Can it really be Spring in Belgium?

We haven't seen much snow over the winter- in fact we barely even got a flurry - but it's been hovering just above freezing for quite some time which is almost as bad for riding.

But for the past two days, the sun's been so strong that I have even tempted to remove the glove liners and fold my earwarmers up to expose my ears to the rays. Considering it's been only 8 degrees C (46 deg F) I didn't go crazy and kept the clothes on. But i did sit outside for a coffee yesterday in Tervuren.

Our cafe was right across the street from a Chinese restaurant named Grote Muur (big wall). When i saw the name of the restaurant I laughed so hard i could barely hold the camera still to take a photo! After finally taking the shot, we received the bill from our cafe...named 'Wine Not'. What's the expression..."People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones"?

Next we headed back through the Tervuren forest for a stroll around the pond. The paths were riddled with kids due to holiday week in Belgium, so we kept the forest stroll brief for fear of being taken out by a flyaway skateboard, frisbee, loose dog or twirling two-year-olds.

Today we rode along the canal that starts at Leuven, right at the Stella Artois Beer factory and runs up through Mechelen and beyond. There are two paths on either side of the canal - both great for motorpacing (so i've heard because that would be illegal.) It was the first time in a while that I was able to look up at the views instead of focusing on avoiding all the puddles, wet branches and mudpies.

On every single ride so far in Belgium, I pass cows, sheep, ducks, geese, chickens, goats, ten types of birds, cats, dogs, horses, donkeys, miniature horses. But today we passed a llama. That was almost as strange as the first time I saw three deer in a neighbor's backyard. Up until then, I had no idea that people keep them as companions.

Have a great weekend! I will be spending it pre-riding on Saturday in preparation for Sunday's race in Heerlen, Holland. It's another big UCI international event so i expect the crowds to be enormous and the competition fierce. I have packed my whoop-ass so I'm ready to go! I still have yet to figure out what whoop-ass means but i love how it sounds - intimidating as all hell!