As an IT Professional I quickly challenged the limits of simple Skynet blogs - also got seriously irritated by all the ads - so I decided to move altogether to www.hoornaert.net where I re-created my own portal using Apache, PHP, MySQL and Drupal.

Thinking ahead is the 1st essential step towards your dreams turning reality. Thus I will continuously update this blog-entry with my future travel plans/intentions.

... to be elaborated as new ideas pop up ...

GR12 Brussels-Patrick

• Brussels-Charleroi in 2005 & Charleroi-Montcornet in 2006
• Montcornet-Soisson in 2007

Canoeing in Algonquin Park

• Algonquin Provincial Park

Bangkok-Singapore Orient Express

• Eastern & Oriental Express

Cycle around Iceland

• Trekkings.be
• Counter- or clock-wise?

Former Iron Curtain "Green Belt"

• UICN

Walking to Santiago De Compostella

• Search site of "Santiago-genootschap"
• Go visit their library
• Apply "Geloofsbrief"
• The "St-Jacobs-schelp"

Yacht Sailing Across Atlantic

• Atlantic Rally for Cruisers

The final tunes of the Bolero of Ravel and the Brabançonne - in crescendo - echoed through the 3 arches of the "Parc du Cinquantenaire" covered by cloudy skies. Then suddenly a tidal wave of 28.000 runners engulfed Brussels on Sunday 27th May 2007, once a cannon fired the 28th edition at 3 o'clock in the afternoon. Among them 9 athletes (4 women and 5 men) trooping the colours of Atos Origin, mind-set to the target of completing the 20 kilometres ahead with grace. First to cross the finish this year in 1 hour sharp was Mohamed Abduh Bakhet from Qatar. Catherine Lallemand - for the 3rd time in a row - was the fastest woman, arriving in 1 hour 12 minutes, thus ranking 102nd. Considering the sheer number of participants, that's really close to Atos Origin's very own champion - Zouhier Harnafi - who ended 423nd at an incredible 1:19:06, i.e. a running-average of more then 15 kilometres per hour !!! Following at his heels were Dominique De Munck, Yves Alexandre (who improved his last year's score with 9 minutes) and Annick Labie, who all put down excellent times under 2 hours. Obviously the cool breeze was conducive to high speeds and fun running, so also the "joggers" ended their day in excellent spirits.

Lessons Learned (for 2008):

• Get budget approved before 1st March, otherwise registrations are already well underway.
• E-mail to all of Belux ... we won't get more then 15 participants (alternatively we could set quota beforehand).
• Agree to meet at an exact time at an exact location, or we won't spot each other in the huge crowd.
• Distribute t-shirts with Running IDs via the Reception Desk.

My Personal Records:

• 27/05/2007 ID 18288 rank 19,814 in 2:20:40 i.e. 8.6 km/hour
• 28/05/2006 ID 20942 rank 18,769 in 2:17:00 i.e. 8.8 km/hour
• 29/05/2005 ID 18594 rank 19,308 in 2:24:26 i.e. 8 km/hour
• 30/05/2004 ID 20763 rank 17,253 in 2:19:36 i.e. 8.7 km/hour

For more information, see www.20kmdebruxelles.be/20km organised each year by the SIBP/VBPR (Brussels Promotion).

Walking mankind conquered the World, even in recent times uncharted territory at both Poles and highest mountain tops could only have been tamed by Foot. My ambitions in this field are far more modest - considering every single square metre on earth has already been trampled on - however my own small walking-projects allow me once-in-a-while to fully appreciate our living-space, and enjoy meditation on the road. One of these assigments is to walk SGR-12 (Sentier du Grande Randonnée) North2South from Brussels to Paris in bits & pieces, according to time allowed by available holidays. Follow this hyperlink for my account on the previous 2 voyages in 2005 & 2006. This current journal-entry is dedicated to my 2007-attempt, when I expected to finally reach the city of Lights, but I called it a day - or rather a week - ending in Soissons.

Day 3.1 - Sunday 29^th April 2007 - Start in Rimogne

Picked up the GR12-trail again in Rimogne (France - Departement "Ardennes" - Region "Champagne-Ardennes") in direction of Paris, close to Montcornet where I ended year before in 2006. Passed Le Châtelet, Murtin-et-Bogny, Remilly-les-Pothécs, Rouvroy-sur-Audry to halt before Veux-Villaine (daily total of 15 km).

Shanshan - my helpful wife - was going to drop me by car in Montcornet - last year's terminus - so I fixed our GPS on Montcornet as target destination. Always dangerous to rely a bit too much on these electronic gadgets, because we drove into Montcornet in l'Aisne, a village listening to the same name 80 kilometres towards the West. No worries, so I simply hit the trail South-South-West a bit later at 2 o'clock after a drink & snack in "Mon Idée" (where ironically the waitress came from Holland). Actually I joined the GR-12 in Rimogne, because last year I took the variant GR12C at "Lac des Vieilles Forges" to pass Montcornet direction Charleville-Mézières. Five minutes after waving goodbye, as if to indicate that we were still too washed & clean, Keanu - my accompagnying dog - rolled himself over in the dust, so he & his backpack already blended in well with the outdoor environment. A thunderstorm caught up with us after climbing out of the valley of the l'Audry, but curiously enough no single drop of water refreshed us, as all Wind & Lightening preferred to stay below. At some point an overfriendly guy started to brabble to me in broken English - mixing with the words "belle femme" - but I had no idea what message he wanted to convey ... sure I guess I will see pretty women once I arrive in Paris? Then suddenly I realised that this track of the GR-12 runs along the GR-654 to Santiago de Compostella, so probably he was referring to the Holy Mary, at which point we laughingly continued our conversation in proper French. All activity ended at 19:30, when we seek refuge in plain forrest near Villain.

A machete might become handy



Typical 2-tower Church at Rouvroy-sur-Audry

Day 3.2 - Monday 30^st April 2007 - Veux-Villaine to Lalobbe

Passed Signy-l'Abbaye and its Forêt Dominial (daily total of 20 km).

We replenish our water supplies in a nicely restored "lavoir" annex source in Veux-Villaine. Afterwards the path often leads through freshly ploughed fields - only scarce white-red markings indicate that I am correct - so I am wondering if those farmers accepts all these guests crossing their land. Throughout history travellers & settlers (think about cowboys & farmers during the 18th & 19th century in Western USA) have been sworn enemies, so I am simply extending the tradition, trying not to cause excess damage to the crops. The weather is ideal for walking when I approach Signy-l'Abbaye, and take an afternoon nap under a lavish "Calvaire" which was "erigé primimitivement par les moines de Signy et restauré ... par ... son eminance le cardinal Luçon". The instruction read "S. Michel prier pour nous (5 fois)" but both me & Keanu felt no urge to reach further to heaven. Late afternoon we also crossed the only multi-day walkers we would meet during the entire trip, which were on their courageous but endless way to Spain. We setup camp for the night between the "Gites" and Lalobbe, leaving the rooftop open to gaze to the moon & stars.

Day 3.3 - Tuesday 1^st May 2007 - Lalobbe to Son

Via Wasigny, Justine-Herbigny, Sery and Hauteville (daily total of 18 km).

