Now that I’ve left Belgium, I want to come back. When it’s warmer and more bike friendly. I’ll probably fly back for the classics this spring, for a couple weeks. I think I might like to try my hand at a few Kermesses again. I know I can’t race the Pro races now, but I don’t really care. The Elite races will probably be just as challenging.

Belgium is so small. I think there are nearly 4 Belgiums size countries in the state of Colorado. Like I said, all the interstate highways are lit. Countrywide.

It is pretty expensive in lots of respects. Not many things are less. Beer is. And it is much better. They have a thousand types of beers here and most seem better that many good beers you get in the States.

Another thing that is better is the bakeries and pastries. Sometime we got used to eating subpar bread. I’m not sure when it happened. Before I was born. But, eating fresh bread on a daily basis should be on everyones “to do” list. I have to get the bread machine out the day I get back, because it isn’t going to get any better anytime soon back home.

And, they have great chocolate here. Super great. Everywhere. It seems these people live on beer, bread, frites and chocolate. I could get used to that.

The cars are different. Better in my opinion, but only because they have a choice of so many more diesel cars that get unbelievable mileage. Small diesels, diesel vans, so many nice cars that get double the fuel economy of most the automobile we have in the US. But, when gas costs close to $8 a gallon, it is only normal for that to be the situation. I hope we don’t have to wait until it costs that much for us, to have their automobile choices. I don’t quite understand why we can’t buy these cars. It must be some political bullshit. It has to be.

The houses and building here are an anomaly. Everything is either super old or super modern. And the super old farm houses usually have super modern interiors. I’m not sure what that is all about.

Yesterday, when I got back from riding, I saw so many sports on TV that we never see. I watched a little speed skating, then watched ski jumping, then a Nordic Combined World Cup, luge and then a Biathlon. I also saw a weird mass start speed skating race from Holland. Outside on a super long course. Maybe 5 km. It was so much like criterium racing. I’ve never watched it before. It was great. Plus, ‘cross of course. I think it is great that they show the sports of the season. Not like we do it the states.

Saturday night after the race, we went into Mol and drank beer in a super nice lounge/bar. It really wasn’t a bar. But, it wasn’t a restaurant. It was on the square in downtown Mol. There were tons of young people riding their bikes to the bars. It was picking up as we left after midnight. It seemed like the Belgian people like to get out and do things more than we do in the States. Especially in “bad weather”. And they seem to be more attached to the soil. By that I mean, and this is just something I came up with, that I think that some many Belgians are just a generation away from farming, that they accept the “farm attitude”, which is definitely blue collar, way more readily than Americans. Lots of town have fields in the towns. And farm animals. I think that is one reason that they dig the sport of cyclo-x. Cyclo-X is super blue collar. A hard mans sport for sure. It goes hand in hand of what these people are all about.

And for sure, they like to ride bikes. They ride bikes to commute. To go to school. And to recreate. Driving to Brussels yesterday, I must of seen 20 groups for more than 15 guys out riding. In the rain. At close to freezing. Makes most American riders seem like fair weather bikers. I know that I’m not going to let a little moisture keep me from going out and riding later this year.

So, if you’ve never had a chance to come to Belgium and ride, you should put it on your “to do” list also. It isn’t that expensive to get here. And it is wonderful after you’re here. Even in January. In the rain.

We usually don't have this selection of pastries in the US.

Or bread.

Everything is built of brick and stone here.

They have a much larger selection of super high end facets too.

Photo of the pack outdoor speed skaing race on TV.

I hate (not really) to say it, the the flight went seamlessly yesterday. Go figure. No luggage charge at the Brussels airport. Exit row seating with no one beside me. The flight got to Chicago early.

Early enough I could have got on an earlier flight to Kansas City. But, after waiting for 20 minutes for 3 United counter people to finally talk to me, I was told it was United’s policy not to let someone fly early without their luggage. I was then told that I could go down to the customer service counter and have a supervisor waive that policy. I didn’t have anything else to do for 3 hours and was interested in what they might come up with. I was first told that they needed two hours to transfer the bags. I said that they had that. Then they said that they might put the bags on the earlier flight anyway. It was their choice. I really don’t understand why they can choose to separate me from my luggage and I can’t separate myself. Anyway, in the end, I found out that they were going to use the “security” card, but that it wasn’t a law, it was a policy that had abunch of wiggly room. It is just stupid.

Upon arriving the in Kansas City airport, they lost my bike on the runway, so I had to wait around an extra 30 minutes for them to find it. I am going to try to avoid United Airlines at all costs from now on.

All the pets were super happy when I got home. Bromont whined for 10 minutes and wouldn’t stop licking me. It was nice.

The is a lot of snow on the ground here. At least by Topeka standards. It isn’t all that cold though. Around 30 for a high today.

I’m going to try to figure out what I need to do the next few days. I’d like to ski some before all the snow is gone, but don’t really feel like driving 10 hours anytime soon. I think I’m going to try to go down to Texas in a couple weeks and race the 2nd half of February down there and try to get all my little muscle imbalances figured out. I think I have okay form, but it is so easy to forget anything about your riding form when you’ve been traveling continent to continent.

Here's a photo that Trudi sent me this morning from the BMC camp in Valencia Spain. Everyone getting ready to ride in the moring.

I flew back with Don Myrah. He convince me I should come to Northern California this spring and race Sea Otter, plus a bunch of other classic MTB races I haven't done. Somehow Don stuffed 4 wheels into a 2 wheel bag. I'd like to hear how they survived the trip.

I put my medal in my medal bowl on my shelve. I didn't have a bronze medal from World's, so now I have all three at least.

Shoveled snow in the front yard.

My observations from this last trip is that the employees at United have no desire to work. I'm not sure why it was so wide spread on such a consistent basis? I stood here for 20 minutes, just to be told to go to customer service.