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The weatherforcast for this week was very good so I decided last Monday to take today,
Wednesday, a day off. Last Tuesday I bought a 1/350.000 scale Michelin map of Belgium
and Luxembourg at the V&D in Rotterdam and this morning I was up early to plan a nice route
for today.
At eight o'clock I got the Sportster from the garage and drove to our local gas station and
with my tank filled, I went on my way. Yesterday evening I strapped my old tankbag against
the sissybar to store my raingear, camera and other stuff and it also provides me with a
comfortable backrest.
At eight o'clock I got the Sportster from the garage
From the Belgian border, I took the N111 to Wuustwezel and from there the N133 to Brecht.
The highway overpass at Brecht is under construction so they made a temporary road that runs
parallel to the highway to the next overpass. After this deviation I rode back to Brecht and
after a short search and asking for directions I find the way to Oostmalle, the N153. From
Oostmalle I drive past Lille and Poederlee to Herentals.
From Herentals on I follow the N13 past Oosterlo and Veerle to Diest. Somewhere along this road
I make a wrong turn and get lost in the inlands of Belgium but after some driving around I find
my way back and finaly I arrive in Diest.
Meanwhile it's time for a coffeebreak and a breakfast.
In the BigTwin, a Dutch motorcycle/biker lifestyle magazine, I read about an "American Style"
roadside cafe, Cafe Highway, on Wezelbaan 137 in Schaffen Diest (Schaffen is a small village
just North of Diest in the direction of Paal).
It looks just like the roadside cafe's you see in old Hollywood movies, very nice. I think
they just opened when I arrived at ten o'clock. I order a cappuccino and a cheese sandwich.
What a sandwich it is. A big piece of French bread with cheese (normal for a cheese sandwich ;-), egg,
salad, mayonaise and more. Delicious and not to expensive too! Surely a place to come back to.
Cafe HighWay in Schaffen/Diest
After this superb breakfast I get on the Sportster again and drive back to the city of Diest.
From Diest I take the N2 to Halen and Herk de Stad, very easy to find. Meanwhile I get my gastank
filled again and then I first take the N716 to St Truiden and then the N80 past Gingelom and
Walshoutem to Hannut. That works fine but then I need to find the N64 to Huy. Unfortunately there
are roadworks going on in Hannut and a bad signposted deviation route but after driving around Hannut
for a while I look at the sun for directions (I want to go South) and try another road. I end up
on the N80 to Namen and after a few kilometers I can turn off to the N69 that brings me back to the
N64, the road I was looking for.
In Huy, a beautifull old town, I stop at the bridge in the center that has a magnificent view on a castle
on the hill looking over the river. It is a quarter to one in the afternoon now. I look around a little
and with some difficulty I cross the busy street to the other side of the bridge to get a good viewpoint
for some pictures.
The bridge in the center of Huy
After this photobreak I get on the Harley again and follow the N641 via Pont de Bonne to Modave.
It is a beautifull scenery road. This is the Ardennen, a twisting road along a small wild river
into a fresh green valley.
Following the N641, I come to the N63/E46 in the direction Marche. Unfortunately this is a four lane
highway, the kind of road I try to avoid :-( Well, at least I make some kilometers now. In Marche
I choose to take the N888 to LaRoche, another scenery road, specialy made for bikers.
LaRoche is a beautifull old historic town in the valley in a bend of the river with a big castle
on the rocks above the city, looking down on the city bellow. Also a nice spot to stop and enjoy
the scenery.
View on LaRoche
My original plan was to take the N834 via Ortho and Bertonge to bastonge but when I checked the
Michellin map again I spotted a nice "green" road past Houffalize that looked very promissing.
That was a good choice because the road was just what I hoped it would be, a twisting road up
and down the hills through the green forest. Braking, accelerating, gearshifting, leaning into
the corners and enjoying the sound of the V-twin Harley engine. . . . . . This is how biking
was intended to be!
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