Find the highlighted Vëlosummer 2021 routes on your Garmin device; the layer includes all routes and links. Get the file here (if needed, right click and Save Link As…), and copy velosummer.img to the folder Garmin on your device. Tested on a Garmin Edge 1000 and 1030plus.
If you’re using a recent firmware, make sure that you are using the Classic” map theme (and not high contrast or mountain biking).
If you don’t want to simply read the text and see the captivating pictures, they’re right there for you to explore. Choose between my monthly selection of pictures or the daily ones, which are mostly untitled.
It’s mind-blowing that I haven’t contributed a single post to this illustrious platform in the past two whole years! But fear not, my dear audience, for I shall grace you with some information about my fascinating outdoor escapades in the magnificent year of 2023. Get ready to be floored by the brilliance of it all.
Oh boy, what a year it was! I mean, talk about numbers and achievements galore! Get this, I logged a mind-boggling 200,000 km on total rides Strava. Yeah, that’s right, TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND! And hold on tight, because I also conquered a jaw-dropping 2 million meters of elevation gain. I practically climbed Mount Everest twice! But wait, there’s more, I made my 100th-century ride during the highly anticipated summer season.
Oh, and let’s not forget about my thrilling adventure in the world of PostGIS queries. Because, you know, who doesn’t love a good old data hunt? Turns out, I uncovered a hidden gem of a village in Luxembourg called Dorscheid. How dare it elude my travel radar for so long! And wait for it… I also discovered a mythical section known as Scheerbach. It’s so elusive that its area measures a whopping 11,228 square meters.
All in all, I can proudly say that I’ve conquered the world of numbers and geographical mysteries.
Figures for 2023 provided by Veloviewer:
Another year of mediocre cycling accomplishments. Who needs to beat their total distance, max ride distance, max ride elevation, or number of centuries when they can proudly announce that they’ve surpassed their record of elevation gain in the groundbreaking year of 2023? Also, I managed to avoid getting even a single flat tire while I was out riding, but I replaced three wheels!
Below, you will find the picture of the activity map near Luxembourg for 2023.
According to wandrer.earth, I got 3201.83 new unique kilometres, and the Squadrats progress is shown below.
I’ve had the absolute pleasure of gracing all the Luxembourg communes with my presence countless times. And hey, let’s not forget the excitement of venturing across the border to explore all the juicy municipalities on the other side. Well, except for dear old Mont Saint-Martin.
The absolute highlight was on the scorching day of July 11, when the heat was hardly bearable, with scorching heat and suffocating humidity! And of course, to balance things out, we had the pleasure of experiencing the bone-chilling cold on August 31, with a freezing shower that almost turned me into an ice sculpture! I couldn’t help but shiver in pure ecstasy aaaall the way back home.
Oh, just a tiny little thing I managed to accomplish… I mean, it’s not like it’s a big deal or anything, but I casually hopped on my bike one day and conquered all the highest peaks in each of the Benelux countries. Who needs a car or a helicopter when you can pedal your way to the top?
Oh, how I had grand plans to conquer the world with my VeloViewer cluster! But alas, I failed miserably to even reach Saarbrucken, let alone Sarreguemines. As for expanding my biggest square to encompass all of Luxembourg, well, I managed to tick off a few tiny corners, so that’s something, right?
Now, as I ponder the upcoming year, I must confess I haven’t bothered solidifying any goals just yet. I mean, who needs goals when there are countless ideas just waiting to sprout like beautiful flowers in the warm embrace of longer days?
Left with 5 litres of “eau de Cologne” and drank it before arriving at destination so I had to refill on the way. Feeling of freshness when it was only 30 degrees; also the breeze was welcome. Fortunately the cycleway was full of families so it was another reason to take it easy. Lunch break and quick visit of Bonn (saw the HARIBO shop, good that it was closed 🤣). Met several cyclists doing long distance trip and discussed with one who was on his way to the Black Sea.
Refections on Adenauer Weiher, Cologne (June 30, 2019)
Hohenzollernbrücke, Köln (June 30, 2019)
At Cologne’s cathedral (June 30, 2019)
Rhine beach, Cologne (June 30, 2019)
Temperature (June 30, 2019)
Industriestraße, Godorf (June 30, 2019)
Werk Wesseling industry (June 30, 2019)
Ludwig Van Beethoven statue in Bonn (June 30, 2019)
Meal in Bonn (June 30, 2019)
Sign is full of thematic cycling routes (June 30, 2019)
The Rhine in Mehlem (June 30, 2019)
The Rhine near Remagen (June 30, 2019)
A long trip to the Black Sea (June 30, 2019)
Bollwerk, Andernach (June 30, 2019)
The Rhine route near Kaltenengers (June 30, 2019)
The Rhine near Kaltenengers (June 30, 2019)
On the way back, I did a stopover in Trier:
Porta Nigra, Trier (June 30, 2019)
Wilhelm-Brücke, Trier (June 30, 2019)
Alter Moselkran, Trier (June 30, 2019)
Is it the most expensive per kilometre train journey in Europe? (June 30, 2019)
Bike tour on a hot day, even on the summit of the Venn and the Eifel national Park. 65 km on unpaved ways. Several drink/water shopping on the way. Great landscapes. Wasn’t sure if I would make it to Cologne.