Labour Day, so we slept late until 9 and were only ready at 10 o'clock, enjoying breakfast & nice coffee. At a T-junction after Hauteville - in the middle of no-where - we had to leave the GR-654 turning right. Without map & compass we would really not have known, because they obviously ran out of paint for the markings. In one of those Lilliput towns incredibly old-fashioned lady's underwear was drying in the laundry before the "Marie", so I presume the town hall didn't only shelter administrative matters. All forrest had given way to open field, and with the strong sun - and no sun-cream - I got slowly backed. Otherwise Keanu is all energy - but he was slowly breaking down - so I carried his bags on top of mine. Passed Son the local farmer-community fancied a pittoresque little artificial lake - surrounded by high trees and a couple of benches - ideal spot for a smooth landing.

Day 3.4 - Wednesday 2^nd May 2007 - Son to la Malmaison

Wide-open fields, except le Thour (daily total of 26 km).

Today we definitely swapped from map 05 "Charleville-Mézières" to 10 "Reims", as the path had been stitching both maps together swaying North & South. Since there was no Topo-Guide covering this terrain, so far we have been walking on "overview" maps on a scale of 100:000, which is very frustrating on foot, because you hardly notice any progress (1 cm = 1 kilometre). Despite the early start and the fresh cool morning breeze, without shelter we got baked once more. At Saint Fergeux I took care of Keanu who got wounded at his chest. The designer of the dog-backback - which I bought in Seattle - was not very intelligent, since the belts in the front were joined by a triangle pointing upwards, which constantly rubbed deep into the skin of the poor animal. With some needle, thread and a dirty t-shirt which I decided to sacrifice, I manifactured a protective layer over the triangle, with the intention to change it into a pointless ring once we were home again. After Tor Keanu refused to carry on, so in dispair we just sat down for a couple of hours near the road. Then I dragged him until a large farm "Frontigny", were I had a nice chat with the farmer, so he could rest some more. The man offered me to sleep in the barn, but his dogs went all crazy with mine, so I simply filled up the water bottles and continued into the fields, where I set up camp in an area full of foxes.

Day 3.5 - Thursday 3^rd May 2007 - la Malmaison past Aubigny-Laonnois

Entering "TopoGuides de Picardie" at Amifontaine, finally forest re-emerging at Goudelancourt-les-Berrieux, Camp des Romains (Vieux Laon) to stop N44 Loan-Reims (daily total of 20 km).

That morning we got violently woken up by an army of crows generating more noise together than a heavy metal band, and no shouting helped to calm them down. At Amifontaine - after la Malmaison (where I hand-washed my dirty clothes) - at long last I could start using the TopoGuide, and on top of that at Goudelancourt we entered cool fresh forest. Before leaving I had conveniently cut out only the page I needed out of the Guide, so we had all documentation handy. Only disadvantage is that we were following the description backwards, because it went from Senlis near Paris to Amifontaine. One of the first sights was the "Oppidum de Vieux-Laon" - a village of the iron age - but only high earth mounds were left. Judging from the size of the enclosure it must if been relatively big and populated though. Quite funny when the road crossed an area where horses were roaming free, following us and especially Keanu's bag full with smelly dog-cookies. During this trip Keanu also developed a remarkable sense for comfortable and shady resting spots, so we rested in Aubigny near a dripping fountain. Around 19:00 we stopped at a nice camping place, even though the highway was within hearing distance.

Day 3.6 - Friday 4^th May 2007 - Aubigny-Laonnois past Vendress-Beaulne

Crossing Forêt Vauclair and its Abbaye, Parc Nautique de l'Ailette nearby but not in view (daily total of 18 km).

Clouds & dew were turning the morning shivery, hard to get up & dressed, but excellent for marching. A young farmer passed by on a quad-motorcycle - friendly but reserved - anyway he did not chase me away from his field. At Vouconville-Vauclair I decided to spoil myself - living on biscuits, sausage and self-cooked simple meals - and go to a restaurant. It took half an hour before anyone showed up, so I made myself comfortable, and enjoyed and white wine + juicy steak in "creole" style, because the cook/waiter obvioulsy came from the "provinces outre-mer". A bit further down the road - with my stuffed stomach - I wandered through the impressive ruins of "l'Abbeye de Vauclair", a Cisterian Abbey which got destroyed in 1917 during WO-I. We crossed the Forêt Vauclair, got a rain-shower once we're in the open field, and continued over what is know as "le chemin des dames". When I asked for water in Vendresse-Beaulne, a hospitable farmer invited me inside in home. Turns out he's originally from Poland, fought in Algier and married a Belgian wife from Kortrijk. Amazingly enough he's very fond of Belgians, and admires their working spirit. Then he start inspecting the dog, my backpack etc ... thus really winding up Keanu, who almost trashed the kitchen, which for some reason they still find very funny. Then I said goodbye, after they stuffed some more cookies in the dog-pack, and filled up my drinking bottle with cold coffee & sugar (should remember this ... a nice & basic tonic drink). Powered up I leave the road and climb the Mount Faucon, were we discover a virgingly green spot under the birches. Only minus is a mosquito-raid, but we chase them away with smelly tiger balsem.

Day 3.7 - Saturday 5^th May 2007 - Vendresse-Beaulne to Sancy-les-Cheminots

Via Ostel and Vailly-sur-Aisne (daily total of 20 km).

Breakfast is consumed in Moussy-Verneuil's "lavoir" full with fishes. Supposedly the area we walk through was the arena of the bloody combat of the "chemin des Dames" and everywhere we go we encounter tombs and plaques in memory of fallen heroes. Much nicer is that the road has been used by the girls of Louis XV - Victoire et Adélaïde - to join "la comtess de Narbonne-Lara" in the "château de la Bove". Amongst all memorials we come across a huge artefact, which turns out to be in memory of just 2 guys, being the first pilots who died in aerial combat, as opposed to the hundreds of thousands of infantryman serving as cannon fodder. In Vailly-sur-Aisne we gobbled down a nice lunch, but the owners & customers of the establishment were overly concerned about my dog - never mind me as a the human being - because he didn't look all that fit. Because of the chest injury one of the guys even cut out a hand towel as a shawl for Keanu, so he would hurt his chest any further (remember his wound which was now healing). Those funny French ...

Day 3.8 - Sunday 6^th May 2007 - "Presidential Election Day" ends in Soissons

Crossing Vregny, Bucy-le-Long and leaving GR12 at Crouy (daily total of 18 km).

Today France woke up to elect their new president in the final round but I got all stiff and bad tempered having slept on a terribly uneven ground, maybe next time I should exchange the foam for a slightly heavier inflatable mat. Last night we were low on water, but only 250 metres after a curve we found a graveyard offering tap-water. Today was also my last day walking, as I left the GR-12 in Croy to turn to Soisson. One of my first good intentions was to get shaved once I got home, because judging from people's faces I looked a bit rough. However the trip home went smoothly, talking even though no-body really seemed interested in politics. Keanu accepted his muzzle quietly - which is compulsory for dog on French public transport - and via Paris-Nord about 7:15 we drove back with the Thalys into Gare de Midi of Brussels.

