While Ernst was mountainbiking his 100 km in Houffalize Erik myself and my dad went for a biketrip in limburg. We decided to go for the Epen and Gulpen mountainbike routes and combine the two to get some km. For my dad this will be his second mountainbike experience, so he will not folow both routes and will stop after we have done the Epen track of 25 km. We started out well, not to fast so my dad could follow us and we also could enjoy the nice weather and surroundings.

almost at the end of the Epen route (after the steep climb of the “Vaalserberg”) we crossed a road and some people where standing there, all waiting for the Eneco tour (the dutch cycling tour over multiple days) so we decided to wait and watch the Eneco tour pass by. After the 3 man at the front there was a gap of 17 minutes so we decided to follow the mountainbike track down the hill and there we watched the peloton come by (wow really fast, and what a sound 100 man shifting gears) we finished our last 2 km of the Epen track and stopped at the startpoint. Here we installed my dad on a terras and Erik and myself went on to bike the Gulpen route. What a nice track a lot of climbs and downhills. after 60km of biking (almost at the end of our track) I made a small mistake in the downhill and fell, hmm not so nice a big knee and a lot of pain.
Back at the terras after 9 km biking with pain in my knee we asked the waitress for some ice.

After eating a nice dinner and a trip back to Breda we could say we had a good day some fine mountainbiking and we even watched the Eneco tour. And dad next time both trails ? 🙂 well just look at the pictures for an impression of the day.

Preparing for our bike ride	A nice view half-way
My dad biking	The last part of the Vaalserberg climb
My dad mountainbike-walking the "Vaalserberg"
Motor police clearing the road for the Eneco tour	The three stage leaders of the Eneco tour
handing out bidons	The peloton of the Eneco tour
The cars behind the peloton (driving fast !)
Erik coming down the last steep downhill from the Epen route	My dad coming down the last steep downhill from the Epen route
Bart at the terrass with some ice 🙁