Trail Ride

As I've written before, Belgians love to be outside and have many trails crossing the country. Today, I decided that I'd try one that was for either biking or hiking (rambling). I rode out on the "highway" for a few miles before I got to the trail. From the direction that the trail started, it looked like it would take me back toward home, AND it was really well used. It was labeled 3.1km, easy peasy. Well, the first kilometer was, then it went to grass, where I was riding right alongside the combine as he was harvesting the wheat field. Hey, he gave me a little wave. In hindsight, he was probably waving at me to turn around. After the grass and the combine came the really bumpy tractor path, complete with mud puddles big enough to lose half my tire. Hey, no problem, I can  ride through mud, not biggie. In my head, I'm thinking that there's no way that I'm still on the path, I didn't really see where it could have veered off, but this can't be it. After another .5km, I hit a road, only to get run off of it by a tractor and it's electric poop wagon. (electric poop to be explained in another post).
OK, top of the road and I see the bike/hike sign. In front of the road is a T-intersection because of the gorgeous reddish/orange brick chateau. WOW, I knew the town had a chateau, but I hadn't seen it yet. Follow the bike sign, it's gotta be almost 3.1, it has to be almost over. So, I hit the next path and take it. It's traveled, kinda. Long story short, it wasn't the bike/hike path. I was on the chateau property, I assume, with a pond that I skirted around. Then the path disappeared and got super muddy and I ended up directly behind the chateau somehow. It use to have a beautiful garden at one time, but I rode my bike through it as quickly as I could, I needed to get back to the road! I took something that could have been a path, but got stuck in a huge patch of weeds containing thistles and nettles. OUCH! Finally, I road right up alongside the chateau and skipped out behind a construction fence. Whew!
Back on the road, I decided to head towards the town that adjoins mine. I found a little park, rode past the church AND found the Fromage Du Thoricourt farm! I've been looking for it for awhile now. My bike was filthy, I was filthy, full of nettle stings and thistle scratches and it was the best ride I've had in a long time. I'll have to take the husband along next time.