Went for the first serious bike trip after the (sometimes busy) exam period yesterday. A great ride through my favourite corner of our country, de Westhoek ('the Western corner'): 110 km from Koekelare to Kemmel (Heuvelland) and back, via small towns and villages like Elverdinge, Vlamertinge, Bikschote, Esen and Vladslo (well-known for its German military cemetery and Käthe Kollwitz' statues 'The Sorrowful Parents') to name but a few.
The weather was excellent: not too hot and not too much wind, which enabled us to keep a steady but agreeable pace. An almost perfect day. Except for the puncture and the somewhat unforeseen fact that we were not allowed to climb mount Kemmel (a short but nasty climb) because of the Ypres Rally.
Now, of course, the latter was our fault. But what really spoilt it, was one of the volunteers for the race forbidding us to pop into Kemmel's bakery for a piece of rice cake. Even though we would have been on 'paid territory' for only a couple of minutes, "no is no." "But the policeman over there said it was not a problem." No way. And if we could bugger off , because "it's always the same with these cyclists." Something along those lines.
I don't think he's ever heard of the Stanford prison experiment, but he somehow gave me an awkward feeling. Put someone in a uniform and the power that comes with it, does take over at times...
Sounds like a first class ride. Too bad about the Kemmelberg - there's nothing like it around here so I can only imagine what it's like to climb.
Posted by: Ian Joyce | July 06, 2006 at 03:42 AM
It was/is a first class ride, Ian. Should you and your bike ever be in the neighbourhood (you never know), tell me: I'll take you there - then you'll know what it's like in reality...
Posted by: Serge Cornelus | July 06, 2006 at 12:18 PM