Epilogue

On my planning-table I once more over-estimated the number of kilometres someone can walk per day ten eight days in a row with a backpack of 20 kilogram. Definitely 30 kilometres - for me - is overly optimistic, especially if you got to factor in sight-seeing, breaking & setting up camp, getting lost, resting ... The 2 first & last days are even more close to 15 as opposed to 25 kilometres. Sure going faster and stepping longer is possible, but then I would have to loose my dog and not enjoy it that much anyway. So an average of 23 is what I am going to calculate with in future. In mountains it even appears to be far less, on the other hand it is feasible to march 100 kilometres under 24 hours in flat terrain ... so what. Next in Autumn this year or Spring next year I will walk the final 100 kilometres from Soissons to Paris, which will take me along the Pierrefond, and the Forêt de Compiégne and Chantilly ... Keep Walking !!!

Navigational Statistics & References

Total distance of 155 km has been covered in 7 days effective walking, thus averaging 22 km/day. Grand total distance of 390 km in 17 days when including 2005 (start in Brussels) and 2006, levelling average at 23 km/day in sometimes heavily forested and muddy terrain, from which 1 quarter relatively hilly (i.e. frequent ups & downs of more then 50 metres) near BE/FR-border and near valleys of numerous rivers.

There does not seem to be an official Topo-Guide covering GR12 between Rocroi and Amifontaine. However an alternative track from Amifontaine to Belgium can be found in GR654 "de Namur à Nevers". 3 maps for IGN (Institut Geographique National) at scale 1:100.000 have been used, i.e. 05 Charleville-Mézières/Maubeuge, 10 Reims/Verdun and 09 Paris/Laon. Between Amifontaine and Senlis you can use the Topo-Guide "Les GR de Picardie" which includes 7 other itinaries + 2 variations on the GR12 (GR12A via Fourche de la Bécasse & GR12B via Ponte Sainte-Maxence).

The very moment - when we are due to put our physical limits to the final test as the Atos Origin Running Team for the 20 Kilometres of Brussels - is fast approaching, so I thought it's about time to settle all practical arrangements (I mean not "how to run" but rather "where & when to find each other before/after"). Herewith my proposal which I would like to throw into the group, any enhancement proposals are more then welcome.

Sunday 27^th May 2007 in Brussels

... 1 to 3 day after I will forward results to Lies, we should collect photo's, someone to write small article and finally Vera Luypaert to publish in Link-IT.

Couple of ideas/remarks:

• People could go & leave directly/alone, however be aware that it will be difficult to trace your Team Members in such a mega-event.
• Suppose we got broken up, maybe we could re-assemble near the fountain facing arches/stairs?
• Lies to take care of (cotton) t-shirts & AO-banner?
• Perhaps silly, but if some-one owns a small open garden/party-tent, we could set up a small "base camp" (other companies seem to be doing this as well)?

Current Team Composition

Parcours

More details see BXL20KM web-site.

Less then 1 week to go and I depart on the 3rd and last leg of the GR12 from Brussels2Paris. My equipment - all ready & stuffed - will make the key difference between "survival" and "fun/exploration". Of course your destination & how you experience people & environment really counts - not all that fancy & expensive material - anyhow carrying just about enough of the correct carefully selected gear - fitted to the type of trip - will be key to prolongued joy & being prepared for the unexpected. Since preparation is half of the fun, herewith my check-list before take-off:

Navigation

At first I was considering to invest in a GPS - indispensible at open sea - but with a good map & compass and some knowledge & experience you won't get lost (that badly) on land. Anyhow you must carry a GPS on top of all other equipment - not as a replacement - as you won't have reception everywhere, batteries can run out (and add to toxic waste) + you need a map anyway or otherwise the coordinates won't tell you where to go.

• Maps - 1:50k or 1:100k + Topo-guides.
• Card-cover - Ortlieb Waterproof.
• Compass - Recta DP 65 Global System, I tried every type of compass, and - next to the Silva normal base-plate or Ranger - this is simply the best + as precise as needed. You can set magnetic declination, take bearnings up to 2° accurarcy + includes a clinometre (to measure slopes). Simpler versions of DP are also good, but restricted to either of the hemispheres (due to the magnetic inclination).
• Watch - (digital) Casio G-Shock ruggedized & water-resistant including small database (phone-numbers), multiple alarms & time-zones, timer (countdown handy when you're sailing for changing course, or same purpose when walking with limited visibility) and stopwatch.
• Binoculars - Small foldable 10x25, not only to observe local fauna, but necessary to identify landmarks and paths.
• At home I use the Curvimetre to measure distances on the map + a Silva Protractor to plot courses (also handy sailing alternative to a Portland Plotter without the movable parts) but I don't take these instruments along.
• Altimetre - Will be one of my next purchases, so far I have been doing without it.

Carry-, Camp- & Sleep-ing

In case you carry over 18 kilo's (even as a male) it's way over the top, especially if this weight doesn't include mountaineering equipment, food for 3 weeks or heavy armoury. Personally I don't use a overall raincover for my back-pack, as everything which may not get wet is stuffed individually in waterproof bags.

• Back-pack 80 Litres - Lowe Cerro Torre 2 (Alpine Systems) + 2 x hand-straps. Can't get any better, already with me since 1987 - 1 heavy repair (carrying strap accidently bitten through by my dog).
• Tent - Jack Wolfskin "Gossamer" tunnel 1.5 kilo's, too small to organize a party, but sufficient in case you want to keep weight to a strict minimum.
• Sleeping-bag - Ajungilak Kompact 3-season 1550 grammes down to -1°C.
• Sleeping-mat - RidgeRest, not the most comfortable - compared to self-inflatable alternatives - but absolutely unbreakable and minimum weight (already in my possession since 1989).
• Trekking Poles x 2 - Leki Trekker (standard) + Rubber Tips. Have been a late adopter of these kind of utensils, but it really helps keeping your back straight and reducing weight on your feet when you're heavily loaded.
• Gaiters - OutDoorDesigns Tundra Breathable, not only useful in the snow, but especially to protect against rain, mud and sand getting into your shoes.
• Ortlieb x 2 - Kayak-bags, in which I store my cloths & sleeping bag. Bought in 1987.
• Toilet Bag .. in which I also put knitting gear + first-aid, so I don't end up with thousands of small bags.
• Waterproof Bag .. to stow away books, journal and maps not in use.

Cooking, Food & Water

You can loose about anything else, except water (if you you've been nearly de-hydrated once you know what I am talking about). A minimum would be 1.5 litres, I got 0.6 litres attached on my hip for immediate consumption - without unmounting the back-pack) - and 1.5 litres extra, so 3.5 litres maximum (actually that's only good enough for 1 day). Food is less of an issue - keep it dry but varied - I keep my stove on top, so I can cook soup, coffee, noodles a.o ... during the walk.