Bikes in the train (June 29, 2019)
I see bikes (June 29, 2019)
South end of Vennbahn (June 29, 2019)
Vennbahn near Troisvierges (June 29, 2019)
Cycling directions near Troisvierges (June 29, 2019)
A short climb near Troisvierges (June 29, 2019)
Vennbahn near Troisvierges (June 29, 2019)
Vennbahn near Goedange (June 29, 2019)
Luxembourg/Belgium border on Vennbahn (June 29, 2019)
Roadworks on Vennbahn (June 29, 2019): Diversion map
Just paved segment of Vennbahn (June 29, 2019)
The Our river (June 29, 2019)
The only part of Vennbahn in Rhineland-Palatinate (June 29, 2019)
A swim or a horse ride? Yes!! (June 29, 2019)
km 100 on Vennbahn (June 29, 2019)
MTB Park map in St. Vith (June 29, 2019)
3 countries ride event banner (June 29, 2019)
Vennbahn information board in St. Vith (June 29, 2019)
Vennbahn information board in St. Vith (June 29, 2019)
Cycling distances in St. Vith (June 29, 2019)
Scooting holiday (June 29, 2019)
Old bridge (June 29, 2019)
Picknick and info-TV viewpoint (June 29, 2019)
Vennbahn information board in Bütgenbach (June 29, 2019)
RAVeL fork in Bütgenbach (June 29, 2019)
km 0 on RAVeL (June 29, 2019)
Vennbahn near Bütgenbach (June 29, 2019)
Monschau (June 29, 2019)
Monschau (June 29, 2019)
Monschau (June 29, 2019)
Rurtalweg (June 29, 2019)
No fishing (June 29, 2019)
NSG Rurtal mit den Felsbildungen der Uhusley nature reserve (June 29, 2019)
Nodal cycling network map in Simmerath (June 29, 2019)
Cycling directions in Simmerath (June 29, 2019)
Eifel-Höhen-Route information board in Simmerath (June 29, 2019)
Rurtalsperre reservoir (June 29, 2019)
Boat on Rurtalsperre (June 29, 2019)
Eifel National Park sign (June 29, 2019)
Kayak and boats (June 29, 2019)
RurUfer-Radweg (June 29, 2019)
RurUfer-Radweg (June 29, 2019)
Rurtalsperre from RurUfer-Radweg (June 29, 2019)
Animation in Zülpich park (June 29, 2019)
Cycling directions in Bergerhausen (June 29, 2019)
Warm with a breeze and mobile office on the back. Busy cycleways but empty roads. 102 km in Luxembourg, 11 km in France and 53 km in Germany. When I arrived home, I thought I could just repeat it.
Eagle monument in Dalheim (June 23, 2019)
Jhangely meorial (June 23, 2019)
Flag (June 23, 2019)
International border (June 23, 2019)
Cycling route along the Moselle river (June 23, 2019)
Château des Ducs de Lorraine (June 23, 2019)
Schengen Agreement (June 23, 2019)
Vineyards near Palzem (June 23, 2019)
Welcome to Rhineland-Palatinate (June 23, 2019)
Cycling in three countries (June 23, 2019)
Cycling directions near Ralingen (June 23, 2019)
The Wine Gate (June 23, 2019)
Sauer river (June 23, 2019)
Wooden bridge in Mullerthal (June 23, 2019)
The Mullerthal Canyon on PC 2 (June 23, 2019)
Oak processionary caterpillars found in the area (June 23, 2019)
25 km on unpaved tracks; where tracks were all maintained except on some parts of the Nahe-Hunsrück-Mosel Radweg where it was quite bumpy.
It was hot and soggy at the beginning, but with the altitude gain and the forest it got cooler. Had (late) lunch in ALDI Hermeskeil and dinner in Trier before catching the train back.
All ways lead to Saarburg (June 15, 2019)
The Saar cycling route (June 15, 2019)
Hunsrück-Radweg near Irsch (June 15, 2019)
Train in Reinsfeld (June 15, 2019)
Fire bridage experience museum in Hermeskeil (June 15, 2019)
Hunsrück-Radweg near Hermeskeil (June 15, 2019)
Hunsrück-Hochwald National Park (June 15, 2019)
Bad pavement (June 15, 2019)
In the hills of Hunsrück-Radweg (June 15, 2019)
Cycling directions near Neuhütten (June 15, 2019)
Trees in Hunsrück-Hochwald (June 15, 2019)
Hunsrück-Radweg information board near Hilscheid (June 15, 2019)
Hunsrück-Radweg cycling directions near Erbeskopf (June 15, 2019)
National park sign (June 15, 2019)
Track in Hunsrück-Hochwald National Park (June 15, 2019)
Gravel track on Hunsrück-Radweg near Allenbach (June 15, 2019)
Cycle path (June 15, 2019)
Gutenthal sign (June 15, 2019)
Nahe-Hunsrück-Mosel-Radweg (June 15, 2019)
Steps on Nahe-Hunsrück-Mosel-Radweg (June 15, 2019)