a Macca's for lunch, I mean I stopped to use their table and Wi-Fi and toilet, and made my own sandwiches. I haven't eaten any McDonalds for the whole trip, and I don't plan to. At this McDonalds, there were two girls smoking a joint, a little unusual I guess.
I found my way to the village of Wihéries in Belgium no worries. Then I had to find some Wi-Fi to look up the location of Florence and Hugo's house. I found their place no worries, their two daughters were out the front, waiting for me to come I think. Hugo and Florence welcomed me, let me put the bike in their shed, sat me down, refilled my bottles and gave me some juice to drink, they were very hospitable!

Hugo refilling my drink bottles for me from bottled water.

Florene, in her house in Wihéries, Hainaut, Belgium.

They were very hospitable, it was so nice of them to have me stay when I was a complete stranger.

I talked a little with their two adorable young daughters, Pauline and Accel (unsure of spelling, but that's how it sounded). They were very lively and energetic kids too.

Hugo and Florence's two adorable young daughters Pauline and Accel.

They gave me some delicious cheese and olives as an appetizer I suppose, and Hugo gave me some Duvel, a good Belgian beer. Then we ate some pumpkin soup, it tasted so good! Then we ate steak with chips and salad, what a great meal, I was very appreciative.

Home-prepared steak and chips for dinner with Hugo and Florence in Boussu, Belgium.

Hugo was an architect and Florence a maths teacher. Hugo couldn't speak much English, and Florence only knew English from what she'd learned at school many years ago, so communication was a little difficult, but it didn't matter, we were able to have simple conversations.
They offered me a much needed shower, then it was off to bed on a lilo they'd blown up for me in the lounge room.
I was very happy to be in a house rather than camping again.

My route for the day, La Grimpette commune de Warlincourt-Lès-Pas to Wihéries.

An overview of my route so far from Cherbourg in France to Belgium.

Ride stats:
Distance: 112.68 km
Average: 21.9 km/h
Maximum: 49.4 km/h
Time: 5:08:19
Total ascent: 434 m
Total descent: 492 m