• Water-bottle 1.5 litres - Sigg with pouch.
• Water-bottle 0.6 litres - Sigg with pouch.
• Spare Water-bottle - Empty plastic coke-bottle 1.5 litre.
• Water-purifying - Hadex drops (Micropur tablets contain clorine and are not longer sold) or Katadyn water-filter (only necessary for very remote trips, where you daily pump 1.5 litres or more). In Europe I avoid drinking from wells & rivers, as we did a fair job of poluting about any drinkable water.
• Cooking-stove Campingaz Twiste with 2 x Butane/Propane-mix "click", only handy in Europe at lower altitudes, but cheap, powerful & efficient.
• Cooking-pots - SnowPeak Titanium (Japan), small cover which acts as a pan + outer/inner pot, ultra-light weights almost nothing.

Proviant

I manage to reach an autonomy of about 5 to 6 days carrying my own food.

• Travel Biscuits.
• Tagliatelli - Quick boil.
• Selection of instant Soups.
• Salt & Peper mix.
• Tiny bottle of Olive Oil.
• Dry Sausage & Cheese.
• Small ready-made meals in pack.
• Nuts & dried Fruits.
• ...

Clothing

Keep to the 3-to-4 layer principle in cold, wet & windy weather. Previously I used a "poncho" against the rain, but in mountainous regions it's dangerous not to keep your hands free, so it's better to invest in a good jacket. Trousers will get wet anyway, some hikers even walk in their shorts during a storm. Also something as silly as stupid socks can determine difference between hell & heaven ...

• Jacket - Lafuma Goretex with zipped-in polar fleece.
• Walking Boots - Sturdy & heavy Scarpa Ladakh mountain walking machines, I am not a big fan from the newer materials for shoes, as they only last a fraction of the life-time compared to classic leather, but I guess that's good news for the vendors.
• Shock-absorbant Inner Soles.
• Spare Shoe Laces - Never forget, might get you in trouble when you can't properly tie your shoes in mountains !!!
• Small inner Socks - Reduce movement of food in the shoe.
• Outer/Hiking Socks - Since I invested a bit more in the high-tech socks (even difference left/right-food) I hardly ever had any problems with blisters.
• Waterproofed Base-ball-cap - Looks a bit ordinary, but seems even standard issue for generals in the Philippine army.
• Trousers x 2 Fjallraven Ash (G-1000) + REI (bought in Seatlle), both water/wind-resistant + closed at the base (so they don't drag in the mud, REI detachable legs to become shorts.
• Thick Fleece x 1, T-shirts x 3, Underwear x 4 + Trekking-shirts x 2.

... other Small but nonetheless important Stuff

• Camera-bag - Lowepro which I attach to the hip-belt of my back-pack for easy access, bit enough to contain all navigational equipment, head-light, camera + binoculars, completely closed with zipper, padded and waterproof.
• Pair of Sunglasses
• Rope ... to keep your glasses tight on your nose.
• Foldable Knive - Small Leatherman with blade lock & launcher + build-in carabiner.
• Camera - Small digital Mustek gSm@art D50 with SD-Card.
• Whistle - Football-referee alike, so you can make yourself heard when getting in trouble alone.
• Head-light - Petzl Tactic, leds white or red beam, red light won't frighten wildlife + you won't get night-blinded.
• Matches - The water & windproof kind.
• Needle & Thread - Black + nylon wire.
• Minuscule can opener.
• Telephone Calling card.
• Tiny Lock ... to fasten your bag against the wall, pipe or a rail in a pub, shop, train or railway station (always keep your valuables on you).
• Small List of Phone Numbers and Addresses - At least showing intention you want to keep in touch ;-)

Dog-outfit

Your dog will love you forever if he/she may adventure along ...

• Climbing hip belt + Carabiner - So I can walk the busy dog with my hands free.
• Small metal dog bowl.
• Dog-pack - Ruffwear "for dogs on the go", so he can carry his own rations, water + blanket.
• Dog-sleeping-blanket - It can be cold on the bare ground, otherwise dog will prefer to sleep on top of you, which can be uncomfortable depending on the size of the dog.
• Dog-passport - European Pet Passport, indicating e-ID + Vaccins.
• Spare Water-bottle x 2 - Empty plastic coke-bottles 1.5 litre, so you can carry an extra 3 litres.

First-Aid

Based on my Red-Cross training:

• Large Roller Bandage x 1- For large wounds or to immobilize joints.
• Compression Dressing x 1 - To stop or contain heavy bleeding.
• Sterile Gauze (10 x 10 centimetres) x 10 - To cover open wounds, blisters ...
• Medical Tape x 1 Roll - To fix gauze or bandages.
• Biogaze x 1 - To cover burning wounds (from fire or fuel stove).
• Triangular Bandage x 1 - To immoblize broken or twisted shoulder, arm or elbow (alternatively roll up shirt or sweater and fix with safety pin).
• Safety Pin x 2 - All kinds of applications (e.g. when button of your trousers pops off :-)
• Assorted Adhensive Plasters - To avoid small wounds getting infected.
• Pair of Pincers - To remove ticks, a splinter, sting from instect, ...
• Hibidil - Pink-coloured disinfectant in small tubes.
• Emergency Blanket ... only in case you don't carry a sleeping bag during ski/day-trips.

Absolute minimum quantities - to avoid having to carry an entire pharmacy - immediately replenish after use.

Load & Conclusion

Pack heaviest items in your bag as close to your back as possible to avoid tipping backward. For long-distance put load near your shoulders, when climbing put load lower for improved balance. Correctly adjust your hip-belt, as you can (relatively) comfortably put half your load on the middle of your body. Attach as little as possible to the outside of your back-pack - except for sleeping mat, coat, drinking bottles and hip-bags - if you can't fit all your items inside a bag of 80 litres, you're probably over-loaded.

This list only applies for hikes early-Spring or late-Autumn throughout Northern-Europe, with focus on keeping dry, occasional storm and temperature variations between minus 1 and plus 25 degrees Celcius. With food & water my backpack weight about 17.5 kilogrammes, without 15.5 kilogrammes

References

• "Le guide pratique du Randonneur", FFRP (Fédération Française de la Randonnée Pédestre), www.ffrp.asso.fr.

• 14 kilometres - South-of-Zaventem-International-Airport
• 08 kilometres - Diegem-Lo
• 13 kilometres - Stockmansmolen - NATO - Elsene Graveyard
• 16 kilometres - Arboretum (Zoniënwoud) - Tervuren

South-of-Zaventem-International-Airport: 14 kilometres

Flat track with few hills in a wide-open space. Can become very windy & muddy in Autumn & Winter. Start at the parking lot behind the Zaventem Sport Centre, and run all the way South of the Airport (you'll be passing the Airport fire-brigade ANPI training centre and the closed refugee "prison" in Steenokkerzeel). If you like you can add 20 kilometres by running through Silsembos (Berg - Nederokkerzeel - Erps-Kwerps) but in case you are not training for a marathon, simply turn South, and return parallel to the calm railroad Brussel-Leuven.

Diegem-Lo: 8 kilometres

Nothing spectacular or green, but amazingly varied considering it's passing a busy part of the suburbs. Trick is not to get lost when crossing from Diegem-Lo to Diegem (there is an intricate and little known system to tunnel pedestrians under the Ring). Once running through a quiet neightbourhood (except for the planes flying over), you'll be passing the little castle + park + foodball fields in the centre of Diegem, crossing the railroad, reaching the most remote point at Eurocontrol/Sony.

