Bilzen toertocht = mud fest

Bilzen - the south east corner of flanders, where the flat flemish plains start to break into gently rolling hills and garden gnomes have attitude.  I joined Alex and Luc at Alex's house in Martenslinde for the pre-christmas toertocht.  It was supposed to be a nice gentle 45 km with rolling hills, perfect for the single speed.

10am start, no rain, here we are nice and clean.

The start was about 200 meters from Alex's house, we rolled down and signed up.  The Martenslinde community center was pretty dead, the cold temperatures and bad weather keeping people indoors.
Right off the bat - a bad sign, we head through a grass field that has turned into a mud bog.  Herculean efforts are required to move the bike forward.
Lo and behold - mud to make your bike stand up.  Spinning wheels and somersaults and the whole ball of wax.  It was a complete mess.  And slow.

22km in and nearing death...mud soaked through even garment.  The hot soup at the bevooradering (the halfway waffle tent) was salty and a gift from heaven.  From here it was only 16km from the finish....16 long, wet, muddy, slow kilometers...

Best investment of the year by far award - mtb booties.  Kept the feet warm, dry, and clean!  Worth every euro cent.