Apparently 30,000 people showed up at the European Championships Road Race yesterday in Hasselt, Belgium to cheer on the women cyclists.  Make that 30,001.

I took the train to Hasselt, spent half an hour with my friend Bart in the Izy Coffee store there, and then a bus to the tininess of Overrepen.  From there it was “te voet” (on foot) through another village called Kolmont, and onto the 600-metre climb known as the Kolmontberg.

The women would be doing the climb twice and I wanted to find the viewing spot that would make me supremely happy.  I realize my perfect is unlikely to be yours … but that’s part of what makes the world go ’round.

Here’s my view:

The riders would sweep out of the far trees and zoom right towards me for half a kilometre.  In the photo, I’m not standing in the middle of the road.  It curves to my right and starts the climb. 

And then the real thing.  First the convoy of official motorcycles:

And 100 women going like a bat out of hell:

Oh, the power as they swept past me!  I decided that the moment was for my eyes, not my camera lens.  And also for my mouth …

Allez!  Bravo!  Magnifique!

The second time through, I left the cell phone in my pocket.  I watched the peleton burst out of the trees and bear down on me. 

Coming … coming … Here! … Going … going

It was a long and magnificent day, punctuated by beer and two out-of-this-world hot dogs (with mayonnaise and sauerkraut).  Yum.  All in the company of cycling fans speaking Dutch too fast for me!

As folks wandered back to their cars, I walked wearily back to the bus stop.  Then back to Bart in Izy.  After he’d closed the store, I experienced something rare for me these days – riding in a car.  Bart introduced me to the joys of Leuven and Brussels.

And then drifting towards home … blessed home

The day showed me two minutes of 100 women riding their bicycles

And so much more