Stockmansmolen - NATO - Elsene Graveyard: 13 kilometres

Passing Brussel's Eastern fields near my home, just shying away from the city-centre (Evere). Cross Woluwedal and climb out of the valley behind Sint Stevens Woluwe. Passing a tennis-club, turn on the 750 metre traffic-free road behind NATO and the military base "Reine Elisabeth" (often used at night for illegal freestyle racing). Round the Elsene Cemetary (in fact it's a joined cemetary with Schaarbeek) - if you wish you can extend the run with 2 or 3 kilometers running round the park behind the "Carrefour" - and return via "Tiendeschuur". If you can find it there is a small alleyway going down to the church, pass the park/Chiro, up again - nice zig-zag up-and-down, if too complicated simply follow the Sint Stefaansstraat - and back again.

Arboretum (Zoniënwoud) - Tervuren: 16 kilometres

The absolute summum of a relaxing forrest run. Park your car (or bike) at the "Leopold III" enterance of the Arboretum (follow the arrows when you come off Ave. de Tervuren), and take the park via the North through all the green corridors (all flora from Americas). Cross the street and tour Park of Tervuren (often the stage of many running events). Return via the South of the park (all trees from Northern Europe) via amazing meandering paths. More then likely you will get lost several times, even a magnetic compass might be no luxury ;-)

Any improvement-suggestions or any new road to explore/plot will be more then appreciated !!!

I'll leave them at the Reception Desk of our Zaventem HQ, where you can pick them up together with your meal-cheques.

Hopefully your training is building up well, mid-May we'll start practical arrangements. Our gear can be mounted in the Army museum + Shanshan - my wife - will supply sport-drinks when you start climbing Ave. Tervuren for the final 2 kilometres.

Herewith hyperlink to supplementary details on 4 of my favorite training-tracks, 3 of them really close to our main office.

Let's all run for IT !!!

Northwind Channel Sailing 2003

Ahoy,

As I am retelling our 9-day September 2003 voyage Ostend2Jersey (and return), events are slowly sinking into distant past, but many joyous memories refuse to fade away in winter dark & cold. However a bit-by-bit reconstruction suffices to make everything yesterday once more. Lips taste salty again, feet are soaking wet, a gull yells up in the windy sky and the eye is locked both on the compass as on the horizon melting into rain & clouds. Below you will find our itinerary plotted in geo-space, thereafter my truthful day-to-day account.

Saturday 6th September 2003

A busy but satisfying working week ended peacefully the evening before when skipper Pete, Jo and me mustered at Tavern “Koekoek” in Ostend centre to swallow down fried chicken on brown with fresh Blanche. Today Danny and Paz joined us on deck to set sail dot-dash-dot the Isle of Jersey, i.e. a tiny leg, followed by a day & night endurance, ending with a quiet sprint. As usual the Mercator lock was chockablock, but at long last we passed our way to open sea. The Belgian sandy coasts unfolded rapidly during this perfect sailing day without a single drop of rain. Heed the sunken walls flanking the shallow Suydcotepass – or so warned Channel Sailing’s owner Carlos – but our centerboard below was still tightly fixed to the hull when we moored in Dunkerque for super-shopping.

Sunday 7th to Monday 8th September 2003

Once rounding Cap Griz Nez, it no longer felt like a simple day out. A tad passed the Vergoyer buoys, we were adjusting to a non-stop course of 250 degrees on Cherbourg, but before Boulogne-sur-Mer – chatting about the exact position of the Tricolor – we suddenly caught the wrath of Customs & Excise once more (see story of NCS-2002), this time however they decided to board our vessel in a rather spectacular fashion. Apparently international conventions strictly prohibit prominent display of the skull & bones (said the chief officer seriously) so our days as pirates were numbered. Luckily after the search we were still able to tell which clothes belonged to whom, and we got away after almost 40 minutes by putting our names on the book. Once we started sailing with a modest quartering wind in front of Le Havre, it was time to dig & spread out our spinnaker to gain a couple of knots. At some point we even spotted a submarine, but we were not able to tell whether it was yellow or not. Nights at sea are majestic, so I am not even going to attempt a description, but noteworthy were a pan-pan (distress call) over the radio and flares. After 52 hours we finally approached Cherbourg at 6 BFT. Nothing really to say about this large town in Normandy, except that it has been of great strategic D-day importance, and it is still buzzing with transatlantic cargo ships and passenger ferries crossing to and fro England & Ireland.

Tuesday 9th September 2003

Yes !!! Once passed Cap de la Hague we swapped our tricolor for the union jack. Our target was Jersey, the most southerly island of the British Isles, located some 100 miles (160 km) south of mainland Britain, yet only 14 miles from the coast of France. We caught a glimpse of the Corbière lighthouse, the first granite lighthouse constructed in the British Isles (1874). Sumptuous seafood makes Saint Helier an entirely different food-experience compared to England. So after a toast, we headed for the Bastille Tavern to savour – quoting our skipper – oysters as bathtubs.

Wednesday 10th September 2003

Following true English breakfast on the quay, it’s off on our Zebra Hired Cycles to the landside of the Corbière (can be reached by causeway during low tide) west of the island. Moving about without wind or motor is obviously not our skipper’s strongest characteristic, but he’s joined at the end of the queue by Paz-in-her-inseparable-Wellingtons. All during the day jets, stunt planes and helicopters continue to chase above our heads for today’s air show. After shopping at Marks & Spencer and downing a lager & bitter at the Cock & Bottle, we eat far-east at Jaipur Tandoori.

Thursday 11th to Friday 12th September 2003

Leaving Jersey, we head for Guernsey, turning starboard to navigate counter current through Great Russell between Herm & Sark, powered by the spinnaker once more. Meanwhile we Scrabble new languages and look out for the occasional dolphin. That evening we ate steak & kidney pies with oven fries in honour of the Queen, one which spoiled the entire rocking & rolling cabin floor. Same evening I painfully discovered that you can’t expect to catch any sleep under a beating sail, no matter how well you tie yourself down on the open deck, but 3 hours rest early morning in the captain’s suite did the trick. In fact we got so used to our prosperity, that no-one was quite prepared when the battery died late next morning, killing with it all comfort services, our radio, radar, autopilot and – worst of all – our diesel engine. About one hour later e-navigation.com hosted on a laptop went bust as well. Navigating without electronic gadgets (during the voyage I had tried to manually plot all routes) proved to be a tough cookie, because we finally arrived before the port of Dieppe a couple of hours later than foreseen. Over VHF 12 of a small hand-held backup radio, we requested free passage to dock wind-powered only. Meanwhile I gotten sick and the 2 high limestone cliffs marking the entrance, in frightful combination with the obstinate waves, made the adrenaline run high. Once sheltered by the elements we were doomed to float aimlessly within the basin, until a certain Monsieur Siméon was so kind to tow us with his Champ Elysées (a motoric nutshell) to an area where we were not supposed to be moored anyway. After dropping Danny at the train station – so he could make it in time to a wedding party – Jo + Paz + Pete conquered worlds on a cardboard game, while I departed for a refreshing walk over the rocky cliffs and the windy stone beach, reminiscent of settlers who embarked from here to Quebec in the XVIIst century.

