2013-05-04/05 Ardennes Liberator Tour

@ Bothwell - don't be so hard on yourself. You made the trip and completed it. The next one will be better. Besides you were with some of the best guys to be on a ride with. No?

Cheers Sonia.

Oh and Stu is hopefully being released from the UK Boarder Agency shortly. Seems to be walking like John Wayne for some reason?

"Howd'y partner, bet you won't forget your passport again?"

Good thing we had the Golden Stetson as he bent over the doctors desk.

I was amazed I wasn't subjected to the same treatment after braker's stage whispered "keep the heroin safe" in between Belgium and UK Border control. Cheers!

It is only the faces of the conquered and the mark of their wheels on the foreigners land that can verify the success.

May I present exhibit A, m'lud

1 Attachment

I was amazed I wasn't subjected to the same treatment after braker's stage whispered "keep the heroin safe" in between Belgium and UK Border control. Cheers!

May I present exhibit A, m'lud

Who shouted

"Do a skiiiiidddd!"

Remember when we went to Flanders and YAL made up all that surreal nonsense for his ride report? This trip was basically as though YAL had written it for us in the same style except it all actually happened. That guesthouse, my god. Braker, get the video tour up, stat

Holly I thought everyone rode a blinder. You and Sam were really stretched on day 1 but you dug deep and 2500m of climbing in a day would have broken lesser men. On both days there were many climbs that would usually be the stand out hill of a long ride.

As for my "amazing and relentless positivity", only Tim and Stu saw me at my low point after my 4th puncture on day 2, when we sent the rest of you up the hill.

So many memories I can hardly believe it was only a 3 night trip. Amazing group of people to spend time with, my laughing muscles got as much of a work out as my cycling muscles! And a wonderful part of the world, if you like your 8% beer and 8% roads.

The patience, humour, support and inner tubes from everyone when i punctured ad nauseum is greatly appreciated. I did buy a couple of rounds by way of thanks but then we ended up splitting the hotel bill so I still feel indebted.

Huge thanks from thr squad must go to Al for organising and routefinding such an enriching holiday and to Bernie/Stu for driving all that way

On a personal note thanks Bernie for entrusting your beautiful colnago to a fixie skidder with no right to ride such a fine machine on roads steeped in cycling history

Branwen, that's an awesome pic... so I'm knicking it.

Well done for keeping the heroin nicely secured in your rear love pocket.

Well done for keeping the heroin nicely secured in your rear love pocket.

Well I don't have a race radio to put in the pocket on my bib-shorts so I might as well have something there to motivate me to not stop!

I've been released and apart from a little tenderness in certain areas I'm ok.

Anyway, if the cheeky 25 mile spin Bernie and I took for coffee yesterday morning didn't clear my duvel induced thick head, then the ice cold hosepipe shower I took before jumping in the van certainly did.

Have to thank one and all for making it such a good weekend.....even our batshit crazy host. Outstanding weather, roads, food, beer and of course company made for a perfect weekend away on the bikes.

Holls you should be proud of yourself, that was two days of relentless hills and we all found it tough. Did you see how much beer I had to drink to get rid of the pain in my legs? Either way, you're always a pleasure to ride with and there's always a place for you on team farmer blotto.

Special thanks to Al for yet again finding an absolute gem of a place to stay.

Well, as for the rest of you, may I suggest you

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowUserReviews-g1025609-d2441314-r159884153-Ffaulty_Towers_Guesthouse-Malmedy_Liege_Province_Wallonia.html#UR159884153

you're always a pleasure to ride with and there's always a place for you on team farmer blotto.

Thanks fam, but you won't lure me into your absurd Norwegian sufferfest quite so easily.

In other news, 2 days later I have forgotten all about the hard bits and am looking forward to the next trip, whatever it contains (unless it involves Norway, obvs).

bothwell,
never, ever learns

Ardennes Liberator Tour 2013 - YouTube

Credit to the squad for providing a few memorable photographs from our trip last weekend. There were several hundred pictures to choose from, apologies if some didn't make the final cut.

Thanks also to the mayor of Malmedy and chief of police for allowing us access to film without a license.
Please note that no animals were harmed during our stay or whilst filming..

Enjoy

I did.

Ardennes Liberator Tour 2013 - YouTube

Credit to the squad for providing a few memorable photographs from our trip last weekend. There were several hundred pictures to choose from, apologies if some didn't make the final cut.

Thanks also to the mayor of Malmedy and chief of police for allowing us access to film without a license.
Please note that no ** inner tubes ** were harmed during our stay or whilst filming..

Enjoy

Ftfy.

Brilliant job, Almac, and Almac junior.

A fitting momento.

Hope you had fun on the excursion, any pink slime sauce for Bernie's chain at the chipper this time around?

Hope you had fun on the excursion, any pink slime sauce for Bernie's chain at the chipper this time around?

K, the lack of driving rain, and instead the glorious sunshine, meant we did not need to resort to Samurai sauce to keep the drive chains purring.

Hope you and Junior are keeping well, as well as the other half.

Defo an epic vacance!

Have you guys ever done Paris-Roubaix

A few of us have done bits of Flanders. To be honest, not interested in doing a sportive with thousands of riders, or paying someone to cart our stuff about. Prefer to do London-Paris nonstop independent tours..