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Cycling to the highest point in Belgium and discussing the (in)appropriate bikes to do so.

The Signal de Botrange, the highest point in Ardennes and all of Benelux was the goal of one of my first bike trips after I moved to Belgium. I had a small, around 50-year-old road bike back then, but it did the trick, and the place left a lasting positive imprint on me. Once I replaced the old bike with one that fit me, Signal de Botrange was again one of the first destinations I rode with it. So, when I added a folding bike to my collection, I thought taking it to the summit could be fun, too. However, my motivation slacked because, like the first road bike, the folding bike's sizing wasn't at best, and one could fit only narrow tires on it. Yet, the manufacturer listened and updated the model, which addressed my gripes. It also increased weight a little, but considering the scale of Belgian mountains, I was confident I could climb it anyway. If anything, riding a bike near the edge of its or the rider's capabilities only adds to the excitement; I'd argue that for what's typically available in Belgium, a less capable machine (compared to MTBs) is actually the best tool for the job.

The last push I needed for the trip with the folding bike came during the summer solstice weekend: the weather forecast predicted blistering heat — a clear call for action: 300,000 people were expected to travel to the seaside, so I went in the other direction, to the Signal de Botrange. It is peaking from a region of gorgeous sceneries and, relevant for this weekend, woodlands with shade.

On the morning before the trip, I drifted away in memories of my Colorado road trip. "Why don't I do something similar more often?" I thought and spontaneously decided to make the Signal de Botrange journey into an overnighter. Sure, that won't make it into a ride through 14,000 footers, but so what? It will be two days of fresh air and roads that I haven't ridden before. That counts! Like the Colorado trip, I planned to be off the paved roads as much as possible. All that asphalt adds in ease of going far, it tends to take away from the adventure of getting there. So, immediately after leaving Eupen, I entered gravel.

Being on gravel in the sun brought a flashback of cycling in Arizona. It was hot! But the road also gave me a fun taster of how the folding bike behaves on a loose surface, so it felt like I entered the woods nearing Gileppe Lake in no time. The outlooks over the water were neat, but the lush forest around amazed me more.

As I gained elevation, bracken mixed with blueberry carpets and plenty of lovely rocks.

Together with abundant flowers, it was as if the forest had dressed in tasteful jewelry.

Roughly halfway up the climb, I interrupted the ride to do a hike through the Statte Valley trail, which is forbidden for bikes. Sometimes, these restrictions leave a lot to desire, but not today. The terrain would make for a workout even with a long-travel 29er, never mind my 20" folding. I happily walked, took in the cascading river and more pretty rocks, and returned to the saddle later. Unexpectedly, the forest road switched to singletrack.

Singletracks always make the day better! And as if that was not enough, the sun, slowly but surely approaching the horizon, colored the surroundings in a more vivid light. That said, the kilometers flew by, and I soon made it to 694 m above sea level; I arrived at the Signal de Botrange.

Unlike the spiky pinnacle of a prominent mountain, the Signal de Botrange would be hardly noticeable on the vast, high plateau. However, in 1923, the High Commissioner for the East Cantons, General Baltia, changed it by ordering to raise the summit so one could reach the magical 700 meters. It is a gimmick; still, I can't resist climbing up whenever I am here.

In this instance, I also temporarily changed the marker into a pedestal for the bike that took me there. It was asking for it.

Even with the extension, however, the views aren't worth much. One sees trees on one side and a parking lot on the other. Thankfully, the trees open just a few meters down the road, allowing devouring views of the rolling plateau. Naturally, that was my next stop.

The sky was clear, the air was fresh, and I was in a good mood. I also had the entire place for myself by then.

I planned to sleep in a bivouac place about 10 km from the Signal de Botrange, and being near the tallest point in the country now meant I was in for a bit of downhill action. The road again gave to singletrack, this time spiced with stones to tackle – I was glad I still had daylight on my side!

Again, I drew parallels with the Colorado trip, where I also did not have the most capable tool for the job. It was a 2WD car, which, like the folding bike, needs more careful handling in rougher terrain than a dedicated off-road rig. However, that meant I had to be fully focused on navigating through, leaving no room for intrusive thoughts. I was just there, in the present, and there was no other place I'd rather be.

It was an exciting conclusion of the day; after the trail ended, I was only a dozen meters from the bivouac. There, I found people again; unsurprisingly, I was not the only one with the idea of spending the night here, but there was enough room for everyone. Without much wait, I set up my bed and quickly fell asleep.

Here's a view I had when I opened my eyes the following morning:

Not a bad way to start a day, I'd say. And the cheerful mood got only stronger when I hit the road again. The light was spectacular!

If I'd not stayed the night, I'd not see it. But I did, and I cherished it profoundly. My first point of interest for the morning was the Mefferscheid Artboretum. That's not a typo: The arboretum features multiple artworks sensibly incorporated into the surroundings.

The trees come from all over the world, and because the arboretum is over 100 years old, they already have respectable sizes. I also enjoyed the artworks and the boardwalk that took me around. What a fab stop!

Then, I sent it down more gravel roads, explored more new places, and prolonged the enjoyment of the forest. Even though I was already far from the ar(t)boretum, the compositions around me still looked like carefully curated sets for one to be captivated, curious, and happy. What else to ask for?

Thanks for reading!

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