Saturday 13th September 2003

Without Danny we sailed further without smooth Latin rhythms, which might explain why we were actually going backwards with the current after luffing half a day. At night we enjoyed a firework display from a distant city and helicopters shuttling deep sea pilots from one mammoth cargo ship to another. At 3 o’clock in the morning we entered the port of Dunkerque, where we found ourselves a cosy place at a remote pontoon. Neighbours next morning looked ready to devour us raw, because in total darkness we accidentally moored in their “private” playground. Hurray we’re getting closer to Belgium again !!!

Sunday 14th September 2003

After briefly joining a regatta going north up to the Belgian border, our blue-white-red flag is lowered with a feeling of completion. To get prepared for E40-traffic ahead, it’s queuing-time at the lock, but to make things bearable, Danny jumps aboard after his weekend of celebration. With regret we must turn over the Diva to Carlos, but an amicable last supper consisting of mussels, fries and beer remind us that there is more to come …

Five Lessons Learned

1. The Wind might blow you forward, but can also blow up the most ingenious plan.
2. When everything goes better than planned, stuff the plan & go with the flow.
3. Rely on you skipper, but check regularly where he's going
4. Apart from obsessively trying to pull all strings, check the map once in a while, you might actually be floating backwards
5. Last but not least when a heterogeneous group of people succeeds in working together, you can yield fantastic results.

Pete (skipper)	Paz	Danny	Jo	Pat

With my daughter Nicole away for 2 months in Canada, and 2 weeks summer holiday dedicated to refurbish the entire 1st floor and part of the attic, my wife Shanshan and I decided to indulge ourselves in a 3-day trip to Rome, following the footsteps of Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck in a "Roman Holiday". Before I heard a lot of bad stories of the classic city - food no good, dirty, etc ... - in fact absolute rubbish, since it turned out to be still one of the great cities of all time.

Sunday 9th June 2006

Arrived Stazione Termini, after slurping a Cappucino on the Via Nazionale, we embarked on the "fountain walk" throught the Rome of Bernini, passing Quattro Fontane, Piazza Del Quirinale, the Trevi Fountain, to finally arrive at Il Vittoriano (a.k.a. the "typewriter"). From there we walked through the ancient forum to the Colloseo, where we let ourselves be carried away by stories of the gladiators. At night we went to join the masses at the Circo Massimo to support the Italian against the French team in the world up soccer. The crowds went wild once Zidane got send off with a red card after kicking Materazzi, during the penalty shoot-outs everyone's heart skipped a few beats, but after then Italy became ... campione del mundoooo ... the fever stayed until long after we left the City. Walking back via the Piazza Venezia we saw people swimming in the Trevi fountain, and guys falling utterly drunk off their Vespa's.

Monday 10th June 2006

Visited the Vatican Museum and Saint Pieter, amazing the amount of wealth the popes have been able to accumulate over centuries. As a philosopher faced one of my favourites, i.e. School of Athens of Raphaël, but met rest of history as well, such as the Sistine Chapple, the Sanza, etc ... After another queue mounted the Coppola for an amazing view over Rome and the Tiber. In the evening ate the best carpaccio pesca ever at Tullio, Via S. Nicola da Tolentino 26, Roma.

Tuesday 11th June 2006

Down the Spanish Steps through the mundane Via Condotti, walked along the Tiber to Walk Tibel to Castel Sant' Angelo. Via Campo de Fiori and the Via Del Pellegrino, we went up the Capitol to the Palazzo dei Conservatori, to visit the Luppa with Romulus and Remus. After lunch overseeing the Market of Trajanus, we went on a shopping spree, buying myself 3 Versace and 1 Valentino ties + Geox leather-soled business shoes. After all not a bad conquest for 3 relatively short days ...

Reference:
"Rome" from "Capitool Reisgidsen", exists in different languages. All maps, addresses, itineraries you'll ever need, very structured, portable and graphical.

Alas I was unable to close the loop on Saturday 12th August, walking the 100-kilometre through the Antwerp, Flemish-Brabant and East-Flanders provinces, joined by 8.4k fellow nutcases, who started their cavalry on Friday 11th August at 9 o'clock in the evening from Bornem-centre.

Initially all went well, the course is as flat as a pancake, I carried the correct clothing, temperature and humidity was conducive to endurance sports and thanks to my worn and sturdy Scarpa mountain boots, I was kept safeguarded against painful blisters or twisted ankles. As a herd of migrating mammals, we stepped through the cold & wet night, until a drab morning greeted us near the Duvel brewery. Not even halfway, but 11 brave runners ahead already arrived at 10:30. Midway 2 guys from the Bundeswehr (German army) were so kind to take my picture (me at the left), amazing - in the distance still to come - how many young soldiers seem to suffer as much as everyone else.

Walking is one of my favourite pastimes, but after 50 kilometres, the nature of this journey was a bit shifting. Instead of delight, one becomes primarily focussed on continuing step-by-step, village-after-village: Merchtem - Buggenhout - Opdorp - Lippelo. Now I clearly felt that I didn't eat nor sleep appropriately, since for 4 consecutive days before the event, I went sailing after work, arriving late at home, and surviving on makeshift dinners. At some point 2 little girls like angles were distributing small colourful notes, each reading "persist": I'll keep and frame this little note, as it might also indicate: "If not this then next time".

For me this death-march proved its name worthy at 82,2 kilometres in Puurs, where I decided to take a nap around 4 o'clock in the afternoon, with 5 more hours to cross 17,76 kilometres (9 o'clock being the 24-hour deadline). Suddenly I raised too quickly to rush on, instead I collapsed completely, and found myself surrounded by the Red Cross. Really my petrol tank ran dry completely, and by the time I became fully conscious, I felt as stiff as a wooden board. Dragging myself off the stretcher, I decided to enter the ranks of the happy losers, swearing to myself I would never incur such an physical ordeal on myself ever again. Anyhow that was at the moment itself, meanwhile I already figured out how to better prepare next time ;-)

• Catch 8-to-10-hours sleep days before, and sleep through the afternoon on Friday. What's killing is not so much the distance, but the fact that you deprive yourself of sleep during 24-hours, so your head/brain goes spinning.
• Eat meaty and complete meals until day itself, then Friday consume a lot of pasta. During the voyage, stick to sandwiches, salty soup and lots of fruit. Next time I prepare some greasy ginseng broth to drink when I near the end, some sugar-tables might also bring solace, prepare for your batteries to go flat.
• Actually I was dressed too well, next time I take a fleece which is not that thick, anyhow it is still beginning of August, even though night-temperatures fell below 10° Celsius.
• Loose my Leki walking sticks in these conditions, I came to appreciate these implements for mountain and heavy backpack work, but in flat terrain they are more an annoyance and a burden to carry.
• Excellent idea to carry 4 sets of spare socks (1 pair for each 25 kilometres), thanks to changing my feet were kept in top-form (in sharp contrast to my head).
• A hip-bag seems more practical compared to a back-pack, no matter how light, the straps around your shoulders become uncomfortable.
• Tiger-balsam doesn't soothe the potential pain in the knees or ankles sufficiently, next time I carry a tube of Algipan or something similar.
• No use carrying an MP3-players - I feared I was going to get dead bored - prior to 50 kilometres you talk and listen with everyone, afterwards you become too preoccupied cruising ahead.

It's all in the head, you really can if you want to do it. Much of the material/mental preparation is strictly personal, however it can boost your morale if you can bring supporters with you, next time I won't forget to mobilise family and friends, since there seems to be a lot going on for non-walkers as well.

For more go www.dodentocht.be

Below my personal account on walking down GR-12 from Brussels (Belgian Capital Region) to Montcornet (past Rocroi) in the French Ardennes split over 2 holidays: Brussels-Charleroi in 2005 and Charleroi-Montcornet in 2006.

Day 1.1 – Monday 2nd May 2005

Absolutely strange to start an expedition from your own home-town. My wife Shanshan dropped me off by car near the Terkameren park, so I walked down Brussel’s classy Uccle-district – passing the KMI observatory (headquarters of Belgian’s meteorological institute) – to railway stop Calevoet where I joined the GR12.

The first part of the journey leads you along the Zenne in between the Zoniën-forest and is actually rather spectacular right from the beginning, with a lot of variation going through forests, nice neighborhoods, agricultural areas and even people’s private backyards (due to “right of passage” they are not allowed to block this age-old path). Beersel castle looked impressive, and is definitely one of the grandest of all castles to follow on the Belgian trail, I should really once spend ½ day or so in future to pay it a thorough visit, and eat in its attractive restaurant. Somehow I managed to get lost near Huizingen, but luckily I recovered the track in Dworp, suppose I got completely lost on my first day already !!! Going straight through some more private properties near "Ermite", I penetrated Hallerbos, which in this time of the year turned blue with carpet of little flowers. Once past Hallerbos I met an elderly men in front of Moulin "Le Hain" in Brain-Le-Chateau, who presented himself as on of the authentic painters of the GR-signs in the region. Turned out I was one of the early travelers this year, anyhow we had a nice chat for about an hour, meeting people of all sorts is always the greatest fun during trekking. Going through the Bois de Chapitre I actually already experience a rough time, with the muddy road, heady backpack and so on, and I guess because I know this area, I underestimated the distances, as everything still looked familiar. Further down I camped quietly in the open field, funnily enough I often used to come here during the weekends to walk (but then I drive here by car).

Day 1.2 – Tuesday 3rd May 2005

Horror, rain-pain-mud, I don’t know somehow things didn’t turn out that pleasantly. Keanu – my dog who keeps my company – kept heavily pulling his lead, tipping me over several times, carrying a backpack over 20 kilograms. Other than that sites as still great & spectacular, especially the Bois De Houssière is colossal and relatively unknown. Along the way I had a nice chat with an 80-year old lady, on the road I experienced 2 heavy showers, at one point even sheltering under a “parasol” in someone’s backyard. Tired but satisfied I landed in some weird hole in the shadow of Ronquière, a concrete square surrounded by barbed wire and curious horses. But it wasn’t too bad, anyhow it kept raining, and in the plain open, I had to find a place to shelter. Ronquière itself was interesting too, some kind of elevator to lift boats on the canal Brussels-Chareloi up for 68 meters. Near the tent there was some huge valve displaying V17, hopefully this area wasn’t destined to be flooded or something, but I was too tired to care. Compared to previous trips, this time I took lots of things for varied cooking – this evening tuna with Tabasco and tagliatelli, and really, if you eat well during and after walking, it makes the holiday even more pleasant. So anyone choosing to be on soldier-rations instead, you can have it …

Day 1.3 – Wednesday 4th May 2005

Drizzle kept us in tent until 10:30, during this time my dog Keanu got scared to death by 2 geese who casually walked in. Then we got finally going, you keep following the Samme, passing Arquennes, Seneffe, and it’s really green-green-green. You’ll also find small “écluses” (water-gates) which apparently have been build during Napoleonic times, and each “écluse” has a house next to it, with people still living in it. One sign read “eaux” and indeed the inhabitants were so kind to fill my bottle, but actually it was from times long gone when ships were still passing the canal (now they go via the new waterway). A bit further I greeted a old cap with a Setca cap who kept on talked about “Germans in castle” during WOII as if it was yesterday. In Seneffe I had to keep halt to buy some compresses and Hibidil to disinfect my wounded heels who were going to torture me the entire trip, I don’t know what I did wrong, but I just bought new walking shoes and it was everywhere extremely wet. Later on the 2nd part of the trip I used the Scarpa-shoes, and that time they served me excellently. After Seneffe I went south-east and near “Le Plan Vert” I navigated through some continental jungle to end up on top of a hill, looking down on the canal and Godarville. There I decided to halt for the day, with a great view on the canal below. During the evening a badger walked by, and later I even spotted a fox, so this small green patch turned out to be full with animal life, I even heard some weird trumpeting bird. While consuming some delicious Uncle Ben’s Mediterranean sauce & rice, we looked down to kayaks and riverboats, which silently passed by.

Day 1.4 – Thursday 5th May 2005

An important reason I made this trip, was to discover Charleroi's prettier side – I once met a French-speaking friend who always kept on claiming that Charleroi was strongly underrated – but unfortunately my prejudice jus got confirmed: It must be the ugliest place on earth. In addition the whole trail was messed up by some scoundrels, who destroyed all GR-markings, even mimicking the signs, to lead hikers on dangerous road or dead-ends. Instead walking trough forests & fields – which I thoroughly enjoy – I ended up tramping in the shadow of desolate terrils, which are leftovers when coal was still mined in this province. Bit weird, but lot of youngsters driving along in tuned cards, with girl dressed as if they were going to a party, this in sharp contrast with their shabby housing. Near the Château de la Marche we stopped, pity they wouldn’t let us camp near the castle – elsewhere were there are not so many hikers this is almost never a problem – but to me it’s symptomatic for the unfriendliness I feel from most people here. But as always we found a spot in a bush, I’d say if go the GR-12, expect this part to be bit of a disappointment. Then again some people might be interested in industrial archeology, there are a lot of factory-ruins around. Another surprise today was my dog biting through the carrier belt of my backpack. Instead of guarding my equipment while I was cooking along the way, he decided to sharpen his teeth. Luckily my 15-year old Lowe backpack is of supreme quality, and the 1/3 of the belt which was not cut, kept for the rest of the trip After the first part of the trip I got it repaired in “de Kampeerder” in Antwerp – where I bought this backpack originally – and now it’s as good as new again.

Day 1.5 – Friday 6th May 2005

... I did a lot of walking in the past – Scotland, Pyrenees, Alpes, France, etc … - but this short 5-day trip was not all that easy, probably I am well over thirty now, and I used to long-hike until I finished university. With a recent winter-trip through the Hautes-Fagnes (Vielsalm-Aachen) and now the GR12 I am taking up an old hobby again. On the road I spotted an peculiar boar in an old backyard, having sexual intercourse with an barrel, must be pretty lonely I though so. In Leerne my dog Keanu decided to sing-along with the church-bells, which greatly amused the priest on duty. I terminated walk-taking with another GR-fanatic, who insisted on buying me a beer in café la Terasse in Landelies. Great luxury my wife drove from Brussels, picking me up at the bridge, were I read my book in the sun, which decided to come out in the end after all. Once boarding the vehicle, I cast a look on the Sambre-river, which would be my starting point in Spring 2006.

Day 2.1 – Saturday 13th May 2006

This year Shanshan was so kind to deposit me in Landelies, this time real walking weather, whereas I invested a lot of study bringing the weight of my backpack down to a comfortable 18 kilos. Also my dog carried his own backpack this time – which I bought a couple of months ago in REI’s outdoor store when visiting Seattle – so he took care of his own 5 kilos in food and his sleeping blanket. The rest of the trip really avoids major cities, this day I started at 12 o’clock, so I couldn’t walk that awfully far. Still I passed the Abbaye d’Aulne, Gozée, Trieu du Boix, le Bois de Marbaix and Ruisseau de la Forêt, Ham-sur-Heure next to the river “Eau d’Heure”. North of Berzée I camped in between some Christmas-trees to-be, normally I always find great camping sites – even in the wild – but on the first day I didn’t bother too much.

Day 2.2 – Sunday 14th May 2006

Okay I consider 25 km/day fully packed and allowing some sight-seeing is a good walking average for this type of terrain. We left at 9 o’clock, and passed Pry, which seemed to be preparing for the battle of Waterloo, with all guys and kids wearing a Napoleon outfits and shooting ancient canons and riffles. Seems to be tradition of this region, anyhow the marching music – which you can hear miles around – makes you double your speed. Once past Walcourt – with is recognizable basilique – I accidentally ended up on the GR-125 heading South-West, which looked nice as well, but not exactly the road as planned, rather than walking back, I found some shortcuts to join the GR-12 again in Daussois. All these navigational exercises are a great fun part of following these trails, and loosing your way once-in-a-while is no shame, but part of the game. In Yves-Gomezee the sunshine decided coming through, ending a generally cloudy day, this town is really pretty with cute gardens and friendly people. This time I fell upon a great camping site past Froidmont in a sea of green and a spectacular view on Ferme de Froidmont. When camping “wild” water-supplies can be a real problem, as you can’t afford to carry more then 2 to 3 liters, but this time I got all bottles filled up, so I was completely self-sufficient. In places like Canada, this is the normal way to camp, but in Europe people sometimes believe you can’t do without hotels or camping-sites. Don’t let me laugh, with a trained eye you will always find yourself a place to call home for 1 night, but one of my most important principles, is never to leave any litter behind.



Intelligent gaze of Keanu & cows



Walcourt sky-line



Erotic garden ... must be some philosphy behind all this ...

Day 2.3 – Monday 15th May 2006

Wow exceptional walking weather, but the blue skies are often torn apart by F16 fighter jets somewhere stationed nearby. After Philippeville, you really stand at the gate of some great forests, but first I passed Sautour, Roly and Fagnolle (where you can find a really fresh water-well in the center of the village, I skipped the small fortress which you can visit there). Bit strange, but after Fagnolles, the GR ceased to be trail, rather you have find your way from sign to sign through fields full of highly-grown barley. Completely cut of the real world, I discovered a neat place to raise the tent not too far from the Royal Meteorological Institute in Dourbes. In the middle of the fields, someone put up a great wooden watch-tower, so you can have a great view on all the animal live in the evening.



Sautour



Going somewhere ...

Day 2.4 – Tuesday 16th May 2006

In Olloy-sur-Viroin a bunch of crazy school-kids got into a fight of who could fill up my canisters with water. That was needed, because today it was a whole day trekking through fairy-tale-like forest, hardly meeting a living soul. The border-crossing at Moulin-Manteau turned out to be a complete non-event, all you noticed, were the car’s license plates tuning from white/red to yellow. I must say, people were exceptionally friendly, because unlike in Belgium, they were pointing me the way as soon as they noticed me looking around. Since I got through the forest in 1 single day, I decided to turn around and get back deep into the Bois Communaux, where I found an idyllic river to camp nearby. To get fresh I decided to jump into this river, boy was that water really cold !!! Overnight thunderstorms which might scare a lot of people, but really once you’ve grown used to, with a good tent on the right spot really nothing can happen, but in the forest you got to take additional care of wiggly trees and flying branches.

Day 2.5 – Wednesday 17th May 2006

The storm settled, and we were greeted with bright sunshine in the morning. Back on track we passed Bourg-Fidèle, but part of the road through Bois d’Harcy were made extremely difficult to walk by large forest-vehicles harvesting threes. When rounding the Lac des Vieilles Forges, it even felt bit like Canada, that rough, however the artificial beach at the north-side made you aware Europeans got to build something everywhere. Strange but so far we did not meet a single fellow hiker yet during the whole trip, maybe a combination of the season and the weather, plus this might perhaps not be a run-over part of the GR. At some point we meet 2 lady gendarmes harassing drivers on a forest road, and were obviously extremely amused to see my dog Keanu wearing his own backpack. After some forced marching I finally reached “Montcornet”, the destination of our voyage around 7 o’clock in the evening. A lady was so friendly to offer dog-cookies to Keanu (he finished all his rations the day before when I was not looking, that naughty boy), sympathy guaranteed when traveling with a dog (even though there are as many people hating animals with a vengeance). She also pointed me to a nice location next to one of those antique “lavoir” where in pre-washing-machine days French women used to do all their laundry. Since it was abandoned but still fully functioning – it has a higher small part with clean water for fine linen – and a larger lower basin for your ordinary washing – I could not resist trying to wash my clothes myself: I must say after a while your knees and your back really start aching. Chapeau to all women, who must have washed tons of clothes this way in old days gone by.

Day 2.6 – Thurday 18th May 2006

Today heavy rain could not prevent us awaking fresh, but over the phone my wife talked me out of to 2 more days of hiking under similar conditions. Easiest and shortest way was getting into Charleville-Mézières, luckily a nice chap picked me up at Tournes and drove me into town. Being in France, all ways go via Paris, following quite an itinerary Charleville-Mézières to Reims, Reims to Paris-Est, walk to Paris-Nord, then the Thalys to Bruxelles-Midi. When I arrived at 8 o’clock at night, Shanshan picked me up at Sam’s Café in the station, I must say unlike the 1st part of the trip, I felt physically great, and spared of painful blisters.

Walking Statistics

• 2005: 110 km in 5 days, averaging 22 km/day
• 2006: 124 km in 5 days (excluding 1 day return-voyage), averaging 24 km/day
• Total of 235 km in 10 days, average 23 km/day

Navigational References

Personal Lessons Learned

• Possibility to carry 4-5 days worth of food, but 2,5 litres water lasts you less then 1 day. Look into ways of water-filtration, can come in handy 2 to 3 times per trip, but nothing worse than going thirsty.
• A.S. Adventure sells travel biscuits perfectly rationed, good replacement for bread.
• Back-pack weight below 18 kg to keep it bearable.
• Find more durable and foldable replacement for plastic underground to protect tent.
• Varied food (olive oil, tabasco, rice, pasta, nuts, ...) great to keep spirits high.
• Pack stove with food for 1 day on top, and insert elaborate culinary stops, enjoying the scenery.